Nicholas Sieben Acupuncture

A benefit to living in modern America is the amount of choice we possess. This is becoming increasingly true in healthcare. “Alternative” therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy and various forms of bodywork are increasingly accepted as compliments to conventional Western medical treatment. What separates appropriateness of different therapies from one another is the mindset of the patient. Different modalities resonate with different people. As compulsory healthcare education broadens to include alternative therapies, we are faced with even greater choice.

Debate about the appropriateness of different therapies is not a new thing. Throughout the history of Chinese Medicine, there’s been much debate about effects of ingested medication in the form of herbs verses acupuncture treatment. Herbal medical practitioners have debated their mode of healthcare as most effective for internal physical disturbances. Acupuncturists have tried to counter this point of view. Acupuncturists claim to have more effect on “the spirit” of a patient than herbs, seeing the spirit as that which governs all healing. Herbal medicine claims acupuncture is only effective for acute issues; some acupuncturists believe herbal medicine is only physical medicine.

In truth, both herbal medicine and acupuncture are complete systems, designed to treat all conditions affecting body, mind and spirit. The approaches of the two are different though. Herbal medicine uses substance from outside the body that is ingested, much like modern drug therapy. Acupuncture utilizes energetic “acupuncture points” on the body to regulate physiology. The points already exist on the patient’s body; nothing is given to the patient except direction from a trained acupuncturist. Acupuncture emphasizes self-healing. Herbal medicine is reliant on an outside source. People often resonate with a particular modality of healing based on what they think they need: do they believe they already possess the capacity to heal, or do they need the support of outside substance?

Healing strategies are always based on philosophical viewpoints of the world. Our modern medical mindset is doctor-oriented, seeing medical professionals as “givers of health.” Many of us go to our doctors with the expectation that they can heal us. When we don’t experience the results we want, we may tend to blame the doctors. The modern medical profession is largely responsible for this point of view. We rely almost totally on outside intervention through drugs and surgeries to heal our ailments. Our contribution to our own healing is de-emphasized. We are encouraged to exercise, eat right and reduce stress. However, methods by which to do these things aren’t widely taught. Most of us are confused as to what kinds of exercise we should do for our specific medical concerns. We don’t know what kinds of foods are beneficial for us, and which exacerbate our conditions. Because the western medical mindset is disease-focused, the point of view is not on the individual, but on generalized disease patterns. We are taught generalized diets and exercise routines that we are taught are “good for us.”

Within my classical Chinese medical training, generalized recommendations of health practices are insufficient. Many of us may exhibit similar symptoms, however root causes of these symptoms is always individual. Therefore treatment of theses symptoms must also be individual. Chronic headaches for example can energetically be the result of heat, cold, wind, damp, blood deficiency, and so forth. Treatment of each energetic condition calls for different strategies.

Chinese Medicine is traditionally a system that focuses on the individual. It was not a “public health” mindset until epidemics during the 17th century called for widespread treatment of the population. Patent herbal formulations were created to treat a large number of people. Herbs were included in these formations to treat all possible causes of conditions. This “shotgun” approach was based on dire emergency conditions where many people were dying at once, and fast treatment was necessary. Prior to this, formulations were created for the individual, focusing on the person’s unique physiology and constitutional makeup, taking into account their physical and mental character. Treatment was tailor-made.

Today we live in a system that is largely a “public health” mindset. When we ask our doctor or a dietician what kinds of oils we should consume, they don’t tell us that vegetable oils are toxic to people who have excess heat in their bodies. We are told certain oils are “good,” and others are “bad.” But good and bad for whom? Some people are unaffected by consuming vegetable oils, others develop harmful toxins in their bodies from these oils. Some of us benefit from eating red meat, others don’t. The same is true for raw food and dairy. Some of us benefit more from yoga practice, others from cardiovascular exercise, and others from tai ji, qi gong and martial arts. But who benefits from what? It is simply not true that certain foods or exercise practices are good for everyone. This also is a “shotgun” approach to health. In the end, we lose out from this approach.

Western medicine possesses the tools for working in an individualistic manner, however it lacks the time and mindset to do so. How often does a doctor spend more than 15 minutes with a patient to listen to their complaints and counsel them on individual practices for improving their health? “Based on your blood tests and diagnostic findings, you should not eat vegetable oils, would benefit from tai ji instead of running, eat sprouts and strawberries, eliminate gluten”: I’d love to see a medical doctor take the time to do this kind of individualistic work. Furthermore, creating a drug combo that is individually formulated to address the specific causes and conditions of the individual, rather than “this drug treats this,” ect. I’d also love to see greater awareness of body-mind connection.

It is acknowledged that stress plays a big role in illness. However “stress” is such a generalized term. What is stress? How does it play out physiologically? It creates a highly acidic environment: excess heat. What are dietary actions and specific exercises that can clear the heat, and create a more alkaline environment within the body? Chinese Medicine would suggest eating cooling foods such as celery and cucumbers, toxin-clearing foods such as strawberries, and staying away from heat-generating foods such as garlic and onions. Exercises that moves the body’s energy and causes sweating and urination, such a tai ji and qi gong would be recommended. As well as a more yin-promoting lifestyle, such as early bedtime and rest. The doctor becomes a health consultant instead of a drug dispensary. They empower the patient to get involved in taking actions to change, instead of trying to do all the work for them.

In my experience, this kind of time and attention is simply not built into the mainstream medical system. Many doctors would like to work in this way, but outside forces such as insurance policy and overcrowding make it impossible. Perhaps the benefit of working individualistically is not emphasized in medical schools?

Alternative health systems, because they are outside of the mainstream over-stretched medical system do have the time to work with patients in this way. Patients often have to pay for such treatment out of their pockets, instead of relying on insurance, but they often receive more time and individualistic care as a result. There is also more of a focus on getting involved in our own healing, rather than allowing the doctor to do it all for us.

I don’t mean for a minute to devalue mainstream medical treatment. It can be the best method for saving lives. When someone is hit by a car, having a heart attack, or has a ruptured appendix, the hospital is the best place to receive treatment. Surgeons are seen as rock stars because they save lives. However from my classical Chinese medical point of view, western medicine excels at treatment of acute, life-threatening conditions. Alternative therapies such as acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, being that they are individually-focused therapies, can be far more effective for treating chronic and degenerative conditions, as well as for maintaining health based on acknowledging our individual constitutions.

There are many truths. Even modern science is consensus medicine: collectively as a society, we agree with “truths” advocated by the system. Other cultures may see things differently. We as Americans live in a melting pot of many cultures. We have the benefit of being exposed to foreign ideas. We can explore and choose what we believe.

Truth is based largely on the way we see the world, and what we resonate with. How else could western and eastern medicine create such widely different ways of seeing the body? The role of philosophy is to question whether our accepted truths are benefiting us. Taking responsibility is realizing we have choice. This is perhaps the greatest gift to living in America.

February and March have been dynamic months. They’ve brought challenges to many of us. During this time, many people have been faced with major fears and confrontations. I’ve witnessed relationships ending suddenly and dramatically, serious illness, deaths of loved ones, loss of jobs. These are all natural worldly occurrences. However they seem to have been particularly intense, frequent and widespread this month. Astrologically, this makes sense, as we have entered the year of the dragon in the Chinese Zodiac. 2012 is also said by many to be a year of great shifts and transformations. We are also at the end of a Mars Retrograde. All these cosmic forces can cause us to feel very destabilized.

One thing I have learned through my spiritual process: what is outside is also inside.
Every confrontation with the outside world is really a confrontation with the self.

Taoist philosophy teaches, whatever we observe outside ourselves is a reflection of what’s already within us. This is the theory of resonance. Things don’t show up in our lives if they don’t already have residence within us. The science of Chinese Medicine shows this to be true on a physiological level. Seasonal allergies are a good example. Allergies are differentiated into three types in Chinese Medicine: wind-cold, wind-heat and wind-damp. The ‘temperature-climate’ of a condition describes its basic nature. Environmental weather conditions or so-called allergens bring on symptoms we think of as “seasonal allergies.” In actuality, the external weather or allergens are resonating with the wind-cold, wind-heat or wind-damp that already exist in our bodies. We are not being attacked by something external; something internal is resonating with the external trigger, causing symptoms. It is not the cat that is problem, it is the internal wind-damp terrain within our own bodies that is creating the runny nose, itchy eyes, headache and fatigue. Get rid of the dysfunctional internal terrain and the exterior trigger ceases to be a problem.

The same is also true with relationships and circumstances around us. The angry people we encounter on the street: they are pieces of us. The person who lets us down and cannot keep his promises: that is a part of us. Reflection and resonance. When we begin to understand this concept, people and circumstances that surround us become great teachers. They are mirrors that help us see within ourselves: what we are holding onto or allowing residence inside our bodies and minds.

Through opening our eyes and recognizing what is around us, we can begin to take greater responsibility for our lives, stop feeling victim to the external world, and gain insight into the realities we are creating.

To realize we create our own reality can be very empowering. It may seem to some like a form of blame. On the contrary. When we take responsibility for what is showing up in our lives, we gain the ability to change the dynamics and circumstances causing us to suffer.

There is an acupuncture point on the Small Intestine meridian called “Nao Shu,” translated as “the Shu point for the upper arm.” The name of this point sounds very physical. Yet the symbolism of the upper arm, as well as the term “Shu” have deep philosophical significance. “Shu” means to transport: a vital physiological form of movement. The upper arm is the hinge by which we reach out and manipulate the world. It controls the hands: the tools by which we grab the world and handle the circumstance of our lives. It is the strength of the upper arm which bears the weight of what we hold onto in our lives: our responsibilities, possessions, acquisitions.

The Small Intestine is a channel that relates to the process of sorting, mostly relating to relationship – amongst ourselves and the world. “Nao Shu” relates to the recognition we feel in our heart as we witness something familiar outside ourselves. This resonance may cause us to look at ourselves differently, or at the very least begin to examine certain aspects of ourselves.

The world is a mirror where we can see ourselves. The Small Intestine philosophically is the passage by which we contemplate the mystery of our incarnation. It deals with themes of mortality, purpose and meaning in our life.

Dysfunction of the Small Intestine can give rise of symptoms of anxiety and jealousy. When we are unable to understand the value of our individual incarnation, we can feel a sense of jealousy, wishing we had what others had, or wish were someone else altogether. When we lack the proper sorting capability governed by the Small Intestine, we may feel a sense of anxiety, feeling out of sorts with our environment, unable to find comfort in the present moment, without a sense of orientation within our past and future.

The Small Intestine is a link between our Heart (mind and desire) and Kidneys (will and essence). In health, our mind is connected with our will, informing our desires, which give rise to our actions and our ability to manifest.

Blockage in the passage between the mind and the will can also cause the Liver to become agitated. Anger, frustration and depression can result. We may feel infuriated or victimized that certain things are happening to us. Some things in life, like death and the weather are inevitable and cannot be helped. Others, like loss or feeling indignified, insulted, abused and hurt can be about more than meets the eye.

The acupuncture point “Shao Fu,” translated as “the lesser palace,” belongs to the Heart channel. The Heart channel is classically used as a support for challenges that come up along the spiritual path. Some of us feel we are consciously leading a “spiritual” life. Yet to the ancient Taoists, everyone’s life is a spiritual endeavor. Every circumstance is a lesson, every person a teacher. “Shao Fu” helps us recognize that loss is a necessary part of living. Life is essentially about letting go. We are born, we achieve and accumulate. Eventually though, we lose everything: our bodies and even our very lives. Buddhism teaches that all desires contain the seed of suffering. We suffer when we don’t get what we want. We also suffer when we do get what we want, often for fear of losing it. One of the main roots of suffering, say the Buddhists is ignorance. We suffer because we don’t understand the nature of life. We have a dysfunctional relationship with loss and gain, praise and blame. We foolishly think things can last. And we suffer each time we are reminded that they don’t. Change is the most basic reality of life.

The term “Fu” or palace refers to a desire: something we dearly want, or dearly love. “Shao Fu” helps us become less attached to our desires. Not to say we should not love or try to achieve. Instead, “Shao Fu” helps us realize the true nature of loss and gain. Can we love fully, allowing ourselves to be fully present, fully engaged and committed to the moment, even when we know whatever we love will eventually end and be lost? This is the challenge of the Heart.

At times of great loss and rapid change, we are given a crash course in reality. I don’t think these times are meant to punish or torture us. Change is a constant. Loss is a reality in life. Our liberation from suffering comes from making friends with reality. Train in staying present and committed even when we know it is all temporary.

The Heart is a very important organ in Chinese Medical theory. It is the only organ that is given two acupuncture channels. In addition to the Heart channel, there is the Heart Protector. Psychologically, the Heart Protector relates to neurosis: being involved in our lives, yet lacking engagement. What does this mean? Remaining somewhat removed from that which we are living. A lack of commitment. Rather than give ourselves totally to the moment, we remain somewhat removed: we protect our heart. We fear getting hurt or making the wrong choice. So we remain in a state of neurosis, not fully committing. The Heart Protector can confuse us about the meaning of true love, which is unconditional.

The heart by nature is “empty,” yet it has a tendency to fill quite easily. Opening our hearts can feel quite threatening. It is at this moment that old hurts, “heart pains,” can surface. We may think the process of opening our heart is creating this pain, that something from the outside is attacking us. However, this is a process of clearing the heart; an attempt to empty. The fear of pain, hurt and disappointment can stimulate the Heart Protector to begin shielding us. We enter into a state of neurosis and non-engagement, mentally controlling the situation. Instead of surrendering to the moment, we partially detach from it. We fear the heartbreak of loss, so we refuse to engage.

The heart is prone to sadness. Is there a greater sadness than to look back with regret that we never let ourselves fully engage? If we take the point of view that the world is full of love, it can become our job to open to that love and reflect it. Our work is to strengthen our courage, allowing us to engage with the world fully; to stabilize our Heart Protector so it can remain open when we are fearful of loss and disappointment. Let this time of change and challenge strengthen your valor: train in being the white knight who penetrates through the illusion of loss and gain.

My last article discussed pain resulting from the environment, manifesting in “weather-like” conditions in the body. Most of us know however that pain can also result from stress. This type of pain is often called “psycho-somatic,” or coming from the mind.

Acupuncture treatment works with the “humors” of the body: the qi, blood and body fluids. Insertion of hair-fine needles into specific acupuncture “points” along the body have regulating effects on the body’s qi, blood and fluids.

Qi is the dynamic energy force that maintains function within the body. It is the force that allows the heart to beat, the stomach and intestines to have peristaltic activity and the nerves to fire. The blood within Chinese Medical thinking is similar to the western concept, with one major difference. The blood, within Chinese Medicine, is seen as the conduit of the spirit. The spirit and mind have a strong relationship in Chinese Medicine. The spirit resides in the heart, which circulates the blood, and has a strong effect on the mind. The mind is not seen as residing in the brain in Chinese Medical thinking. The brain is seen more as the depository for memory, as well as being an organ of evolution. The daily mental and emotional components commonly associated with the “mind” are associated with the spleen/pancreas and heart within Chinese Medicine.

Pain may be the result of an external pathogenic factor such as “wind,” “cold” or “damp” lodged in the muscles. These climatic metaphors can be likened to the western germ concepts of bacterial, viral and fungal agents. These climatic factors stagnate the body’s qi, causing pain from blockage in the body’s energetic flow.

Pain can also come from stagnation of the blood. When wind or cold enter the body, the first line of defense is the qi. If the “invaders” overpower the qi, the blood is the second line of defense. Chinese physiology teaches that blood can transform into qi and vice versa, based on the body’s need. The blood is always supporting the qi in protecting us from the environnment when we are healthy. However, once a pathogen reaches the blood level, this indicates the body’s superficial immune capacity has been overwhelmed. The body can no longer “release” the pathogen out of the body. The blood will capture the pathogen and trap it within a minor blood vessel that is created on the surface of the skin. These are the spider veins many of us have on our skin. They are not just unsightly blemishes, but unresolved pathogens being held dormant by the body. They can also be trapped as nodules or growths, showing the involvement of the body fluids to maintain the dormant state of the pathogen.

Stagnation of blood can also result from the mind and emotions. Pathogenic factors are differenciated in Chinese Medicine as coming from the exterior (outside the body), or from the interior (inside the body). Wind, cold, damp, virus, bacteria, fungus are all seen as external pathogenic factors; whereas the emotions are seen as internal pathogenic factors. The emotions and their expressions are natural. It is only when we have difficulty letting them go, or when they become exhuberent that the emotions become a problem. Emotional stagnation manifests in stagnation of the blood. Over-exhuberant emotional expression results in heat, which eventually leads to blood stagnation. Any form of stagnation within the body can manifest in pain.

In my clinical practice as an acupuncturist, I treat a lot of people for pain. Diagnosing the cause of the pain is a process which I liken to detective work. When someone first comes into my office, before rapport has been established, I may be presented with only the exterior picture of the situation: where the pain is located, what it feels like and how it behaves. I treat what I see; I follow the clues I’m being given. I have the help of the person’s pulse, which can often show things that the patient is either not telling me, or that they don’t even know about what’s going on inside their bodies and minds. Each treatment is like peeling a layer of the onion to reveal more of the true nature of the condition.

Sometimes the person is only experiencing the body’s reaction to something deeper. For example, heat/inflammation is often the body’s natural immune response to cold or a viral agent lodged inside the body. When the heat is cleared, the cold may then reveal itself. The same is true for mental/emotional situations. When I am assessing a patient’s condition, I am asking “what is this really about?” Over time, during the course of the treatment process, the answer to this question becomes more and more clear: both to me as well as to the patient.

The response of the blood to an overwhelming pathogenic factor, regardless of whether it comes from the environment or from our emotional responses, is to put the issue into a state of suppression or repression. The issue may become unreachable: we may push it out of our minds, or forget about it altogether. This is the body’s natural way of protecting us, so the issue will not disrupt our daily life. Yet, the issue may present itself psycho-somatically: most often through pain, sleep or digestive disturbance. So even though it is not in our face, it is disrupting our quality of life.

The treatment process of healing is just that: a process. Sometimes the issues can be grasped and resolved in a short-time. However, other issues take time. It all depends on the intensity of the issue, as well as the body’s strength. The body is not going to let a potentially destructive issue come out of repression unless we are ready to deal with it. This is the reason why treatment can often take time, especially if the root of the issue being treated is chronic and strong.

Chinese Medicine believes all conditions can be treated. There is a saying my teacher used to say: “in Chinese Medicine, there are no incurable diseases; only incurable people.” Some of us lack the fortitude, will, courage or patience to heal. Understandable: some issues are very intense, scary and seemingly insurmountable. However, I have seen what appears to be miraculous healing occur numerous times: changes people couldn’t imagine. It just takes time, patience and courage. Time to peel the onion, courage to face the shadows, patience to weather the set-backs that are natural to the healing process.

Sometimes the initial period of treatment is about developing the will, courage or strength to begin the process of healing. The actual symptoms may not change right away, but the overall strength of the body will. A chronic condition can weaken the body’s blood and qi over time. Or, the condition may have manifested because of the weakness in the body. The qi and blood must therefore be rebuilt before the process of clearing and detoxing can begin. To detox without the necessary strength is dangerous, potentially further weakening the body from the strain.

Sometimes it is the repressed issue that is weakening the body. The body may refuse to rebuild itself until the issue is released, or “purged.” This is often the case with lifestyle choices, such a food addictions. Until the offending lifestyle habit is discontinued, the body will remain weak and stuck. Treatment is always considered on a case by case basis. Everyone is different, this is why course and duration of treatment always varies person to person.

Acupuncture, as practiced in the style of Classical Chinese Medicine is highly individualized, tailor made for each person. There is no standard treatment protocol for any condition. Protocols are actually thought of as worthless within this way of thinking. All of our conditions come from very different sources. None of us walk the same path in life, however similar they may seem. Therefore, medical treatment of our difficulties cannot be the same for more than one person. This is often why the initial period of treatment involves some detective work, to discover the cause of the condition, and the particular way the individual body wishes to heal. With necessary commitment, all conditions can be unraveled.

‎”Do not fail to learn from the pure voice of an ever-flowing mountain stream splashing over the rocks…study the teachings of the pine trees, the bamboo, and the plum blossom. The pine is evergreen, firmly rooted, and vulnerable. The bamboo is strong, resilient, unbreakable. The plum blossom is hardy, fragrant, and elegant.”
“The Art of Peace” by Morihei Ueshiba

The climatic images of “wind,” “cold,” “damp” (rain), and “heat” are central to Chinese Medical language. Chinese Medicine, as a system, was created during an agricultural time, where the community was very close to nature. The ancient Daoists (as influenced by the School of Naturalism) looked to the laws of nature for clues into the mysteries of human life, death, health and disease. Classical Chinese Medicine, as developed during the Han Dynasty (206 BC- 220 AD), was largely based on Daoist ways of seeing the world.

The ancient Chinese Medical classic “Nei Jing,” teaches that any extreme in life will bring about disease. As in nature, when any of the five elements become extreme, they can overpower the others and bring about “storms.” A tornado is an extreme manifestation of wind; a flood is extreme water, a drought comes from extreme heat, a freeze from extreme cold. Ancient Chinese medical masters observed similar occurrences within the human body. Therefore, all pathology within Chinese Medicine is classified as climatic metaphors.

Pain, for example, is clinically differenciated as being a “cold,” “heat,” “damp,” or “wind” condition. They each have specific characteristics and tendencies. A “wind” condition affecting the muscles will tend to radiate and move around. Conditions affecting the nerves are often under the classification of “wind” diseases: shooting pains that travel from one area to another.

“Cold” pain is often fixed and very painful, causing constriction and craving heat. “Damp” pain has a heaviness to it, as if there is a heavy weight. It can be more dull than “cold” pain, as the dampness has a less constrictive nature, and more of a heavy quality to it. Both cold and damp can cause numbness, restricting blood flow to an area.

“Heat” obviously has a burning sensation. It can also consume the tissues of the body, including the flesh causing wasting and degeneration of bone, nerve and skin.

The nature of a condition can also be assessed through visualization. The complexion of the skin (or affected area) will communicate the nature of the pathology. “Heat” conditions are red and swollen; “cold” are pale and tight; “damp” can be swollen and soft – and cold or hot, depending on other factors attached to the dampness.

These may seem like very simplistic methods of diagnosis; however the Daoists teach that simplicity is often the best way to approach a problem. Nature is simple, and to the Daoist, nature is perfect. It has its own order, and it is self-regulating. The body is part of nature: so why shouldn’t it also be subject to its laws?

The opening quote, from Ueshiba, speaks of nature as the best teacher. Pain can be a great indicator about the climatic forces within our own bodies. Once we understand what we are dealing with, through looking to nature we can find ways to resolve our afflictions. The way the tree deals with wind; the way the stream deals with a flood or a freeze provide great insight to dealing with our own human problems.

Treatment of “weather” challenging our bodies is achieved through our own “internal wind-like qi-energy.” “Qi” is the Chinese word for the vital energy force that allows our bodies to function. It is the force that allows the heart to beat and the lungs to inhale. There are different types of qi in the body. The type of qi that contends with weather is called “wei qi,” often translated as “defensive qi.” It moves in the body like wind. It has a circular movement, like a tornado. Wei qi can be seen as the physiological “wind” and “heat” within our bodies that protect us.

Wei qi is activated to release the intruding weather through the process of sweat and urination. Treatment with acupuncture helps to support the wei qi in its natural function. A western translation of this process is supporting the immune system to expel a viral, bacteria or fungal agent from the body. Wei qi doesn’t kill the agent, it just releases it from the body. Much like the marital art practice of Aikido, which does not attack directly; instead it blocks intruders and gently throws them down, subduing them. I’ve often seen 70 year old female Aikido practicioners throw down 30 year old men, often with a smile on their face, hardly breaking a sweat. Wei qi, when it is working at its best, is much like this.

Acupuncture treatment often mimicks the nature of the offending weather. Cold, by its constrictive nature can bind up and block wei qi movement. Therapeutically, heat is often added to an acupuncture treatment to scatter the cold and free up the wei qi. Damp can gum up the wei qi (which manifests often through the body fluids). Treatment of damp also involves heat to dry up the wetness. Heat can cause excessive movement of the blood, and drying up of the fluids. Often a drop of blood will be exuded from the acupuncture point after insertion, to release the heat. Or points on the head and neck are needled to help “vent” the heat out of the highest points of the body, where heat rises to.

Acupuncture treatment of pain is very effective, and subtly profound. It utilizes the ancient Eastern scientific method, which was that of observation of natural phenomenon. Nature within the body was observed and classified to uncover the laws and tendencies of human physiology. Diagnosis and treatment is based on the energetic laws of nature: temperature, weather and the Five Elements. Daoism aims to discover the “primordial qi:” the energy force that is the root of all phenomenon. Through working with “qi,” one can work with the force that maintains and restores life. Preservation of health and vitality is very important to Daoist medicine. Distress symptoms, such as pain are indicators that the body’s “qi” is compromised. Acupuncture restores the vitality and proper direction to the qi, so the body can heal itself. It is perhaps the most “natural,” organic treatment modality of all.

Our bodies are marvelous, innocent, very honest mechanisms. I am always moved by the way many of us fight our bodies. Pain is a drag. But it can also be a blessing. Our bodies tell us when something is out of balance. I’m often amazed by how many ailments can be eliminated through sleeping or eating: the essentials. When we are working too hard, or worrying too much, our bodies will let us know. Listening to our body’s messages, or not, can be another story altogether.

It’s easy to feel disheartened when our muscles ache, or our skin is breaking out in rash, or our menstrual cycle is out of whack. For most of us, we don’t know how to address these imbalances. We haven’t been introduced to a system that teaches us how to interpret our body’s messages. Before I learned about acupuncture, I thought the only options for treating my body’s ailments were pharmaceuticals that made my stomach hurt, gave me nausea, or seemed to weaken me.

Working with my first acupuncturist was like a formal introduction to my body. She said, “Nick: this is your body; Body: this is Nick. I think you two could be very good friends if you get to know one another.” And so we did. The chronic asthma which was the bane of my existence, I learned was a reaction to wheat and dairy in my diet. My body wasn’t a faulty machine that hated me. It was just trying to tell me that certain foods weren’t good for me. When I would get restless, obsessive, bored and moody at night, it was my body telling me “Go to bed!” I frequently complained, “Well, everyone else gets to stay up past 10pm!” My body replied, much as my mother might: “I don’t care what everyone else is doing. You need to go to bed!” We eventually worked it out.

Obviously I needed a guide as I learned to decode the messages being sent by my body. This is what acupuncture did for me. Today, I feel very connected to my body. When it speaks to me, I listen. I don’t fight it nearly as much as I used to. Sometimes I complain like a five-year old child when my toes ache, but only for a minute; and then I do the Tai Ji my body is asking for and get on with my life.

I frequently converse with patients about the different voices within our heads. This isn’t crazy talk, believe me. Ekhart Tolle talks about this in his books; the Buddhists do as well. When we listen closely, the voices sound differently. They are telling us many things: criticism, desires and fantasies, worry. Some are voices from the past; some are other people’s voices, some are our own. Underneath these chattering voices, often called “discursive thought” by the Buddhists, is a calm voice that sounds very different from all the others. I think of this voice as “the wisdom voice.” It relates to the essence of our being: our spirit.

The wisdom voice, I’ve found, cares about our best interest. It knows the truth of who we are; it knows what is best for us. However, it can be drowned out by the critical voice, or the victim voice, or the fantasy-desire voice, or the singing-dancing-bright color voice. Practices to work with our minds can be very helpful: meditation practice, martial arts such as tai ji, body therapies such as acupuncture and talk therapy. All of these practices require time and focus into the different voices within the mind. We are constantly being given messages from within: some are helpful and some are harmful. The voice that is always telling us we are not good enough can obviously cause us damage. The voice that is full of desire, constantly grasping at the world can lead us to do things we might later regret. The voice that tell us who we should be can lead us away from our truth. I think it is important to get to know all of these voices, so we know who is telling us what. Then we can choose.

And if we can’t figure out who is saying what, we can always listen to our bodies. A headache for example is often a message that we need to stop; that we are overdoing it. Backpain can be a similar message. It can also be a message of fear. Alternating body temperature can be an indication we are confused about something; unable to make a decision. Insomnia can indicate we’ve fallen out of touch with ourselves. There are numerous messages. Chinese Medicine is helpful in providing insight from very wise medical and spiritual sages who observed many people, decoded psycho-somatic messages, and recorded them for our benefit.

Beyond anything anyone else can tell us however, the most powerful experience can be sitting quietly with ourselves. The quiet time spent on the massage table, after the acupuncture needles have been inserted, often leads to very powerful internal results. The wisdom voice communicates with us. And somehow we come to place where we see more clearly who we are and what we need to do.

As Aikido master Morihei Ueshiba says: “Foster peace in your own life and then apply the Art to all that you encounter.”

Since the weather has become humid, many people have been complaining of depression and lack of motivation. The sun is bright, the weather is warm, the flowers are in bloom? Why the blues?

I think many of us are reacting to the climate: the same type of humid-hot weather inside us is resonating with the weather outside, causing lethargy.

The problem comes from blockage in the chest. The Lungs are feeling stifled and our energy feels depleted. The Classics of Chinese Medicine speak about our relationship to nature. We are part of nature. Therefore, what’s inside us reacts to what’s outside of us. Symptoms that occur with a particular type of weather indicates we are harboring the same type of weather within. This is the nature of weather in our bodies: it only gives us problems when the surrounding environment is also expressing a similar state.

So for those of us who are struggling with Damp Heat: some insight into the problem can be helpful. Chinese Medicine views all conditions physically, mentally/emotionally and spiritually. Chinese Medicine is a physical science, as well as a philosophical system. What is happening physically in our bodies can give insight into what we need to do mentally and emotionally to evolve and heal. The same is true when we are experiencing mental-emotional systems. They are signs of some physical imbalance in our bodies.

Damp-heat is philosophically seen as desires that are being dampened: we want to do or express something, but for some reason we’re not able to. Something is holding us back: the dampness. Or, it can come from something we are holding onto, which is creating heat from being stagnant. The dampness is a response to control the heat. The dampness can also be our resistance to fully letting something go. Or, the dampness can be our confusion about a situation: we don’t quite know what to let go of, or which direction to go. If it sounds sticky, it is! That is exactly the type of environment that is created internally. The heat thickens and dries the fluids in the chest and abdomen into a thick-sticky mess. This interferes with vitality, sinks the mood, and can even lead to digestive problems.

Damp-heat can also be the result of a bug caught in a prior season that we have not fully eradicated. The bug is kept in the chest, waiting to be expelled. For some reason, the body lacks the energy to fully expel the problem. The chest and diaphragm tighten to keep the problem from moving deeper into the abdomen. Chest tightness creates depression. It also blocks the chest, which is the area where the energy for the body undergoes its final production before it is circulated throughout the body.

When the chest is blocked, a whole host of symptoms can occur, including depression and lethargy.

To move past the sense of stuckness which comes with Damp-Heat blockage in the chest, we must focus on opening our chest, and letting go. We must also be careful not to consume foods that will further complicate the condition: excessive dampening or heating foods. Spicy foods, tropical fruits, hard cheeses, alcohol and fried foods can all exacerbate the problem: they will create more dampness and more heat. We may crave these things, and feel comforted by them; but after the rush of pleasure or ease, they will make the problem worse.

We must also be willing to talk and get things “off our chest.” Exercise that makes us sweat is helpful, including Tai Ji, Yoga or Qi Gong. We probably won’t feel like it, but we should do it anyway: to get things moving. Even stretching the arms high above the head can help: to release the diaphragm.

An emotional release can also be helpful: to watch a tear-jerking movie or read a poem that moves us, or listen to some music that will move our hearts. Anything to get the energy in the chest moving!

Acupuncture treatment can also be helpful. If the chest is blocked and unable to release, the help of an energetic medical system can provide the needed boost to open up. Chances are: we just need a little adjustment to get back on tract.

“Half the people in the world are deluded by ghosts, and half are confused by other people. Getting each other all excited, they practically fill the world. Those of lofty illumination try to save them by speaking clearly, but they do not heed. Those in positions of authority try to restrain them by law, but they do not stop. False doctrines increase in popularity day by day – in the future, who knows where it will end?” Cultivation of Realization by Unknown.

Classical Chinese Medicine frequently speaks of “ghosts” in its literature. This is often a bit alienating to our non-superstitious modern culture. Some say the ancient Chinese were talking about the spirit world, others think “ghost” is a metaphor for addictions, delusions and obsessions.

The word “ghost” is translated as “gui.” Sometimes it is seen as a type of “phlegmatic” condition, causing turbidity in the blood that affects the mind and emotions. Whether the “gui” is an actual “ghost invasion,” as some like to say, or a fixation that has manifested into an accumulation of blood and fluids, is inconsequential. In both cases, the “gui” distract the mind, scatter the spirit and weaken the will. It may even lead to destructive or compulsive behavior.

The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Taoist book Cultivation of Realization says “Ghosts are people who have already died; people are ghosts who have not yet died.” The image of a “ghost” is a wandering spirit, often fixated on a particular desire in the future or memory in the past. They can be distracted, sad or malevolent. However, in literature, they always appear distracted: living outside of the present moment, unable to move on.

Sun Si-Miao, a great Chinese Medical scholar of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 BC), detailed the influence a “gui” can have on a person’s life. The person begins by acting or feeling a bit “off.” The person feels like he is not quite himself. Soon he may be also begin acting not like himself: going to places and doing things that are not in character. The person begins to isolate, protecting his fixations and secret activities. The person may feel controlled by these fixations. Inevitably, his health will suffer, and he will experience inflammatory symptoms. The “gui” has taken over control of the spirit. The spirit may have no choice but to depart. Loss of spirit is loss of life. Miao warns that “gui” can eventually consume and kill us if we let it.

The image Miao presents resembles the behavior of an addict. The “ghost” image is also reminiscent of a mental fixation, like paranoia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression.

A “gui” resonates with the yin (more substantive) aspect of the human spirit.

The spirit is composed of many aspects. The “Shen” is the spirit-aspect associated with the heart: it is the most yang (non-substantive) aspect of the spirit. While the “Po,” associated with the Lungs, is the most yin.

The “Shen” is associated with the conscious mind and a sense of animation about life: the sense of purpose. The “Po” relate to primal drives, which operate on the subconscious level.

As we are getting to know ourselves, in our quest to gain control over our lives, we may notice there seems to be more than one voice inside our heads. Eckhart Tolle speaks of this in his book The Power of Now. To some, this may sound crazy. But anyone who has meditated for an extended period of time will understand what he’s trying to say.

Part of learning about ourselves is coming to understand which “voice” we are listening to. During my last extended meditation retreat, I observed some rather disturbing voices inside my head. Late into the first day of the retreat, it felt as if I’d entered a hurricane. The storm was inside my head of course, but no less frightening. My mind was filled with insistent, shouting voices; craving and demanding, manipulating and plotting. The voices were very strong, like bullies that you can’t help listening to and following. The voices were filled with the desire to consume and conquer, only seeing the world as a way to quench these desires. The little dictator inside my head was very anxious, threatening me and telling me stories of what would happen to me if I didn’t follow its directions. I felt as if I’d entered a Fascist regime.

What was really disturbing, was the realization that I frequently listen to this voice as a guide in life. The experience was a face-to-face meeting with my “gui,” as it was influencing my “Shen” and “Po” spirits.

I frequently converse with my patients about this subject during acupuncture treatment. Many people come to my treatment room for support in letting go of obsessions, fixations and addictions. Others feel a sense of confusion, depression or lack of direction in their lives. Acupuncture treatment is a body-mind-spirit healing modality. To work on one level, is to work on all three. Invigorating the “qi” energy of the body can do a lot to break up blood and fluid accumulations disturbing mental and physical function. However, the highest form of healing is empowering patients to learn how to treat themselves.

As a healer, I must first know how to listen to a patient before I can treat them. For a person to be able to treat herself, the same is true. This is why I encourage a dialogue between myself and the patient during treatment. The ideal is to put the “Shen” spirit back in control: so we may consciously choose which voice to listen to; to gain a type of spiritual control over our lives. I say “spiritual control,” to differenciate it from the type of control most of us are accustomed to: that of the mind. Our minds are commonly controlled by fears, desires, drives and guilt: often put into us by others. Is the voice inside our heads the rigid, punishing first grade teacher we were scared of as kids? Is it the voice of the media telling us we must look a certain way or we will end up alone and sad?

As we cultivate a greater understanding of the voices within our heads, or the accumulations we’ve been holding onto, we get closer to experiencing our true inner compass.

Self-awareness is key to health. It is all the more important as we cultivate our capacity to heal ourselves and maintain balance. The healer’s role in this process is as a guide. I’ve devoted my professional life to the study of the human mind, body and spirit. Part of this study is learning to read a person’s energy, through the pulse and through observation of patterns. While it is ultimately up to the patient to make the changes necessary in life, working with a healer can provide insight, direction and support in recognizing and letting go of our “gui.”

Many of us who are committed to taking care of ourselves do a lot to keep our bodies and minds strong. Some of us go to the gym to build muscle tone, go jogging or do cardiovascular-aerobic activity to keep our hearts healthy, see a therapist to keep our minds in order, or meditate and do yoga to find balance and peace. These have become the standards of healthy practices within our culture.

Acupuncture teaches that the exterior of the body must be strong and healthy to protect the inside the body. The muscles, skin, bowels and sense organs are the “outlets” of the internal organs. They are the ways the vitally important viscera are able to detox poison so they can keep the body healthy and alive.

Without the heart, liver, lungs and pancreas, the body is not able to function. This fact is acknowledged by all. Living in the world, we are exposed to a lot of “poisons” that challenge the internal organs. Stress, food additives, mercury, pesticides, virus, bacterial, fungus and inter-personal conflict are all examples of “stressors” on the body.

External stressors such as virus and pollution can eventually find their way into the internal organs if the muscles and skin are not strong enough to buffer.

The emotions and diet, originating from inside the body, have quick effects on the internal organs. If the skin, muscles, bowels or sense organs are “blocked,” the internal organs have no outlet to detox. They must therefore either hold onto the poisons, or translocate them into the joints where they are held until the body can no longer handle them. When there is no more strength to hold onto the poisons, they will begin to leak out, causing auto-intoxication, or systemic poisoning throughout the body, which can be fatal.

Acupuncture teaches the importance of keeping the muscles, skin, bowels and sense organs “open” and unblocked; this is what keeps them strong. I’ve yet to find a more effective therapy for keeping things open and moving than acupuncture. It is a system of medicine that works with “energy,” acknowledging that free flow of the body’s vital energy and fluid-humors is essential for health.

A common treatment practice within acupuncture is the use of “Gua Sha” to free up stagnant blood flow within the muscles. “Gua Sha” uses a massage tool with a blunt edge to scrape the skin. It feels like a deep massage: relaxing and loosening muscle tension. The skin reacts to “Gua Sha” in a dramatic way. The stagnant blood within the muscle will come to the surface as a red, purple or blue “bruise.” The bruise can look bright and dark depending on the amount of blood stasis in the area. The “bruise” does not hurt however. Instead, there is a feeling of looseness that is relieving.

Blood stasis within the muscles is a major taxation on the body’s immune system. There is a common saying in Chinese Medicine: “to expel wind, one must move the blood.”

The climatic metaphor of “wind” is used to describe any factor that is challenging the body. “Wind” can be in the form of a virus, bacterial or fungal agent; it can also be in the form of pollution, or even a change occurring externally or internally that the body is having a hard time adjusting to.

The blood must be moving freely through the muscles in order for “wind” to be discharged. “Wind” that is not able to be discharged can move deeper into the body, eventually finding its way into the internal organs. “Wind” can also be chronically “held” in the muscles as pain, stiffness, numbness or neuropathy; or in the sense organs or bowels as allergies.

The ancient Chinese acknowledged the necessity of keeping the external anatomy of the body “open.” Going to the gym may build the muscles, but it won’t “open” the muscles if they are blocked. Psychotherapy can bring stuck emotions or thoughts up to the surface of consciousness, but if the muscles, skin and sense organs are blocked, they won’t be able to be discharged.

Acupuncture discovers the exact areas of blockage in the body, and opens the “outlets” by freeing the vital energy and blood, so proper detox can occur.

The body is a magnificent machine: it is able to regulate and heal itself. However, the body must be open and “free-flowing” for this to occur. If we are “stuck” physically or mentally, our capacity to let go of toxins, and bring in nourishment will be compromised.

Within Chinese Medicine, which is heavily based on Taoist spiritual philosophy, the body is honored as “the vehicle of the spirit.” The processes of “letting go” and “taking in” are both physical as well as spiritual. There is no separation between the spiritual and physical within Classical Chinese Medicine. Blockage in the body will affect spiritual “openness” and receptivity, manifesting in the mind and emotions. We may feel clogged with toxic thoughts or emotions, overwhelmed with stressors, or devoid of will or motivation. To clear the stagnation affecting the spirit, the “outlets” must be opened. There is little difference between detoxing on the spiritual level and on the physical level. To treat one level is to treat all levels.

Treating the body is treating the spirit, as the spirit manifests through the body. Yoga and meditation are often used to “release the spirit.” Just as psychotherapy brings buried thoughts and emotions to the surface, yoga and mediation can do the same on the spiritual level. However, if the “outlets” are blocked, the body, mind and spirit will have a difficult time “letting go” of whatever has been unearthed.

Acupuncture is a powerful support tool in mental and spiritual, as well as physical cultivation and detoxification. Working with an acupuncturist allows the exact area of blockage to be located, supporting a focused and individualized method of “opening up.”

Chinese Medicine was created during ancient times, around 200 B.C. The ancient world was very different from the technological world we live in today. Medically, there were not machines and tests to look inside of the body and observe tissue cells. Yet, ancient doctors were still able to assess form and function within the internal body. They knew when a organ had diminished in function or underwent tissue damage or was dealing with a virus or bacterial agent, without the use of blood tests, x-rays or cat scans.

How were the ancients able to “see” inside the body without fancy machines to rely on? Did they have x-ray vision? Were they psychic?

The great minds responsible for the development of Chinese Medicine observed that there were ways to assess internal body function without cutting into or looking inside the body. The outside of the body acts as a mirror for the inside in many astounding ways. One can tell a great deal about the internal body simply by observing a person’s complexion, tongue and pulse.

The ancient Chinese created seemingly simple diagnostic tools to get a sense of what was happening inside the body. It is often stated within Chinese philosophy that the greatest sophistication can often be found within the simplest things.

I’ve written about the pulse in prior articles. Today I wish to explore the skin, muscles and joints as indicators of issues within the internal body.

The skin is one of the best ways to gain clues as to what’s going on inside the body. Eczema, psoriasis, acne, rashes, a sty, hemorrhoids and swellings often are the result of something going awry within the deeper aspects of the body. The internal organs “vent” inflammation outward: into the skin and sense organs. Muscle problems, joint aches and pains are also indicative of deeper issues within the body that are “calling out” for attention.

The internal organs are the most important part of the body; when they are damaged life is threatened. Therefore, the body will do its best to protect them, often siphoning pathology from the organs to less essential aspects of the body, such as the skin, joints, muscles and sense organs.

What we may think of as a “local problem” may actually be coming from a deeper place. For example, frequent urinary tract infections are often the result of mental-emotional strain on the heart. The heart is seen as one of the most important organs. Therefore, it will not tolerate inflammation coming from stress or other pathology. It siphons its inflammation into the small intestine, which drains it out the bladder. The inflammation showing up in the bladder is rooted in the heart, and will not be fully resolved until the heart is treated.

Joint pain is another example of organs displacing problems. The joints are common storage areas for pathology in the body. When an organ is faced with a threat, be it bacterial, viral or fungal, and it lacks the ability to discharge the microbial agent through the sweat, urine or bowels, it has no choice but to store it somewhere in the body. Storing the pathogens in the organs themselves is far too risky, as they may begin to damage organ tissue and interfere with organ function, leading to major problems. So, the organs often store pathogens in the joints. Anything being stored over time within the body will create inflammation. Stasis and storage naturally leads to heat build-up. Heat consumes blood, fluid and tissue. Therefore storage will eventually lead to pain and degeneration. Once the holding area is sufficiently damaged, it will no longer be able to hold onto the pathology, and it will be released back to the organ. The organ will have no choice but to deal with the pathology and the major problems it will create.

Problems on the skin can give clues as to the type of problem affecting the body. The skin and sense organs are the most common areas for the internal organs to vent inflammation. Within Chinese Medicine, inflammation is commonly seen as the body’s immune response to “foreign invaders” such as viral, bacterial or fungal pathogens. The immune system is heat-based; fever is the body’s natural way of eradicating microbial agents. Heat naturally rises and diffuses: going up and out. Therefore, the immune system will vent to the skin and head when faced with an internal challenge.

Skin conditions that are level with the skin and show a change in color or texture are indicative of “wind” pathogens; they can also be itchy. Those that are swollen, or filled with fluid are “damp” pathogens; and finally those that have hardened are coming from “heat” pathogens; they are usually also red. Each of these climatic metaphors can be associated with a Western microbial agent: viral, bacterial and fungal.

Skin conditions can come from allergies to the external environment. However, this is not always the case. Think of common reactions to food allergies: the immune response to the allergen, which is seen as a foreign invader can show up on the skin, sometimes as acne, or itchiness, redness or even swelling.

Swollen gums, a sty on the eye, polyps in the nose and hemorrhoids are also indicative of pathology that is venting to the exterior from the internal body. To fully eradicate the problems showing up on the external body, the dysfunction within the internal body must be addressed. The immune system must be strengthened to allow the body to fully discharge whatever is lingering within.

Inflammation is a sign of an immune reaction, indicating there is something within the body that is causing a challenge. It is common within Western Medicine to give drugs to clear the inflammation, which is essentially stopping the immune response of the body. These treatments do very little to resolve the condition: they simply keep the body quiet and stop the symptoms. In my opinion, if this is the extent of the treatment for the inflammatory condition, it is dishonoring the body.

The inflammatory response is twofold: it vents some of the excess pathology or tension building up from heat. It also warns us that there is something going on within that needs to be addressed. To simply clear the inflammation is like someone who is living a highly stressful lifestyle that is damaging his body who deals with the problem by taking a valium. The drug may “take the edge off” and provide temporary relief, but it is doing nothing to address the underling problem: the stressful lifestyle that the person may say in jest “is killing” them.

Acupuncture is a system of medicine that honors the body and its immune response. When I treat someone, I treat them systemically. I don’t just focus on taking away the symptoms: they will go away as the internal root of the problem is eradicated. Otherwise, the problem will continue to return. The symptoms are there for a reason: to either help the body deal with an internal problem that is building up, or to remind us that we have to make a change and place more focus on our own healing.

Some of us feel we are just “too busy” to deal with the problems in our bodies. We just want the symptoms gone, so we can go on with our hectic lives. I respect this. I tell patients with this type of mindset the truth of what I see, and the risks of not dealing with “lowgrade” issues. To the ancient Chinese, a “lowgrade” issue was seen as the most dangerous type. It is a ticking timebomb, building up, getting ready to explode and cause major problems. When the condition eventually comes out of its “lowgrade” state, it can be devastating, and at its endstage. This is why I stress the importance of dealing with “lowgrade” issues, instead of clearing symptoms through anti-inflammatory or steroid drugs.

All healing systems are based on a view of the world. There are many “truths.” Cultures focus on an aspect of the universal “truth,” and build systems of healing to reflect their view of the world.

Acupuncture was created in China over 2000 years ago. It is an impressive system of healing, as its lifespan is so long. Fads come and go. Yet for some reason, acupuncture has endured. One of the reasons for the endurance of Chinese Medicine lies in classical Chinese culture’s focus on scholarship: throughout history, Chinese philosophers and physicians have published many books chronicling the medicine.

As a healer, and as a philosopher, I am a Classicist. I believe solutions to our modern problems can be found by looking to the great thinkers of the past.

The Chinese Medical system is a vastly different way of looking at the world than our Western Model. Eastern and Western science have a yin/yang relationship: they can compliment one another, but they’re still very different in how they see the world.

Acupuncture was created by Taoists. Taoism is a spiritual philosophy that has influenced Chinese culture since the beginning of civilization. It has influenced the social as well as spiritual beliefs of China, as well as its science and medicine. To understand Chinese Medicine, one needs to gain an appreciation of Taoism.

The Taoists were most interested in discovering “the primordial qi:” the energy source from where all life comes from. As a spiritual philosophy, the Taoists focused on the source of life, coming from a chaotic “oneness,” sort of similar to the “Big Bang Theory” in Physics. From this “oneness,” which they called the “Tao,” came differentiation and opposites: male and female, light and dark, substance and non-substance: “Yin and Yang.” From the interaction of Yin and Yang, all phenomenon are born. Chinese Medicine, as created by the Taoists, focuses on this aspect of reality: the “Qi,” or energy that creates and sustains life.

I often like to describe “qi” like this: we know the heartbeat is what pumps the blood in the body, which brings oxygen to all of our body tissues. Yet what makes the heart beat? Western Science would call this an electrical energy that is regulated by the hormonal system and the brain. The Chinese would call this electrical energy “Qi.”

“Qi” is the force that makes everything work in the body: it moves the blood, allows the lungs to breathe, the muscles to move, the peristalsis of the gut to digest and move the food. “Qi” is physiological function. “Qi” is life. When “Qi” is exhausted, there is no more life. Without movement or “qi,” there is no longer function, and no longer life.

Acupuncture was the medical system that was created from the worldview of “Qi.” To maintain and restore health, the ancient Chinese worked with the “qi” of the body.

The Taoists devoted their science to understanding the movement of “qi” in the body. They discovered “qi” moves through specific pathways in the body, relating to each of the major organs. For example, the Stomach contains “qi” that allows it to process the food we consume. From the organ, there is a pathway where “qi” flows into the lungs to support lung function. There is also a pathway that travels along the foot, leg, groin, abdomen, pancreas and spleen, chest and into the sense organs of the face, giving function to all of these structures.

The Taoists also discovered that there’s a way to measure the “qi” of the body. To be able to work with “qi” one must have a way of assessing and measuring how it’s working. They discovered the “qi” of all of the organs and channels can be measured on the radial artery of the wrists. Pulse Diagnosis was the result of this discovery.

Pulse Diagnosis is much more sophisticated and developed by the Chinese than it is in Western Medicine, perhaps because the pulse is the main way of diagnosing in Chinese Medicine. The beat and strength are only two of the things measured. Also, the quality, shape and texture of the pulse are assessed, reflecting how the “qi” is affecting the blood, body fluids and hormonal system, as well as how the “qi” of each organ and channel are affecting one another. Through the pulse, every aspect of human life can be measured: physical function, mental and emotional states, as well as the spirit.

Acupuncture is unique in that the tools used to allow the patient to heal belong to the patient himself. No substance is given as in pharmaceutical or herbal medicine. The acupuncture “points” in which the acu-needles are inserted belong to the patient. The healer is not giving the points to the patient, but stimulating something that is already there. The healer is not giving the patient “qi,” but manipulating and directing the “qi” that they already have. It is the patient who is healing himself. The acupuncturist simply directs the self-healing process already possessed.

In a way, acupuncture is the simplest, most organic way of healing. It is also amongst the most self-empowering. In our modern world, with so much technological complication (all of the machines and tests and drugs), I’ve found a sense of calm clarity going back to the Taoist system of healing; back to the point of view that each of us possess an innate capacity to heal. Our bodies simply need to be adjusted at times. The “qi” that maintains our health may need to be untied or directed to a particular area. But, in the end, it is always our own “qi” that is doing the healing. We have the power to restore ourselves to health. This was the message of the Taoists: by returning to the source of all life, we can restore ourselves to health.