The Year of Sagely Living - The Evolution
When we decided to move away from our original Year of Sagely Living idea, I knew I would run the risk of dropping the project entirely. While I had the intention to focus on my physical body, I didn’t really know what form that would take. I’ve struggled to keep closely to my focused program of physical improvement, mostly because I actually exercise better in the cooler months due to my intolerance of heat. I’ve honestly done pretty well - I’ve lost over 15 pounds and increased my overall strength.
I’ve been following a program of Qigong, lots of walking around beautiful neighborhoods, bike riding and strength training on my (cheap) home gym. The last element is the weakest, and the one I will be focusing most on improving in the coming months. I have a goal of reaching an ideal body weight and basic strength by the time my two best friends get married in early September. The process has taught me quite a bit about my body - fundamental among them being that my body really does well when pushed a bit. Given the conversation we had about exercise here on Deepest Health, I wasn’t sure what to think. But, experientially, I’d have to say that the level of physical activity I am doing most certainly seems to have an overall Qi and Yang boosting effect without damaging Yin or Blood, at least as far as any external or internal signifiers can tell me. So, interesting…
The Year of Sagely Living was always about more to both Mr. Stickley and myself. For me, it comes back to the essence of the following quote from the Confucian classic - the Greater Learning:
Only after the principle in things is fully apprehended does knowledge become complete; knowledge being complete, thoughts may become true; thoughts being true, the mind may become set in the right; the mind being so set, the person becomes cultivated; the person being cultivated, household harmony is established; household harmony established, the state becomes well governed; the state being well governed, the empire becomes tranquil.
I have always been a person who cares about my community, about the fate of the people of the world. When I was younger, I was politically agitated - I protested, I threw myself into various causes. It never seemed to get myself or anyone else into a better place. I still apply my public force in appropriate places, but now I’ve turned that agitation inwards. I would say the last 3-4 years have been about seeking. I’ve been searching for the appropriate set of practices and the appropriate mindset with which to turn myself into a person who can overcome anything, a person who can do great good in service of humanity, a person who does not say harsh things to others out of anger, a person who spends his life making the world a better place. A tall order, perhaps, but what other good in life can there possibly be? (That’s rhetorical, ok?)
I find that what generally happens is that I find the things that resonate with me strongly, I dive into them (as I used to dive into political causes) and then I withdraw. Usually, I have some kind of external excuse to do so (finals week, dental surgery, financial trouble) but those excuses are always JUST excuses. The fact is that, being an agitator, I have trouble resting and abiding in anything. Why am I telling you this? Because I suspect some of you have felt this way and might benefit from learning a little bit about my process.
Over the last year, the frequency of emergence of those “resonant” things has become higher and higher. What do I mean? You know when you’re feeling the pulse and immediately when you lay your hands on the person, you immediately get a sense of the problem? Then you let it go and delve deeper. But, for me, that initial instinct is almost always the strongest part of the case — there’s more there, but from an 80/20 rule perspective, my first thought was the best one. It’s the same for me with finding principles and practices that are going to lead me toward my life goals. When I first meet them, in whatever form, I have an immediate shocking sense that this is Truth. Then I ignore it, and it comes back around. I ignore it, it comes back around. I ignore it, it comes back around. If/when I finally fully recognize it, I realize that my initial impulse about it was correct. It’s maddening.
So - here’s the essence of this post. I’ve found the practices that will lead me toward my destiny. I hate to say that I’m done looking - because that’s always a statement of great silliness - but I can say I’m done seeking. Things may find me, and I may embrace them, but I’m done being agitated. So, my Year of Sagely Living has been a success - really - because in this focused, public seeking - I have found the end of seeking. Now, I can settle into what I think was the essential point of the YSL in the first place.
The work, now, is to implement the practices and principles I have settled on. This is really where Abdallah and I come together. He has always had the sense that the practices and principles that grow out of Islam are productive of the highest type of Chinese physician. For him, I think, there is also the sense that the rewilding movement and some other things he is interested in add to that set of practices and principles. For me, the practices and principles may be different - but the idea is the same. I don’t feel the need to talk about those principles here - but will do so at my personal blog soon. You can go sign up for updates there, if you’re interested.
The point for Deepest Health readers is a simple one: in our quest to know this medicine (whether as students, practitioners or even patients) we must know most deeply ourselves. We must come to reckon with the things that move us, sing to us, cajole us into action. We must rectify ourselves in the name of these principles and practices and dedicate ourselves to them wholeheartedly. Only then will “the principle in things be fully apprehended” and thus starting the chain reaction up to the healing of the Earth community itself. This may seem a thing far removed from Chinese medicine, but I would argue that nothing could be farther from the truth. Doing this work is the essence of the Great Physician - there can be nothing more important. Other than passing board exams, that is. ;)
Eric
PS: There’s a second part to this - along the lines of finding a “best practice” that is very relevant for students. Please find that article published tomorrow.
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Tags: 80/20, community, focus, health, Learning, QiGong, student, students, unity, Year of Sagely LivingRelated posts
Compassion as the driving force of Classical Chinese Medicine practice
A while ago, I began a series of posts designed to describe my experiences with Dr. Liu Lihong, renown Classical Chinese Medicine clinician and scholar. He visited NCNM in Portland just about a month ago, delivering powerful lectures and teaching us all with grace and simplicity. Many folks have asked me to share what he had to say about the Fire Spirit school of Chinese herbalism, a school that takes the use of Fu Zi (aconite) and Gui Zhi (cinnamon) to be its guiding methods. Unfortunately, I didn’t take written notes - only a recording - and it is taking me some time to transcribe. It may have to wait until school is out in a couple of weeks, when I have time between clinic shifts.
The truth of the matter is that the most powerful information that Dr. Liu gave us really had nothing to do with the practicalities of herbal formulations. I would like to share what I learned about a lecture he gave in our Medical ethics class about compassion in Classical Chinese Medical practice. I will soon share more of what I learned from this contemporary master of our medicine.
Medicine as the Bodhisattva way
Dr. Liu started out by talking about the concept of a Bodhisattva in Buddhism. In my reading, I have discovered that not everyone agrees on the definition of this concept. A basic understanding of Bodhisattva reveals a being who is either enlightened or well on their way who decides to hold off Nirvana in order to help other human beings reach enlightenment. By this definition, they embody the purest compassion and service to humanity. Certainly a noble goal for anyone, particularly a physician.
Dr. Liu wanted to help us understand what it would mean to live as a Bodhisattva. He explained that for him living this principle in daily life certainly involves living life to its fullest while striving to deeper understanding of what it means to be alive. Living a full life was explained to involve coming to a state of balance in health both in body and in the emotions. That way both Xing (form) and Shen (spirit) will be unified and harmonious. This allows us to be a great resource of inspiration for our patients while also allowing us the ability to walk our path with strength and purpose.
How do we do accomplish this task? By following the guiding hands of the ancients. 文化 (Wen Hua) is a Chinese term that’s something like “culture.” Dr. Liu related to us that the deep meaning of the term encompasses more than what the normal American interpretation might reveal. It isn’t just a collection of wheres and whens and whats, but a body of knowledge produced by great people that can be used for transformation of human lives. The study of culture and cultural artifacts, like the Classical Chinese texts, is more than an empty academic exercise. Or, at least, it should be.
The ancient texts, like those written by Kongzi (Confucius) are part of the Wen Hua that we can use in our quest to follow the Bodhisattva way. It isn’t important that we analyze the texts in an analytical manner. The important thing is that through our study of the texts, we allow them to Hua - to transform us. I think I understand from what Dr. Liu was saying that he believes Chinese medicine knowledge is this way as well. Many of us know a person who has nearly encyclopedic knowledge of Classical texts or Zangfu differentiation or herbs or acupuncture, yet remain a mean-spirited and uninspired person. This is a waste of the information.
So, our goal should be to allow what we are learning to transform us. Our program at NCNM, I believe, really takes this matter to heart. The whole first year is all about breaking you open to receive the teachings fully. It’s a tulmultuous year for many. My experience was truly a birth process. I felt the pain and the subsequent release of that pain only to be shot into an unknown world that is both breathtaking and a little frightening! On the other hand, these last two years have been a lot of information, taking it in and trying to figure out how to use it. I feel that it would be easy to become obsessed with the consumption and reproduction of information, forgetting to be transformed. Now that I look closely at the next three weeks, I realize that it is another birthing process. Our finals are pretty laid back and my mind and spirit naturally turn to cultivation. I find myself wanting to do Qigong, wanting to spend time in nature, wanting to read texts that inspire me. I find myself reading back over my first year notes, reconnecting to the symbolism we were steeped so heavily in during our first year.
Words to live by
I realize the truth of what Dr. Liu was teaching us as I’ve described above. But, there was more. After talking to us about the process by which we can get closer to enlightened awareness, and the purpose of that in turning us into superior physicians, he let us in on what he believed to be the highest truth of the Way of the Bodhisattva. It’s a simple statement, echoed through many cultures in one form or another. In this instantiation, it is expressed in a slightly different form than most Westerners are used to - by Kongzi (Confucius):
子曰、其恕乎、己所 不欲、勿施於人
Zǐyuē, qí shù hū, jǐ suǒ bù yù, wù shī yú rén
The master said, it’s perhaps “Shu”, do not place upon others what you would not have placed upon yourself.
I acknowledge my translation could use work. :) But, you get the point. It’s another statement of the Golden Rule - in this negative form sometimes called the “Silver Rule.” Important within it is the character 恕 Shu. This character is composed of three radicals. On the bottom, we have the Heart. Above that on the left we have the radical for Woman and on the right the Mouth radical. So, “Shu” is something like a woman speaking her heart. Or the kind of speech that comes from the strength of a woman’s heart. Opposed to this elsewhere is the character for anger, 怒 Nu, which looks very similar. The only difference is the upper right radical which is a picture of a hand. The woman radical and the hand radical together as a character by themselves means “slave.” So, anger is when your heart is enslaved. We can look at this in an external way - as when someone is somehow preventing us from living our heart’s desire. But, Dr. Liu asked us to look at it differently. Anger is, he suggested, like not having a master within yourself - when one loses control. Shu is an antidote to this - it is living out our heart’s greatest desires, our heart’s purest desires. This gives us ultimate freedom and it allows us to arrive at our true nature which is always productive of behavior in line with the “Golden Rule” as listed above.
Perhaps you’re not sure what this has to do with Chinese medicine, but for me it was clear.
- To achieve mastery in medicine, we must not only learn from the Classical texts and the wisdom of our teachers, but also allow this information to transform us on a deep level.
- This transformation will be on many levels. Physically, we will “follow our own advice” and live in accordance with the ways that our teachers lay out for us. Emotionally and spiritually, we will walk the path of the Boddhisattva.
- This path is one that brings us into line with Shu - opening to our true nature through living the truth of our heart. This in part involves, and is productive of, behavior in line with the Golden rule.
- This Golden rule indicates that we should treat others as we treat ourselves, or that we should not do to others what we would not have done to ourselves.
- In some sense, all of this tells us to polish ourselves into the kind of doctors that can serve as great examples for our patients. But, we must also allow our patients to be a mirror for us - when we gaze into that mirror we must always be asking ourselves if we are treating our patients as we would want to be treated in similar circumstances.
I’d be interested to hear what you think about this in the comments.
Eric
Tags: buddhism, Classical Texts (general), Personal Development, professional-development, study, studying.-confucianismRelated posts
Why should doctors cultivate compassion?
Three excellent blogs, Urbanmonk.net, The Middle Way.net, and kentonwhitman.com have collaborated to create a group writing project around the topic of compassion. They have titled the project “Spread the love NOW,” an imperative statement for an imperative topic! It’s a great time of year to be thinking deeply about compassion and other related topics, so I thought I would add some thoughts of my own. If you have an online journal or blog, consider visiting that link and participating in the project yourself. Entries need to be posted by the 5th of January, 2008. As if joining your voice with so many others to talk about such a worthy subject isn’t enough benefit alone, there’s also a prize involved. Visit the Urbanmonk.net link above to learn more.
Compassion is a natural theme for a blog about medicine. However, it is too seldom discussed explicitly in medical settings. Sometimes it seems that it is assumed that people come to medicine naturally aligned with the principles of compassionate living and that their medical practice will be informed by those principles. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Some come to medicine because of family tradition, others because of hopes of monetary gain, still others sort of by accident - they choose it out of a book or from some career counseling service’s list. Of course there are many, particularly in the natural medicine fields, who do come for all of the right reasons. Further, even people primarily motivated by some of the above can be exceptionally compassionate individuals. Regardless of one’s motivation for entering the medical field or one’s natural tendency with regards to compassion, it is a topic that should be carefully considered and a trait that should be vigorously cultivated.
The philosophical roots of Chinese medicine are full of descriptions of the necessary attitude for a good physician. While Chinese medical science should not be equated with the philosophical systems that gave rise to it, we can look to those systems to understand the medicine more fully. Interestingly, all three of the major Chinese spiritual systems - Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism - take compassion to be one of the highest virtues. In Daoism, compassion is one of the three jewels that all good people should seek to cultivate. Compassion is at the very heart of Buddhist thought, no doubt about it. In Confucianism, too, compassion is a most sought virtue and some sources indicate that Confucius believed that all other virtues flowed from this one. I’d like to briefly explore the Confucian understanding of Compassion and suggest some ways that physicians and physicians-in-training can incorporate this vital virtue into their own lives and medical practices.
The word for compassion is Ren 仁 and can also be translated as benevolence, humility, humanity and mercy. The character is composed of the person radical on the left and the symbol for “2″ on the right. It indicates either a cluster of two persons or the relationship between two people. It is my understanding that this virtue has been explained in many ways by different Confucian philosophers. One of the major points of contention concerns towards whom we are meant to have this special attitude. Some contend that it should be shown to all people (universal love) others indicate that it is reserved for those we owe some filial debt - such as our parents. Despite these differences, the essence can be agreed upon by anyone. When taking action in the world, we must always consider how our actions will impact other human beings. We must act in such a way that it does not support the desires/wishes of one person at the detriment of others. In essence, we must think of the humanity of others and act in such a way that we respect and honor the core of humanness within every person.
What does this mean in medicine? Simply this - that your primary concern is a doctor is to respect the humanness of each patient. They are not your experimental laboratories, they are not marks to push your products on, they are not intentionally being difficult or any of those other petty little things we all think at one time or another. Thus, they shouldn’t be treated as such. They should be always and everywhere treated in exactly the same manner as you would have yourself treated, with respect, openness - and yes, even a kind of love.
How can we learn to embody this principle? Well, any of the basic self-cultivational practices will certainly help. Meditation helps our minds to quiet and this in turn will help us to notice when our thoughts turn to less than compassionate directions. One practice I can suggest is to stop immediately any speech or thought about any person, patient or not, that you would not want them to hear you thinking or saying. You might also want to look into volunteering your time to a local charity, particularly one that serves sectors of the public that you traditionally find difficult. In exposing yourself repeatedly to people you find difficult, you may be more able to work through your troubling feelings.
In general, I believe that thinking carefully about our relationship with the virtue of compassion is one of the most important practices we can work with as physicians and future physicians. How does compassion play out in your daily life? Learned any particularly poignant lessons about this virtue? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments. If you would like to read more articles like this one, be sure to subscribe to this blog via RSS feed or via email.
Eric
Tags: Character, compassion, Cultivation, meditation, professional-development, virtueRelated posts
8 Scholarship Winning habits I learned through Chinese medicine study
In the same vein as my popular article 7 Life Changing Habits I learned from Chinese medicine study, I thought I would provide something a little more focused for students since we are coming up on school season. I’ve been able to obtain big ticket scholarships in a variety of disciplines ever since I realized there were scholarships. Part of that is knowing how to write a scholarship application. There are a variety of websites out there that guide you through writing a killer scholarship app, this isn’t one of them. A couple of these habits I learned prior to starting my study of Chinese medicine, but I have since come to understand how Chinese philosophy supports and strengthens them. Most of the habits, however, I have learned through trial-and-error in my study of Chinese medicine or through my study of Confucian and Daoist educational philosophy. They are listed in no particular order.
1. Write or teach every day
#1 and #2 on this list are somewhat interdependent. The principle binding them is this: don’t take in a lot more than you put out. Although I can’t find the quote right now, I’m pretty sure that it was the philosopher Sartre who stated that you don’t know what you don’t know until you try to demonstrate what you know through writing. I think teaching provides the same checks and balances. Most of us are brilliant in our heads, most of us have our stuff memorized and ready to go. But try writing out, say, the definitions of Qi, Blood, Yin and Yang. Try to explain to your mother how the Kidney and Heart work together in the body. Not so easy.
I’ve used several methods to “get stuff out of my head.” One is this blog, obviously. I’ve used other online methods, too, such as forums. Study groups, when taken seriously, can be a great method for learning what you do and do not know. Get together with a few students at the same level of understanding and dedication as yourself and go through a list of topics, try to explain them to one another. I’ve also just used simple writing exercises to test myself. I’ll make a list of all the basic things I’ve learned in a given class, term or year either by memory or by looking over old tests, lecture notes and the like. I will then try to explain each of those concepts in writing. When I run into trouble, I research. If I’m not sure my explanation works, I run it by someone.
2. Don’t read too much
I wrote about this at length in my post about the perils of reading too much. The essential point is this: reading more doesn’t necessarily make you more well read. Paradox? Perhaps. Don’t put an emphasis on quantity, put an emphasis on quality. If you can thoroughly understand a text or otherwise incorporate it into your knowledge base, committing to memory the most relevant parts - then moving on to another book is probably fine. I want to emphasize that this exhortation includes not just reading books and other print media, but also online sources of information (except this blog, ;) of course!), even radio and television.
I would also like to add that in the study of Classical Chinese medicine, keep as close to the Classics as you possibly can. As I’ve said elsewhere, you will inevitably have to read outside of the classics, but they should be your foundation regardless of where you are going to school. I was just taught a simple lesson on this by one of my professors. I wrote to ask him whether it is truly important to memorize the Qi and flavor of each herb - as we are not required to memorize this information in the first year of herbs. I had actually already begun the process before asking the question, but decided I would get some advice before I wasted too much time on the activity. To begin, I had been working with my beloved Bensky’s materia medica
Oh, right. That book. There are differences and they are significant and I should actually learn the modern properties as well as the ancient ones. So - lesson learned. Read more
Tags: Acupuncture, chinese-herb, chinese-herbs, education, erics-habits, habits, Learning, lists, Personal Development, productivity, students, study-methods, studyingRelated posts
7 Life Changing Habits I have learned through Chinese Medicine study
I am a reasonably successful person on a number of fronts. I have a beautiful family that thrives on open and honest communication, shared fun and mutual support. I have many close friends with whom I can discuss nearly everything. I get excellent grades in school and feel I am beginning to get a grasp on some of the fundamental tenets of Chinese medicine. I am rewarded for this with the knowledge itself, of course, but also numerous scholarships and other honors. I have become integrally involved in my school through student government and, most recently, the NCNM Presidential Ambassadors Leadership Society. My life was not always this way, but that’s certainly a story for another time. Chinese medicine - especially my educational experience with it - has changed my life. For the better.
I wanted to share with you seven of the most important habits or practices I have learned in my time as a patient and student of Chinese medicine. Hopefully they will be useful for you as well. These habits help me to be a more effective student, a better parent and partner, a generally happier person and able to do more productive work with a better attitude. They are listed in no particular order.
- Frequent consumption of Ju Hua (chrysanthemum flower) + Gou Qi Zi (goji/wolf berry, lycium) + Dang Gui (angelica sinensis) tea: This is a slight variation of a tea that one of our professors repeatedly urged us to drink so that our “ears and eyes will be bright” and we can be great students. :) You should be able to pick up all of these herbs at your local Chinese formulary without a prescription. You can also find them at most well stocked natural foods stores and Chinese groceries. Look for organic sources if you can and make sure the herbs themselves seem vital - deep colors and not too dry. Put equal parts in a teapot or generously sized teaball. I use a glass teapot that’s actually meant for the brewing of french press coffee - that way I can make plenty and the herbs can sit in there for a while, really steeping. I drink this tea several times a week - in the winter term I drank it every day.
- Use of the Yijing for contemplation and guidance: I take my self-cultivation seriously. That being said, I know that many people are highly suspicious of divination like the Yijing and the Tarot. Personally, I have found it a highly effective way to break through mental muddiness. If I find myself feeling a bit lost or confused, I just sit down with the Yijing, focus on my question and just let the meditative process of throwing the oracle (I use sticks fashioned from bamboo skewers) do its work on me. I don’t need to make any fantastic claims of communing with the Spirits to tell you that it has been a life-changing way for me to work through seemingly intractable problems. I can recommend very highly the version of the Yijing written by the incredible Stephen Karcher. The link heads to his blog, you can also use the link below to order a copy through Amazon. I simply can’t praise it enough.
- Daily Qigong: I don’t always have the time, energy, or desire to do a full form - but every day I at least do some practice that is part of the lineage I am fortunate to have been brought into. Sometimes that’s a walking meditation, sometimes a practice of full body shaking with visualization, sometimes sitting meditation, sometimes repeated execution of some part of a form - generally I just let my body be my guide. You could do this with any physical practice you have been introduced to - my partner prefers Yoga, a close friend enjoys walking meditation in the Zen tradition. But it’s about consistent practice. It WILL transform you.
- Stimulation of “panacea” points: There are acupuncture points which are widely regarded as preventative for a wide variety of conditions. These points, when stimulated on a regular basis, boost the Qi and Blood of the entire body and help to keep the channels flowing freely. Because most of you probably don’t know how to use acupuncture needles safely, you can use acupressure to stimulate the points. Just use the location guides below if you don’t know where the points are, feel around in the area indicated until you find something pretty tender. Apply pressure - it should feel pretty tender as you do it - for 15-30 seconds at a time, repeat 9 times on each side. I do sometimes use needles, but more often use indirect moxibustion. The points that I use most often in this way follow:
- Stomach-36 (Zu San Li): The mother of all preventative points. Find Stomach-36 here.
- Large Intestine-4 (He Gu): Often used by the general public for headaches - but great for so much more. Find Large Intestine-4 here.
- Governing Vessel-20 (Bai Hui): Not normally considered a “panacea,” but great for students and other people who are trapped too often in their heads (that means you, bloggers). Find Governing Vessel-20 here.
- Demonstrate respect for myself and others: Learning Chinese medicine has made me a more compassionate and respectful human being. I think the study of medicine tends to make anyone more capable of feeling empathy for the suffering of other people - it certainly has had that effect on me. But the respect part I learned through my study of medical classics and Confucian literature. The more respect I show for my teachers and fellow students - even to the point of seeming a little quaint - the more abundance I experience flowing back to me.
- Study diligently and consistently: ( Edit: I have recently written a post about 8 Scholarship Winning Habits I Learned through Chinese medicine study that readers of this post may be interested in. ) School has always been very easy for me. I was bored stiff all through primary school and didn’t even bother going to high school. In college and my first graduate degree I began to step up to the plate, but often did only as much as I felt like doing at any moment - that was usually enough to keep me in the upper levels of the class. When I got to NCNM I suddenly had a reason to study - what I learned or failed to learn was going (IS going) to mean the difference between my being able to help someone or not. Add to that the deep work ethic embedded in the medical classics and demonstrated by my esteemed professors and you have a recipe for my conversion to dutiful student. I do my very best to study something Chinese medicine related every single day. During school I usually study 5-6 hours a day - not counting classes. I expect this to continue.
- Be in awe of the complexity of the universe: Although I have a tendency to get maybe a little too Confucian with all my respect this and study that, I have also learned from the Daoist roots of this medicine. I have learned to often stand back from the sometimes meticulous detail involved in learning Chinese medicine and just laugh out loud at the absurd and overwhelming complexity of human beings and the universe they live in. I find myself bowing my head humbly in awe of this place and time and always keep in mind that as much as I learn, there will always be much more to learn.
Implementing these habits was a pretty organic process - but some parts (diligent study, daily Qigong) have taken some… uh… gentle encouragement on the part of my Will. I credit the nearly religious adherence to these habits with my success in school and life in general.
Eric Grey
Tags: Acupuncture, erics-habits, Home remedies, Personal Development, professional-development, QiGong, students, studying
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