Taking Care of Yourself Is a Motherf—
A little Ren Channel Wisdom from an acupuncturist.
With Mother’s Day around the corner (thank you, gift guides, for the reminder), I’m leaning into the season by talking about my favorite acupuncture channel: Ren. This time of year always nudges me to ask patients how they’re mothering themselves. Not in the greeting-card sense, but in the deep, body-level way we all need.
During this week my treatments often center around the Ren channel, because no matter what you're health goals are, there’s nothing quite like a hug from mom, even when it comes in the form of needles…who would have thought?
Who is Ren?
In Chinese medicine, the Ren channel, also known as the Conception Vessel, is the channel of nourishment, safety, and receptivity. It’s one of the first channels to form in utero, making it our original source of support. Think of it like the energetic umbilical cord: it governs our ability to receive care, feel emotionally safe, and hold ourselves with compassion. Even cuter, it runs up the center of the body and connects with the cheek so the skin to skin moment of a newborn and their mother is literally uniting Ren channels.
However I should say, in this context, you don’t have to be a parent to mother. In fact, many of us spend adulthood learning to mother ourselves in ways we never received. That’s what makes the Ren channel so powerful, it invites us to heal not just through doing, but through being held.
“This archetypal energy may be active in anyone, male or female, mother, father or someone who does not have children at all, because the vessel itself is about the capacity to conceive of something, hold and nourish that thing (gestation), give birth to it and support its growth. This may be a business, a garden, a work of art, four legged children (pets) or even someone else's children. Its about our capacity to love and nourish in a way that fully expresses who we are.” - Yvonne Farrell
Unsurprisingly, the way we were mothered can in some cases shape how we continue to mother ourselves. Without diving into full-blown therapy, here’s how the Ren channel can become over- or underfed, and what that might mean for your body.
Ren is Over Nourished
This is the kind of care that’s more about soothing than supporting. Think eating past fullness because you’re emotionally drained. Or over-consuming content for comfort, like hours of scrolling, binge watching a TV show or listening to one health podcast after the next. I also relate this to excessive self care for the sake of self care, just going through the motions to check the box, which rarely gives the desired effect. You are doing self care, not receiving it.
These activities lead to a Ren channel that is swollen, stagnant and heavy. Short term this can feel grounding and comforting, like a weighted blanket, but longer term will leave you feeling foggy, stuck, emotionally overwhelmed, bloated and disconnected from your center. Despite all the effort, you don’t feel truly nourished, just full.
Ren is Under Nourished
Ren can also be underfed. This is when we deny our bodies basic yin resources like regular meals, hydration, rest, softness. It’s skipping food because you’re busy. Ignoring thirst. Powering through exhaustion. Overworking, undersleeping, and treating your body like a machine instead of a living system. It’s also emotional neglect, ignoring your cycle, overriding your intuition, withholding kindness from yourself. You tell yourself “I’m fine” when you know you’re anything but. You know who you are, and don’t tell me “I’m just a person that doesn’t need much sleep” because that is NOT a thing.
When Ren is under nourished it becomes dry, brittle, and depleted. Yin starts running on empty and you are running on cortisol, caffeine and adrenaline. This can feel like anxiety, irritability, insomnia, creative blocks, or a general sense of being untethered. What may feel even more relatable is when you are shocked you have energy, you know you shouldn’t but you do. It’s that manic, surface level energy that feels productive but deep down you know a crash could come any minute.
Rebalancing the Ren starts with listening. Not to what Instagram or your wellness apps say (as I sit here telling you what to do on Substack), but to your own body.
Questions to ask:
Is this softening me, or is it just soothing me?
Is this replenishing, or is it performative?
Is this nourishing, or is it depleting?
Time to Mother
Hydration + Warmth
Hydration is key for nurturing the Ren channel, but the type of hydration matters. For those with excess, avoid too much cold or iced water, as it can create stagnation in the body. Opt for warm teas that gently support digestion and soothe the system. For those with deficiency, make sure you’re drinking enough water, but also consider starting your morning with a warm bone broth which helps replenish and nourish the deeper yin reserves (especially if you haven’t wrapped your mind around eating breakfast yet).
Slow Down + Center
For excess Ren, where things feel overwhelmed or congested, create space for moments of stillness. This could be a 5-minute meditation where you sit with your hands on your belly, breathing into the soft areas of your body. Deficiency Ren benefits from deeper rest: prioritize sleep (7 or more hours), avoid late nights, and cultivate restful breaks in your day. Yin needs to be nurtured with time, not forced action.
Gentle Movement + Grounding
For both excess and deficiency of Ren grounding practices like light yoga or walking can help you reconnect to your body (bonus points if you can have a moment barefoot on grass). The key here is soft movement that invites you to be present in your body, rather than pushing through fatigue.
Nourish with Simple, Whole Foods
When the Ren is over-nourished, simplify your diet and avoid overindulgence. Instead of reaching for comfort food when you're stressed, try light, easy-to-digest meals (steamed veggies, broths, oats) that soothe the stomach without overwhelming it. If Ren is under-nourished, focus on replenishing foods that are yin-building, like warming soups, slow-cooked meals eaten on a regular schedule (three meals per day please).
Be well,
Dr. Stolberg
I looooved this! 🤍