Taoist Chinese Medicine

[ChiDragon]

Also thank you ChiDragon for the info on Ayurvedic 5 Elements. Actually Space is also called Ether in Ayurvedic and the Senses and Sense organs are also different in Ayurvedic than they are in Chinese 5 Elements. I am actually more familiar with Chinese 5 Elements. However, I do plan to study Ayurvedic more in depth. I must say though that when I think of Elements and for the purpose of my book, I do not think of metal as an element nor wood and although I do include the Chinese translations, to my mind, elements are earth, water, fire and air. Ether was just the closest term to what I could refer to as an element, and since in Ayurvedic it is listed as a element, in some ways it is even a stretch to call it that. But since wood is definitely not what one would call an element, but more an object in nature, I tried to translate this system in a way that I felt made more sense in terms of the English language and getting people to respect the elements of nature and see how we all connect and how these organs function relate to elements.

 

Osalina....

I am glad we have come to this forum and discuss the notion about the five elements. It strike on me when you said wood is not an element. Since metal, wood, water, fire, and soil are not really elements but they do have individual characteristics. The Chinese did not call them the five elements but called the Five Attributes, 五行(wu xing), by their respective names. I think somebody was at fault to call them the Five Elements.

 

What the Chinese did was categorize matters with characteristic similar to these five attributes and assigned them to each category accordingly. The metal, wood, water, fire, and soil are really Five Categories instead of Five Elements in Chinese thinking.

Edited May 28, 2012 by ChiDragon

[Osalina]

Dear ChiDragon,

 

I agree that in many ways the 5 Elements are more like 5 Attributes. Although in most teachings they are also called Elements. I also see the Elemental aspects and correlations to each Element.

 

Earth - has Muscles which is like fabric of earth

 

Fire - Heart and Small Intestines Engine for us Warm blooded creatures and Thymus keeps us warm

 

Water - Urinary system, Reproductive ( conceived and gestate in water) Bones made from mineral salts from Water

 

Metal (Air) - Respiratory and Lungs for breathing Air, Skin exposed to air, Thyroid for oxygen metabolism and Large Intestines where we pass out air

 

Wood (Ether) Space - Nerves and Brain - Holds the space of our thoughts and where ideas are created. Pituitary and Pineal where we activate higher functions of Brain and consciousness

Edited May 29, 2012 by Osalina

[Informer]

The thymus is a specialized organ of the immune system. The thymus "educates" T-lymphocytes (T cells), which are critical cells of the adaptive immune system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thymus

(Rejuvenation center (love)(heart))

When your thyroid hormone is working properly inside cells you will make 65% energy and 35% heat as you burn calories for fuel. Thyroid hormone is governing your basal metabolic rate, orchestrating the idling speed at which all cells make energy and thus heat. A classic symptom of poor thyroid function is being too cold. And conversely, a classic symptom of hyperthyroidism is being too hot (making too much heat).

http://www.wellnessresources.com/weight_tips/articles/body_temperature_and_thyroid_problems/

 

Did you mean thyroid keeps us warm?

Edited May 29, 2012 by Informer

[Informer]

Edited May 29, 2012 by Informer

[ChiDragon]

 

When your thyroid hormone is working properly inside cells you will make 65% energy and 35% heat as you burn calories for fuel. Thyroid hormone is governing your basal metabolic rate, orchestrating the idling speed at which all cells make energy and thus heat. A classic symptom of poor thyroid function is being too cold. And conversely, a classic symptom of hyperthyroidism is being too hot (making too much heat).

 

Did you mean thyroid keeps us warm?

 

Indirectly yes. Thyroid hormone is governing your basal metabolic rate, orchestrating the idling speed at which all cells make energy and thus heat. It has great influence in regulating our body temperature.

Edited May 29, 2012 by ChiDragon

[ChiDragon]

Dear ChiDragon,

 

I agree that in many ways the 5 Elements are more like 5 Attributes. Although in most teachings they are also called Elements. I also see the Elemental aspects and correlations to each Element.

 

Earth - has Muscles which is like fabric of earth

 

Fire - Heart and Small Intestines Engine for us Warm blooded creatures and Thymus keeps us warm

 

Water - Urinary system, Reproductive ( conceived and gestate in water) Bones made from mineral salts from Water

 

Metal (Air) - Respiratory and Lungs for breathing Air, Skin exposed to air, Thyroid for oxygen metabolism and Large Intestines where we pass out air

 

Wood (Ether) Space - Nerves and Brain - Holds the space of our thoughts and where ideas are created. Pituitary and Pineal where we activate higher functions of Brain and consciousness

 

Dear Osalina...

Through our discussions here, I am getting to flow your thoughts and the terminologies that you are using. As long we are in consistence, we can keep track of each other. When the term 'element' was used in TCM, I think we can agree that they are not the chemical elements as in the periodic table. The descriptions given here are definitely the characteristics of the Five Elements which made them the Five attributes. Thus I have no problem with that....

 

It is very wise of you to study the TCM and explain it in relation with modern science. I was attempted to do the same for my explanation of Chi Kung. I have discovered it was not very favorable here in a western atmosphere. Fortunately, I was not the only one that was doing so. As far as I know, you are another pioneer on this in the western world. BTW my first admirer was Daniel Reid, a British Doctor who studied TCM and practiced Chi Kung.

Edited May 30, 2012 by ChiDragon

[Osalina]

Dear Informer,

 

Although the Thyroid does play a key role in temperature regulation, as well as the hypothalamus and perhaps that role is more associated with the Thyroid than the Thymus. However, the Thymus also has a role. The thymus gland is the central control organ for the immune system. When it is functioning properly, the thymus gland acts like a thermostat to provide the right balance of immunity. It turns up heat to help the body fight infection or tumor and down to prevent autoimmune disease. It is the association with the fire element and the fact that it is located under the sternum, just above and in front of the heart, that I find this connection to the fire element in Chinese Medicine.

 

There is a Internal exercise that you can do that is called the Thymus Thump that I learned from Dr. Stephen Chang. You simply Thump on the Chest in Rhythms, like beating a Drum and it increases immune function as well as circulation of blood to the heart and helps bring more warmth to the body. Here is a great U-TUBE Video of someone doing the Thymus Thump, for more in depth instruction to increase circulation of Chi and Energy.

 

I also find your 6 Chakra Chart interesting. What system does that come from? I am sorry if we got off to a rough start in communications, but I found some of your comments to me seemed you were inferring I did not understand love, etc... but perhaps I misread you. I am always open to learning new things.

 

Thank you ChiDragon, for all your great input. I am learning so many things from you and I have so enjoyed your feedback.

 

Much Love,

 

Osalina

[Osalina]

In my search for various 5 Element Theories of different cultures I came across one from the Greeks and from Japan I thought you may find interesting.

 

Main article: Five elements (Japanese philosophy)

 

Japanese traditions use a set of elements called earth, water, fire, wind/air, and void. These came from Buddhist beliefs;

 

Earth represented things that were solid.

Chi (sometimes ji) or tsuchi, meaning "Earth", represents the hard, solid objects of the world. The most basic example of chi is in a stone. Stones are highly resistant to movement or change, as is anything heavily influenced by chi. In people, the bones, muscles and tissues are represented by chi. Emotionally, chi is predominantly associated with stubbornness, stability, physicality, and gravity. It is a desire to have things remain as they are; a resistance to change. In the mind, it is confidence. When under the influence of this chi mode or "mood", we are aware of our own physicality and sureness of action. (Note: This is a separate concept from the energy-force, pronounced in Chinese as qì (also written ch'i) and in Japanese as ki,

 

Water represented things that were liquid.

Sui or mizu, meaning "Water", represents the fluid, flowing, formless things in the world. Outside of the obvious example of rivers and the like, plants are also categorized under sui, as they adapt to their environment, growing and changing according to the direction of the sun and the changing seasons. Blood and other bodily fluids are represented by sui, as are mental or emotional tendencies towards adaptation and change. Sui can be associated with emotion, defensiveness, adaptability, flexibility, suppleness, and magnetism.

 

Fire represented things that destroy.

Ka or hi, meaning "Fire", represents the energetic, forceful, moving things in the world. Animals, capable of movement and full of forceful energy, are primary examples of ka objects. Bodily, ka represents our metabolism and body heat, and in the mental and emotional realms, it represents drive and passion. ka can be associated with motivation, desire, intention, and an outgoing spirit. Besides the obvious examples of heat and flame, lightning can also be thought of as an extension of Ka.

 

Air represented things that moved.

Fū or kaze, meaning "Wind", represents things that grow, expand, and enjoy freedom of movement. Aside from air, smoke, and the like, fū can in some ways be best represented by the human mind. As we grow physically, we learn and expand mentally as well, in terms of our knowledge, our experiences, and our personalities. Fū represents breathing, and the internal processes associated with respiration. Mentally and emotionally, it represents an "open-minded" attitude and carefree feeling. It can be associated with will, elusiveness, evasiveness, benevolence, compassion, and wisdom.

 

Spirit represented things not of our everyday life.

Kū or sora, most often translated as "Void", but also meaning "sky" or "Heaven", represents those things beyond our everyday experience, particularly those things composed of pure energy. Bodily, kū represents spirit, thought, and creative energy. It represents our ability to think and to communicate, as well as our creativity. It can also be associated with power, creativity, spontaneity, and inventiveness.

 

Kū is of particular importance as the highest of the elements. In martial arts, particularly in fictional tales where the fighting discipline is blended with magic or the occult, one often invokes the power of the Void to connect to the quintessential creative energy of the world. A warrior properly attuned to the Void can sense their surroundings and act without thinking, and without using their physical senses.

 

Classical elements in Greece

 

The Greek classical elements (Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and Aether) date from pre-Socratic times and persisted throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, deeply influencing European thought and culture. The Greek five elements are sometimes associated with the five platonic solids.

 

Hellenic elements

fire - earth - air - water - Plato characterizes the elements as being pre-Socratic in origin and called them the the four "roots" Plato seems to have been the first to use the term "element.

 

Air is primarily wet and secondarily hot.

Fire is primarily hot and secondarily dry.

Earth is primarily dry and secondarily cold.

Water is primarily cold and secondarily wet.

 

 

Aristotle added aether as the quintessence, reasoning that whereas fire, earth, air, and water were earthly and corruptible, since no changes had been perceived in the heavenly regions, the stars cannot be made out of any of the four elements but must be made of a different, unchangeable, heavenly substance. According to ancient and medieval science aether (Greek word aithēr, also spelled æther or ether, is the material that fills the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere. This was believed to be where the God's lived. It is amazing how each culture has corresponding philosophies although slightly different aspects.

 

I copied this from a Wikipedia page I found it so interesting

Edited May 30, 2012 by Osalina

[Osalina]

I just got my other book published. "The Holistic Medicine Chart Book" this has over 100 pages of charts and works well with my "Alchemy of the 5 Elements" book which should be back in circulation in a few days.

 

I realize I have to wait for it to go on line, right now the link is more internal.

Edited May 31, 2012 by Osalina

[Informer]

Dear Informer,

 

Although the Thyroid does play a key role in temperature regulation, as well as the hypothalamus and perhaps that role is more associated with the Thyroid than the Thymus. However, the Thymus also has a role. The thymus gland is the central control organ for the immune system. When it is functioning properly, the thymus gland acts like a thermostat to provide the right balance of immunity. It turns up heat to help the body fight infection or tumor and down to prevent autoimmune disease. It is the association with the fire element and the fact that it is located under the sternum, just above and in front of the heart, that I find this connection to the fire element in Chinese Medicine.

 

There is a Internal exercise that you can do that is called the Thymus Thump that I learned from Dr. Stephen Chang. You simply Thump on the Chest in Rhythms, like beating a Drum and it increases immune function as well as circulation of blood to the heart and helps bring more warmth to the body. Here is a great U-TUBE Video of someone doing the Thymus Thump, for more in depth instruction to increase circulation of Chi and Energy.

 

I also find your 6 Chakra Chart interesting. What system does that come from? I am sorry if we got off to a rough start in communications, but I found some of your comments to me seemed you were inferring I did not understand love, etc... but perhaps I misread you. I am always open to learning new things.

 

Thank you ChiDragon, for all your great input. I am learning so many things from you and I have so enjoyed your feedback.

 

Much Love,

 

Osalina

 

It is OK Osalina, I have no hard feelings I was meaning it as a suggestion to experience first hand, but I understand I often word things poorly, (sometimes intentionally). I don't know if the elements are written like that anywhere else, it is what I have found through Seeking within, like Taoist Internal Alchemy. I found Metta in Buddhism but I would bet that others teach of the same things or things very similar :

Contemporary instruction for the cultivation of loving-kindness – such as is found in the works of Sharon Salzberg,[11] the Triratna Buddhist Community's Kamalashila,[5] and Matthieu Ricard[12] – is often based in part on a method found in Buddhaghosa's 5th c. CE Pāli exegetical text, the Path to Purification (Pali:Visuddhimagga), Chapter IX.[13][14] This traditional approach is best known for identifying successive stages of meditation during which one progressively cultivates loving-kindness towards:

 

oneself[15]

a good friend[16]

a "neutral" person

a difficult person[17]

all four of the above equally[18][19]

and then gradually the entire universe[20]

 

One should avoid choosing someone to whom one is sexually attracted or who is dead.[21] For a "neutral" person, choose someone that you might come into contact with every day, but who does not give rise to strong positive nor strong negative emotions. For a "difficult" person, traditionally choose an enemy, but avoid choosing a person who has just wrecked your life, unless you are very well grounded in awareness.

 

Matthieu Ricard has recommended that metta practitioners choose to meditate on a person for whom it is very easy to feel unconditional love and compassion.

Contemporary trainings

 

Mettā signifies friendship and non-violence, "a strong wish for the happiness of others" and also less obvious or direct qualities such as showing patience, receptivity, and appreciation. Loving-kindness is a very specific feeling – a caring for the well-being of another living being, independent of approving or disapproving of them, or expecting anything in return.[22] Practice includes reciting specific words and phrases in order to evoke a "boundless warm-hearted feeling," or visualizing suffering and wishing well for those beings. Non-referential compassion, also known as "pure compassion", involves simply experiencing the feeling of caring for another sentient being.[22] One special technique recommended by Matthieu Ricard is to, "imagine," the state of another.[22] Richard J. Davidson has shown metta to induce changes in the tempoparietal lobe.[23] Loving-kindness is the application of love to suffering. Metta is applied to all beings and, as a consequence, one experiences another of the sublime states: joy (mudita), which is true happiness in another being's happiness.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81

 

Love back at you!

 

Edited May 30, 2012 by Informer

[Osalina]

Dear Informer,

 

Thank you for sharing the teachings on Metta. Love certainly is the most important aspect of all qualities in the Universe. I also appreciate your love too

[Osalina]

And here it is :

 

I took out this link; because that was a more internal link: here is the New One For my Book "The Alchemy of the 5 Elements" - The Legend of the Beet Brothers"

http://books.etarot.info/4-12689-147742895X-The_Alchemy_of_the_5_Elements_The_Legend_of_the_Beet_Brothers_Course_1_Volume_1

[tccii]

... with one exception; the book did materialize and stayed in one family - this is what I teach, simply called Taoist Medicine.

 

 

Ya Mu, Very interesting. You one of the first westerners I have come across of who knows this. One of my Nei Dan teachers, who also claims to have had the privilege of actually studying the book, mentioned the same thing.

[Kempomaster]

I practice this Taoist Chinese Medicine and have exceptional results on just about every case that I work on.

 

I have worked on tons of people and quite a few animals including dogs and horses. With one particular horse - the horse - Killion was owned by a doctor of Vet. Med. He had a physical ailment that caused his hind quarters to be misaligned - they had tried an Equine Vet, an Acupuncturist, and a Chiropractor. They did not get any results with any of the previous approaches - finally I talked them into allowing me to tr this Taoist Medicine on their horse. The entire treatment was quite amazing - the treatment usually puts most humans into sort of a trance or intermittent deep sleep. Well Killion the Horse was no exception -- he yawned over and over while repeatedly smacking his lips. His big eyes got droopy and his head hung towards the ground. His tail whipped in circles while I was working on the hind quarter - all said - the treatment took me about 2 hours to do. Horses are big. Afterwards - the Vet walked Killion in the arena and guess what - he was no longer dragging the hind foot that he had dragged for over 2 years. He even let his owner saddle him up and ride and he hadn't been ridden fot over 2 years.

 

Over the course of the next 3 weeks I did 2 more treatments on Killion and by the last treatment his alignment was back to normal and he galloped to the fence to greet me whenever i came to visit. The Vet was amazed - the horse was pleased and their other horses begin making noise - they wanted treated also.

 

Now fast forward to about 2 weeks ago - I was vacationing in Hilton Head Island, S.C. -- I visited the horse stables on several days while on vacation. In order to get the horses to come say hello to me - I started doing Stillness-Movement Qigong while standing near the fence - I used energetics to invite the nearest horse to come visit me. he finally walked up to see what was going on with me.

 

I used calming energy projection - then started to do Taoist Med for him - he got right into the groove, started yawning etc, when he had his fill another lined up and then another. One horse came from across the pasture to see what all the fuss was. he got right in line and got his Treatment. After 6 horses - I decided i would have to come back tomorrow for additional treatments as there was about 25 horses in pasture and that would have taken me forever. Note: I was not giving each horse a full treatment, rather, I would search out the areas that needed treated and do the taoist technique. And yes - when I cam back the next day - horses came back over to greet me. However, one in particular kept chasing the other horses off so I could just work on him - so he got his moneys worth.

 

This Taoist Med is very cool stuff - i use it for all sorts of treatments - if others are interested I would be happy to post additional case reports of a variety of human ailments that this technique has helped.

 

AND if I am not mistaken I believe Michael Lomax just released a DVD that goes into great detail on how to do the technique - I think it helps to attend a seminar and learn 1st hand , but, the DVD is a great resource to reinforce what one has just learned.

 

Thanks,

 

Brion aka Kempomaster

[Osalina]

Dear Kempomaster,

 

That is so amazing. I love working with animals too. I do not know what Taoist exercises you did, but I would love to learn. I worked as a healer for humans for many years but when I first moved to Tucson in 1995; I started connecting with many birds. Mostly doves and pigeons, but I worked with a sparrow, a blackbird, a hummingbird and a few others too. My daughter started finding injured birds and I learned to care for them when they were ill, using reiki energy work and feeding and giving them rest and fluids. I did a meditation when I was around them; I would call it the "Be a Tree Meditation" I found when you visualize yourself as a tree; birds feel less intimidated by you. I started learning how to massage their legs from a bird re-abilitator when they got sprained and one pigeons wing after out of a cast as well and was amazed that they actually have tiny little muscles. I kept them in open baskets while healing so they knew they were free to leave when they got well and some liked to stick around. My eldest daughter at 2 years old was saved by a horse from a dog that came after her when I was watching her play in the yard.

 

Before I could grab her, our horse red button went after that dog so fast it ran away with its tail between his legs. Horses are amazing. So are most dogs. We just lost our beloved dog Iris of 15 years. She had cancer which we cured her of for 2 years using herbs and a healthy diet. But unfortunately; she got it back again after 2 years of doing great and being cancer free. My youngest daughter who is 25; is going to Berkeley U.C. and is working on becoming a Veterinarian; She is the one who brought me all the birds and watched me help deliver a breech kitten. Thanks so much for sharing. I have been away for a bit, but nice to see some good energy back here. So many amazing people here. Keep shining your very bright light

 

Much Love,

 

Osalina

[Tactile]

One remark about the term 'element'. The original chinese term is 五行, wu xing. 五 is five and 行 means movement or a phase. So the translation 'element' is quite far from the original. 'Five phases' or 'five agents' are used by good translators.

[Tactile]

Double post

Edited June 24, 2012 by Tactile

[ChiDragon]

Horse communication...

 

[gendao]

She had cancer which we cured her of for 2 years using herbs and a healthy diet. But unfortunately; she got it back again after 2 years of doing great and being cancer free.

What herbs & diet did you use?

[Osalina]

What herbs & diet did you use?

 

 

Dear Vortex,

 

First we took her mostly off grains and fed her mostly fish or chicken with wheatgrass powder, barley grass powder, rainforest tea, dehydrated and rehydrated vegetables, una de gato, sangre de gato, cordiceps mushrooms, small amount of olive oil, digestazon or papaya enzymes. It seems like there were some other things I am not thinking of now, but mostly herbs to strenthen immune and highly nutritious. We got a lot of these herbs from Amazon Herbs and others we ordered on the internet like the cordiceps mushrooms. Milk Thistle and papaya enzymes from Trader Joe's and completely eliminated all non organic junk dog food.If I can remember other things, I will let you know as we tried many things, also milk thistle to clean liver and blood. We sometimes gave her valerian root capsules 1 - 2 capsules for pain. We also sometimes gave her a grain free dog food called Origen, I think, for getting capsules in her wraped in dog food.. The powders and liquids we mixed in her foods. Oddly enough after being a picky eater all her life she often scarfed down this meat herbal blend