MAIN
CONCEPTS
HARMONY
One of the most important concepts needed to help us in gaining some
understanding of the Chinese way of healing, is the concept of Harmony.
This concept
differs from the Western state of "equilibrium" which is considered in Chinese
philosophy as a state of death. Harmony is achieved in the ever-changing environment
that surrounds the human body and in which it evolves. The ability of the
human body to adapt to these changes surrounding it is what determines its
ability to achieve a state of harmony.
SKY MAN EARTH
This brings us to the concept of Sky
Man and Earth, where the influences of the Sky and Earth energies are prevalent
in what influences Man. Man thus becomes not only a link between these two
energies, but an essential factor in the overall balance. In a simplistic
overview, one can consider the Earth Energy as the nutrition that feeds the
human body, the Sky Energy as the climatic manifestations that surround the
human body, and Man Energy as the ability for the human body to adapt to these
two influences. Harmony thus depends on this ability of the human body to
achieve a certain physical stability and harmony while facing this ever changing
series of influences.
The concept of Sky Man Earth applies to many more concepts
of Chinese knowledge and is even an integral part of the Pakua Martial Art
training.
PRINCIPAL ENERGIES
As an extension of this concept of Sky Man and Earth energies, we
can also examine the three principal energies present in the human body: Protective,
Nutritive and Ancestral.
The Protective Energy is generated within (and around)
the body by the air we breath. It is also called the Superficial Energy and
can be divided in two distinctive roles. During the day it helps protect the
body from the climatic changes that surround it, and during the night it helps
the body stabilize the body.
The Nutritive Energy is extracted from the food
by the body. Oriental Medicine puts a strong emphasis on the most natural
intake of food since it is the source of one of the most import components
of human health.
The Ancestral Energy is generated within the body at the
moment of biological conception. Its particularity is its inability to replenish.
It cannot be changed or renewed. The full and proper use of the two previously
mentioned energies, is what helps the Ancestral Energy last for the life span
of the human existence.
In all three of the Energies mentioned above, the
concept of quantity and quality is primordial.
YIN YANG
Another important concept of
Chinese healing and Acupuncture is Yin Yang. This is a concept of relativity,
where nothing is an absolute, but rather it is judged in relation to other
things. It is also subjective to the person making the judgement.
In order
to achieve a clearer understanding of this concept, one can compare Yang to
positive energy and Yin to negative energy. Positive and negative in the Yin
Yang concept should not be used in the usual negative and positive connotations,
but should rather be compared to the negative and positive currents that come
to play in the in electricity. Nothing Yin exists without a Yang side to it.
Another other aspect in which the relativity of the Yin Yang concept applies,
is the relation to itself: Nothing is an absolute, everything Yin contains
a little Yang, and vise versa. When something grows in its Yang aspect, its
Yin part of it becomes more concentrated within it, until such time as it
reaches a certain critical mass and a switch occurs where the Yin is predominant
and the Yang concentrates itself within it.
Examples of Yin and Yang are: the front and the back of the body, black and
white, female and male, left and right, etc.
The Yin Yang concept applies to the universe as well. It is
therefore possible, for instance, to relate nutrition to Yin elements and
Yang elements and then relate the Yang nutrition to a problem in the Yang
part of the body, and so forth. The same way an injury can be determined as
having occurred on a Yin or Yang part of the body. For instance if an injury
is internal it will be treated with the Yin meridian, since the inside is
Yin and outside is Yang. However one must still keep in mind the inseparable
relationship between Yin and Yang, where everything Yin contains some Yang,
meaning that everything internal will have an external part.
This Yin Yang
concept, relates to everything that surrounds us and extends way
beyond its use in Acupuncture.
THE FIVE ELEMENTS
The Five Elements are another relationship
and concept used in Acupuncture. This healing system is the most commonly
known in the Western world and a lot of literature exists on the subject.
The five elements create the relationship between the MICRO and MACRO Cosmos.
Macro Cosmos being everything outside of the human body and Micro Cosmos being
the inside of the human body. There is a direct connection between the internal
organs, and everything inside of the human body, to what is outside of the
body. Chinese Philosophy and Medicine relate each organ to an actual planet.
The Five Elements correspond individually to internal organs (as well as exterior
parts of the body) and remedies to affliction correspond to those same elements.
For instance, the heart and small intestine corresponds to the FIRE element,
as well as to hot climate and to bitter taste; in order to heal an ailment
to one of these organs, a bitter tea will very often be prescribed.
Along
with the Five Elements, the concept of the Eight Changes is also critical
in a clear understanding of the Chinese way of healing and the study of acupuncture.
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