The nuts and bolts of the Chinese medicine awareness experiement
In two articles, Abdallah and I have begun to lay out the foundations for a project that is, in some ways, the extension of the Year of Sagely Living. There hasn’t been much discussion generated around those two articles. There are two possible reasons for this and they both come down to our failure to express the essence of the project appropriately. I will offer two articles - one today and one tomorrow - that attempt to explain the project clearly and also highlight its importance.
First, here, I’d like to just lay out in very clear prose what it is we are proposing and, briefly, why.
Record of a journey
Blogging is, at its best, the record of some person’s (or people’s) particular way through life. Even when the blog isn’t personal, it represents a particular take on some particular aspect of the experience of living. Deepest Health has always been mostly about exploring Classical Chinese medicine from the perspective of one student, myself. In this journey, I’ve revealed my own struggles and a-ha moments. I’ve also attempted to share the knowledge I’ve gained in my schooling in an effort to make good information about Chinese medicine more available. As I grow and change, so does the blog.
I’ve walked across a threshold in my study - the threshold from theory to practice. In doing so, I’ve learned deeply the importance of rock-solid theory. More than that, I’ve learned about the inseperability of theory and practice. They inform and shape one another. One of the places where theory and practice interpenetrate for me is in the realm of Chinese medical symbolism. What I’ve learned about the symbols of Chinese medicine from a few professors, most overtly Heiner Fruehauf, is the way that Chinese medicine is actually built on a system of symbols and a method of symbolic perception and thinking that is at least somewhat alien to contemporary Western consciousness. I’ve tried to make that way of thinking and perceiving less alien for myself and, through my blog, for you.
In clinic, I don’t think that much about the Chinese medicine organ clock. But, I do think a lot about symbols. I think about the symbolism of the pulse. About how to read it, how to match it up with patient experience. I think about how the pulses are written about in Classical texts and the deep symbolic meaning present in every character. I think about the symbol of the human face, a microcosmic representation of the whole body. I consider the symbolic diagnostic methods of Worsley style five element acupuncture. I wonder about the concise descriptions of symptoms patterns in the Shang Han Lun, and begin to understand the deep symbolic nature of the characters that make up those descriptions. I see how all of my professors seek to understand this way of thinking, seek to incorporate it into their practice, despite how they feel about more overt conversations about the subject.
There is no class that can teach me how to think symbolically. There is no seminar that can rearrange your mind so you think less analytically and more holistically. There is only lived experience. There is only gentle but persistent effort. Nature and patients as teachers.
Wait, didn’t I say this was going to be clear?
Yes, yes yes… To provide a “why” for the rambling “what” above, please accept the following. I believe that by teaching myself to think symbolically, to deeply perceive the infinite richness of patients and nature and the world at large, I will gain information that will make me a better clinician. There are lots of ways to teach myself these skills. There are lots of layers to be unfolded. The project that Abdallah and I are proposing is simply to record our journey to gain this particular way of thinking and perceiving. Just as everything it will grow and change, but here are the essential elements:
So what is this going to look like?
Records of our efforts in the form of text articles : This is more of the same as far as Deepest Health is concerned. You can expect frequent reports on how our efforts are progressing. Sometimes this will come in the form of an article about a formula or an herb, something like you’ve seen here before. But, it will attempt to go deeper by incorporating multi-sensory lived experience. Sometimes it might be a new type of article that reports back on a specific experience along the lines of what I’ve described above. For instance, if one week I find myself especially attracted to understanding the Chinese medicine concept of fire, I might write an article about all of my multifaceted research on the subject. This could incorporate lines and interpretation of those lines from various Classical texts. It could incorporate my own musings about patients and myself as related to fire. It might posit connections between lines in the Classical texts, formulas that I have recently prescribed and some aspect of popular culture that makes clear some important relationship. It could involve a series of photographs around Portland as well as a recording of some firedancers on a mountaintop. Which brings me to the next point…
Multimedia integration : What we are proposing is that only by laying open ALL of our senses are we able to really understand the wisdom of the ancients. How many of us really understand the five odors and colors used in diagnosis? How many of us really understand the five flavors of herbs? This understanding is important to have on an intellectual level, of course, and textual analysis is important for that. But equally important is our lived experience of these things. Now, while we would be hard pressed to offer scents and flavors on the Internet, we can certainly talk about scents and flavors. But, what will really set this project, and ultimately this blog, apart is the inclusion of audio and visual content to help illustrate concepts.
I have been experimenting with audio and have been very impressed with the medium. I recently purchased some new equipment that will help me deliver higher quality audio to Deepest Health readers/listeners. I would love to continue to offer record of conversations, as well as music and soundscapes that illustrate particular points. Imagine the impact of not only reading an article about Shaoyang fire, but hearing audio that is evocative of this primal force and seeing photographs and drawings that seek to explore the concept further! We will offer audio as well as pictures, artwork and video. Some of it will be strictly in service of elucidating particular concepts, but also just to continue to enrich the site’s content - as with interviews, video of my talking head, and so on.
Some of what we put forward may be pure folly! You may watch a particular video, hear an audio, or read an article and think : By jove, they’ve gone off the deep end! And that’s when audience participation comes in. We want lively conversation! We want response! Further, as we explore the project you may find that you hear, see, smell and feel things that go along with (or contradict) what we are putting forward. We’ll post it! Put it forward! Let us create a living database of information that goes beyond the simple recounting of TCM textbooks. The future of Chinese medicine on the Internet, no less! :) But, it is important to note that for me, the Classical texts are the ground from which all I think about springs and ultimately it is what I want to keep connected to at all times. I believe this will help us from going too far afield, proposing theories and ideas that are radically disconnected from the thousands of years of clinical experience that we are fortunate to have access to as students and practitioners.
I hope this helps explain what we’re after. More to come.
If you like what you read here, you may want to keep updated by using my RSS feed. Want to know more about RSS/feeds? - read more here. Thanks for visiting!
Tags: Blogging, content, internet, multimedia, nature, patterns, study, symbolism, The Project, Theory, video, Year of Sagely LivingRelated posts
Beautiful video celebrating the health benefits of tea
I thought that Deepest Health readers might enjoy this video passed along to me by Pettygrove Classical Chinese Medicine clinic director, Beth French. She has submitted it as her application for the Calm-a-Sutra tea scholarship, so if you like it be sure to share it far and wide. It reminds me of one of my favorite health benefits of drinking tea - time to stop and breathe.
We’re going to have some great podcast interviews with Tea Monk Paul Rosenberg within the month - look for them coming soon.
Click on the video below to view it - feel free to share your reactions and favorite tea stories in the comments.
Eric
Tags: health, tea, videoRelated posts
A fun and effective way for you to start earning money blogging
As I discussed in my earlier post, I believe that healthcare providers should start blogging in bigger numbers. But, really, I think everyone should start providing high quality, easily accessible content via blogs, regardless of profession. It does take time, it’s true, and no small amount of bravery (putting yourself out there can be scary) but the promise of earning an income may help you to overcome your fears.
But can you really make money blogging? Yes. A little over a year ago, I began a blogging course called Blog Mastermind with blogger and Internet marketer, Yaro Starak. I was drawn into his way of thinking first by reading about his incredible Blog Profits Blueprint which he offered for free on his blog, Entrepreneurs-journey.com. I read the blueprint in about 45 minutes - once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. Here was what I had been waiting for, a way to make money simply by sharing what I’m learning, thus helping my family and eventually (hopefully) taking the pressure off of patient visits when I’m in clinical practice! Fantastic!
I started this blog, Deepest Health, immediately. Unfortunately, my way through the course got a little choppy and I actually ended up having to quit before the end. However, the information I gleaned from those couple of months was more than enough to catapult me from making nothing to making several hundred dollars. I have to admit that, because of the intensity of my schooling (and the rest of my responsibilities) I wasn’t able to do things exactly as Yaro instructed. However, going back over my notes and really implementing what he taught me now has already brought great benefits - resurgences in traffic and a threefold increase in daily income! He’s really got something special.
He’s opening his training program again, newly updated, incorporating the lessons he learned during his last implementation. I can recommend this to anyone who is interested in making an income blogging. I’m happy to talk to you about my experiences in the course - through email or comments.
As is Yaro’s way, he’s offering some great free content as he launches his new membership site. He does this first and foremost because he likes sharing what he learns - but of course he hopes that you will be impressed enough with the free content to consider becoming a paid member. I should also disclose that if you buy into Yaro’s membership program through my link, I will get a commission. I appreciate that extra income and pledge to use it to improve my blog here and also put together my new blog, naturalmedicinesuccess.com, coming soon. On to the free resources…
First, definitely check out the Blog Profits Blueprint - this is an incredible FREE guide that will help you understand the basic way that blogging works and how it generates income. Download the Blog Profits Blueprint.
Second, head over to Yaro’s site and watch his excellent, informative videos that cover his unique take on how to take making money online with blogs to the next level. I was amazed at the quality of this content - I’m already using it to help take Deepest Health to an even wider audience.
Third, sign up using the links on any of those pages I sent you to or by following this link directly to Yaro’s sales page. I promise that you will not be disappointed in your experience. Yaro will take you through the earliest stages (setting up the blog) and step-by-step help you to get up to full functionality, making money and having a great time. I have learned that there are some things that don’t work as well in the natural medicine niche of blogging, and that’s why I’m considering developing a course of my own. But you can easily get up and running and making a profit while getting your face, your name and your unique perspective out there using Yaro’s methods. He offers excellent customer service and connects you with a community of folks who are walking the path alongside you. I found that the member connections were one of the best parts of the program - I think you will, too.
Anyway - thanks for letting me go slightly off topic, here. I really believe that the more natural medicine (and associated) bloggers we have out there, the better health we will have as a community of human beings. I hope you share this opinion and are ready to share your voice with the world. If you do sign up and get a blog going, please contact me as soon as you do and I will put your blog address up on my soon-to-be-created natural medicine blog subpage. I’ll be your first high-quality link, helping you build traffic from search engines and starting your meteoric rise to the highest strata of blogging. :)
Thanks again,
Eric
Tags: Blogging, Business, business strategy, chinese-medicine, community, internet, links, natural-medicine, service, videoRelated posts
5 Chinese Medicine texts you shouldn’t live without [Video]
I’ve been figuring out how to take Deepest Health to the next level. It seems important to start diversifying media. Text is great, but the power of the Internet doesn’t stop there. I’m going to begin experimenting with audio and video content to see how best to integrate them into Deepest Health. I’m planning a Podcast series, tentatively on Fridays, that will probably be me rambling about some of what I learned in the given week. I will also be adding interviews with professionals and students when I am able to get them. I will also do Video when possible, particularly when that medium will add something special to the given content.
In the video below, I’m mostly just getting used to the medium. I tried to provide some value for you folks, though, by talking about the five books that are practically glued to me right now. :) You’ll notice product links in the video, I hope they’re not too annoying. I’m also unsure whether RSS/Email subscription readers will be able to see the video - you may have to come to the site to see it. I encourage you to do so! Please give me feedback about this new format. Don’t worry, text will continue. Depending on the situation, I may offer transcripts to folks who request them because they aren’t capable of using the audio or video content. Contact me for more details.
Note: Brief reviews of the following texts are included in this video:
2. Arnaud Versluys’ and Heiner Fruehauf’s formulas text
(Link for the above text points to the NCNM bookstore - you may have to contact them by phone or email to order the book.)
3. Bensky’s Formulas and Strategies
4. Mitchell/Wiseman’s Shang Han Lun translation
5. Deadman’s Manual of Acupuncture
(Links for the last three texts are within the video itself.)
Enjoy!
Tags: Acupuncture, Blogging, book-review, books, chinese-herbs, formulas, videoRelated posts
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