Symbolism, Chinese medicine and the birth of a new project

symbolism in chinese medicineI’ve been working on a series about the Chinese medicine organ systems for the past few weeks.  We’ve already covered the Lung, and then the Large Intestine in two parts.  During that time, my understanding of the symbolism (including what’s available through the Chinese medicine organ clock) that is shot through Chinese medical literature has changed, deepened, opened up.

When I first started studying with Heiner Fruehauf, I was entranced by all the symbolism he introduced in his lectures at NCNM.  I wasn’t sure if what he was talking about would bear clinical fruit, but I knew the ring of truth was there and I was resolved to understand it.  Doctors that I worked with later put more or less emphasis on the symbolism, but regardless, the kind of imaginative and symbolic thinking was always a part of what they taught - because this kind of thinking is at the root of the development and practice of Chinese medicine.

What is a symbol?  A symbol is something used to represent something else.  It POINTS at something else.  Generally, we use material representations to represent immaterial things - like how a religious symbol can be used to represent God, or human beings’ relationship to God.  When I talk about symbolic thinking, I take it a bit farther.  Everything can be a symbol.  The human body is in resonance with the universe, in resonance with nature, and all of these things create a symbol field that points at something immaterial - the unifying concept behind all of those symbols.  This is, of course, a quite Platonic concept.  There is a perfect concept/idea of metal-ness, of which all METAL symbols here on Earth are only an imperfect representation.  The fact is that the symbol field creates a kind of embodied conversation about this “concept/idea.”  I want to point out that I’m not even sure that the Platonic idealist view of reality applies in the particular situation I’m describing, but many people will say that it does.  For the sake of simplicity, let’s just say that all of the symbols I discuss are part of an overall embodied conversation that is attempting to describe a particular concept that may, or may not, be perfectly present anywhere in the world.

Confusing?  Yeah, when I describe it that way it probably is pretty confusing.  But, it’s important to understand.  When I talk about the Stomach on the Chinese organ clock, you’ll hear me discuss the Dragon, Yangming, Earth, various acupuncture points and formulas, herbs and Classical passages, constellations, Earthly branches.  What does all of this mean?  It is part of a multi-sensory conversation attempting to define the Chinese medicine concept of the organ Stomach.  But, it can go so far beyond that.  Every time I walk out my door, I see Stomach.  I see it in the muscle cars roaring past, I see it in the gourmet restaurants that dot my beloved city of Portland.  I see it in the Earth yellow faces and wild smiles of friends and family, I see it in the high and dry Earth in mounds around the bike path.  I hear it in certain songs, certain lines in movies.  I hear about it in world news event reports.  I smell it on the breath of my dog (gross!) and in my compost pile.  Sometimes, the universe practically SCREAMS Stomach.  It is a multi-sensory experience, a lived experience.  Ultimately, all of this feeds back into me as a practitioner, my understanding of the human being and the universe, and bears important clinical results.

This is why it is so disturbing how some contemporary Chinese medicine practitioners have reduced “Stomach” to the Western medical organ.  Of course, we can use that idea as part of the symbol field.  How rich it is to include the information from Western medicine, but what a tiny little drop in the bucket it is - and how misunderstood.  But, that little gripe is not what this post is about.

This post is about nothing less than the rebirth of Deepest Health.  I am happy to say that Deepest Health is about to undergo a revolution in order to begin a revolution.  A revolution of thought and feeling around Chinese medicine.  You will still see the same great information that you’ve come to expect - but so much more.  We want to create something that can’t be described in a sentence, but here are some half attempts by the project’s creators:

“As I was writing in my journal last night, this is both an overt and accidental thing. It is a methodology one might employ to fully explore a concept, on the one hand. On the other hand, it is a way of being that we will be cultivating that will then result in surprising insights without effort.”
“It is a commitment in the vein of YSL where we overtly decide to engage in the process. For me, this means letting go of some of my business ambitions, some other of my projects, so that I can steep myself sufficiently in various practices and studies. It also means making a conscious effort to open all of my senses. All the time - as I move in the world - and especially when I’m working on a topic.”
“For instance, I’m drawn to metal right now. So my “walkabout thesis” is that metal is a multi-sensory living entity that can teach me about itself and about the world. That fully grasping metal-ness will help me as a human being, but also yield clinical results.
I’m not sure where it’s going, and I won’t try to direct it.”
“It’s a way of effortlessly being with awareness and allowing Chinese philosophical and medical concepts to shape the perspective.”
“…a detournement of classical mindfulness!”
“…a tapestry of storytelling and a skein of experiences…”
“A mosiac reflection of a classical understanding of life.”
“…a strand of awareness… shorn of constraints… grazing in the mind fields of experience.”

So, what can you expect over the next weeks?  An additional author (I’ll let him reveal himself), lots more multimedia content (including video, audio, photographs, artwork), more frequent updates plus the same great postings that you’ve come to love (!) from yours truly.  Eventually, the project may require a blog theme update - but we’ll let you know before that happens.
I’d be very interested to hear your thoughts in the comments.  I’ll provide some information about the Stomach organ system in my next article, don’t worry.
Eric

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August 5, 2008 · Filed Under Blogging, TCM v CCM, Theory

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