Foundations of Chinese Medicine

Renee Lehman

(10/2018) Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a healing art that originated over 3000 years ago in Asia. It is the oldest continuously practiced medical system in the world. It helps balance your Body/Mind/Spirt. It reawakens your ability to HEAL yourself and has a strong foundational belief that the best cure for sickness is prevention.

In the Nei Jing (an ancient Chinese Medicine text) it is written:

"Maintaining order rather than correcting disorders is the ultimate principle of wisdom. To cure disease after it has appeared is like digging a well when one already feels thirsty, or forging weapons after the war has already begun." - Nei Jing (2nd century B.C.)

At the heart of TCM is the Universal Lifeforce, also known as natural vital energy, or Qi (pronounced "chee"). In TCM, it is said that "Everything is Qi (energy), all Qi (energy) has consciousness, and all consciousness has purpose." Therefore, all Qi has purpose.

This Universal Lifeforce, or Qi, has several important qualities:

• It is an invisible force like the air around us,
• It has its own movement,
• It moves other things, and
• It carries a special message.

An example of the special message that Qi carries would be how Zinnias know it’s time to bloom during the summer. Another example of the special message that Qi carries would be how your body feels when the seasons change from one to another and the body adjusts its internal rhythm. Finally, another example using some of today’s technology would be: a computer is analogous to your body, and the software that is downloaded onto the computer is analogous to the Qi. Yes, you can plug the computer in to a power source, and turn the computer on; however, without the software, you would not be able to write a Word document or create a PowerPoint presentation. The computer needs the "special messages" of the software to produce anything of value!

So, Qi gives your body life! Qi flows through all living things. This Qi flows through the body on specific pathways called Meridians and is essential for health. The Meridians are an invisible network of pathways that connects to each of your organs, and every part of the body. Having difficulty understanding these pathways? Have you ever used a subway system in a city? The subway tracks would be analogous to the Meridians (they are often underground where you cannot see them and connect one place to another). The subway trains that move on these tracks would be analogous to the Qi.

In the Ling Shu (another ancient Chinese Medicine text) it is written:

"The meridians are described as receiving subtle information from the environment: from stars, planets, from the energy fields of the land and its trees and plants, and from the Qi of other living things." - Ling Shu (2nd century B.C.)

When the Qi is balanced, moving smoothly, and in sufficient quality and quantity, health and wellness are promoted (the subway trains running on time). When the Qi is unbalanced or blocked in any way, disease or disease, will occur (the subway trains are running late or are stopped on the tracks). This disease may show up as symptoms on a physical, mental/emotional, or spiritual level. For example, on a physical level, aches or pains could occur; on the mental/emotional level, someone could experience obsessiveness, indecisiveness, lack of self-esteem, or have a challenging time concentrating. Finally, on a spiritual level, someone could be resentful, live with constant sadness or fear, or have the inability to experience joy. It is important to realize that these symptoms are only the result of an imbalance, and not the illness itself.

"The twelve meridians control human life, yet they are also the place where disease can live. If disease starts in the meridians, the physician can use the meridians to treat the root cause of the disease." - Nei Jing (2nd century B.C.)

Pain and impaired function are signals from the body, mind, and spirit that there is something on the invisible level (the energetic level) within us that needs to be attended to. So, the whole person needs to be addressed and not just the symptoms. The underlying root of disease is addressed rather than just treating the symptoms.

How can the meridian system, the invisible energy network that connects every cell in the body to each other, be used to help an individual remember their own innate healing ability? Acupuncture, medical qigong (MQ), qigong meridian therapy (QMT), and a qigong practice can be used to stimulate the meridian system. All of these practices are therapeutic forms of energetic bodywork that have been used for thousands of years. They all address the root cause of a person’s complaints. Plus, because the body, mind, and spirit are one, individuals receiving acupuncture, MQ, QMT, or involved in a daily qigong practice often experience a heightened sense of relaxation and well-being.

If you are interested in receiving acupuncture, MQ, or learning qigong, contact Renee Lehman (see contact information below). If you are interested in receiving QMT, contact Michelle Clowe, a Qigong Meridian Therapy Practitioner and a licensed Massage Therapist with over seventeen years of experience. She sees clients at the Boonsboro Wellness Center and in private practice. Michelle can be reached at 301-523-1238 and clowegirl9@yahoo.com.

"The whole purpose of Qigong practice is to help you open up, to use your 'Inner-net,' to connect to the unlimited power and the unlimited wisdom of the universe that is called life force." - Grand Master Nan Lu

Renee Lehman is a licensed acupuncturist, physical therapist, a LifeForce: Tao of Medical Qigong practitioner, and a Certified Dragon’s Way instructor with over 30 years of health care experience. Her office is located at 249B York Street in Gettysburg, PA. She can be reached at 717-752-5728.