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Massage: Touching the Body, Moving the Qi
Massage was a precursor of acupuncture as the ancients learned to make the qi respond to touch and to the qi of the practitioner. Through millennia of massage and observation, the pathways were discovered, and so were many of the acupoints.
Asian massage promotes the movement of Qi, Blood, and fluids. Tui na, shiatsu and other massage techniques are used for healing and to prevent illness as well as for pleasure.
Like yin and yang, Asian massage should be hard and soft, fast and slow, pleasurable yet slightly painful. Acupoints and channels are stimulated to promote flow. Limbs are stretched and pulled. Sometimes the torso is gently twisted. You won't fall asleep getting shiatsu or tui na. You will feel thoroughly massaged.
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Acupuncture: Where There's Flow, There's No Pain
Acupuncture is a complete medical system originating in China thousands of years ago. Today it is used throughout the world to treat hundreds of different ailments. Acupuncture involves the insertion of hair-thin sterile needles at specific points on the body. Acupuncturists adjust the flow of Qi (vital energy), thereby influencing other nourishing and/or cleansing flows such as blood, waste, food, hormones, and lubricating fluids. Performed properly, the technique is nearly painless.
How Does It Work?
Numerous controlled studies have shown that acupuncture works for a variety of ailments. Billions of people testify that it is effective, but how?Some scientists believe that acupuncture stimulates the nervous system. They theorize that needling effects peripheral nerves, which reaches the central nervous system.
Others studies reveal that acupuncture makes endorphins. These are morphine-like substances made naturally in your body. This, some believe, is the mechanism behind the effectiveness of acupuncture.
According to Chinese medicine, acupuncture works by promoting or directing the flows of energy and fluids (Qi and Blood) in our body. Our bodies are nourished by these flows; much as a garden is irrigated by canals or trenches.In a garden, irrigating flows are regulated by gates or valves. In our bodies, these gates are the acupuncture points, and by manipulating them an acupuncturist helps to control this flow of energy.
Moxibustion: When heat's a treat.
Heat can be beneficial. When the body lacks heat, adding it is therapy.
Moxabustion is a heat treatment where acupoints are heated by burning an herb called moxa (compressed artemisia leaf) on or near the acupoint. Burning on the skin is called direct moxibustion. Burning it near the skin called indirect moxibustion. Sometimes we burn moxa attached to the the needles. This is called warming needle technique.
Moxa sticks are like cigars which are burned close to the affected area (about an inch). When the spot becomes too hot, the moxa stick is withdrawn, then after a moment, it is returned. This results in a kind of pecking at the spot with the moxa stick. Do it 5-20 minutes per session, 1-3 sessions per day. Just be careful to ventilate the smoke, careful of falling ashes, and careful to extinguish the stick (roll) by suffocating it in sand or salt or rice.
Qi Gong (Chi Kung): Ruling The Qi
Qi Gong (Chi Kung) is a method of energy cultivation to enable internal power. It is used for health, vitality, increasing longevity, athletic performance, and expanding the mind."
Qi Gong is not exactly meditation. In meditation, the mind is stilled to reach a state of awareness or union with the Absolute. In Qi Gong, the mind is focused on directing energy, rather than thinking or not thinking. This is called Hsing Qi meaning where the mind goes, the energy follows.
Qi Gong isn't exactly visualization either. Image-matter created by visualization arises in the imagination, existing yet not existing. Qi, however, exists. Qi exists outside the imagination. Qi Gong, therefore, is a much more physical and arguably more powerful discipline than creative visualization.
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Movement and Health: The Door Hinge Never Rusts
Stagnation is the enemy of health. Activity, the great remedy.
Movement Quickens the Blood and Scours the Vessels; permitting the free flow of blood and qi. Exercise extends the blood to the smallest vessels, deeply nourishing the body. This same circulation clears waste. When you are lethargic, your cells wallow in their own excrement
Tai Qi
Tai Qi is a discipline of exercises developed by Taoist monks in the 13th century. It's a martial art that can be practiced at any age. Its movements are gentle and fluid, not forceful. It's practice is for self defense, but also for self improvement.Tai Qi improves coordination and helps harmonize mind and body. Studies show that tai qi benefits the body in profound ways. Improved mental outlook, better coronary circulation, higher immunity, lower incidence of pain have been shown. Studies on senior citizens show that T'ai Qi improves balance and prevents falls.
If you want to study T'ai Qi, check your yellow pages under "Martial Arts".
Chinese Herbal Medicine: "Gift of Heaven and Earth "
Chinese herbal medicine is easily the the most highly evolved medical system in the world. Its immense scale of experience spans countless trillions of administrations over thousands of years.Over 10,000 natural substances are catalogued in Chinese herbal pharmacopia. These substances, refered to as "herbs", consists of thousands of plant species from all over the world as well as both mineral and animal materials. Chinese herbs are most often taken in formulae (combinations of herbs) rather than singly. By combining herbs, synergies have been discovered that vastly increase the medicinal effects. Blending herbs in this way also allows the herbologist to neutralize unwanted side-effects. These blends (formulas) consist of principal herbs, assisting herbs, directional herbs, and herbs that reduce the side effects, or aid the digestion of a particular herb. Herbs can be ingested as boiled teas called decoctions (tang), milled powders (san), pills (pian), tablets (wan), granulated or tinctured extracts, or draughts (steeped like tea). Topically, herbs are used in poultices, plasters, soaks, ointments, washes, and fumigants (burning herbs).
DECOCTIONS
The potent odors and flavors of Chinese herbs are legendary. Boiling the herbs and drinking the tea will provide the fullest experience of these medicines. Commonly, Chinese herbs are boiled for 20 - 40 minutes, the dregs are strained out and the "tea" is taken warm or at room temperature. Boiling times are averaged according to the composition of the formula. Flower and leaf will yield medicine in 5 -20 minutes. Roots take 20 to 40 minutes; Shells and minerals must cook for at least one hour. A few herbs, like mint or tangerine peel, must be quick-boiled for only 1-5 minutes lest they loose their valuable volitile oils. These herbs are added seperately to the boiling mixture just before completion.
HERBAL PILLS
The Chinese invented the pill. In the twelfth century, Chinese doctors were prescribing pills much as we do today. Ancient formulas were often prepared as pills made from milled herbs bound with water, honey, ginger juice, or other substances. Theraputic dosages of powders or pills range between 3 - 10 grams daily. That's usually a small handful of pills, taken two or three times a day. Though it may seem like a lot of pills, it's really only a few grams of medicine.EXTRACTS
The constituents of herbs can be extracted by water, alcohol, vinegar, glycerine, or chemical solvents.Most herbologists prefer to use low temperature water extractions rather than the standardized extractions used by Herbacuetical pill makers.
Simply soaking and herb in Alcohol, vinegar, or glycerine yield tinctures. They're easy to make and to take.How To Drink Chinese Herbal Decoctions:
"If bad taste means strong medicine, you're cured. "Some people enjoy drinking herbal blends, but for many of us, effective doses of medicinal herbs taste bad. To make matters worse, cooking herbs can befoul your kitchen (if not your whole house). However using a little common sense can make this a lot easier.
First, while cooking herbs, ventilate the kitchen. This stops the odor from deterring you (and your family).
If you find the taste of your medicine disagreeable, hold your nose when you drink your herbs. This eliminates almost all the taste. Drink your herbs luke-warm or at room temperature. Hot liquids must be sipped slowly. If you hate the taste, you'll want to drink it down quickly. Cold liquids have less taste but may be hard to digest.
After drinking your medicine, chew a few raisins or place a drop of lemon juice on your tongue to eliminate any aftertaste.
Herbs can be absorbed up to 30% better when taken on an empty stomach. Allow at least a half hour after taking herbs before eating or taking additional medicines. There are some exceptions. If your medicine proves difficult to digest, try taking it with food or after eating.Some doctors believe that formulas designed for the upper body should be taken after eating. Some medicines are best taken with other liquids such as wine (injuries or vascular problems), broth (to aid digestion of the herbs), or salt water (messenger to the Kidneys).
Tinctures are best diluted with a small amount of water to reduce the caustic effect of the solvents they contain. Heating these liquids can evaporate some solvent.Use a small amount steaming hot water to dissolve
water extracted granules (powdered). The hotter the water, the better these dissolve. If the water is too hot, however, you'll be forced to sip your medicine. So let it cool or add a little cold water. I briefly stir in an ice cube. Instant cold without a lot of extra liquid to swallow.
Milled powders can be boiled, taken as tablets or steeped as a draught (teabag).
What to Expect From a Doctor of Chinese Medicine
Above all else, do no harmIdeally the true physician leads an exemplary life, does no harm, ignores the wealth of the patient, has compassion for life, and looks upon the sufferer as if he himself had been stricken. A good doctor of Oriental Medicine is curious about the patient, and will want to know details about your way of life. Disease is rooted in the life of the patient, so the doctor must be a detective, sifting clues in order to solve the mystery. The doctor may administer herbs or acupuncture, and the doctor may practice philosophy, offering insight to reveal the cause and permit the cure. The doctor will diagnose according to The Four Examinations. The doctor will do no harm.
The Four Examinations
1 - Looking - The doctor observes the patient. Body tone, gait, skin, facial expression, emotional tone, and mannerisms are noted. The doctor looks carefully at the tongue. The heart revealed at the tip, the kidneys at the root. The color and appearance of the tongue and tongue coating show what may be hidden; revealing hot from cold, damp from dry; and true from false.
2 - Listening -The doctor must be attentive to the patient's story and history, putting aside preconceptions. The doctor listens to the patient's voice, noting its volume and clarity, as well as manner of speaking and use of language.
3 - Smelling and tasting -The doctor may ask the about your body odors and tastes. Odors and tastes are clues. Strong tastes and odors or can be signs of heat, toxicity or digestive stagnation.
4 - Touching - The doctor will feel the pulse on both wrists. Besides noting its rate, rhythm, and overall strength, doctor may note the type of pulse. Texts classify the pulse into at least twenty-eight types. Some of the common types are wiry (feels tense, like a wire), thready (feels thin, like a thread), deep (strong pressure required to feel it), short (slow and irregular), slippery (feels like a bubble moving). By touching the patient in this way, the doctor senses something of the internal condition of the patient. The patient may not tell the whole truth, but the pulse never lies. The doctor may also touch the body. Local sensitivity can reveal what needs attention. The doctor feels for tone, temperature, sensitivity, accumulations, or other signs of abnormality
When is a Practitioner Qualified?
Each nation has different standards. In the United States, each state sets its own standards for acupuncturists. In a few states such as California, acupuncturists have physician status. In some others, a visit to the acupuncturist requires a prescription from an MD. Laws are changing rapidly; so are educational standards and training in Chinese medicine. You'll find a confusing variety of initials after acupuncturists' names This is what they stand for:C.A. - Certified acupuncturist. This means that an acupuncture school has granted this person a certificate of completion. School programs can vary from 200 hours of training to 2,000 hours. Some school programs include herbal medicine training, some don't. A CA is not necessarily a license to practice.
L.Ac. - Licensed Acupuncturist. This is a license to practice. These practitioners have passed state board examinations. In California and New Mexico, these acupuncturists are primary care physicians, which means you can use them as your doctor. They can order lab tests, do physical exams, accept insurance (when it covers acupuncture), and supervise Worker's Comp.cases. Acupuncturists cannot perform surgery and can prescribe only "drugless substances".
O.M.D. or D.O.M. - Doctor of Oriental Medicine. This is not a license to practice. It could be a doctoral degree offered by a school, however it probably isn't. There are scant few real OMD or DOM degrees in the West. Many acupuncturists who display these initials, do so because they have registered to practice in the states of Nevada or New Mexico, which permit them to use this title. Acupuncturists from all over the country have paid high registration fees to these states in order to legally use these prestigious sounding initials.
M.D. (China) - Medical Doctor, licensed only in China. Phycisians trained in Western medicine in China are not allowed to practice medicine in the U.S. Many of them, unable to practice modern medicine in the U.S., take up the practice of Oriental medicine instead. These initials don't indicate any training in Oriental medicine.
Dipl. Ac. or Dipl. Herb - Diplomate in Acupuncture. - Diplomate in Herbology. The bearer of these initials has passed a NCCAOM (National Committee for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) examination, and is a dues paying member of the NCCAOM. There are separate exams for acupuncture and herbs. Though not a license, the acupuncture test is used by many states as a qualifing exam.© copyright Joel Harvey Schreck
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