Feeling nervous and no concentration

These symptoms (feeling nervous and no concentration) are both upsurge of emotion. It indicates that the power of controlling upsurged emotion is weak, and the tendency of getting upset easily is more or less depending on the congenital factor. It is important to observe children when they are small, but even if they are restless, as far as they have something to become enthusiastic, you do not worry about them too much. 

Rather, the problems lie on introverted disposition, such as they prefer stay inwards or take time to make a move. For those who have introverted disposition, qi tends to be deviated to the head, and this tendency is strengthened as they develop their physical strength towards adolescence.

It is recommended to play sports or exercise to release excessed qi, and to take care of their daily life not to weaken their power of inner organs that can control the upsurge of emotion. 

<note>

Look back your daily life. 

(1) To release excessed qi, consider to cut your hair short, try to go out often, make a contact with nature and communicate with people.

(2) To strengthen the power of inner organs, it is important not to take cold foods and drinks as possible, not to eat too much and limit sweet foods. 

(3) In these cases, it sometimes occurs not to develop conversation with others and ends up to repeat the same thing. As a result, the conversation tends not to be deepened so much, and they are not followed by their own behaviors. 

  In the contemporary standardized society, there are a lot of people who do not fit the society and feel the pain. It is as if they try to fit their feet to the shoes, so those who understand this situation have a role to look for the environment that can fit with them. 

(4) In this kind of symptom, it is better to have a good communication with a specialist. 

*This article is translated from "Yamai hitokuchi memo" p. 184-5, written by Shoji Kobayashi, 2005. Articles of this book were meant to be written for patients who came to Taishido Acupuncture Clinic.

Sleep

Some people have difficulty to fall asleep, but if their sleep are not enough, they feel sleepy during daytime.

Sleep is quieting down the movement of qi of the body as it becomes dark at night. Generally, the movements of animals are largely corresponding to the change of light and shade during the day.

Quieting the movement of qi down means that qi gather in the internal organs, the core of the body. The movements of limbs become more still than daytime, and the brain works subconsciously.

The internal organs accumulates power during night. When the movement of qi of the head cannot be calm down at night, one feels difficulty to fall asleep. There are two causes for this; one is that the internal organs do not have enough power to accumulate qi at night, and the other is the case when the movement of qi around the head is extremely stronger than the power of qi of internal organs. The case that one cannot sleep because the body is extremely tired corresponds to the former, and the case that one is thinking too much and takes time to fall asleep corresponds to the latter.

When one cannot stop feeling sleepy, it indicates that the power of qi of the internal organs is not tonified enough during night. One can compare the old person drowsing during daytime or whose sleeping hours at night gets shorter to the old battery; the power of tonifying qi of  innter organs is not sufficient and it is easy to run out quickly.

<note>
(1) Firstly, examine the cause well, such as whether using the body too much until exhausted completely or whether having the big problem or not.

(2)  For the case of severe fatigue, it is necessary to have professional treatment, but in such a case, one might feel more tired after the treatment.

(3) Do not consider to take sufficient nutrition when you are extremely tired. High nutritious foods require rather strong digestive power, so they are too heavy for the exhausted body. Rather, it is recommended to take something carbohydrate, easy to digest, such as potatoes, little by little.

*This article is translated from "Yamai hitokuchi memo" p. 182-3, written by Shoji Kobayashi, 2005. Articles of this book were meant to be written for patients who came to Taishido Acupuncture Clinic.

Weight

The weight of an adult usually does not change when the condition of the body is stable, but there are some changes, such as between in the winter and in the summer and between in the morning and in the evening.

The body weight is the total amount of one's qi, and the density of it varies depending on individuals, such as people whose density of qi can be seen mainly on bones (so called big-boned people), those can be seen on muscles and those can be seen mainly on fat. These elements form a shape of the body, so you can guess your condition referring to your parents.

The density of qi becomes the highest on bones and the least on fat. Generally, the density of qi of bones and muscles do not change so much, so the change of weight within a day or between seasons is considered as the change of fat.

The rapid decrease of weight is considered as the swift loss of density of qi, so for example losing 10 kg of weight within a few months indicates the severe loss of qi. The loss of qi starts from fat and reaches at bones in the end.

The exhaustion of qi can be divided into three stages; first, the loss of weight though one eats a lot, then the loss of appetite itself, at last breathing becomes shallow or difficult, and one cannot take even the air. The symptoms of the body gets worse in this order.

In addition, increasing the amount of qi leads to the increase of the weight, it usually appears as the increase of subcutaneous fat, except athletes. If you give high nutritious foods to infants and children whose constitution of the body are in the process of building up, their bodies learn the condition of needing the big amount of qi, and this condition tends to stay for the whole their lives.

It is important to give priority to vegetable foods rather than animal food products with high protein and high nutrition for meals of infants and children not to make them overweight. The power of digestion gets stronger, and you can avoid the risk of obesity considerably.

To lose weight for adults, it is either to use the body to enhance the qi of the layers of muscles rather than that of fat, or to lose the amount of ingesting foods. Both remove the qi of the layer of fat that is easier to move, but its effect largely depends on the congenital elements and the state during infancy.

<note>
(1) It is necessary to have professional diagnosis and treatment for the case of the sudden weight loss.
(2) To lose weight, the ways are the exercise and diet. Especially, reduce or cut sweet foods. It requires strong will power, and it is necessary to continue patiently.
(3) To lose weight simply from the cosmetic reason, it often becomes the desire to exceed their own body conditions. In such a case, you cannot expect the good effect so much, and it sometimes become too extreme to harm their own bodies.
(4) Reducing foods are not only staple foods, but including all foods and drinks between meals.
(5) Foods with the sweet taste are considered to loosen qi of the body, so one becomes fat, it is strongly recommended to avoid it when you want to reduce weight.

*This article is translated from "Yamai hitokuchi memo" p. 179-181, written by Shoji Kobayashi, 2005. Articles of this book were meant to be written for patients who came to Taishido Acupuncture Clinic.

Dried skin

The condition of little sweat progresses further, the skin gets dry. This indicates the power of qi of inner organs is getting worse than the previous stage, but where to get dry depends on the deviation of qi.

The condition of dryness proceeds more, the skin gets harder and it sometimes can be said as scleroderma.

Let us apply the same point of view to the dried skin in the winter and the dried skin for old people. The winter is the season when the flow of qi of inner organs generally gets settled quietly, and so are the seasons of autumn and winter of the life.

<note>
(1) First, it is important to look back at your lifestyle. Avoid the lifestyle with "over" something, such as overwork and overeating.
(2) The natural moisture of the skin is different from being rubbed with oil from the surface, so using the lotion to the dry skin is merely stopgap measures.
(3) The habit of using lotions and cosmetics makes the qi of the skin being rubbed up and inactive, so it is difficult to get the natural moisture of the skin.

*This article is translated from "Yamai hitokuchi memo" p. 177-8, written by Shoji Kobayashi, 2005. Articles of this book were meant to be written for patients who came to Taishido Acupuncture Clinic.

Shakuju Therapy 10 Year Anniversary Classes

Thank you for attending Shakuju Therapy seminar in Boston! This seminar was the 10th seminar in the states (as Boston only, this is the 9th seminar)! We are so glad that so many people joined the seminar, and wish everybody acquired some inspirations from the seminar!

Shakuju Thearpy 10 Year Anniversary Class

Kobayashi sensei and the 10 Year Anniversary gift from NESA

Hara sensei is introducing practitioners!

10 year anniversary t-shirt (designed by Daiki sensei)

The main theme of the seminar was the reconstructed theory such as the relationship between Shaku and Sho (Abdominal pattern) and the classification of fundamental treatment and supplemental treatment. In addition, Kobayashi sensei introduced treatment of Ex-UE9 and Ex-LE 10 as supplemental treatment.

Those who have been studying Shakuju therapy for a long time must be surprised at Liver Shaku Liver deficiency pattern and Lung Shaku Lung deficiency pattern, I guess.

When Shakuju therapy was made up, the concept of "deficency of Jing qi" was more vague than it is now, and it was expressed as "yin deficiency" in the book "Toyo igaku koza 10 kan (Oriental medicine series volume 10)". It was theorized that "deficiency (yin deficiency)" exist on the background of "excess" reactions, Shaku, such as pain, hardness and pulsation on the abdomen, and tonifying this yin deficiency leads to the improvement of Shaku on the abdmen, main complaint and other reference points. Regarding Liver Shaku and Lung Shaku, Shaku on the right and left abdomen, it was assumed that when Shaku (excess) exist on the left abdomen (Liver zone), the right (Lung deficiency) is deficient, because the cause, "deficiency (yin)" was explained in terms of right and left "yin and yang". This is why the abdominal pattern was Liver Shaku Lung deficiency pattern in the past.

Shakuju therapy has been theorized from the clinical practices, it had been no problem clinically, so it had been used. However, the part of the theory is reconstructed now. "Excess" reactions such as "Shaku" and all other excess and deficient reactions are all expressed as "reference points". These reference points are explained as "the fundamental yang (including the narrower deficiency and excess, such as Shaku and reference points)" and on the base of it, it exist "deficiency of Jing qi", "the fundamental yin". There is no theoretical controversies, rather it was more sophisticated and deepened, but the issue was whether it is okay to treat Liver deficiency pattern when the patient has Liver Shaku, and Lung deficiency pattern when Lung Shaku. So, some practitioners on Taishido acupuncture clinic, tried these on the clinical practices, and there was no problem. Please understand the deepened theory and try it on the practices!

Regarding the relationship between the fundamental treatment and supplemental treatment, only the usage of the outer bladder line is the fundamental treatment, and all other treatments, such as the inner bladder line, JJ line, GV line, CV line and points on limbs are categorized as supplemental treatment. Therefore, the fundamental treatment starts from the abdominal contact needling, pulse examination and adjustment, abdominal examination and choosing Sho (abdominal pattern), treatment on the outer bladder line and ends at the treatment on the shoulder in sitting position.

Ex-UE9 and Ex-LE 10 are the border on yin and yang as well as the GV line and CV line, and these have strong power to tonify the deficiency of Jing qi in terms of its changes of reference points.

We wish that the seminar was fruitful to everybody who attended the class and hope to see you soon!!! Please enjoy the practice of Shakuju Therapy!

Hyperhidrosis, hypohidrosis and night sweat

Sweat is an important reference point indicating the condition of qi metabolism of the body. Usually, it is good thing to perspire.

The power of the core of the body, the power of inner organs, is weak for those who rarely perspire, and on the other hand, the power of inner organs is active for those having hyperhidrosis.

The extent of sweating is depending on the conditions of the air and of labor, though there is some congenital factor. So it is unusual that one perspires without doing anything when it is cold, or that one does not perspire though he/she does physical work in the hot weather.

Sometimes one perspires during sleep at night with the adequate bedding though the air is not so hot. This indicates inner organs that supposed to rest are being active, and rather the power of inner organs is getting weak.

Physiologically, the same thing can be said when one gets old and he/she tends to sweat easily. Labor means not only the physical activities including sex, but also other things, such as the work that needs extreme mental concentration and meals.

<note>
(1) Those who does not sweat, rarely sweat and have night sweat should receive treatments for a certain period with perseverance.
(2) The problem of sweat is not only the quantity but quality as well. When one feels comfortable with sweating, it indicates good perspiration.

*This article is translated from "Yamai hitokuchi memo" p. 175-6, written by Shoji Kobayashi, 2005. Articles of this book were meant to be written for patients who came to Taishido Acupuncture Clinic.

Boston seminar is coming!

Spring is coming, so is Boston seminar! We heard that the class is full and some people are on the waiting list. We wish that the class could be bigger so that everybody who wants to attend could attend!

Kobayashi sensei and all other practitioners are ready to go to Boston, and there is one big news. "Textbook of Shakuju Therapy" is now published so that we can bring them to 10 year anniversary classes in Boston!

the first draft, the second draft and the final draft of textbook (from left)

We are looking forward to seeing you in Boston within a week!!