Ideas of the I-Ching

The intensive basic course will be over soon. So, let me talk about the topic which I'd like you to confirm once again.

It is essential for us to have parents to be born to this world, right? There would be nobody to disagree with this, and let us think this way, our parents also had their own parents, and so on. Recently, I calculated with Kobayashi Sensei that the number of ancestors surpasses more than 65000, going back to a hundred or two hundreds years ago. If you want to trace back to the past more, the number would be astronomic, wouldn't it? If we think this way, the universal brotherhood makes sense.

The story goes on further. Finally, your gene goes back to what is common to all human beings. What looks like expanding endlessly can put together again to one thing. Then, it reaches at the beginning of an elementary particle. Those who have good instincts may understand the conclusion already.

As you know, everything, even only one fundamental particle and yourself who I started this story with, is sustained and formed by the same thing. The power of existence working on the background of this is the very fundamental power which cannot be mentioned in words and this is what we are targeting on. Here, it is called conveniently the fundamental power, but in fact, we don't have any proper words to express this existence.

So, it has been called in various ways by various people on various standpoints from the past to the present. It can be religious in some points, and can be explained in the very latest scientific terms in another point of view. It can be called differently by different people, but it would be understandable that they express the same thing in different terms.

Let us go back to the topic to the I Ching. How does the I Ching, the text written about the ultimate features of Yin-yang, express this fundamental source?? The answer is very ultimate, to explain by not explaining. In fact, all yang can be expressed by the horizontal line indicating the Tai-ji, so people dare to notice the existence of the fundamental yin, which cannot be expressed, through those visible. As you already know, yin-yang theory is not a mere dualism of yin and yang. It is not that two elements are combined to the one, but the one basic thing can be divided into two depending on your view. So, when yang is expressed, it definitely implies the existence of yin.

The treatment we are saying is always targeting on this absolute yin. Even though you continue subdividing into yin and yang, it all ends up the same thing. This is very important point. We notice this because we study the I-Ching. In addition, it starts from the only one thing, as much as classifications increase, farther it recedes from the root. Additionally speaking, yin and yang can appear at any point when yin and yang were born and it continues again and again, so there is a big danger that you might misunderstand that where you stand is the only starting point. It is very important to see things from the basis all the time. In your daily clinical practice, you might tend to be aware only with phenomena, but the unchanging conviction is necessary.

* This article is translated from Japanese Shakuju Association blog.

Swelling, rash, eczema and itchiness of the body

All these symptoms; swelling, rash, eczema and itchiness of the body, are considered as skin diseases, but except cases caused by the outside, such as mosquito bites, generally it is assumed that skin diseases are due to the problems of the inside of the body.

The qi  power of the core of the body, that is expressed as inner organs, gets too weakened to attract qi of the whole body, so it appear as rash on the surface of the skin. The light one is itchiness, then swelling, and it changes to pain in serious cases. 

There are two ways of declining power of inner organ qi, congenital and acquired ones. The congenital way is one's constitution, so one can understand its strength to some extent when observing and talking with one's parents, grandparents, siblings and other relatives. For example, when one was in his/her mother's womb, the mother was unwell or she had a hard time in labor, these become congenital bad causes.

On the other hand, the acquired is resulting from the lifestyle which weaken inner organ qi, the lifestyle to make one's body cold. In this case, chilling the body means consuming cold beverages though one does not use one's body much; for example, drinking beer or whisky with ice everyday, or drinking juice frequently.

As a special case, rashes often appear when the mother had a hard time in labor, for example giving birth to twins or triples. This is due to the severe exhaustion of energy, so one cannot control qi of the body. I this case, one should avoid not only cold beverages, but also high nutritional value foods.

Atopic dermatitis (atopy is congenital hypersensitivity and also called as allergic dermatitis) is due to strong congenital elements, for example, the mother took cold foods and beverages during pregnancy or giving the child high nutritious foods too much during the weaning period.

<note>
(1) Stop drinking cold beverages completely.
(2) When waking up in the morning, drink one or two cups of hot water before taking any other things into your stomach.
(3) Continue these two things for a week or ten days.
(4) Hot water here means plain boiled water, you should not add anything even a teaspoon of sugar, tea neither.
(5) When you cannot think about the exact reasons, consult with a specialist.



*This article is translated from "Yamai hitokuchi Memo" p. 172-4, written by Shoji Kobayashi, 2005. Articles of the book were meant to be written for patients who came to Taishido Acupuncture Clinic.

                                       

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! It is said that the year of the snake is the good year to start anything new. May this year be filled with lots of joy and happiness (and acupuncture and moxibustion)!