Today, on a walk I was taught an important lesson by some late migrating geese. In the late summer and autumn, we get a whole lot of geese flying overhead in my neighborhood. We live pretty close to a couple of wildlife refuges, one being specifically devoted to waterfowl. In general, in Portland, the autumn is always accompanied by the resonant, melodic sound of Canadian geese fleeing Canada. It’s one of those things that is commonplace, yet never seems to lose its magic. I’ve noticed a lot of things in Autumn are like that – the leaves turning, the miracle of the harvest, the start of formal schooling and so on.

Anyway, today I had one of those magic moments – fog bank just rolled in, walking on a hill in clear view of the setting full moon and the rising sun reflecting pink and crimson off of morning clouds. Mushrooms bursting from beneath damp fallen leaves. People out, coffee in hand, walking overly excited dogs. That nestled place between Lung and Large Intestine time – things cracking forth, but the calm and presence of the early morning still laying on its soothing balm. Very nice.

Then there were the geese. There were seven or eight of them, so just a paltry flock. There was some confusion (not uncommon) where they seemed to be trying to figure out which way to go. Now, I know enough about geese to know that just because they seem to be flying North doesn’t mean they’re lost – often they’re just heading to a feeding or resting ground. It’s the larger direction that matters, not my little snapshot views. But, that doesn’t matter for my story. There was some confusion in the sky, and about half started heading clearly North, the other half clearly South. One goose was caught – she flew North, she flew South, she started calling loudly – she seemed pretty distressed by the whole thing.

Finally, she broke South – doing double time to catch up with her chosen group and they continued off into the distance. As I watched them cruise, I got a series of images as I faced South – the direction that all Sages must face, the direction that helps us make sense of so much Chinese medicine physiology and pathology. Mostly, I just got a sense of great peace, of openness, of newness and warmth and a bright future. I thought – good choice, little goose.

Now, I’ve been particularly prone to reading signs in everything these last few weeks, so pardon me. But, the whole drama (!) seemed curiously familiar. I think it might seem familiar to some of you, as well.

At NCNM, I was introduced to a wide variety of schools of thought regarding medicine – herbalism in particular. Without getting too much into it, let’s just say that people can get a little spirited about what they see as the “truth” of the matter. I certainly have been guilty of this. As students, I think we were looking for something to hold on to. Something to call our own – or rather – something to say, “This is right, this is true and I know it, I subscribe to it.” Some way to make sense of the seemingly insurmountable task of learning a medicine that is thousands of years old and must be translated into what we have available in contemporary times.***

I’ve sometimes felt torn because of my particular proclivities and the wrinkles and folds of my personal situation. I had moments when I didn’t want to practice medicine at all. It seemed too impossible to figure out what was right – the clinical stage didn’t clarify things any better than the classroom and I just felt totally overwhelmed. I had moments where I wanted to have a time travel machine and visit Han dynasty and ask Zhang Zhongjing what the whole deal was really about. There were also times when I felt pretty confident, pretty sure, and even a little fanatical about what I was learning. Those times were always followed by a lesson (pride precedes a fall, afterall).

In the last month, things have settled out. I felt very much like that goose for the last year or so, and I’ve started flying in a particular direction. It hasn’t been without its consequences. Moving towards one thing almost always means leaving another behind. Some good goose friends had to be parted from, on some level. I only have so much time and attention. I have had to repeatedly remind myself that the direction I’m turning away from is not WRONG, just different. Demonizing people who think differently from we do only serves to make us demons in the eyes of others. It never serves the quest for knowledge and healing.

You know? Darnit if I don’t feel just like I felt on that hilltop watching those geese disappear. Warmth, openness, a surge of energy, signs from all over God and Creation. It’s not that the other way is wrong, it’s just that this way is right. It leads to more, not less. It opens me into an endless realm of possibility and sweetness. I have already seen the results in my acupuncture, in my herbal prescriptions, in my presence with my patients, and in my bank account.

So, to any of you who are feeling this – particularly you students – take heart. You will find your way. Sit quietly with yourself, go on walks, get treatment, sing songs, talk to animals and go through your rebirth. Getting born is rarely pain-free, but it always opens into a whole universe of experience that was previously unavailable to you. I promise.

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***Note : I’m not saying that ancient medicine isn’t directly relevant to contemporary times and people. Please. I’m just saying that some of the things they had available, we don’t have available – or very nearly (Fulonggan, for one – Sheng Fuzi for another – there are legal implications for some acupuncture techniques). Further, while there is truly nothing new under the sun – people do have a different way of living, eating, and even dying today and we would be idiots not to at least consider that fact sometimes, even if we are just “treating what we see,” and even if we are (correctly) not taking into account Western disease names and categories, etc…

The sages of Chinese antiquity stood facing South

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Has anyone noticed how SLOW August can be?  The clinics in town seem to be reporting lower numbers than in July, and traditionally do around this time.  There is less traffic on the streets.  I get fewer and fewer emails as we progress deeper into August.  Forums and blog commenting is down.  Even Twitter is quieter than usual, particularly Friday-Sunday.  I suppose it has to do with vacations and the like, particularly in the US.

Today, August 7, is the first day of the agricultural period 立秋 lìqiū, or “Beginning of Autumn”.  Remember : in the most general way of speaking, in the Chinese calendar the energetics precede their material manifestation.  I can tell you that on this day, our skies in Oregon are cloudy (in contrast to the way they have been for the last month or so), things feel generally dialed back and moving into harvest mode, and I suddenly have snapped into that deeply productive, yet introspective mood I associate with the Autumn season.

Now, it’s true, we have more sun on the way.  Surely, more summer revelry is to come – picnics, backyard BBQs, camping trips and staying up too late.  I’d be disappointed if that weren’t the case.  I need that relaxed time to help me batten down the hatches for the intensity of the rest of the year.  However, I can feel that things have already shifted – and my patients seem to feel it, too.

All of that being said, in honor of this change and the seeming laid-backness of my universe – I’m going to briefly move to a roughly every other day posting schedule until September.  This will allow me to focus my energy more firmly on finishing my business planning.  However, I reserve the right to post like mad should the mood strike me.  Then we will be back to the revised (no weekend) editorial calendar.  Hopefully, I can design some snazzy icons between now and then to give you a little something to look forward to.  :)

Look for my post, coming soon, about why you should work with a bonafide designer when you create your clinic website, logo and other items of identity.  I’ll tell you the reasons why, how to find a good one, and how to work with them so you are a positive contributor to the process.

Eric

An autumnal blog posting schedule

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Hey everyone,

Just a quick announcement.  Brandon Brown, colleague at NCNM and all-around fantastic guy, has written a fascinating article that dips into the cosmology of this time of year.  Here’s an excerpt:

“Here is my translation of the text from the YiJing for Hexagram 19.

《臨》元亨，利貞。至于八月有凶。
Successful, Benefitial. As for the 8th month (august) it is ominous.

《彖》 曰：《臨》，剛浸而長，說而順，剛中而應。大「亨」以正、天之道也。「至于八月有凶」、消不久也。
Gradually firm and enduring, speaking with direction, responding with a firm center. Big success with correctness, this is the way of Heaven. Ominous challenges will soon disappear.

《象》曰：澤上有地，《臨》。君子以教思�窮，容保民�疆。
The marsh above indicates earthliness. The noble man uses this to teach the poor of thought, and contains and protects those on the outside.”

To read the rest, just head over to Brandon’s blog.

The 12th Lunar month and Hexagram 19 : read Brandon Brown’s fantastic article!

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Hey everyone,

It’s been a funny beginning of the Autumn season and I’m doing my best to adapt to the shifting energy.  Good things are coming to Deepest Health soon, particularly if you’re a student or relatively new to Chinese medicine (you know, like me) but for now I just have a quick suggestion.

Learn more about the energy of your days as described via Chinese astrology!  Fortunately, I have a simple and beautiful way for you to do that.  My friend and colleague, Brandon Brown, has just created a quite lovely and accurate calendar that contains all the pertinent Chinese astrological data.  By using his calendar you not only help support a fine budding scholar of Chinese medicine, but you also get to learn more about this fascinating system for looking at the world.

After you buy and have used it for a while, come back and let us know how it’s going.  I find that paying close attention to these things tends to shift my consciousness quite a bit.

Eric

Chinese astrological calendars – get yours today!

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When talking about the five elements, particularly as applied to the organ systems of Chinese medicine, it’s easy to find an angle from which to proclaim the supremacy of any of the elements.  Fire gets four organs, for instance, one of those being the Emperor – surely it’s the most important.  Water, on the other hand, lies at the depths – no element is more revered than water in the cultural literature of the Chinese (the Dao is often said to be like water, the supreme man is said to be like water in taking the lowest place, etc….).  Surely water is “top dog,” then.  But what of Wood?  Wood begins the cycle of the elements from most perspectives – it is the animating principle of the whole system – Wood must be the most important.

So on and so forth.  The answer to the question, “Which is most important,” is the absurdly easy and frustrating, “None.”  However, Earth could have a better reason than the rest to lay claim to this elusive prize.  Earth is the center – the center is the axis upon which everything else spins.  Without the center, you just have a group of unassociated pieces, functioning on their own in vain.  The center brings it all together, ensures that it functions.

There are two ways to think about Earth seasonally.  One perspective holds that Earth is associated with a kind of “late summer,” just before the fall rains begin.  Another, which I prefer, holds that the Earth occupies an interstitial space between each season – the 14 days or so around each solstice and equinox – the transitions from one season to another.  I’ve heard a variety of perspectives about the actual length of time and the precise arrangement of those periods, but this seems to be a consensus.  Regardless, this “in between” nature of the Earth element makes it vital, it governs our transition from one energetic state to another.

Sunday, I went on a beautiful hike in the Columbia River Gorge.  I decided to try to open my senses and not impose anything in particular on my experience.  The overwhelming message, again and again, spoke of the Earth element.  The sweet smell of decay – cloying, almost – with the merest hint of rich wine or butter or something I can’t define.  No matter what part of the trail – metallic/mineral rock faces all around sharing their sharp, clean scent – deep, watery pools of clarity lending a weedy, fresh aroma – high and dry grassy plain full of pungency and heat… behind was the deep Earthen bassnote, emanating everywhere.  Now, we are not officially in the period around the autumnal equinox, though we are technically within that “late summer” period perhaps – but the working of the Earth energy was present everywhere I looked.

The overwhelming idea that came out of all of this exploration is simple.  Earth is at the center, and you must always look to its health.  This is why dietary therapy is the root of most successful treatment plans.  It’s also why so many of my patients seem to need a simple Earth tonification formula (such as Xiao Jian Zhong Tang) after any other series of formulas.  In fact, from now on, I will be carefully examining that possibility with every patient.  I feel that this is, in some ways, superior to the rampant practice of throwing some heavily tonifying formula at a patient after a big illness.  The idea behind it is the same, but it is actually looking at the source of weakness and not the branches.

(Photos taken by Eric and his family, August 2008)

Chinese medicine, the Earth and the Center

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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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Today I am featuring the first part of a two part guest post by my friend and colleague at NCNM, Michael “Delli” Dell’orfano. His article is a fine elaboration of the ideas I briefly presented in my post about Rest and Activity in the Year of Sagely Living. I will post the remainder of the article over the next few days. It will be followed up by another series that I’ve authored myself concerning treating external invasions with Classical Chinese Medicine. Before I get on with the article, a few housekeeping announcements. First, if you haven’t read through the comments on the last post, “Does Chinese Medicine Cure Disease,” I definitely recommend you do so. Second, if you have interest in following my progress in the Year of Sagely Living, be sure to visit that page and scroll down a bit where you can read my somewhat frequent updates. Third, if you haven’t already subscribed to the RSS feed or email newsletter, why don’t you take the time to do so now? Without further ado…

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As the vernal equinox approaches we find ourselves situated in the season of spring according to the Chinese calendar, yet the organ systems clock tells us that this time of year corresponds with the Lung and Large Intestine organ systems. How does one make any sense of this?

The relationship of the Wood organ systems and the Metal organ systems of Chinese Medicine can be understood through the use of Yin Yang theory. Yin Yang theory is one of the fundamental principles upon which our medicine was founded, and so I think it is worthwhile to explain a bit about the Taiji (太極) symbol (often called the Yin Yang symbol) and how it originated. It is important to keep in mind that ancient Chinese medicine is a science of movement and energy consisting of symbols. Symbols are bridges between matter and consciousness since they have the potential to resonate at the same frequency. The quality of the frequency can reveal to us similarities between the physical world and the holographic world. On one level, symbols are meant to be a simple way to convey an idea, but at the same time these symbols contain vast amounts of information that we must first comprehend in order to use them effectively.

Upon observation of the symbol we can notice the contrast in color. Light and dark are contained within it, but do not disregard the fact that a dark circle exist within the light area and vice versa. The fact that Yin always exists within Yang, and Yang within Yin, tells us that nothing is purely Yin or purely Yang, but rather that all life is a mixture of Yin and Yang. In my opinion, this clue leads us to reason that the two are mutually dependent on one another for the continuation of life. The shape of the Taiji is a circle, which tells us that it relates to infinity or completeness. We also get a sense of movement when we look at the way the dark and light shades are drawn in. These clues turn out to be very important because the Taiji is telling us that yin yang theory can be used to explain the movements of nature, because it is based on the movement of the seasons, and thus the Wu Xing (五 行, five elements, five phases, five phase movements) are closely related to it.

The Taiji symbol originated from the ancient sages who observed the cycle of the Sun using an eight foot long pole posted in the ground at a right angle to record the position of the Sun’s shadow throughout the year. They found that the length of the year was 365.25 days and then divided the year up into twenty-four segments including the solstices and the equinoxes using the sunrise and Big Dipper positions. They used six concentric circles, marked twenty-four segments points, divided the circle into twenty-four sectors, and then recorded the length of the shadow each day. After connecting the lines and dimming the portion between the solstices they created a picture that looked like the modern day Taiji symbol.

The Taiji symbol is actually a diagram charting the movement of the Sun so that the ancients could then use this information to better understand the world. This scientific breakthrough would allow the ancient sages to better understand our relationship to time and space and give them a starting point for classifying different types of energies.

The yin yang theory background is pertinent to understanding the Wu Xing (五 行, five elements, five phases, five phase movements) because they resonate on many levels. Both the wu xing and yin and yang move in cycles throughout the seasons. One interpretation/understanding of the Wu Xing I came across stated that the elements are not five distinct things, but are one cosmic force, differentiated into five appearances by time and space. Maybe this is good way to think about them because when first learning Chinese medicine many students tend to think of Jin (金, metal) and Mu (木, wood/flora) as being enemies since “Metal chops down Wood”. It is better to think of them as having a complementary relationship, because truly they balance one another out in a physiological state. When the relationship is in balance, Jin/metal works along the Ke (control) cycle to keep Mu in check since wood/flora can become relentless. If Jin over controls Mu, then our internal “forest” would be destroyed and a pathological process would be underway.

Nature can also be described by Tian Gan Di Zhi (天幹 heavenly stems and 地支 earthly branches). Together, the ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches create the energy of the time and space continuum. Chinese think of the year as energy moving in a circular motion, while in the Western civilization we think of time as linear. The stems and branches were originally a counting system used to keep track of hours, days, months, and years by the ancients after they had discovered the world moves in circles or cycles as proven by the Sun diagram. In the seasons, Jin/metal represents fall and relates to the Tian Gan (heavenly stems) Geng 庚 and Xin 辛, while Mu/wood represents spring and relates to the Tian Gan Jia 甲 and Yi 乙. Jia is the first Tian Gan, and it is classified as yang wood in character, while Yi, the second Tian Gan, is considered yin wood in character. Both are associated with the springtime.

Jia 甲 is picture of a very hard tree with scales or armor around it. The traditional Chinese etymology is the idea of a helmet on a big man. It also had the meaning of a claw gripping tightly on to something, meaning very great strength and protection. Yi 乙 represents the idea of a seed of a plant which is breaking through the earth. Together Jiayi means the movement of life as it bursts open. The spring season represents the movement of Heaven and Earth coming together after being separated in the fall and winter.

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Editors note: I regret having to cut off Delli’s article here, there were really no great stopping points. However, the whole article would be too long to digest on the web in one sitting! In the next part of this article, we will learn more about metal and the interplay between the symbolism of both metal and wood.

Classical Chinese medical symbolism: Wood, Metal and Spring

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You might wonder why you haven’t yet seen a post from me about March’s Year of Sagely Living goal. Fittingly enough, I was at a Qigong retreat all weekend in one of the most beautiful places I have ever been with some of the greatest people I know.  It was a good way to start off my contemplation of the rhythm of relaxation and focused work in my life! It reminds me that my program, while rigorous and sometimes quite difficult, does try to build in time for rejuvenation – we have a retreat every term! A luxury, no doubt about it.

When conceiving the Year of Sagely Living we decided to focus March, the time of first real visible manifestation of spring, on the balance between activity and rest. This is such a wide topic, there are a variety of possibilities within it. Originally, I explained:

Lung, Yin 寅 (Tiger)- Activity/Rest: This category will contain practices having to do with appropriate cycles of rest and activity in daily life – for instance, appropriate waking times throughout the seasons.

I am reminded to consider the Lung and everything we learned about that organ system in our classes with Heiner Fruehauf . When I read back through all the symbols associated with Lung I see a lot of contrasting elements. This makes sense given the “tension between opposites” that the actual physical Lung deals with. It interfaces between liquid and gas, it is part of what oversees the interchange between carbon dioxide and oxygen… One of the interesting contradictions we’re asked to ponder as we study the Lung organ system is the fact that while the Lung is most often referred to in terms of metal – as per the Neijing Suwen (and many other places) on the organ clock it is solidly placed in the spring! What can this mean?

I have thought of it in many ways over the last couple of years. First, the Lung/metal is in charge of descending the Qi of the body and the wood is responsible for ascending movement. This vital pillar of human physiology serves as the mechanism by which rhythm is maintained in the body. The Lung is readily associated with rhythm – along with the heartbeat our breathing rate is one of those regular things that happen all day, every day, without our even thinking about it.

Another way to look at it is simply by assuming there is something about the Lung which is Fall and something which is Spring. What parts of Lung function are similar to Fall? The Fall is crisp and cool, it is a time when the Yin energy begins to dominate strongly over the Yang. The Lung, too, is a Yin-like environment as an organ and as one of the six conformations. The Taiyin damp aspect of the Lung creates an organ that likes to be relatively cool (though not cold) and wet (though not filled!). There are other similarities, but I will move on. What parts of Lung function are in resonance with Spring energy? I think the best way to understand this is to take a few minutes and do some really deep breathing. See how the light returns to your eyes? See how your energy rebounds?

I will be thinking about the tension and similarity between Fall and Spring as I enter March and this phase of the Year of Sagely Living. I have a few ideas of what one might consider as practices to learn about rest and activity.

1. Chinese organ clock and its application: I have spoken many times on the blog about the Chinese organ clock. One of the pieces of information associated with the clock that most everyone has heard about is the two hour periods associated with each organ system. Here’s a quick rundown of the associations:

1. Lung – Fèi 肺 : 3-5 am
2. Large Intestine – Dà Cháng 大腸 : 5-7am
3. Stomach – Wèi 胃 : 7-9am
4. Spleen – Pí 脾 : 9-11am
5. Heart – Xīn 心 : 11-1pm
6. Small Intestine – Xiǎo Cháng 小腸 : 1-3pm
7. Bladder – Páng Guāng 膀胱 : 3-5pm
8. Kidney – Shèn 腎 : 5-7pm
9. Pericardium – Xīn Bāo 心包 : 7-9pm
10. Triple Burner – Sān jiāo 三膲 : 9-11pm
11. Gall Bladder – Dǎn 膽 : 11-1am
12. Liver – Gān 肝 : 1-3am

While the organ clock is vitally important and often eerily accurate, it is still something we must look at through the lens of individual experience, cultural application and the normal seasonal changes. Regarding individual experience – this is simply recognizing the changing terrain of the human body. While I believe the human body is essentially the same as it was thousands of years ago, certainly the introduction of many human created chemicals and conditions have altered our bodies in some way. Perhaps some are more resistant to these changes than others. Regarding seasonal changes – in most parts of the world the Yang or light parts of the day are longer in the summer and shorter in the winter. This means that the organ systems located on the “Yang” or daytime side of the clock will have, comparitively, more time in those months.

As an aside – if you have a Mac running OSX (anything before Leopard) you might want to go over to the site of my colleague, Brandon Brown. He has skillfully and artistically created a widget that takes into account these seasonal changes. At this point, it is somewhat limited in that it is focused on the West coast of the United States. He says he’ll work on a more robust version someday. :) Regardless – the main lesson of the organ clock is to remember that all energy isn’t in all places at all times naturally. Everything in its time, in its season. Regarding all this organ clock business, one possible March practice would be to pay close attention to the flow of energy through my organ systems and consider how I might best organize my time to take advantage of the flow.

2.  Appropriate amounts of sleep.  In the Neijing Suwen, there are some important discussions about the importance of sleep – in particular, the optimal seasonal variations for sleeping and waking.  In general, we understand that sleeping is important to bring the Shen back to be housed in the Heart and to allow the Wei Qi to descend into the organs to begin the process of rejuvenation.  Sleep is vital!  So, when should I wake? How long should I sleep at night? A natural goal here would be to try to achieve my mythical optimum and see how it affects my life. Another would be to try some kind of artificial sleep schedule, something outside of my optimum, and see how that affects my life.

3.  Regulating relaxation.   We are all told that we need to take time to relax. But, this means many different things to different people.  In Chinese medicine school, we learn a lot about the taxing effect that continuous work has on both the Spleen and the Heart organ systems.  Depletion of the Qi and Blood leads to what is often jokingly called “Exhausted Student Syndrome.”  On my Qigong retreat, I found myself contemplating whether it is better to work very hard with little time for “relaxation” and then take a stretch of time COMPLETELY off or whether it’s more advantageous to work continuously, but with small regular breaks. Further, what is true relaxation? Watching television? Hiking? Playing a sport? Meditating? It’s a variety of things, to be certain, but what is it for me?

A subset of the relaxation question concerns the importance of taking microbreaks while doing sit down work, especially at the computer. Repetitive strain injury is something all Chinese Medicine students and bloggers should think about. One quick note – some recent software programs help you avoid long stretches at the computer with no break. One simple practice I could incorporate into my daily life is simply to use a program like that and to review my ergonomics at my desk.

I’d be interested to hear how other people think about rest, relaxation and work in their own lives. Please leave your thoughts in the comments. In my next article, released shortly, I will declare my March Year of Sagely Living goal.

Eric

Rest and activity in the Year of Sagely Living

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• Classical Chinese medical symbolism: Wood, Metal and Spring (5)
• The Year of Sagely Living: 12 months of Classical Chinese Medicine habits (28)
• Classical Chinese medical symbolism: Wood, Metal and Spring (part 2 of 2) (18)