Stomach & Spleen: Nourishment and Grounding
The Stomach and Spleen are sometimes called the “centre” of the body’s energy system. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, they are seen as the source of post-natal qi, meaning the energy you create after birth through food, drink, and daily rhythm. While you are born with inherited energy stored in your Kidneys, it is the Stomach and Spleen that transform what you eat and how you live into fuel for everything you do. These meridians are not only about digestion, they are about how you nourish yourself and how stable you feel within daily life.
When balanced
When the Stomach and Spleen are strong, the body runs smoothly. Digestion feels steady, food is broken down efficiently, and the energy created is distributed through the system without strain. People with a balanced centre often wake with natural energy and carry it evenly across the day. They don’t rely on constant cups of tea or coffee to push them forward, because their system is producing and distributing energy as it should.
Emotionally, this strength shows up as stability. You feel grounded, as though you are standing on steady ground. Decisions feel easier because the mind is clear and not caught in constant loops. There is less tendency to worry, and more capacity to feel present. You have the ability to process what happens in life and move on, just as the digestive system processes food and sends it out as useful fuel.
When blocked or weak
When the Stomach and Spleen struggle, the body shows it quickly. The Stomach is vulnerable to excess, and when it is overwhelmed, symptoms like bloating, reflux, nausea, or feeling heavy after meals are common. The Spleen is linked to transformation and transport of energy. When it is weak, people often feel tired, heavy in the limbs, or describe their energy as sluggish. Cravings for sugar or quick snacks are also common, because the body is trying to find easy fuel to make up for a weak centre.
On the emotional side, the Spleen is closely linked to worry and overthinking. Just as the digestive system can get stuck processing food inefficiently, the mind can get stuck processing thoughts inefficiently. The result is repetitive thinking without resolution. Many people notice that when digestion feels heavy, the mind feels heavy too. The link between body and thought is clear in this pair.
Modern challenges
Modern life places strain on this system from many directions. Meals are rushed, often eaten at a desk or on the move. Food is processed, high in sugar or low in fibre, and eaten irregularly. Instead of three balanced meals, many people snack all day, which never allows the Stomach and Spleen to complete their cycle of work and rest. Sleep patterns also affect this pair. Late nights and chronic stress drain the Spleen’s ability to transform food into energy, leaving fatigue that no amount of caffeine can fix.
There is also the cultural habit of overthinking. Constant access to screens and information keeps the mind busy long after the body needs rest. Many people scroll on their phone while eating, splitting attention and making digestion less efficient. Worry itself is said to damage the Spleen, and you can feel it in practice. A mind that circles all night leaves you tired the next day, and fatigue makes it harder to focus, which leads to more worry. It becomes a cycle of depletion.
How Shibashi supports this pair
Shibashi practice offers a simple way to reset. The movements are slow, steady, and often grounded through the feet. Pressing the palms downward or shifting weight evenly into each leg helps the body feel stable. This directly supports the Spleen, reminding it to draw strength from rootedness. Gentle twisting across the waist massages the abdominal organs, which stimulates circulation and encourages smoother digestion. Spirals and turns encourage the system to process both food and thought more effectively.
Because the practice is linked to breathing and awareness, it also interrupts the habit of overthinking. While you focus on slow movement and breath, the cycle of repetitive thoughts softens. Over time, this gives the Spleen the chance to recover from constant strain. Instead of being dragged by worry, the mind feels clearer, and the body begins to trust its own rhythm again.
Shibashi does not work by force. You are not pushing the body into a rigid routine or demanding more energy from it. You are creating the conditions for the Stomach and Spleen to function in the way they were designed. The movements, repeated regularly, re-train the system to ground, digest, and transform. People often notice that they feel calmer after practice, but also steadier and clearer in their thoughts. That is this pair responding to the invitation.
Reflection
Nourishment is about more than what you eat. It is about how you take things in, whether food, experience, or thought, and how you allow them to be transformed. A meal eaten in calm will nourish you more than the same food eaten in stress. A day that includes pauses will fuel you more than a day spent rushing. The Stomach and Spleen remind us that grounding is created through rhythm, rest, and steady intake.
Take time to eat slowly, notice the feeling of your feet on the ground, and practise gentle movements that centre your body. Each time you do, you are supporting the meridians that keep you nourished and grounded. Over time, the result is not only better digestion but a calmer, more stable sense of self.