Qi (pronounced chee)

Qi has been translated as energy, while that can serve as a usefull translation, qi is much more than that. The character for qi has two parts, the first is the radical for rice and the second is the radical for air. This gives the idea of something as solid and material as rice and something as immaterial as air. It also shows the dynamic, transformative property of qi.

In Chinese medicine, working with the qi is a major part of treatment. Qi circulates the body in 12 major meridians, along with 8 extra-ordinary meridians. Acupuncture directly accesses the flow of qi in these meridians.

Yin / Yang

Let's take a quick look at what Yin and Yang can mean. Often we speak of balance, living a more balanced life, being in balance emotionally and physically. Yin and Yang are terms that describe polar opposites. The characters for yin and yang are the sunny side of a hill and the shady side of a hill. Yin and Yang represent two sides of the same phenomena; they also represent the dynamic quality of all things. Can we truly understand good without evil, health without sickness. In terms of Chinese medicine when Yin and Yang are in balance, we have health. Yin and Yang are eloquently illustrated in the T'ai Ji circle. Yin becomes Yang, Yang becomes Yin and there is a little bit of Yin in Yang and Yang within Yin. Also illustrated is the cyclical nature of Yin and Yang.

Yin Dark Below Descending Matter Material Rest Earth Moisture Cold Night Fluid Moon Female

Yang Light Above Rising Energy Immaterial Activity Heaven Dry Hot Day Solid Full Moon Male

If we use a woman's menstrual cycle we can illustrate this relationship to human function and balance very clearly. Natural, in balance with nature, menstruation follows the moon cycle. Menstruation begins at the most Yin time, between 4 and 6 am, at the time of the new moon. Ovulation occurs at the most Yang time of a Yin phenomenon, the full moon. As we know there is a rise in body temperature just before ovulation, Yang. Taking this to the next step, we can look at menopause. Women being Yin are prone being Yin deficient as they age. During the time of menopause if other factors, too much to discuss here, influence a woman's state of balance, she will become Yin deficient and suffer a transition period with signs of Yin deficiency. (yang excess) The typical signs are dryness, night sweats, hot flushes, insomnia and headaches.

There are many other correspondences with regard to health, balance and yin and yang. At the root of Chinese medicine is the concept that all physiological processes can be broken down to the state of yin and yang balance. Someone with acid reflux, strong thirst, and maybe insomnia would have what is known as a stomach yin deficiency. Even looking deeper into the body, we can say that someone with blood that is too acidic has an excess of yang, or deficient yin at the blood level. Treatment with acupuncture and/or herbs can help restore the balance of yin and yang. In other words treat the acid reflux, strong thirst, insomnia and bring the blood back to a ph that is just slightly alkaline. Blood is fluid, which is yin, alkaline is a yin state, which is the state that blood should be.

I have used examples of yin deficient and yang excess. It is not uncommon to see just the opposite or a combination of both at the same time. Signs of yang deficiency would be feeling cold, poor digestion with bloating and borborygmus, loose watery stools, poor fluid metabolism leading to swelling in the legs. This could be a heart or kidney problem in western terms. While in Chinese terms it is a lack of yang, yang is function, it is mobility, the power to move blood and transform fluids. As above treatment with acupuncture and/or herbs can help restore yang function and bring back a state of balance. Quite often both yin and yang need to be adjusted and this is the beauty of Chinese medicine, the focus is on the whole not just isolation of one system.

There are ways to restore balance, without intervention from someone else. Changes in diet can affect many areas of our health. One simple example is how spicy, greasy foods aggravate heat and damp heat conditions in the body. Qi gong breathing exercises have been clinically shown to have many benefits, just are few are that of calming the nervous system to a allow us to return to a state where the parasympathetic nervous system takes over and we relax, digest our food and assimilate nutrients while in this state. Blood pressure lowers and our blood becomes more alkaline, less acidic. Ways to nourish yin include spending quality time with our family and friends, quite time by ourselves reflecting on our own lives, and to enhance that even further you could meditate by a lake or the ocean. (remember water-yin)

So when you are feeling out of balance, take some time to think about the relationships to yin and yang. Maybe you can identify what is happening in your body. Once that is accomplished you may find ways on your own to nourish what is lacking or clearing what is in excess. If extra help is needed, Chinese medicine is a great tool to help restore the balance of yin and yang.

Wu Xing - 5 Movements - A common, but mis-guided translation is 5 element theory

In TCM there are a number of concepts that are unique to Eastern thought. The concept I will discuss here is that of Wu Xing. Wu, meaning 5, and xing which denotes the concept of motion, phases, and transformation. We will refer to this as 5 Phase Theory. The chart below outlines some basic correspondences.

The term xing implies motion, with regard to 5 phase theory, the terms generation and control cycles are used. These are related to the cyclical nature of birth and death. Different theories of where to start can be argued... life begins with the first breath, so we can start with the lung... the wood phase governs beginnings and growth in nature, so we could begin there... the kidney phase is associated with reproduction and jing (essence), we could start there. In modern TCM schools it is common to start with the wood phase. So, wood burns and gives us fire, fire burns out and becomes ash (earth), from the earth we get metal, condensation on metal gives us water, and water nourishes wood. This is known as the generation cycle or mother child relationship. Also important in this model is the control cycle, wood controls the earth, earth controls water, water controls fire, fire controls metal, metal controls wood.

More to come...

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