A Brief Introduction of Traditional Chinese Medicine In the Modern-Day
By John B. Porter
D.PSc., Kine., Dipl. TCM, LMT
Chinese medicine is significantly different from what we traditionally think of in the U.S. It is NOT acupuncture only. Still, acupuncture is one of three legs of a stool, each providing stability in the treatment. The others for legs are bodywork and herbal interventions. To be effective, Everyone is evaluated individually when deciding on a course of treatment, which may change from visit to visit. For example, A headache is not 'just a headache.' Treatment parameters depend on factors such as where it centralizes (frontal, temporal, back of the head, etc.), time of day, conditions in your life that bring it on or bring relief, what your regular habits are, diet, and rest patterns, physical morphology, etc.
In addition, there is little distinction between mind, body, and spirit in TCM. All three are interwoven. By treating the body and paying attention to our structure (what we put into it), we can dramatically affect the other two corners of the triad, bringing us closer to that elusive 'state of balance,' which is an esoteric way of saying HEALTH!
Life is dynamic and changing; our bodies and minds constantly adjust to external pressures such as environment, diet, and opportunistic infection. Physical stresses such as age, injury, and environmental stress are battles we wage 24 hours a day. And how we combat these things dictates our overall well-being or spirit. Think of spirit as the place from which our physical and mental (and/or material) are born (and return, for that matter), how things are at home, or our proper place of contentment. Can you see how they are interconnected and must be treated in most cases? Perhaps surprising to some, this latter example defines us, and medicine is the tool chest we have available to wage an effective, successful campaign in getting all corners of our being to help achieve vitality, harmony, and (dare I say it) Peace. With practice, what comes is an indescribable sensation that only you can define and live.
By John B. Porter
D.PSc., Kine., Dipl. TCM, LMT
Chinese medicine is significantly different from what we traditionally think of in the U.S. It is NOT acupuncture only. Still, acupuncture is one of three legs of a stool, each providing stability in the treatment. The others for legs are bodywork and herbal interventions. To be effective, Everyone is evaluated individually when deciding on a course of treatment, which may change from visit to visit. For example, A headache is not 'just a headache.' Treatment parameters depend on factors such as where it centralizes (frontal, temporal, back of the head, etc.), time of day, conditions in your life that bring it on or bring relief, what your regular habits are, diet, and rest patterns, physical morphology, etc.
In addition, there is little distinction between mind, body, and spirit in TCM. All three are interwoven. By treating the body and paying attention to our structure (what we put into it), we can dramatically affect the other two corners of the triad, bringing us closer to that elusive 'state of balance,' which is an esoteric way of saying HEALTH!
Life is dynamic and changing; our bodies and minds constantly adjust to external pressures such as environment, diet, and opportunistic infection. Physical stresses such as age, injury, and environmental stress are battles we wage 24 hours a day. And how we combat these things dictates our overall well-being or spirit. Think of spirit as the place from which our physical and mental (and/or material) are born (and return, for that matter), how things are at home, or our proper place of contentment. Can you see how they are interconnected and must be treated in most cases? Perhaps surprising to some, this latter example defines us, and medicine is the tool chest we have available to wage an effective, successful campaign in getting all corners of our being to help achieve vitality, harmony, and (dare I say it) Peace. With practice, what comes is an indescribable sensation that only you can define and live.
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