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Emotion/Spirit

Expressions of the Heart

By Clinical Perspectives , Emotion/Spirit, Internal Medicine, Theory and Diagnosis

The Heart Yin is creative inspiration; the Heart yang is the organized and useful expression of creativity. Small Intestine allows for further clarification and the separation of ideas and feelings (Hammer 2005, p206). The Pericardium governs the protection and communication of these functions into the world. The Triple Burner serves balance, and integration (Hammer 2005, p209). As an example of all these functions conjoined, imagine an author having their inspiration, articulating it in writing, editing and fact-checking it, publishing and defending their work, and striking a balance…

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Purpose 志, Elation 喜, and the Pancreas 脾

By Clinical Perspectives , Emotion/Spirit, History, Internal Medicine, Theory and Diagnosis

We have all heard the statement that the yin Organs store but do not drain. What exactly is it that they store? One answer is in chapter 11 of the Basic Questions where it states they store the essential qi (jing qi). Chapter 42 of the Nan jing gives a slightly different answer. There, after a brief description of the structure of each Organ it states what that Organ stores. In each case it is one of these psychic aspects…

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The Awakening of Choice

By Clinical Perspectives , Emotion/Spirit, Theory and Diagnosis

The only true medicine is consciousness awakening to its self. What a surprise when we discover that what is seeking is what’s being sought for…My fundamental interest in medicine is in the degree to which it can support the liberation, and evolution, of consciousness in the individual and the collective. The increasing sense of urgency and passion I feel in this regard is motivated by the recognition that…

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Beware the Rampaging Hun

By Clinical Perspectives , Emotion/Spirit, Theory and Diagnosis

Everyone cultivates something; a few even do it with conscious intention. Our lives are a qigong practice, because we breathe life into every moment. The quality and flow of an individual’s post-natal qi (qi and blood) makes its mark on his or her constitution. People often place habitual demands on their jing-essence, and hence imbue a degree of jing stagnation into their lives. Those stagnations often remain incipient for years…

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All Disease Comes From the Heart: The Pivotal Role of the Emotions in Classical Chinese Medicine

By Classics, Clinical Perspectives , Emotion/Spirit, Internal Medicine, Theory and Diagnosis

While ancient Chinese philosophy considered emotional sensibility as our greatest assest in the process of fulfilling human destiny, it also regarded human temperaments as our greatest liability due to vast pathogenetic potential…It is no accident that the modern Chinese term for psychosomatic medicine is xingshen bingxue, literally the science of how (primary) physical form and (secondary) spirit relate in the disease forming process…

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Behavior Modification in Dogs and Cats with Chinese Herbs and Bach Flower Essences

By Clinical Perspectives , Emotion/Spirit, Miscellaneous

TCM, as an integrative and comprehensive approach to creating harmony and balance physically, emotionally and mentally, is uniquely suited to address aspects of behavior problems in dogs and cats. This article will share some of the prescribing principles I have adhered to in benefiting my animal patients afflicted with behavioral issues…

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Meditations on the Meridians

By Acupuncture, Classics, Clinical Perspectives , Emotion/Spirit

The meridian system is an invitation to meditate on the nature of our lives in human form. The characters Jing Mai, as that system is called in Chinese, imply that. Jing is normally translated as a meridian, but it also means a sutra, or canonized classic as in Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor Inner Classic) or Xin Jing (Heart Sutra). The character implies an organized, systematized network, like the threads of silk…The character Mai means pulsation, or something that flows/pulsates in the body. We can say that the Jing Mai are the Sutra(s) on life’s pulsation, or life’s animation, and are thus an invitation to look deeply at life…

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