Articles

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Yin & Yang

In this series of articles I will cover the basic theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine and explain how TCM works.

The theory of Yin & Yang é˜³ é˜´ (Moon & Sun) is an ancient Taoist philosophy that expresses the most basic dichotomy of the universe. The classic Chinese view of Yin & Yang is based on the concept of the sunny side and the shady side of a mountain. Where the sun shines on the mountain this is Yang and where it is shady is Yin.

There are infinite divisions of Yin & Yang as the earth rotates around the sun early morning is Yang within Yin, as the sun rises to noon time the Yin with in Yang begins to emerge and as the sun sets below the horizon Yin predominates while Yang sleeps.

The Supreme Ultimate or Tai Ji symbol [ shows this concept. The Tai Ji was derived from astute observation of natural phenomena by tracking & plotting the sun and the changing of the seasons. Look carefully at this symbol you will see the Yin component with in the Yang and the Yang with in the Yin. This illustrates the interdependence of Yin & Yang. Yin is necessary for Yang to grow and Yang is necessary for Yin to grow. Remember that Yin & Yang feed off each other this is mutual consumption. Notice how the Yin & Yang components are tapered then expand. This shows the varying degrees of Yin & Yang or the waxing and waning think about the earth rotating around the sun, night turns into day and day turns into night, summer gives way to late summer which then transforms into fall, then winter, to spring, and back to summer again. This is the cyclical nature of Yin & Yang. Finally Yin & Yang oppose each other, think about heaven and earth, positive & negative, movement and stasis, outside and inside. The opposition explains the relative position and condition of things and phenomena. Yin & Yang are in constant movement like a sine wave oscillating from a negative state Yin to a positive one Yang this constant movement is the basis of change and development. To recap the basic laws are that Yin & Yang are opposing forces that control each other, engage in mutual consumption and support, & can transform into its opposite they are the natural forces that describe you, me, and the universe.

Below is an example of Yin & Yang divisions:

Phenomenon	Yin é˜³	Yang é˜´
Space	Earth	Heaven
Time	Night	Day
Season	Autumn Winter	Spring Summer
Sex	Female	Male
Temperature	Cold	Hot
Weight	Heavy	Light
Brightness	Dark	Light
Motion	Stasis	Moving
	Downward	Upward
	Inward	Outward
Side	Right	Left
Disease Presentation	Chronic	Acute

The use of Yin & Yang in Chinese Medicine:

Yin & Yang as used in Chinese medicine is a guide to clinical diagnosis and treatment. The root cause of any disease is an imbalance of Yin & Yang.

All phenomenon, physiological process of the body, pathology, disease states & patterns, symptoms, diagnosis, & treatment protocols can be reduced to Yin & Yang. This concept leads to treatment protocols directed at supplementing Yin or Yang or to eliminate Yin or Yang excesses. These four protocols are the basis of every acupuncture or herbal treatment.

While Yin & Yang theory describes a broad explanation of the clinical manifestations of a condition there are many more factors that cannot be fully divined out of this theory. This leads us to our next article what iare the Five Phases/Elements.

References:

Basic Theory of TCM (1) in a Practical English-Chinese Library of TCM, Editor Dr. Zhang Enqin Ã“1990 Publishing House of Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The Foundations of Chinese Medicine, By Giovanni Maciocia Ã“1989, Published by Churchill Livingstone, NY, NY.

Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion Revised Edition 1999 Ã“1987 Foreign Languages Press, Beijing China.

Fundamentals of Chinese Medicine, Revised Edition Ã“1996 Paradigm Publications. Translated & Amended by Nigel Wiseman & Andrew Ellis.

Introduction to English Terminology of Chinese Medicine, By Nigel Wiseman.

The Web Has No Weaver, Understanding Chinese Medicine, By Ted Kaptchuk, OMD Ã“2000 2^nd edition. Published by Contemporary Books, Chicago, IL.

2007

David Nevins, MS. A.P. is a practitioner of TCM he dedicates his work to helping people achieve their individual health goals and educating people about this wonderful health care system. His focus is person centric for the highest quality of ethical care. He can be reached at www.davidnevinsap.com or 305-725-1152

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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): The Five Phases/Elements

In this series of articles I will cover the basic theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine and explain how TCM works.

Wu Xing or the Five Phases/Elements was originally conceived in ancient China as a way of describing the five different materials that constitute the universe. As stated in â€œA collection of Ancient works: â€œFood relies on water and fire. Production relies on metal and wood. Earth gives birth to every thing.â€¹ Today it is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to describe the relationships and interrelationships of the of the body systems and the relationship of you to the universe.

The Phases/Elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, & Water. The five phases theory activity is to promote, inhibit or restrain, and counteract or overact (in diseases).

Each element is associated with an organ system, channel or meridian, a taste, an emotion, a color, an activity, a climatological condition, a direction, and a season. It combines what we know about nature/cosmos and the body into a conceptual theory of the human body and its relation to the universe. Remember you are not separate from cosmos but an intricate part of it.

The Five Phases/Elements

Wood

Fire

Earth

Metal

Water

Sour

Bitter

Sweet

Acrid

Salty

Green-Blue

Red

Yellow

White

Black

Birth

Growth

Transformation

Withdrawal

Storage

Wind

Summer Heat

Dampness

Dryness

Cold

Liver

Heart

Spleen

Lung

Kidney

Gall Bladder

Small Intestines

Stomach

Large Intestines

Urinary Bladder

Anger

Joy

Thought

Grief

Fright Fear

The Five Phases/Element theory is used in conjunction with the Yin & Yang theories to discern patterns of imbalance. Take this example: if you wake one morning and are feeling angry without cause and have a sour taste in your mouth, red eyes, and a headache you are in a liver/wood pattern. This information is a guide as to what system is out of balance, what organ is overacting or counteracting and weather or not interaction is occurring and is there a state of counteraction. This theory is used to enhance the diagnosis as conducted through the four examinations and the eight principles of diagnosis. Five Phases theory is still primitive in nature and is a good tool to get a generalized look into what is occurring.

Lets take a look at the activity of the 5 Elements:

5elements pict.jpg

Inter-promoting and interacting are processes where growth and balance occurs. One element nourishes the other like the mother caring for and nourishing the child or where one element expresses an interaction to achieve a balance. Interacting and Inter-promotion are inseparable without growth there is no life and without control there is no balance. In pathologic conditions we look at the overacting and counteracting cycles. As an example the son of wood is fire, if fire overacts on wood it will consume the wood, this occurs in acute hepatitis. When the earth counteracts wood the transmission of disease to another organ system has occurred this is seen in chronic hepatitis, an entirely different set of patterns emerge.

To sum up the theory of the Five Phases, it is a global way to see what is out of balance, which organ system and channels are affected, and where disease has transmitted itself. Since this only answers a few of the clinical questions we need to now examine the four examinations & the Eight Principles of diagnosis which will be discussed in the next edition of how does TCM work.

References:

Basic Theory of TCM (1) in a Practical English-Chinese Library of TCM, Editor Dr. Zhang Enqin Ã“1990 Publishing House of Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The Foundations of Chinese Medicine, By Giovanni Maciocia Ã“1989, Published by Churchill Livingstone, NY, NY.

Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion Revised Edition 1999 Ã“1987 Foreign Languages Press, Beijing China. 1

Fundamentals of Chinese Medicine, Revised Edition Ã“1996 Paradigm Publications. Translated & Amended by Nigel Wiseman & Andrew Ellis.

Introduction to English Terminology of Chinese Medicine, By Nigel Wiseman.

The Web Has No Weaver, Understanding Chinese Medicine, By Ted Kaptchuk, OMD Ã“2000 2^nd edition. Published by Contemporary Books, Chicago, IL.

2007

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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): What is Qi?

In this series of articles I will cover the basic theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine and explain how TCM works.

Qi: It is a Chinese concept that encompasses many material and nonmaterial things and activities. Qi is not just energy as it is view from the west but the source from which the universe and we all come from.

According to Donald E. Kendall in his book The Dao of Chinese Medicine he explains that the translation of the word Qi was corrupted and given a meaning of energy as it is known here in the west. In fact the Chinese character for Qi is "Air" the air that we breathe, or atmosphere, or a person's outward expression, it is also means function or a functional activity. In Chinese medicine terms it is the air we breath into our lungs and this oxygen is the vital energy source of our body. [a]

It is most likely that Qi is all manifestations of energy and matter at the same time it has structure and substance like a tree and at other times is as light as an oxygen molecule or a photon of light. Recently astronomers discovered something in our universe that defies scientific theory an area that contains absolutely nothing, no light, no atoms, no space debris, just nothing. This nothingness is Qi. So Qi can be something, many things, or simply nothing.

Consider the material aspects of our universe. The universe was borne from a massive explosion billions of eons ago, many particles of energy that over time coalesced into what we now know as our universe, the planets, the air we breath the sun that shines and imparts itâ€™s Qi so that things can grow, the water and atmosphere we breath and drink. It is the solid and not so solid things in our universe, it is the nerve impulses that travel through your nervous system, the thoughts and memories you have and even your emotions, the flow of the blood in the vessels, the beating of the heart, it is the food and drink you consume these are all Qi.

Qi is defined in The Dictionary of Acupuncture & Moxibustion this way â