I think that sounds like a great idea for a future discussion! Perhaps I should have left out the word paradox and just had the ?. Maybe a symbol better describes the Dao rather than a word. The Dao is mysterious, but maybe my personal experience, or personal dao, has been a story of paradox. Afterall, I live in the US and study Chinese medicine. These kind of paradoxical themes come up in my life often, so that is why I said that orginally.

May the Dao be with you,

Delli

-Delli

Also, do these apparently venerable goals necessitate the inclusion of materials or methods outside of the classics? If so, why? If not, why not?

Personally, I have absolutely zero desire to add modalities, diagnostics, materials or terminology to the classical versions of those which I am receiving in my schooling. I have a nearly insatiable desire to delve as deeply into those principles as I possibly can and to to learn to use those diagnostics, materials and modalities as well as I possibly can. My journey is ever into myself, dwelling ever deeper within nature, ever more open to the subtle yearnings of the human being and ever more penetratingly into the heart of the Classical teachings. I cannot imagine how I would have time to do anything else.

Those of you who do have the time and energy to do so apparently have deeper wells than I.

e

Is the nature of the Dao paradox? Maybe Eric needs to write an article for us on the nature of the Dao! Perhaps we’ll find the discussion to be paradoxical, but what of the Dao?…

Thanks again Delli!
Michael

I really like your answer of what it means to do no harm from a classical Chinese medicine point of view. That makes sense, because the goal is always to guard the shen 1st and foremost.

I used “spiritual guard” in quotations because I meant in the sense of educator. I was just showing that this part of the practice I equate with working with the soul of the individual directly. It is a face to face human interaction with great potential for creating growth and transformation. Growth and transformation comes from the core, the shen. I believe I am responsible to educate patients as part of my duty. We are educating them to help them move through life processes when they become stuck.

We must try and help in all respects. The “I-Thou” relationship means that you see the divine spark in the person in front of you, it does not mean you are superior, in actuality it means that you see the same in them as yourself. It is like looking in a mirror almost, and if you treat them with this respect they will reciprocate.

I too believe that my practice should be firmly rooted in the principles and foundations of CCM. However, I disagree that we can can not branch out from the medicine at all. Life and health are about movement. As time marches on we need to use this information and intergrate into the world we live in today.

This means utilizing new knowledge too “advance” our medicine. The theory of yin yang and five element are so powerful that they can be used to describe almost anything. This is because they are based on the movements of nature. I have to say my practice will not go against CCM principles, yet it will be integrative and suit my style. For isn’t this the nature of the Dao, paradox?

-Delli

My only disagreement is about the foundation of the medicine. As it grows it will grow through a stage of eclecticism – incorporating the new material, concept, diagnostic modality, whatever – this is the only way I can see for growth to occur.

I think the principles need to be tested too – not just their application.

I do however think it is best to be solidly founded in a tradition before we seek to change it. Grabbing a bit of this and that is just shoddy and usually a cover for superficiality of understanding. There is a place for those who show a remarkable penetration and ask questions of a fundamental nature – these people are vital to the development of any modality. That they may come from ‘outside’ the field is not a problem for me. If their questioning shows understanding they are to be welcomed with open arms in my view. But these are rare beings – and so we should always be willing to check out whether someone is one of them.

I think we agree on fundamentals. But I do want to insert into the discussion the proces of growth.