Here I will present a basic overview of TCM information concerning the Heart and then add a layer of information gleaned from the Organ clock (a more CCM way of looking at things).  I want to do this to demonstrate how the Classical approach yields a more nuanced view than the straight organ-based TCM approach does, including a small aspect of the clinical relevance of this approach.  Disclaimer : I’m still a student.  :)

The Heart is a central organ system. From the perspective of governmental metaphor, the Heart is most easily compared to the Ruler of feudal society. What does the ruler do? It’s tempting to simply say that he rules and leave it at that. However, most rulers through history have acted less as hands-on managers of their empires and acted more as figureheads – acting as moral compasses, inspiring and motivating the people when needed, acting as interpreters of Divine law and generally providing a center point around which the wheel of government turned. The Heart is said to provide a similar function for the human body. To look at this and say that the Heart is “most important” would be erroneous. The Emperor without his ministers, without the workers, without the land – is nothing. It is an interdependent system.  But, still, the Emperor is crucial and a lot of attention should be paid to those things that are crucial.  We’ll do so now.

In TCM, the Heart is said to have many functions/associations:

• The Heart contains the Shen, which rules the other “spirits” of the Zang organs
  • Shen, as I have explained briefly elsewhere, can be translated as “Spirit” but it contains more meaning than the normal English concept of Spirit. Many contemporary commentators talk about Shen simply as consciousness, but I feel it is more than that.
• The Heart governs the Blood Vessels
• The Heart acts as Ruler of the other organ systems
• The Heart, as related to the brain and consciousness, is in charge of many mental processes (one can see this as similar to the Heart’s function via its relationship to Shen – the fire of consciousness)
• The Heart propels the Blood
• The Heart governs speech
• There are other attributes, but these are the main ones mentioned in a variety of texts.

In truth, despite all of these things, most Heart related pathologies diagnosed in TCM have to do with mental function or, sometimes, heart organ abnormalities (such as blood stasis in the Heart yielding angina).  In clinic, I mostly see Heart Qi/Blood deficiency (with palpitations and poor memory) and some version of the confusingly named “Heart Fire” resulting in insomnia, anxiety and some type of vexation.  Rarely do I see doctors diagnosing a problem with the heart when there are circulation problems (blood vessels) or speech problems.  Further, I think that there should be more attention paid to the fact that, as EMPEROR of the other organ systems, the Heart may be a great place to look when a seemingly unrelated pathology is difficult to cure with the methods we would normally utilize.  While I will not focus much on blood vessel or speech problems in this article – I would like to do so in the future.

For now, to help us understand the Heart a little more deeply, I offer a brief exposition of some of the basic symbols associated with the Heart on the Chinese medicine organ clock.  I will then describe some ways we can use this understanding to expand on the basic information we learn from TCM literature.

What do we learn about the Heart organ system from the organ clock?

Temporal nature : 11-1pm (High Noon) and the Summer Solstice

At first glance, the pairing of the Heart with high noon makes intuitive sense.  This is the time we associate with the zenith of the sun, the burning off of morning fogs, the time when all things are apparent, illuminated, complete.  But look again at the symbol for the taiji and superimpose this over the organ clock.  Remember these symbol fields are multi-layered and while some aren’t meant to be compared one-to-one, the flow of Yin and Yang through the organ clock (and through the days on Earth) is a crucial piece of information in our understanding of organ systems.

This is the time of the birth of the Yin.  Which brings us to another temporal aspect of the Heart – it is situated at the time of the Summer solstice.  The solstice is the time of the greatest day length – so again, it is all flourishing and awake and alive.  However, the hidden principle is the one of the birth of the dark – for the zenith of a thing always brings about its immediate descent into expiration.  What goes up must come down.

What does this tell us about the Heart?  That while it is a very Yang organ, as the Emperor should be, but it also contains a deep Yin principle within it.  Our professor, Heiner Fruehauf, often relates the Heart to the feminine principle – which makes sense given this information.  In that way, it may be more accurate for us to think of the Heart as the Empress – or some amalgam of the Emperor and Empress.  Here is perfect control, high intelligence, beauty, grace, compassion, mercy and power.  It is an intensely active principle – Yang – but with this huge strength of the Yin.

Why do I say that the strength of Yin is large when it is, in reality, just the beginning of the growth of Yin?  Because the entire momentum of Yin’s growth starts at this point – it somehow contains the whole force of the future splendor of Yin’s fullness.  It is strong in the sense that is young, vital, and on the ascent.

I think this Yin principle is very important. At the height of summer, at the height of noon, this is when we may have the tendency to go all upward and outward – but it is crucially important that we go within, nourish our deep spiritual nature.  Some cultural customs bear this out – such as the tradition of the midday siesta and the many spiritual activities that go on around the summer solstice.  I think that, in some ways, the failure to do this can be seen in American capitalist culture.  The principle of constant up, out, grow, flourish is often not balanced with careful reflection, willingness to “stand down,” controlled descent and respect for the more passive aspects of the universe.  This failure has penetrated the consciousness of many American people and others affected by this philosophy and may have something to do with much of the pathology we see today.  More about this later.

Earthly Branch Wu : combined with the symbolism of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac

The Earthly branch Wu 午, reinforces what we’ve already discussed about the Summer Solstice – given that it is the Earthly branch associated with that part of the year.  It is a picture of either a battering ram or a mortar and pestle, and thus we see again the idea of death or destruction in this life affirming and light giving symbol of the Heart.   Wu 午 is also associated with the number five insofar that it is pronounced the same as 五, Wu – “five.”

This brings us to consideration of the association of the number five and the Heart.  We should note that we’re talking about the fifth month when we talk about the Heart.  The number five is extremely important in Chinese cosmology – witness the deep symbolism of the five elements and a whole variety of other symbolism assocaited with five.  There’s just so much that I could say in this realm (and actually did, but then deleted to save your poor eyes) but I will have to stop here for the sake of article length.

The Earthly Branch Wu 午 is related to the Horse in the Chinese Zodiac. Remember, the Earthly Branches were associated with an animal to help them be easier to understand by the common people.  The Horse is a particularly fascinating symbol for the Heart, which I could talk for a long time about.  But consider just a few simple items.  The horse is tireless, constantly galloping away, carrying great loads, even fighting in battle – just as our physical Heart must persist throughout our lifetimes.  The horse seems to share a Shen level connection with the human being – a really close rider and horse seem to read one another’s minds, few verbal commands are needed when the relationship is strong.  The horse is one of the most beloved animals in all cultures, people sometimes take better care of their horses than they do their children!

I am certain there is more to understand about the horse – I would love to hear what people come up with in the comments to this post – please post below!

As always, there are many  more symbols that we can pull from the organ clock to help us understand the Heart more deeply – but let’s work with what we have so far.

How does this help us understand the Heart more completely?

There’s a lot one could say about these symbols.  The most important take-home message I have received is the crucial nature of respecting the Yin nature of the Heart.  However, I don’t think you should start dousing your anxiety ridden patients with cooling herbs!  On the contrary, they probably need Fu Zi.  Which actually brings me to an important relationship and my overall point.  You’ll excuse me if I diverge a bit into conjecture and philosophical exploration?  Thanks.

We often talk about the relationship of the Heart and Kidney – fire and water.  They are obviously related via their Liuqi designation of Shaoyin, or lesser Yin.  We learn that the Shaoyin fire of the Heart must descend through the Earth to reach the Shaoyin water of the Kidney.  In doing so, the cold Kidney water, the depth of our wisdom and lineage, is animated by the pure fire of Spirit and consciousness.  Wisdom without use of that wisdom is nothing but a lifeless puddle.  Likewise, the pure Kidney water must be steamed up to cool and contain the sometimes over-exuberant Heart Shen.  Consciousness without wisdom quickly becomes tyranny and zealotry.

This is one way that I understand the importance of using Fu Zi even in the case of patients who appear to have lots of flaring Heat – such as patients with intense insomnia and anxiety.  So many TCM physicians would balk at serving Fu Zi to such a patient.  To provide one example of a powerful use of this principle, let’s go to that little book known as the Shang Han Lun.

下之後．復發汗．晝日煩躁不得眠．夜而安靜．不
嘔不渴．無表證．脈沈微者．乾薑附子湯主之

Xià zhīhòu．fù fāhàn．zhòurì fánzào bùdé mián．yè ér ānjìng．bù
ǒu bù kě.  wú biǎozhèng．mài chén wēi, shēn wú dà rè zhě,gān jiāng fùzǐ tāng zhǔ zhī.

When precipitation has been used, yet sweating is then promoted so that the person in the daytime is vexed, agitated and sleepless, but by night time becomes peaceful and retching, thirst, exterios signs and great generalized heat are all absent, and the pulse is sunken adn faint, then Gan Jiang Fu Zi Tang governs (Mitchell/Ye/Wiseman version).

While I would like to think that most doctors would see patient with this picture – particularly the faint pulse – and realize that an intensely warming formula can be indicated, I think that most would still shun such strength and instead use something milder, more cooling, and most likely less effective.

One more point and then I’ll close this article.  I believe that this fire-water relationship and the general Yin nature of the Heart leads us to realize the wisdom of having a well-developed spirituality.  Only by combining the deep wisdom of contemplation (dwelling in the water) with the animating ecstacy of consciousness (dwelling in the fire) can we have balance.  Advising our patients to nourish themselves in this way – of course without necessarily promoting a particular practice or tradition – may go a long way to helping them achieve greater health.

How the Chinese organ clock yields a more nuanced view of the Heart

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1. Chinese medical symbolism: the organ clock
2. 7 keys to understanding the Classical Chinese Medicine concept of organs
3. 5 Ways Organ Clock Symbolism of Pericardium unlocks the door to emotional health

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As I have been contemplating this new project that Abdallah and I have begun, I’ve found myself stymied at times.  The aim of the project is clear, but the methodology is less so.  Simply,  everything that we’ve said in our introductory posts makes a ton of sense on a variety of levels, but when it gets down to “doing,” things become a little unclear.  I know what I want to put out (multi-media posts that draw all of us deeper into our relationship with the world and its interpenetration with Chinese medical concepts) but how do I get the inputs to create the outputs?

Why is this harder than it sounds?

In the United States, and I suppose in most Western countries, our sensory experiences are more or less controlled.  For the most part they are stifled, except for sight and hearing which are simply overwhelmed.  Actually, thinking about it, we overwhelm all of our senses – limiting what they experience to a set number of approved, mostly synthetic items and then amping those up to the nth degree.  I’ve grown up in the States my entire life, thus I’m subject to this dismal state of affairs.  Fortunately, through Qigong and other experiences, I’ve gradually learned to lighten up, literally and figuratively.

Regardless, I find that fully utilizing my sensory capabilities requires effort – most of all it requires intention.  The sense of smell is particularly interesting.  So, to start a short series on the senses and how to return them to their natural state and attune them to a higher degree than ever – I’ll offer my thoughts on the sense of smell.

Chinese medicine and the sense of smell

In Chapter 11 of the Neijing Suwen, it says:

“故五氣入鼻藏於心肺．心肺有病．而鼻為之不利也”

This has been translated in a couple of different ways.  The basic translation says:

“When the five Qi/odors enter the nose, they are stored in the Heart and Lung.  Heart and Lung disease is detrimental for the nose.”

Maoshing Ni goes on to posit that the five scents are really “the five qi of environmental energy that we breathe in.”  Regardless of the fact that I don’t see this particular statement in the text (thus underscoring my basic problem with Ni’s translation) it is interesting to contemplate.  What is odor?  Certainly it is Qi – but beyond that?  In thinking about this, consider the Neijing’s statement that the odors are 藏/cang/stored by the Heart and Lung.  The Lung makes a lot of sense given that the nose is the orifice of the Lung in both a Western and Chinese context.  But what does it mean to say that the Lung receives and stores these odors?  One could posit that they become part of the Qi that then rains down on the body as heavenly restorative water/Qi.  I’m not sure if that position could be supported by the texts.

More interesting to me is the relation of odors and the Heart.  What can it mean that the Heart stores odors?  You’ll excuse me if I offer my own simple theories.  As famously studied by Gilles Laurent at Cal Tech, there is a powerful association between scent and human memory.  Nothing brings back a scene or person to the mind like a scent last experienced in that scene or with that person.  When considering this idea, I most naturally think about the smell of my clothing when I come back from my mother’s house on a visit.  I smell her for weeks afterward – and though the smell is created in part from her detergent, there is more to it than that.  The scent is wrapped up in emotion, the scent contains not just detergent fragrances, but her spaghetti sauce aroma, her hair, the smell of Idaho, cold winters, the essence of what comes from her pores as a product of all she eats, drinks… well, you get the idea.  The memories triggered are as complex.

Consider also the devotional aspects of scent – incense of various kinds have been used in religious ceremony and other spiritual activity since time immemorial.  The Catholics still use incense as part of Mass, as do some Episcopalian congregations.  Buddhist and Hindu shrines are nearly always adorned with incense censers.  We can also think about the effects of Moxibustion using artemesia.  While some people hate moxa for its thick smoke and messy nature, I find it to bring an essential element to treatments where it is indicated.  While not explicitly of a spiritual nature, I do believe that there is something of an offering that occurs when using moxa in treatment.

This relationship of memory and spirituality to the sense of smell helps me to link it to the Heart.  While we often talk about the Kidney as being the storehouse of memory in Chinese Medicine, from what I’ve read and learned, the type of memory held by the Kidney is more primal, older and is less easily accessed by consciousness.  The Heart seems a likely place (especially in its relationship to the Western concept of mind) to store the memories of this life.  The Heart’s relationship to Shen makes its connection to human spirituality quite clear.

In classical five element acupuncture, the art of smelling is still employed.  The five odors, discussed first in the Neijing, are assessed by the practitioner to help understand the primary pathology of the patient, as well as used as a key in discovering the patient’s landscape tendency (constitutional factor).  This is one of the most difficult diagnostic techniques for Westerners, as I’ve already hinted at.  I find it to be incredibly difficult, personally, particularly given how so many patients cover up their natural odor as a matter of course.  For the sake of completeness, I should list the five odors!

• Fire : scorched – one of my professors says that this is the smell of recently dried clothes
• Earth : fragrant – like rotten vegetables or new compost
• Metal : rotten – like a garbage bin or feces
• Water : putrid – like urine or stale wine
• Wood : rancid – like rancid oil, mcdonalds

Scent and herbal medicine

Briefly, what is the role of scent in Chinese herbal medicine?  Most would say, “There is no role!”  I disagree.  One of the reasons I am a huge proponent of patients taking home and cooking their own bulk herbs is because of the experience they gain by doing so.  Looking at the herbs, smelling them in their dried state, allowing the smell to permeate their living space, smelling their powerful odors when drinking – all of this, in my opinion, is part of the therapy.  While many patients are unwilling to have this experience, it is one I encourage and have benefited from personally.  The worst case scenario with regards to this would be taking pills of granuled Chinese herbs.  I believe the move in this direction is detrimental, but understand when some patients choose this path.

Scent and the natural world

The sense of smell is much more emphasized in certain animals, including dogs.  The sense of smell is a fantastic way to seek out prey that is not yet within range of the vision.  While animals that live their lives in the air can afford to skimp on smell and focus on vision, animals that do most of their hunting in forests and tall grass fields need an alternative way to seek out their prey.

The natural world is full of odor.  The sweet decay of Pacific Northwestern forest floors.  The acrid, putrid, complicated smells of downtown sidewalks.  The unbearable sweetness of babies nursing for the first time.  Blood, urine, feces, animals marking their territory with complicated brews of hormones and urine – these less pleasant smells are just as much a part as any of the others.  The human world is no different in this respect, though we would like it to be so.

Fearless smelling

Being able to integrate myself fully into the world using all of my senses is the primary methodology of this Chinese Medicine awareness project.  So, how to proceed with the sense of smell?  My first trick will be simply to allow myself to smell everything, without reservation.  This means making a conscious effort to breathe deeply through my nose at all times.  I will also be going out of my way to smell things that are likely to be interesting or complex.  I will also be practicing this during tea drinking.  The difference in smell between two otherwise similar puerh teas, for example, can be remarkable and really impacts the experience of the tea.  This, of course, brings me around to the importance of smell for TASTE – but perhaps that’s for another article.

Do you have any ideas of how one can integrate the exercise of the sense of smell into daily living?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

Chinese medicine and the senses : Part I : Scent

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I am in a state of heightened awareness as I sit down to write this post.

My breathing is deep and slow, without my direction.  My posture is erect as possible but without strain.  My vision is open and yet acute.  I feel the air coming in to the edges of my nostrils.  I feel it careen down my windpipe and alight on the left-side of my throat, where my dry cough originates.  I get this when I talk too much:  after lecturing for 8 hours without a break, which I do frequently.  Suddenly I am aware of the stickiness, a sink of sorts, that draws the inspiration to that place.  I am breathing.  It appears before my mind’s eye.  It is paler than you’d think, not red or inflamed.  I can see the network of vessels visible under the thin mucous layer.  I feel my chest expanding from the corners, in dark hollows .  As I close my eyes for a moment, my shoulders drop.  They’ve been folded into an origami crane’s tail all of this time.  Now there’s clouds forming before the craggy precipice of my shoulders.

How can I understand my experience (recognizing that I do not need to understand it)?

Can it be the Oud I was compelled to wear today?  Incidentally, Oud derives from the same tree that gives us the medicinal Chen Xiang: why not grab your Materia Medica and look it up.  Feel the pages beneath your fingertips.  Write down some notes long-hand, allowing your hand to teach your heart away from the abstraction that marks the computer keyboard.

Lung Qi opens into the nose; when the Lung is in harmony, the nose will distinguish the fragrant from the foul

That’s a simple statement.  I have patients with multiple chemical sensitivities that can tell you the difference.  But what about the things that we say unwittingly about others? What about the thoughts that waft before us?

Can this state derive from my son regaling me with plans to tour Tasmania to see the Eastern Rosella in the wild?

Can it be this passage from A Sufi Saint of the Twentieth Century?

Purity is reached through the Absolute Water, the Water of the Unseen, that is, the Limpidity with which the visible world is flooded, Limpidity which is variegated in Its manifestation, One with Itself in Its seeming multiplicity, Self-manifested, Hidden through the intensity of Its manifestation, Absolute in Its relativity-this Water which is free from any taint and which availeth for purification…This restriction excludeth the waters of the sensible world and the psychic world, since both of these waters have suffered change from their original state.  It is the water of the Spirit which fulfills all that the definition requireth, for This is indeed Absolute, being free from any taint, and remaining ever as It was, not adulterated by anything, not flavored by anything, not added to anything, not restricted by anything, with naught above It and naught beneath It. Here lieth the Truth of Absoluteness and it is only This that deserveth the name Water.

Simple Signs, Symbol Science

Really, this is the crux of the matter.  The point of the last passage is not in the symbolism of water, just as my writing about the Lung does not affect my breath. It is rather, that the believer, no matter what symbolism he sees, still performs his ritual ablution, and is purified in it whether he recognizes the Absolute Water or not.  Indeed  it is the joining of the simple action and the unseen aspects of it that are the realm of the symbolic, but still transcend beyond it.

I guess, what we are going for has been aptly described by Heiner Fruehauf in his freely available papers at Classical Chinese Medicine. There he defines the concept of symbolique developed by R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz:

the highly complex science of synthesising the manifold layers of reality into a single crystal of meaning.

So what we’re going for is reconstructing the awareness that informs the science right where we are, and in doing what we’re doing.  The next action, then, is to offer that glimpse to you, by whatever means necessary.  Each of the things that informs my experience of this day, with all of its metal and Lung-oriented imagery could be a photo, a poem, a story, or an investigation of scents, tastes, sights, and sensations.  Honestly, I haven’t written a complete poem since the week before starting acupuncture school.  My photographic chops are nil (and I will not take pictures of people or many living things).  But as for a spirit of experimentation and an inner attention to the senses, those I have in spades. Thanks for coming along for the ride….

Abdallah

It drops deep as it does in my breath

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2. Chinese medicine and the senses : Part I : Scent
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In the first part of this post on the Large Intestine organ system, we discussed some basic information including:  the name and official related to LI, the five element and six conformation designation and more.  In this post, I’d like to dig a little deeper into the symbolism of this important organ system.  In particular, I’d like to reflect on the way that the Large Intestine organ system, similar to its Metal partner the Lung, creates a conversation about purity and impurity in the body.

Hexagram 34 : Da Zhuang : 大壯

There was some discussion of this hexagram in Delli’s post about the balance of Wood and Metal energy, and I’d just like to add to that description.  Stephen Karcher interprets the name of this hexagram as “Invigorating Strength” in his Total I Ching, others call it variously Great invigoration or Great strength and of course many other translations exist.  I think that Karcher puts it well when he interprets the text as indicating,

“The way to deal with it is to focus your strength through a central creative idea.   Putting your ideas to the trial will bring profit and insight.  Beware of hurting others through excessive use of force” (Karcher 271).

This is, in a way, a perfect encapsulation of all that I talked about in the previous article!  In the energy of Large intestine, we have great capacity to focus (transmit the Dao, give birth, get things done – just PUSH) and the danger for that focus and force to turn destructive (the Dictator, great fevers).  On a more psychological level, Large Intestine energy gives us the ability to focus our power on a single point and move through any difficulty until our deed is done.  This is a great skill whether we are employing it in the bathroom (!) or the boardroom.  (Editors note:  How could I resist?)

The more esoteric factors come in when we consider the trigrams that this hexagram is composed of – which Delli already elegantly spoke about in the article referenced above.  The combination of Wood over Metal, Thunder over Heaven creates a situation of invigoration, movement, excitement and – ultimately – new beginnings.  We must clean out the old to bring in the new, and the force that allows us to do this must be up to the task.  Heiner Fruehauf would often talk about the Large Intestine as being the purest of the organ systems, because it has to deal with the least pure of substances – it requires great purity to maintain deep purity for the body.  We can think about the use of colonics on a base level to represent the essence of this ideal – keep the colon clean and free flowing and your body can detoxify.

More about Metal

Metal has many characteristics and associations that resonate with what we’ve discussed about Large Intestine.  The color of Metal is white – the purest color in the spectrum, the reflection of all color back to the observer – nothing “sticking” to the object.  Most Western cultures tend to associate white with purity, chastity, even divinity.  The scent of Metal is pungent – which I always associate with much incense.  Incense and other pungent things can be used to open the mind, to communicate with Spirit.  All of these upward, brilliant, pure things infuse the Large Intestine with the ability to deal with impurity – the ability to “transmit the Dao/way” and to create “change and transformation.”

Importantly, the Yin emotion most often associated with Metal is sadness or grief.  When people have a great injury to a Metal organ system, they have a tendency to stay in grief, to not let go.  This is a malfunction, in a way, of the descending quality of Metal.  You are unable to let things fall where they may.  On the other hand, we can think of it as becoming dragged down in the filth, unable to let the filthy things leave our view but instead stay there creating toxicity.  Of course it is normal to have sadness when a sad event has occurred – but the tendency to hang on to these things is never healthy.  We must learn to let go of the things that are ready to pass (Large Intestine) and take in the freshness of the new world we are privileged to live in (Lung).

Large Intestine 1 : Metal point of the Yang Metal channel : 商陽, shāng yáng, the metal note

To show how this can manifest on a very specific practical level, consider the metal point on the Large Intestine channel – LI1, the Jing-well point of the Large Intestine channel.  As many Jing-well points, LI-1 is excellent at clearing acute accumulations of heat, but on the Yangming Large Intestine channel, perhaps this effect is even more emphasized.  Its use in descending the fire in cases of high fever certainly resonate with what we’ve been discussing so far.  It is also known for its ability to descend Qi stagnation in the chest through its connection to the Lung – again we see use of the physiological descending property of the Large Intestine.  Some Worsley-style five element acupuncturists use this point to descend mental stagnation, encouraging the patient to “let go” of old emotions that no longer serve.  Certainly the rest of us could learn something from this usage.

I will end this article here, though clearly there is much more to say.  I’ve only provided a brief glimpse into the symbolism of this mediator of the pure and impure.  I’m interested to hear comments from readers – how does this resonate with your picture of Large Intestine and how does it clash?  Can you see any practical benefits to working with this kind of knowledge?  NCNM students, chime in with your further understanding of this material – we’ve learned so much – let’s share!  :)

Eric

Learning about the Large Intestine using the Chinese Organ Clock, Part II

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1. Learning about the Large Intestine through the Chinese medicine organ clock, Part I
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This post is part of a series of articles discussing the symbolism of the organ systems of Chinese Medicine.  To help dig into the rich symbolism of the way that Chinese medicine describes the body, I am using the Chinese organ clock.  As always, this information comes from my distillation of what my teachers have graciously offered to me liberally mixed with my own understanding and experience.  I hope it will be of use to students and practitioners as well as being of interest to savvy members of the general public.  To make the series easier to digest, I’ve decided to break each organ system post into pieces.  This is post 1 of 2 about the Large Intestine.

I have already written about the Lung organ system – check it out if you’re interested.

Large Intestine : The Rising Sun

The Large Intestine organ system sits at the time of 5-7am on the Chinese organ clock.  This is the time of the sunrise, at least most of the time.  :)  This energy is very much part of the power of the Large Intestine – imagine the brilliance and activation that comes with those first rays of the sun.  A great tool for understanding the Large Intestine, then, is easily available to almost anyone.  Wake early, say around 4:30am.  Head to a nearby area that gets a fair amount of traffic, preferably a downtown area.  Sit somewhere in the open from about 5 to about 7am and just observe.  This is the essence of Large Intestine.  It also works, particularly in the summer, in a very wild natural area where you’re likely to see the natural habits of animals and plants… but I’ve found the urban environment to be quite a good teacher.

It is the bursting forth of activity, of the physicality of living systems, that is so resonant with the energy of the Large Intestine.  I think that the Fu organs are often unfairly overlooked – thought to be merely accessories to the Zang.  While some texts may suggest that this is the case, I feel it is worth your time to consider the role of the Fu organs in physiology.  The Large Intestine, especially, holds many powerful secrets.

What’s in a name?

Large Intestine in Chinese is called 大腸 Da Chang, the Great/Big Intestine.  Certainly this name seems to be relatively straight forward.  One note, however, is that the second character – Chang – contains the phoenetic element Yang 昜 .  Yang relates to the activity of the sun – so this is a kind of organ/flesh (meaning of the other radical in Chang -月 Rou) that has the power of the sun.  Large Intestine shares this character and thus this meaning with Small Intestine, Xiao Chang.  So the pair together have some power of the sun, the Yang force that sustains all life on Earth.

What does the Neijing say?

One really starts to think highly of the Large Intestine when the Neijing gets involved.  :)  In Chapter 8, where each organ system is described, we can read:

大 腸 者 ， 傳 道 之 官 ， 變 化 出 焉

Dà cháng zhě ， chuán dǎo zhī guān ， biàn huà chū yān

One translation:  Large Intestine is the official of the transmission of the Way, change and transformation emerge from it.

Of course there are many possible translations – from the basest translation informed by the known physiological function of the Large Intestine to the most esoteric!  But it is remarkable that the Neijing chose to use such a deeply philosophical term – Dao (Tao) the Way – in the line for an organ that so many of us think of as vile and not worthy of notice.  At my school, the latter part of that sentence is debated – it seems – every single class.  Bian Hua is a term used in many places in the Classical texts and each professor has their own assessment of its meaning and importance.  That alone should give us pause.  In the second part of this article, this paradoxically veneration of Large Intestine will be discussed again.

Element (Wu Xing) + Conformation (Liu Qi)

The Large Intestine is Yang Ming Metal – which reveals yet another side of this intriguing organ.  Yang Ming is, symbolically and otherwise, the stage of an illness when great fevers can mount.  Yangming disease includes obstruction of the bowel.  In all cases, Yangming diseases involve heat, often dryness, and the pathologies associated with Yangming can be dangerous – indeed.  The Stomach, another important Fu organ, is also designated Yangming.  Together, LI and ST take in the materials from the Earth that keep us alive (food and drink) and reject the parts that no longer serve us.  Without Yangming, nothing gets in and nothing comes out.  This kind of control of the Yangming can also be manifested more subtly.  One of the archetypes we have been taught to associate with Large Intestine in particular is that of the Dictator – clearly a more negative aspect of the organ system.

The metal aspect of Large Intestine is most purely expressed in its physiological descending effect.  The Large Intestine is the great descender – as a cup of coffee will quickly remind you.  Lung is also metal and frequently afflicted with diseases (cough, hiccough) that result from failure to descend.  But most people will tell you that they find the undescending diseases of Large Intestine much more bothersome.  Slight constipation is merely an irritation, but when you don’t have a bowel movement for 6-7 days, you will do almost anything to rectify the situation.

Earthly branch and Chinese zodiac animal

The Earthly branch associated with LI’s place on the Chinese organ clock is Mao – 卯.  One definition of Mao is to flourish or explode – which again hearkens back to the physiological function of Large Intestine and the association with the early morning.  This time of year is best characterized by the quickly growing buds on trees – they seem to grow daily!  Mao is a Yin Wood branch, which associates it again with that Spring energy since Wood and Spring are closely affiliated.

The zodiac animal associated with this earthly branch is the Rabbit or Hare.  This symbol really ties together a lot of what I’ve been discussing so far.  What do rabbits do?  They reproduce, to be sure.  They also produce a whole lot of tiny hard pellet-like bowel movements!  Both of these functions are deeply ingrained in Large Intestine.  We easily associate the latter, but what of the power of reproduction?

While we don’t normally think of the bowel as being associated with birth, we can look to many of the other symbols of Large Intestine for help understanding this.  Great descending force is important for a successful birth – represented by the symbol of metal.  Some people who have given birth can tell you that their “pushing” really became effective when they started to think about the way they push to have a bowel movement!   Also, consider the springtime and early morning energy.  How like a rapidly growing infant!  We can consider the fact that the acupuncture point Large Intestine 4 (He Gu) is contraindicated in pregnancy, as well.

In the second section of this article (published soon) we will look at some slightly more esoteric aspects of Large Intestine and then round out the discussion by looking more closely at how this theoretical information bears out in practice.

Thanks for reading,

Eric

Learning about the Large Intestine through the Chinese medicine organ clock, Part I

Related posts:

1. Learning about the Large Intestine using the Chinese Organ Clock, Part II
2. Classical Chinese medical symbolism: Wood, Metal and Spring (part 2 of 2)
3. How the Chinese organ clock yields a more nuanced view of the Heart

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To this day, some of my most popular posts involve the organ clock.  I find the organ clock to be fascinating, but lately I haven’t thought that much about it.  Thus, I haven’t posted much about it.  As our education has focused more and more on the superficially practical information (points, needling, formulas) it’s become easier to ignore all that esoteric stuff we learned earlier on.  However, in my mentorship with Heiner Fruehauf, I’ve come to understand how important this symbolism can be on a very practical level.  Because of this realization, I’m going to delve back into that material and offer it to my friends here at Deepest Health.  I’m going to go in the order of the clock, starting with Lung.  I’ll offer basic information and a few deeper gems.  Please remember that I’m a student and what I offer here is either a repackaging of what I’ve understood from my Professors or is my speculation and experience based on that material.  One more note – not all of this information comes strictly from the organ clock, per se, but much of it is informed by that symbolic powerhouse.

Lung : Minister of Purity

Name and official :  Lung is called Fei 肺 in Chinese.  The term Fei is related etymologically to a word Pei (I believe the character is 佩, I could be off) that anciently was a term for the insignia that ranked officials would wear on the outside of their garments to denote their rank.  Through this and many other symbols, I have come to associate the Lung with the face we show to the world and the external surface of our body.  It’s also a clear relationship to the official of the Lung, the Minister or Prime Minister.

The Minister is the functional arm of the Emperor in the world.  The Emperor (Heart) proclaims the direction of the nation (body) and the Minister figures out the practical implementation of the edict.  One way I think about this physiologically is through considering the role of metal connecting fire down to water.  It is through the descending power of metal that the fire of the Heart is able to warm and animate the cold Kidney water, thus steaming it upward – Shaoyin circulation.

As the minister, Lung gathers Qi from the entire body and distributes it where it is needed.  Some texts say that the Lung is like a lid on the whole system, catching everything that makes it up to its exalted level.  When this function of Lung is damaged, disorders of Qi are the result.  For instance, a Lung deficiency can create symptoms of Qi deficiency like fatigue and difficulty moving about.

One last important point is that I have learned never to call the Chinese organ system LUNGS as that makes too much of the physical aspect of this organ system.  Instead, simply call it Lung.  Remember that Chinese organ systems are both physical and energetic.  Further, the physical aspect includes a number of things that the Lung organ system energy regulates.  In the case of Lung, for instance, we have to consider the skin surface, the respiratory features of each body cell, etc…  Why is this important?  Language is powerful.  If you continually say Lungs Lungs Lungs, you will slowly (or quickly) come to oversimplify this broadly useful concept.

Element (Wu Xing) : The Lung is the metal zang/solid organ, paired with the metal fu/hollow organ Large Intestine.  This is the first place that the balance of purity and filth come into play for Lung.  The Lung is often said to be the sensitive organ system.  We can think about this from an elemental perspective – metal is malleable, manipulable by external circumstances (heat) to the degree that it can be melted.  In a polished state it also easily reflects the world around it.  On the Western side of things, we can think simply of how easily our lungs are affected by the outside world.  Dust, heat, cold, viruses and bacteria – the lungs are subjected to a wide variety of insults and while it’s amazing they take what they do (resiliance is another, perhaps paradoxical aspect of metal) they do become irritated relatively easily.

Thus, it is important for the Lung to have some degree of purity to function properly.  It likes things to be on the middle road, not too hot, not too cold, not too damp, not too dry.  Like cool, clear mountain air – unencumbered by heavy particulates.  One more note about purity – in Chinese medicine, metal is associated with the color white.  I think of pure white snow and the shining white of great white cumulus clouds.  These bring to bear the imagery of water and dampness (discussed below) but also the purity of this organ system.  We need Lung’s purity to help us mediate the impurities in our environment, to distribute clean clear Qi throughout the body.

We can also consider the descending function of Lung through the lens of metal.  Lung sits in the highest place of any organ systems (though we often think of Heart as occupying this space) and extends fairly deeply into the body cavity.  Breathing, through the rhythm of the attached diaphragm, shifts all of the organs around at least a bit.  From such an exalted position, the only direction to go is down.  Further, through the association with the great descender – Large Intestine – the metal system of the body goes from upper orifice to lower, allowing the most complete passage through the human body.  (Clearly from a Western physical perspective, the Lung and Large Intestine do not connect – work with me, here.)  Lung is easily afflicted by problems in downward movement – the funniest example being hiccups/hiccoughs.  Note, hiccups aren’t funny for everyone.

Conformation (Liu Qi) : Lung is Taiyin damp, partnered with Spleen.  Taiyin is the first conformation on the Yin level – sandwiched between Shaoyang and Shaoyin.  Taiyin disease, from a Shang Han Lun perspective, is comprised mostly of digestive symptoms – not Lung symptoms (which are usually more at a Taiyang level).  So, what can Lung being Taiyin tell us about Lung?  Lung is closely associated with fluid metabolism in the body.  Taiyin fluid congestion can cause phlegm at the Lung level.  The Lung is also said to catch the fluids steaming upward from Kidney and Spleen.  We can think again about the sensitivity of Lung, not only to heat and cold, but to dampness and dryness.  Everyone can recall an experience of their Lung fluid metabolism being out of whack – coughing up huge amounts of white phlegm on the one hand or having a dry, hacking cough on the other.

Going back to the relationship of the Lung to Qi, we can consider the deep relationship of Spleen and Lung.  Spleen Qi and Lung Qi deficiency both involve similar symptoms of a low energy state.  When the Spleen is failing to lift essence of what we consume up to the Lung or when the Lung is failing to spread that essence throughout the body, the result is great fatigue and symptoms of low energy in all the organ systems.

The first month and spring Agricultural Periods : We’ve already had some discussion about the Spring association of the Lung on Deepest Health. Lung is on the first position of the organ clock, kicking off the year around the time of the western zodiac sign Aquarius, encompassing the Chinese New Year. Aside from the obvious water associations with Aquarius, the water bearer – we can simply consider the early spring.  This period is associated with the two Agricultural Periods 立春 lìchūn (beginning of spring) and 雨水 yǔshuǐ (rain water/establishment of spring).  Again we find water symbolism!  However, the greater issue here is that of spring energy.  The spring energy available at this early time is mostly submerged.  Sensitive people (and animals) can sense it – of course.  But anyone can see the early croci.  The world is under a kind of tension at this time.  The Yang energy is rising, but the cold Yin is still firmly in predominance.  It is this quiet tension, the calm before the spring storm, that exemplifies Lung energy.  Quiet, unhurried, life giving tension.

Lung 7 (LU-7) : 列缺, liè quē/Broken Sequence: I thought I would look at a commonly used point on the Lung channel to try to dig a little deeper into this material.  Lie Que is one of Ma Danyang’s 12 Celestial Points (Tain Xing Shi Er Xue), which are 12 points determined to be maximally effective for a wide range of conditions (compiled as such, I believe, around the 1400’s) and is a point used quite often in clinical practice.  It is the Luo connecting point for the Lung channel (thus an access point to the associated fu organ, Large Intestine).  It is the Ruler point for the back of the head and neck, so has an influence on pain and tightness in that area.  It is also the Master point for the Ren Mai/Conception Vessel.

I’ll quickly review the top 3 most important and interesting functions of Lie Que.  The first, most obvious, function is that this point strongly regulates Lung Qi and can be a great help in releasing the exterior in external invasion situations.  This relates to the metal element association of Lung and metal’s relationship to the surface of the body.  We can also think about the connection of Large Intestine and the way that this allows for swift purging of things out of the system.  The second interesting function relates to the Master connection to Ren Mai.  Ren Mai is most often associated with female reproductive physiology and pathology.  We can relate back to the descending function of metal to consider how this point might help to expel downward anything being retained in the uterus.  Particularly combined with Large Intestine-4 (contraindicated in pregnancy) we have a powerful, metal descending ability.  Finally, consider LU-7’s ability to treat urinary disturbances.  In the West, we don’t commonly think of the Lung when we think of urination.  But through the deep association of Lung with water, we can easily understand how a powerful point on the Lung channel might help to resolve incontinence or difficult urination.

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As always, there is so much more symbolic information that could be included – consider this an introduction.  I’d be interested to hear any thoughts this has started for folks, and as always I would be happy to hear your contributions.  Thanks!

Eric

Learning about the Lung through the Chinese medicine organ clock

Related posts:

1. Learning about the Large Intestine using the Chinese Organ Clock, Part II
2. Chinese medical symbolism: the organ clock
3. Living in Harmony with the Seasons: Part II – The essence of Autumn

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Here is the continuation of Michael “Delli” Dell’orfano’s article on the symbolism of wood, metal and the spring season in Classical Chinese medical symbolism. Please feel free to leave any thoughts you have on this two-part article in the comments. Lively discussion is always appreciated! If you missed the first installment, read it here.———————

In Neijing Suwen (素問) Chapter 7 – Yin Yang Bie Lun (陰 陽 別 論 篇) Huang Di asks Qi Bo,

人 有 四 經 ， 十 二 從 ， 何 謂

“A man has four channels and twelve equivalences, and what are the implications of them?”

Qi Bo answers,

四 經 ， 應 四 時 ； 十 二 從 ， 應 十 二 月 ； 十 二 月 應 十 二 脈

“The four channels are the four solid organs which correspond to the four seasons; the twelve equivalences are the twelve two-hour periods, the twelve, the twelve two-hour periods correspond to the twelve meridians.”

Keep in mind when talking about the four seasons that the Earth has no real season of its own, thus they speak of four instead of five. Qi Bo goes on to say the Liver corresponds to the spring, the twelve-hour periods are governed by the twelve months, and that the di zhi Yin, Mao, and Chen are the months of spring (earthly branches 3,4,5 respectively). Qi Bo correlates the twelve months with the twelve channels and states that the first month of the lunar cycle (February) corresponds to the Hand Taiyin channel. In terms of the four seasons, (maybe we can say this relates more to the solar cycle, or related to yang and heaven) we say February is associated with the Spring energy of the Liver, but in terms of the twelve months, (maybe more related to a lunar cycle, and thus yin and Earth) February goes with the Lung.

I interpret this as meaning the energy of nature around us in the external world is strongly Mu/wood in the spring, and so internally our energy should be strong in the Jin/metal channels in order to keep Mu/wood energy that is on the rise in check. If the Mu/wood energy is strong outside the body, it will inevitably penetrate into us as well, and so the body should have a natural physiological response to increase the Jin/metal element to prevent the Mu/wood energy from becoming too strong and causing imbalances in the body. Also, a little later in Chapter 7 of the Wu and Wu translation of the Neijing, it talks about the taboo times for Gan (Liver, 肝) are Geng and Xin days (associated with metal). I think this is trying to tell us that Gan 肝 problems are more likely to arise on these days since they represent Jin/metal energy, and Jin affects Mu because of their intimate relationship through the Ke (control) cycle.

It is instructive to analyze the hexagrams symbolically associated with the Spring Metal/Jin organ networks. First, we have Tai, Hexagram 11 going with the Lung and the first month (Feb-Mar). Next, we have Da Zhuang, Hexagram 34 going with the Large Intestine and belonging to the second month (Mar-Apr).

Hexagram 11 is all about balance and harmony with three yang lines below and three yin lines above representing the upward movement of Heaven coalescing with the downward movement of the Earth. The rising yang in the lines of hexagram is symbolic of what is taking place in nature- energy on the rise. At the same time, the yin energy is pushing down to create a pressurizer-like effect in nature like the Lung does in the body. The idea of balance and prosperity that go along with this hexagram make it a symbol of health. The Lung is crucial to our health, thus the important title of prime minister is placed upon it. It is also worth noting that some of the greatest ancient Chinese medicine doctors were also prime ministers.

Hexagram 34 is an image of the trigram Zhen, or Thunder, over the trigram Qian, or Heaven. It shows the progression of the yang energy on earth, as now four yang lines are on the bottom of the hexagram with only two yin lines above. Nature is starting to move away from balance as yang is starting to take over, thus the story of Yang dominance in the second month. This hexagram symbolizes great strength and power as nature is bursting forth from the earth. The earthly branch that goes with the second month is Mao 卯, which means to flourish or explode. Much movement takes place in nature as the green vegetation is starting to grow rapidly. This is the picture of foot yangming (Large Intestine) brute force. Yangming carries tremendous amounts of qi and blood, and so is associated with 2nd and 3rd months of the year. This is the microcosmic picture in the body of what is going on this time of year as reflected in the macrocosm of the natural world around us.

Hu (虎, tiger) is the animal that resonates with Fei (Lung 肺) and Yin (February). It is associated with Fei because it is a symbol of authority and justice. Tigers will growl and protect, and only use their sharp teeth and claws when they have good reason. Tigers also have beautiful colored skin patterns, and this is a Fei signature since the skin relates to the Fei network. The sharp teeth and claws are akin to metal weapons and the ability to protect can be associated with a metal shield or helmet. Other mu characteristics of the tiger include the mu voice. The jumping ability and strength of the connective tissue is related to Gan and mu, and so is their tendency towards rage. Neijing Ch.8 has reference to the tiger in the line for the Liver.

To point out another correspondance between Wood and Metal, consider where the Neijing (Chapter 8) says,

肝 者 ， 將 軍 之 官 ， 謀 慮 出 焉

gan zhe jiang jun zhi guan mo lu chu yan

The Liver is the general and is in charge of planning and strategizing.

The character lu 慮 contains the tiger radical. Here the tiger is used to symbolize foresight, clairvoyance, patience, intelligence as associated with Wood/Yin/Aquarius/Jupiter energy to demonstrate what characteristics a good general should possess. Here we can see the intertwining of Wood and Metal imagery in the classics.

Tu (兔 rabbit) goes with the Da Chang (Large Intestine 大肠) and Mao (March). Tu/rabbits have a hot yangming (ST/LI) condition, and so have dry hard pellets for feces. This is much like constipation, which is a condition related to Da Chang. The rabbit is associated with longevity, which is also a Jin/metal quality. Rabbits use feces instead of urine like most animals to mark territory. Also, in rabbit we find some Mu/wood characteristics as well. For example, their amazing jumping ability can be related to connective tissue strength and the springing forth of nature that is taking place. Rabbits are competitive, always in a race. This is also a Wood quality. Rabbits have a lot of nervous, windy energy, and so they are always moving around and do not like to be held. This can be seen as related to Mu/wood as it is said to dislike being contained. Yet more intertwining of Wood and Metal imagery is revealed to us!

Bringing it back to the human body

In general, we can say that Jin/metal and Mu/wood are balancing poles of activity in the body. Jin moves down and in, and Mu moves up and out, but what if imbalance and disharmony occur between jin and mu? One example of this might be the emotion of grief, which when experienced, has an energetic feeling of moving down and in like Jin or metal. This downward movement of Fei will oppress Gan and cause Gan/Liver Qi stagnation eventually. How about another example? Consider the relationship between Fei/Lung and Gan/Liver in breathing. Fei is master of the qi, and a weakness in Fei qi can lead to a weakness of Gan qi, and so Gan may not be able to spring up. A progression from this might be that the Gan qi becomes stagnated because of a lack of qi from Fei, and then Gan fire could flare up and travel through the reverse ke/control cycle causing Fei to be scorched. In this situation, Fei will no longer be able to mist the organs because of heat/dryness and may lose the ability to exert pressure and descend downward. In this case, symptoms could arise on both the Gan and Fei organ systems such as coughing, blood in saliva, pain in sides and thorax, red eyes and anger.

Another example of a mu/jin pathology directly related to the spring is bi qiu- allergic rhinitis. Bi qiu is caused by the increased wind of the spring carrying the pollen from plants into the body of a person who has a disharmony of wei and ying (protective and nutritive). We can even say that the wei qi has a connection to the Lung and the Liver and that the Liver is also part of the ying, so it very likely this type of person already has an imbalance in the mu-jin axis to begin with, and so the symptoms all appear as related to these two organ systems. The itching is associated with the wind, and so by frequency correlation we can also say Wood. This pathology also has itching of the eye as a symptom, and the eye is the orfice of the Liver in CM. The problem is also related to the Lung since the nose is the orfice of the Lung and the symptoms are itchy nose, runny nose, anosmia, and nasal congestion.

Delli

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I hope that Delli’s elaboration on the relationship between Wood and Metal has helped you to understand their associated symbols and organ systems more deeply. It’s a dense article, to be sure, definitely worth a couple of readings. I would be interested to hear from practitioners, especially, to see if the symbolism as discussed here bears fruit in clinical practice. I find myself thinking particularly of formulas and how this symbolism might help me to understand them more deeply – perhaps that’s another article in the making. :) For now, back to studying for finals!

Eric

Classical Chinese medical symbolism: Wood, Metal and Spring (part 2 of 2)

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1. Classical Chinese medical symbolism: Wood, Metal and Spring
2. Learning about the Large Intestine using the Chinese Organ Clock, Part II
3. Chinese medical symbolism: the organ clock

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As I described in my last post on the Year of Sagely Living, March is meant to have us focus on the balance of rest and activity in our lives. I’ve thought more about this category than the two prior, because nothing immediately sprang to mind as a perfect practice to undertake. This is especially true because I am attempting to maintain my January and February practices and having some success with both of them.

Ultimately, because I’m trying to stay as focused on explicit Chinese Medicine material as possible, I think I’m going to focus on the organ clock. It’s such a ubiquitous part of our lives at school, we talk about it in almost every class. Some laughingly shrug it off, others take it seriously but don’t seem to evaluate it much. I’d like to use March as a kind of organ clock laboratory. Using Brandon Brown’s widget to help me keep to the true organ system periods, I will be doing a brief (3-5 minute) meditation on the organ systems as the energy reaches its peak within each. This will require me to be vigilant in watching the clock, which shouldn’t be too much of a problem because of the relatively regimented quality of my normal schedule.

There are some caveats. Obviously, sometimes I will be in class when I should be doing a meditation. I won’t be able to do each organ system every day. Over the course of March, however, I should get a good sense of the reality of the organ clock at each position. Another problem is that I will be sleeping during a portion of the organ system times. I considered having a weekend where I set an alarm for each organ system during the night to get a sense of their qualities. However, because we have finals coming as well as our clinical entrance exams, I don’t think that’s a fantastic idea. The most yin of the organ systems are going to have to wait to be tested.

Along with this, I will continue to maintain my practice of leaving Sunday completely open for family time – rest and relaxation. Saturday is also a family/home day, but I let myself do some work-related things such as my Weekly Review. I have already seen such great benefit from doing this, I can’t think of any reason not to continue.

One final goal, and I’m afraid this is a bit of a doozy. The “one goal at a time” advocates will not be happy with my do-it-all approach. :) Starting tomorrow, I will begin weaning myself until I reach a solid habit of waking at 5am. The early morning time is my very favorite and while I currently wake around 6, I don’t feel that it is early enough. I would like to take that early morning time to recharge myself in a variety of ways – through brisk walks through the neighborhood, Yijing readings, tea on the deck, Qigong, meditation or any other quiet activity that fits well with the gentle early morning energy. I have lots of help on how to achieve this goal – many bloggers have written about it. Steve Pavlina is one of my favorites as far as this topic is concerned.

So, to recap – my March Year of Sagely Living practices are:

1. Organ clock meditations during the peaks of the energy for each organ system.

2. Continuing my practice of spending weekends on family/home oriented rest and relaxation.

3. Going through the process to achieve the goal of waking at 5am daily – including weekends.

Thanks for listening.

Eric

Why I am about to become slave to the clock

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1. Learning how to keep life in balance
2. Learning about the Large Intestine through the Chinese medicine organ clock, Part I
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