Hi All, Good End of the Month to You.

Here I am again with another newsletter, and this month I am keeping my promise and continuing my discussion about longevity.

I begin with some information about the ancient Taoists and their central importance to the concept and practice of longevity. I talk about the nature of QI energy some, introduce you to the treatment of fatigue with Chinese Medicine, and then bring you a bit about Qi Gong and Tai Qi.

This and the next couple of newsletters may be heavier on theory than usual but it is one of my favorite subjects and I hope you are interested and enjoy the information.

Of course one need know no traditional medical theory or ever contemplate the nature of qi to get a result from Chinese Medicine. Keep this in mind. The proof is in the pudding, so they say, and the fact that Chinese Medicine works is the primary thing to know.

So, forward this on if you are inclined, remember that I accept insurance for my services (if you have it), and go enjoy some life! 

Thanks,

Beth 

 Longevity and the Ancient Taoists       

In last month's newsletter, I introduced the concept of longevity and its place in Chinese Medicine. I emphasized the importance of Confucianism in this, but left out the central role the ancient Taoists played in the development of this concept.

TAOISM is the ancient mystical tradition of China and is the body of knowledge most of Chinese Medicine came out of. Taoism is a rich tradition and there have been many facets to it over the centuries, from folk superstitions and practices, to pure philosophy and high mysticism.

Classically, Taoists were at odds with Confucianists, as Taoists were mystically oriented and prone to wanting to express their personal freedoms apart from the rigid hierarchical structure typical of Confucian society.

Regarding longevity, some of these mystical Taoists considered themselves Alchemists and were in search of the Elixir of Life. The ultimate goal of this was to find the inner practices and outer substances that would facilitate the transformation of their material, earthly selves into purified ethereal beings called Immortals.  And, certainly along the way to this, the goal also was to lengthen the lifespan, increase resistance to disease and physical deterioration, and to increase mental and physical abilities.

Taoist meditation, the martial arts, including qi gong, tai chi and dao yin, meridian perception, acupuncture and much medical theory developed out of these experiments as did herbal medicine and dietary therapy.

Ironically, many Taoists lost their lives to this quest, as they ingested poisonous substances (many of them heavy metals) looking for the elixir. We owe these practitioners a debt of gratitude, however, for their contribution to the sophisticated and effective system of Chinese herbal medicine.

Whether an Immortal is purely a mythological being or has actually ever existed is a point of contention. There are certainly many stories over the centuries of Taoist practitioners living two or three hundred years or more.

Regardless, for us mere mortals, we are grateful for the contribution of the Taoist tradition for developing practical knowledge and techniques that allow us to live longer, healthier, and happier lives.

To read a profile of a Taoist adept (pictured above) who may indeed have lived 256 years (that is supposedly well substantiated) please click here.  (And it is a fun story regardless...) 

And for those of you further interested in the history and practices of Taoism, I recommend the very charming Taoism, The Road to Immortality, by John Blofeld, and Chronicles of Tao: The Secret Life of a Taoist Master, by Ming-dao Deng. 

There is perhaps no concept more central to Chinese Medicine than that of QI (pronounced "chee."). This energy is the core assumption of the ancient Chinese world view and is the central reality upon which all practices and theories coming out of this tradition and culture are based.

It is also true that QI is a concept that means many things in different contexts and is difficult to give a precise definition for. It is most often translated as "vital life force energy", that which is the foundation of all life and manifestation in the Universe, and that which flows through all things and is all things.   It can be vague and diffuse or it can particularize and become the underlying substance of all things.

In the body, QI has very explicit correlates, and Chinese Medicine has means of reading its flow, and has divided it into various functions which can be discerned, interpreted and manipulated.

In Chinese medical theory, QI is one of the Three Treasures, they being QI, JING and SHEN, translated as Energy, Vital Essence, and Spirit. These are the three "Fundamental Substances" the ancient Taoists seeking immortality and those of us seeking health and longevity are attempting to increase. And of course, as usual, although seeming to be vague terms, they have very real and discernable clinical correlates. In following newsletters I will speak more about JING and SHEN.

For now, if you would like to see the article How To Treat Fatigue With Chinese Medicine, please click here. 

And speaking of qi, a lack of it in our bodies can lead to inefficient functioning of our organ systems and to weariness and fatigue. There are other causes of fatigue too, all of which can be identified and treated with acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Qi gong and tai qi are other practices coming out of this same tradition that can also help immensely.

(And please remember that although a Chinese Medicine practitioner uses terms like qi or yin or yang which can often seem quite vague, there are very real physiological correlates and clinical realities they represent.)

Fatigue is fairly ubiquitous in our society and most of us know it all too well. It can run the gamut from mild sleepiness when one should be feeling hale and hardy, to more serious and downright debilitating. Certainly it can come from overwork, lack of sleep and/or poor nutrition, but often its origin is more mysterious and hard to identify.

Western medicine can sometimes diagnose a thyroid gland functioning less than efficiently or a case of anemia, but often it has no answers to this syndrome.

Call in Chinese Medicine! There are many answers and insights to fatigue here and natural, safe, and effective treatments. Fatigue can come from multiple causes as delineated in Chinese medical theory. A practitioner will know how to diagnose the issue and provide appropriate treatment and advice.

For more info you know where to click! 

And, just for fun and if you had a few spare minutes, the picture above was lifted from www.sleepingchinese.com which is an amusing site of hundreds of photographs taken of Chinese people sleeping.