Learning acupuncture : Master points of the Extraordinary vessels
Early in the life of this blog, I wrote a lot of basic “what is this” posts about Chinese medicine. I did that because I saw that there was a need for basic information, and since I was learning it, it seemed like a natural progression. I realize that there are a lot of readers who don’t “need” this basic information, but other folks new to the medicine might. I hope everyone can enjoy this basic article.
For what seems like the hundredth time, we were taught about the master points of the extraordinary vessels recently. It’s interesting how much you can learn about something if the lesson is just repeated again and again. I have struggled to find my way with regards to acupuncture. The road to a Classical Chinese herbal practice has been clear ever since I came to NCNM. On the acupuncture side, things have been much less clear. We have learned a lot of Jing Luo theory, which has helped us to understand the complexity and interconnectedness of the Qi pathways in our body. We have learned all the standard categories, and have focused a lot on point prescriptions laid out in various Classical texts. Recently, I’ve begun to study how to apply Shang Han Lun style thinking to acupuncture practice. I’m also learning a lot about Five element acupuncture. Through all of this, one thing has always captured my interest - the extraordinary vessels and their master points.
Note: Throughout I may use the word vessel and channel interchangeably as is my custom. Forgive me if this offends your sensibility - I have heard them used in this way so many times I fear I can’t find a reason to do otherwise.
The Eight Extraordinary Vessels : 奇Qi 经Jing 八Ba 脉Mai : neglected powerhouses
From what I understand, these eight channels were not discussed as a group in the Neijing (Suwen or Lingshu) though they were mentioned separately. They were first gathered together in the Nanjing. They are called 奇, Qi, which can be translated as strange, rare, or even marvelous. You can also call them the “extra” channels, insofar that they exist outside the normal 12. They differ significantly from those 12 channels in the following ways:
- They don’t have regular starting and ending points
- They don’t go to the arms at all and barely exist on the legs
- Apart from the Ren Mai and Du Mai, they don’t have points of their own (instead sharing points with the regular channels)
- They are not associated with the 12 Zangfu organ systems, but are sometimes associated with the Extraordinary Fu organs
- They are not paired in a way similar to the 12 regular channels
Many times I have been taught that the Qi Jing Ba Mai act as reservoirs for Qi and Blood that overflows from the regular channels. As such, when accessed, they can mobilize great reserves of Qi and Blood for use in healing disease. Peter Deadman in his Manual of Acupuncture states:
“The Nanjing compares the extraordinary channels to reservoirs which are able to absorb excessive qi and blood from the primary channels in the same way that reservoirs take excess water from canals and ditches at times of heavy rain” (17).
They are also said to link up the rest of the channels in various ways, and thus can act as a way to access many channels at once. The rest of the functionality of the channels depends on the character of the channel itself. I will not be going deeply into this right now, as it would make the article impossibly long. The important thing for this article is to note the functional pairings of the Extraordinary channels and their control points, as well as providing some guidelines for usage as it has been described to me. Below, I will list the channels, some brief information about each and their control points.
One more important note: I was taught two ways to pair the extraordinary vessels. The first is structural - this is a more familiar type of pairing analogous to the way that Triple Burner (TB) and Pericardium (PC) in the regular channel series are paried. They are on similar parts of the body, but one is Yin and one is Yang. The second, and I think more powerful, pairing is functional. Here, the channels are bound by a shared range of influence - similar to the way that Shaoyang Gall Bladder (GB) and Shaoyang TB are paired. Most of my understanding of these pairings come from my first acupuncture teacher, Dr. Jim Cleaver.
任脉 Conception vessel (Ren Mai) : Ren Mai is one of the more well known of the extraordinary vessels, learned in most acupuncture schools. It arises in the uterus or lower abdomen and emerges from the body at the perenium then rises to just below the lips. It exerts a powerful influence over the Yin of the entire body. As such, treating CV points often gives direct access to the Zang organs. Consider that many of the Front-mu points of the organs are located on the CV channel. While front-mu points are often used for acute disorders of an excess nature, CV points - particularly those on the lower abdomen - are quite nourishing and tonifying and thus can be used for chronic diseases of a deficient nature. The master point of Ren Mai is LU-7, Lie Que. Ren Mai is functionally paired with the Yin Qiao Mai.
督脈 Governing vessel (Du Mai) : The Du Mai is a structural pair with Ren Mai - which is to say that they are similarly placed on the body. Ren Mai covers the front of the body and runs up the anterior midline. Du Mai covers the back of the body and runs up the posterior midline. There are many important points on the Du Mai including GV-14/Da Zhui, a popular point for releasing heat and wind pathogens from the body and GV-4.Ming Men, a popular point for strengthening the basic energy of the body and dispelling cold. The Du mai is especially good at treating back pain, headaches, dizziness, fevers and all manner of musculoskeletal issues along the back of the body. The master point of Du Mai is SI-3, Hou Xi. It is functionally paired with the Yang Qiao Mai and treated together, these channels excel at treating all manner of musculoskeletal complaints as well as various brain disorders.
陰跷脉 Yin Motility vessel (Yin Qiao Mai) : The Yin/Yang Qiao and Yin/Yang Wei are less familiar to most folks. The Qiao vessels are sometimes referred to as “motility” vessels as they deal with motion and lack thereof, but they are also referred to as the “heel” vessels as that is where they originate on the body. It originates on the inside of the foot and exerts its influence along the medial leg, through the lower abdomen and up to the mouth and eyes. Its master point is KD-6, Zhao Hai - the Shining Sea. It is functionally paired with the Ren Mai and used together these points can have a great therapeutic effect on the chest, lungs and throat as that is part of their shared range of influence.
陽跷脉 Yang Motility vessel (Yang Qiao Mai) : The Yang Qiao Mai is structurally paired with the Yin Qiao Mai. They treat similar conditions, but on different parts of the body. The Yang Qiao is associated with the outside of the leg, but can also treat conditions like epilepsy, insomnia, and various disorders of the eye and eyelid. It is functionally paired with Du Mai and its master point is BL-62, Shen Mai.
衝脉 Penetrating/Surging vessel (Chong Mai) : The Chong Mai is said to link up the 12 regular channels’ blood and Qi to a greater degree than the other extraordinary channels. The Chong runs through the core of the body and has a great influence on the menstruation of female bodied people, storing the blood as the cycle progresses towards the monthly flow. It is sometimes called the “Sea of Blood.” Sometimes I have heard that whenever we see a point with “Chong” in the name (like ST-42 - Chong Yang) the Chong Mai is somehow involved. The control point of Chong Mai is SP-4, Gong Sun. It is linked with the Yin Linking Channel (Yin Wei Mai).
带脉 Girdling/Belt vessel (Dai Mai) : The Dai Mai is one of the more interesting extraordinary vessels, in my opinion. It’s short, encircling the body approximately at the waistline. It is structurally paired with the Chong Mai, so is often discussed when considering women’s disorders. It can easily be associated with the point called Dai Mai, GB-26 - a point primarily used for transforming damp heat, particularly when there is a problem of discharge from the lower jiao. However, the master point of the Dai Mai is further down the Gall Bladder channel, at GB-41, Zu Lin Qi. The Dai Mai treats the lateral side of the torso, but also can treat problems in the shoulders and lateral side of the neck. The Dai Mai is functionally paired with the Yang Wei Mai, and treated together these channels can work with a lot of classic Shaoyang symptoms like alternating chills and fever and flank pain or fullness.
陰维脉 Yin Linking vessel (Yin Wei Mai) : The Yin Wei Mai runs along the inside of the leg, taking its point from the Kidney, Spleen and Liver channels as well as the Ren Mai conception channel. It is sometimes discussed as controlling the tendons and muscles on the inside of the leg as well as influencing the chest and abdomen. Pathological symptoms include heart pain, stomach pain and fullness in the center of the diaphragm. The control point of Yin Wei Mai is PC-6, Nei Guan. It is functionally paired with the Chong Mai (penetrating/surging vessel). Treated together, Chong and Yin Wei will have a powerful effect on reproductive health, abdominal and chest pains, as well as problems with the Heart and Stomach organs.
陽维脉 Yang Linking vessel (Yang Wei Mai) : Finally, we come to the Yang Wei Mai. The Yang Wei Mai runs along the outside of the leg, but more posterior to the Yang Qiao Mai. It is particularly good at treating epilepsy and eye diseases, but as the other Wei and Qiao, it treats musculoskeletal disorders along its track. It is functionally paired with the Dai Mai, as discussed previously. Its master point is TB-5, Wai Guan - which should be familiar to most of you. This helps us to understand more completely the shared range of influence on Shaoyang syndromes.
This is obviously just an overview of the Extraordinary vessels - intended to provide some basic information. I would like to continue my exploration of these important channels, but first would like to open it up to you, Deepest Health readers. What have you learned about the Extraordinary vessels? How have you used them in clinic? Do they interest you as much as they interest me?
I should say that the only Maciocia book I can recommend is his recent study of the Extraordinary Vessels. It’s a good overview.
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Tags: Acupuncture, Classical Texts (general), classical-chinese-medicine, education, LearningRelated posts
Compassion as the driving force of Classical Chinese Medicine practice
A while ago, I began a series of posts designed to describe my experiences with Dr. Liu Lihong, renown Classical Chinese Medicine clinician and scholar. He visited NCNM in Portland just about a month ago, delivering powerful lectures and teaching us all with grace and simplicity. Many folks have asked me to share what he had to say about the Fire Spirit school of Chinese herbalism, a school that takes the use of Fu Zi (aconite) and Gui Zhi (cinnamon) to be its guiding methods. Unfortunately, I didn’t take written notes - only a recording - and it is taking me some time to transcribe. It may have to wait until school is out in a couple of weeks, when I have time between clinic shifts.
The truth of the matter is that the most powerful information that Dr. Liu gave us really had nothing to do with the practicalities of herbal formulations. I would like to share what I learned about a lecture he gave in our Medical ethics class about compassion in Classical Chinese Medical practice. I will soon share more of what I learned from this contemporary master of our medicine.
Medicine as the Bodhisattva way
Dr. Liu started out by talking about the concept of a Bodhisattva in Buddhism. In my reading, I have discovered that not everyone agrees on the definition of this concept. A basic understanding of Bodhisattva reveals a being who is either enlightened or well on their way who decides to hold off Nirvana in order to help other human beings reach enlightenment. By this definition, they embody the purest compassion and service to humanity. Certainly a noble goal for anyone, particularly a physician.
Dr. Liu wanted to help us understand what it would mean to live as a Bodhisattva. He explained that for him living this principle in daily life certainly involves living life to its fullest while striving to deeper understanding of what it means to be alive. Living a full life was explained to involve coming to a state of balance in health both in body and in the emotions. That way both Xing (form) and Shen (spirit) will be unified and harmonious. This allows us to be a great resource of inspiration for our patients while also allowing us the ability to walk our path with strength and purpose.
How do we do accomplish this task? By following the guiding hands of the ancients. 文化 (Wen Hua) is a Chinese term that’s something like “culture.” Dr. Liu related to us that the deep meaning of the term encompasses more than what the normal American interpretation might reveal. It isn’t just a collection of wheres and whens and whats, but a body of knowledge produced by great people that can be used for transformation of human lives. The study of culture and cultural artifacts, like the Classical Chinese texts, is more than an empty academic exercise. Or, at least, it should be.
The ancient texts, like those written by Kongzi (Confucius) are part of the Wen Hua that we can use in our quest to follow the Bodhisattva way. It isn’t important that we analyze the texts in an analytical manner. The important thing is that through our study of the texts, we allow them to Hua - to transform us. I think I understand from what Dr. Liu was saying that he believes Chinese medicine knowledge is this way as well. Many of us know a person who has nearly encyclopedic knowledge of Classical texts or Zangfu differentiation or herbs or acupuncture, yet remain a mean-spirited and uninspired person. This is a waste of the information.
So, our goal should be to allow what we are learning to transform us. Our program at NCNM, I believe, really takes this matter to heart. The whole first year is all about breaking you open to receive the teachings fully. It’s a tulmultuous year for many. My experience was truly a birth process. I felt the pain and the subsequent release of that pain only to be shot into an unknown world that is both breathtaking and a little frightening! On the other hand, these last two years have been a lot of information, taking it in and trying to figure out how to use it. I feel that it would be easy to become obsessed with the consumption and reproduction of information, forgetting to be transformed. Now that I look closely at the next three weeks, I realize that it is another birthing process. Our finals are pretty laid back and my mind and spirit naturally turn to cultivation. I find myself wanting to do Qigong, wanting to spend time in nature, wanting to read texts that inspire me. I find myself reading back over my first year notes, reconnecting to the symbolism we were steeped so heavily in during our first year.
Words to live by
I realize the truth of what Dr. Liu was teaching us as I’ve described above. But, there was more. After talking to us about the process by which we can get closer to enlightened awareness, and the purpose of that in turning us into superior physicians, he let us in on what he believed to be the highest truth of the Way of the Bodhisattva. It’s a simple statement, echoed through many cultures in one form or another. In this instantiation, it is expressed in a slightly different form than most Westerners are used to - by Kongzi (Confucius):
子曰、其恕乎、己所 不欲、勿施於人
Zǐyuē, qí shù hū, jǐ suǒ bù yù, wù shī yú rén
The master said, it’s perhaps “Shu”, do not place upon others what you would not have placed upon yourself.
I acknowledge my translation could use work. :) But, you get the point. It’s another statement of the Golden Rule - in this negative form sometimes called the “Silver Rule.” Important within it is the character 恕 Shu. This character is composed of three radicals. On the bottom, we have the Heart. Above that on the left we have the radical for Woman and on the right the Mouth radical. So, “Shu” is something like a woman speaking her heart. Or the kind of speech that comes from the strength of a woman’s heart. Opposed to this elsewhere is the character for anger, 怒 Nu, which looks very similar. The only difference is the upper right radical which is a picture of a hand. The woman radical and the hand radical together as a character by themselves means “slave.” So, anger is when your heart is enslaved. We can look at this in an external way - as when someone is somehow preventing us from living our heart’s desire. But, Dr. Liu asked us to look at it differently. Anger is, he suggested, like not having a master within yourself - when one loses control. Shu is an antidote to this - it is living out our heart’s greatest desires, our heart’s purest desires. This gives us ultimate freedom and it allows us to arrive at our true nature which is always productive of behavior in line with the “Golden Rule” as listed above.
Perhaps you’re not sure what this has to do with Chinese medicine, but for me it was clear.
- To achieve mastery in medicine, we must not only learn from the Classical texts and the wisdom of our teachers, but also allow this information to transform us on a deep level.
- This transformation will be on many levels. Physically, we will “follow our own advice” and live in accordance with the ways that our teachers lay out for us. Emotionally and spiritually, we will walk the path of the Boddhisattva.
- This path is one that brings us into line with Shu - opening to our true nature through living the truth of our heart. This in part involves, and is productive of, behavior in line with the Golden rule.
- This Golden rule indicates that we should treat others as we treat ourselves, or that we should not do to others what we would not have done to ourselves.
- In some sense, all of this tells us to polish ourselves into the kind of doctors that can serve as great examples for our patients. But, we must also allow our patients to be a mirror for us - when we gaze into that mirror we must always be asking ourselves if we are treating our patients as we would want to be treated in similar circumstances.
I’d be interested to hear what you think about this in the comments.
Eric
Tags: buddhism, Classical Texts (general), Personal Development, professional-development, study, studying.-confucianismRelated posts
Pregnancy in Chinese medical texts
I’m away at a Qigong retreat this weekend (we take one a term in the Classical Chinese Medicine program at NCNM), but didn’t want to leave you folks without content. :) Two fellow bloggers were kind enough to offer posts - one from G. Michael Reynolds over at the Life Giving Sword and the other from Yael Ernst at Chinese Medicine Notes. I hope you will enjoy them both.
First up, Yael with her post about Pregnancy in Chinese medical texts. I don’t talk much about women’s health here, but not because I have no interest in it. I think this will provide a good introduction for folks who are wondering what Chinese medicine has to say about the process of pregnancy and its effects on the female body.
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In the post The Foundation of Pregnancy we looked at the physical aspect of pregnancy in women. In this post I would like to present what Sun Si Miao (http://www.taijichinesemedicine.com/sunsimiao.htm) wrote regarding the pregnancy itself. But, before I talk about Sun Si Miao, I would like to present Ye Heng Yin, and his description of conception. Ye Heng Yin was a gynecology expert from the Qing dynasty. He wrote the Nu Ke Zhi Nan (A Guide to Gynecology).
In this guide, Yin says that the Tian Gui is the contribution of the father and the mother, the form of heaven and true Qi that are formed in the body. The essence and blood that changed form, from fluids and grains, are the root of the creation of post-heaven. In males- Tian Gui arises at 8X2 (16), since men are Yang and belong to the sun. That is why their daily essence becomes more and more vital. In females - Tian Gui arises at 7X2 (14), since women are Yin and belong to the moon. That is why their blood flows out of the body once a month. At the time when man and woman unite, the original Qi of pre-heaven, the essence of post heaven, the blood, the Yin and the Yang all gather together. This allows for the arrival of children.
One must not treat or touch the meridian during it’s month of effect on the pregnancy
Moving now to Sun Si Miao… He explains that in each month, the fetus is nourished by a different channel and each has it’s own different effect and impact on pregnancy. The pulse of the organ system involved will be weak, as its Qi nourishes the fetus. If during treatment we need to address the channel during its month of effect, we can do so. We simply have to use indirect methods. We can access the organ system through the Back-shu points or by treating a paired organ (using five element or six conformation pairing, or some other).
Now for some specifics regarding the individual months of pregnancy…
1st month
Gestation of Raw Material. The fetus is like a dew drop!
The meridian of this month: Liver. The liver has a role in everything that has to do with the period and during pregnancy. This reminds us of the power of spring.
2nd month
The fetus is at the level of CV3. The fetus is referred to as Gao - fertility dough.
The meridian of the month: Gall Bladder. The GB is in charge of the essences. We still have the energetic influence of spring, the breakthrough of life. Since this month is very important for the fetus to be rooted in the uterus, it is a resting time for the mother.
3rd month
The beginning of the embryo. The fetus is like a silkworm’s pupa.
The meridian of the month: Pericardium. You can read more about Pericardium through a Classical Chinese Medicine perspective at Deepest Health.
4th month
The fetus connects with the Dantian. The body and form are becoming much more solidified.
The meridian of the month: San Jiao/Triple Burner
The element of the month: Water. The Zhi of the mother goes to the fetus. The first 3 months are very basic and there’s no certainty. As of the 4th month there’s a good chance for the fetus to survive the pregnancy and the elements come into the picture as do heavenly energies. When matter has the vital potential for life the rest of the elements come in.
5th month
The Uterus is being held firm in its place. One can feel the fetus moving in the Uterus.
The meridian of the month: Spleen. It is recommended to the mother to do things in their right timing and in a balanced way. The balance and stability of Earth needs to be invoked.
The element of the month: Fire. The Shen of the mother goes to the fetus.
6th month
The fetus is like a fish in its mother Uterus. It has real stability and form.
The meridian of the month: Stomach. The eyes and mouth are developing and the 5 tastes are in the fetus’ mouth. Salivary glands also develop in this month. It is recommended for the mother to eat delicate and sweet food.
The element of the month: Metal. The Po of the mother goes to the fetus.
7th month
The fetus grows big. The hair, the bones and ligaments are formed and all the sense organs are developing.
The meridian of the month: Lung. It is said that the mother should avoid cold, yelling and crying.
The month of the month: Wood. The Hun of the mother goes to the fetus.
8th month
Zang Fu completed.
The meridian of the month: Large Intestine. The 9 orifices are completed at this point.
The element of the month: Earth. The Yi of the mother goes to the fetus.
It is said that the mother’s spirit should be calm so not to create shocks in the Qi flow. One can feel the reactions of the fetus according the mother’s moods.
9th month
The fetus receives the Jade essence, which is the seal of approval that everything is ready.
The meridian of the month: Kidneys. It is recommended to the mother to avoid tight clothes and to eat sweet food.
10th month
Fetus is ready to come out.
The meridian of the month: Bladder. It is possible to treat this meridian if there’s a need to start labor or if you want to turn the fetus from a breech position. All the Yin organs are completed, the Yang organs are clear from stagnations, the heaven and earth were absorbed, the spirit of the man (fetus) is complete and all that is left is to be born. The mother should concentrate on the Dantian.
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Bibliography:
Extraordinary Fu- Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee and Claude Larre
Chinese Gynecology studies with Yael Saslove- 2006- Israel
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From the Editor (Eric): With all of this in mind, how can we extend our understanding of pregnancy from a Chinese medicine perspective? How can we best advise our patients during their pregnancy? It seems that most Western people in contemporary times want to live their normal lifestyle during and directly after pregnancy, not taking the time necessary to fully nourish themselves and their fetus. What are the consequences of this? We would all love to hear your ideas and experiences in the comments.
Tags: Classical Texts (general), guest-post, pregnancy, sun si miao, women's healthRelated posts
Questions for the ancients
I’m part of the student government association at NCNM in Portland, OR and I am currently working on creating a scholarship for Classical Chinese Medicine students at our institution. The SGA funded the scholarship and now I’m just working on logistics. Part of the scholarship application will involve students answering a question - with the best answer (as judged by a panel of students) getting the nod for the award. Anyway, as I was brainstorming potential questions I became lost in thought at my potential answer to one. I thought I would pose it to you, my readers.
If you could ask three questions of any ancient scholar of Chinese medicine, who would it be, why, and what would your three questions be?
For me, it would definitely be Zhang Zhong Jing. I know that in ten years time I will have much more insightful questions, but right now my questions would be:
1. To what extent did you base your work on the Neijing and Tang Ye Jing?
2. What’s up with Wu Zhu Yu Tang? I mean, seriously.
3. Are there any diseases you feel can’t be treated by what you present in the Shang Han Lun and Jin Gui? If so, what are they and why can’t they be treated by the formulas and procedures set out in those books?
As a bonus, I would ask him if he has an intact copy of the Tang Ye Jing and, if so, if I can have it. :D
Post your questions in the comments.
Eric
Tags: ancient scholars, books, chinese-herbs, Classical Texts (general), classical-chinese-medicine, formulas, Learning, ncnm, Portland, scholar, scholarship application, shang-han-lun, student government association, tang-ye-jing, Zhang Zhong JingRelated posts
Why does Classical Chinese Medicine seem so complicated? A continuing conversation…
Here is the second part of the article by my colleague Michael Givens. You can read the first part here. I hope we will see more of him here on Deepest Health. Please be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments, as he is a regular reader of the blog and will most certainly be interested in hearing what you have to say.
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In the broad view it is simply the nature of Yin and Yang, yet it is also because Chinese medicine has had such a long fermentation process; the classical texts as we’ve understood them, present the view that I’ve described above, one of functional dynamics, but as Chinese society grew and changed, and as the West’s materialism influenced them, the lens of the Chinese doctors went through a few very important changes. This is why it is so complicated. It is not “one medicine.” Like most things in China’s history, there has been a perpetual push to maintain an umbrella called “Chinese” for all things “Chinese” but this actually barely holds together. It is the same with the Chinese language: though there is a claim that the Chinese have had the same language for thousands of years, it is not completely true. What is true is that there is a continuous thread linking the oracle bones to modern Chinese, but that does not at all mean that it is the same language. The language meaning and usage within the context of culture and understanding could not possibly be the same.
With Chinese medicine, we could really isolate the different eras and dynasties and call these “Chinese medicine periods,” and there are some very real differences among them. Yet, the reason for our program is that there is a common root. There are the Shennong Ben Cao Jing, the Neijing, the Shang Han Lun, the Zang Zhong Jing, the Nan Jing, the Jia Yi Jing and the Maijing, for starters. Within these classical texts, while there are some significant differences and disagreements (even within the Neijing there are important discrepancies) it does seem that there is a common perception and worldview amongst them, a common understanding of the functional dynamism of human physiology and its correspondence to the movement of nature. However, after these texts and times, Chinese medicine becomes confusing and complicated.
This does not mean that anything written or practiced after Wangshu He in the second century CE is wrong by any means; it means that all of the formulas and treatments after this have to be carefully examined to gain any sort of understanding of the perceptions of those who created them. All Chinese scholars of all periods had a very deep and profound understanding of the classics, so in some ways we could say that what TCM (the Chinese medicine practiced and taught everywhere that has the approval of contemporary Chinese medical scholars of today) has to offer is the best of two thousand years of practice and scholarship. But, I believe we are in a better position today than that. We are in the position to broadly see how human consciousness has traversed from immaterialism to materialism, from conceptualization of process and movement, to a conceptualization of matter and physical (Western) physiology, and today, we can see how we are now reaching about as far as a materialist view can go. This allows us to move forward to a new, yet much less material understanding. Western science is also running up to this point and it appears that a subtle, yet great paradigm shift is underway. I believe classical Chinese medicine can be at the forefront of this shift.
Thus, I am advocating for the importance of not acquiring too many useful tools of TCM, but rather to push Chinese medicine further by doing what the scholars of all times have had to do. It should be each one of our responsibilities to read, study, examine, practice and experiment with what the classical texts have to offer, before we try to see what others have done with them. We should do this so that we can at the very least, understand why for instance, one scholar in Chinese history decided to modify Li Zhong Wan (a formula from the Shang Han Lun, Han Dynasty, 1st century, designed to “rectify” the spleen and “center” using the herbs: dried ginger, ginseng, atractylodes, and honey-fried licorice) and turn it into Bai Zhu Tang or the later more well known name, Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen’s Decoction: Song Dynasty, 11th century, designed to strengthen the Spleen, using the herbs: ginseng, atractylodes, poria and honey-fried licorice), which is so widely used today.
Was it because he was more evolved in his understanding? Did he have a better grasp of the human body and human diseases, or did he simply have a different understanding of it; was he, perhaps more materialistic and narrow in his understanding? The only way for us to know, despite the fact that our teachers will advocate for one or the other, is to have a specific frame of reference. Otherwise, we just have to choose one or the other and see what happens. But, I believe that we will at some point, have to define for ourselves our own understanding of what medicine does and how the body works.
Of course, this is what we have been learning while at school, but it has not been consistent. The holistic view of classical Chinese medicine is not the holistic view of TCM, though TCM claims it is. The holistic view of one teacher, for that matter is not always the holistic view of another. Yet, based on what we have learned from the classical texts, classical holism is a dynamic interplay between function and matter, internal and external, time and space. It is based on the concept that matter follows energy, and energy follows consciousness; this is what we have been taught, yet is easy to neglect. It is also essential to recall that, like (classical) Naturopathic medicine, classical Chinese medicine works primarily through helping the body (functionally, not materially) to regain balance rather than doing something to the body (supplementing materially) to re-establish balance.
The holistic view of TCM is simply that internal and external are mutually related, and that the laws of yin and yang and the five elements apply to both humans and to nature, that’s it. There certainly is the concept of functionality in TCM, but it is clear that material concepts are much more predominant, and this is seen in the way disease is treated. For us to be able to effectively evaluate the various treatments and protocols from the thousand years of fermentation, we must be able to know when they are doing something to the body and when they are communicating a functional shift within the dynamic of the whole person. We can only know this by knowing the classical understanding of physiology. We really can only know classical physiology by understanding deeply the classical theoretical principles of nature and the cosmos.
I believe that we can only foster a growth and evolution of the future of Chinese medicine through deeply assimilating our perceptions and understandings to the perceptions and understandings of the ancient scholars. We must understand our medicine from a physiological, dynamic, functional perspective that takes in to consideration space (physical and relational), time (seasonal breath and astrological changes) and direction (momentum, flow, and interrelation) to begin to understand what was intended in the Chinese medical classics. With this kind of an understanding, we can then easily evaluate classical and traditional Chinese formulas and treatments; more importantly, we will be able to develop new, yet classical methods of treating diseases, for we will be protecting the functions and warmth of life, flowing with the processes of nature, and never working against either.
Michael Givens - National College of Natural Medicine - 3rd year in Classical Chinese Medicine program
Tags: Classical Texts (general), classical-chinese-medicine, Learning, materialism, Michael Givens, scholar, study, traditional-chinese-medicine
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