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.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Saturday, January 12, 2013
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.
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)!
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Blood congestion and bleeding of the skin
Congestion and hemorrhage are both phenomena of ruptures of blood vessels. One that the blood stays inside of the skin or the mucous membrane is called congestion and one goes outside of them is hemorrhage. This is a massive movement of liquid qi.
Congestion looks dark red, indicating one's inactive condition, coldness. When congestion stays inside of the body for a long time, the power of normal qi of the body is gradually absorbed in it, and one tends to lose energy. For example, one starts to complain the symptoms such as the cold of the body, dizziness and pain.
There are two types of congestion, one resulting from the problem of the inside of the body and the other caused by the trauma. The former is not easy, one has to get the power of the body itself to absorb stasis qi.
Women who gets close to menopause sometimes have blood congestion that looks like a bruise (purple spot or purpura). This diminishes within a few days without any pain. It can be described as a physiological phenomenon discharging so called unnecessary qi.
Traumatic blood congestion such as a bruise, strong pressure and sprain requires special care. When one is young, sometimes the normal qi can surpass traumatic blood congestion naturally (in other words, blood congestion disappears naturally), but it is important to have a proper treatment done, otherwise its influence stays there even if one gets older. It may appear as cold, pain or difficulty to move the body much later.
Therefore, when one has a pain though he/she has no idea of its cause, one should look back the past whether or not he/she had been hit strongly when he/she was young.
In contrast, traumas with bleeding, such as a cut or a scratch, do not cause such a problem. However, one has to be careful with the amount of bleeding, and it is necessary to avoid a lot of bleeding. Hemophilia that one has difficulty to stop bleeding once received a trauma is a serious condition that the qi of the body diminishes rapidly.
(note)
<blood congestion>
(1) internal cause
Ask a specialist for its diagnosis and treatment.
(2) traumatic cause
The affected area would be very painful, but bear the pain and rub it well for about 30 minutes.
<bleeding >
(1) Ask for a professional treatment for the large quantity of bleeding which cannot stop easily.
(2) For other cases, apply moxa to the affected area and fix with a plaster. Moxa has a function to stop bleeding and to sterlize, so it is okay to apply moxa to the affected area directly.
(3) One can use any kind of moxa.
(4) It is important not to let the affected area wet as possible, and there is no need to change the moxa until it stops bleeding enough.
*This article is translated from "Yamai hitokuchi Memo" p. 169-171, written by Shoji Kobayashi, 2005. Articles of the book were meant to be written for patients who came to Taishido Acupuncture Clinic.
Congestion looks dark red, indicating one's inactive condition, coldness. When congestion stays inside of the body for a long time, the power of normal qi of the body is gradually absorbed in it, and one tends to lose energy. For example, one starts to complain the symptoms such as the cold of the body, dizziness and pain.
There are two types of congestion, one resulting from the problem of the inside of the body and the other caused by the trauma. The former is not easy, one has to get the power of the body itself to absorb stasis qi.
Women who gets close to menopause sometimes have blood congestion that looks like a bruise (purple spot or purpura). This diminishes within a few days without any pain. It can be described as a physiological phenomenon discharging so called unnecessary qi.
Traumatic blood congestion such as a bruise, strong pressure and sprain requires special care. When one is young, sometimes the normal qi can surpass traumatic blood congestion naturally (in other words, blood congestion disappears naturally), but it is important to have a proper treatment done, otherwise its influence stays there even if one gets older. It may appear as cold, pain or difficulty to move the body much later.
Therefore, when one has a pain though he/she has no idea of its cause, one should look back the past whether or not he/she had been hit strongly when he/she was young.
In contrast, traumas with bleeding, such as a cut or a scratch, do not cause such a problem. However, one has to be careful with the amount of bleeding, and it is necessary to avoid a lot of bleeding. Hemophilia that one has difficulty to stop bleeding once received a trauma is a serious condition that the qi of the body diminishes rapidly.
(note)
<blood congestion>
(1) internal cause
Ask a specialist for its diagnosis and treatment.
(2) traumatic cause
The affected area would be very painful, but bear the pain and rub it well for about 30 minutes.
<bleeding >
(1) Ask for a professional treatment for the large quantity of bleeding which cannot stop easily.
(2) For other cases, apply moxa to the affected area and fix with a plaster. Moxa has a function to stop bleeding and to sterlize, so it is okay to apply moxa to the affected area directly.
(3) One can use any kind of moxa.
(4) It is important not to let the affected area wet as possible, and there is no need to change the moxa until it stops bleeding enough.
*This article is translated from "Yamai hitokuchi Memo" p. 169-171, written by Shoji Kobayashi, 2005. Articles of the book were meant to be written for patients who came to Taishido Acupuncture Clinic.
Merry Christmas!
Wishing everybody happy holidays!!!
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| The reception of Taishido Acupuncture Clinic. Uncle Shakuju turns Shakuju Clauss?? |
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| The window of Taishido Acupuncture Clinic |
Thursday, November 29, 2012
The Sternum Treatment
Today's topic of the advanced course was about "the sternum treatment".
When looking at the body in terms of yin and yang, each line of back shu points (the outer line, the inner line of bladder meridians, JJ line, GV line) is given each meaning, but the same thing can be said even when comparing it with the abdomen. The GV line, the pole of the yang side, the back, is used when the practitioner judges that the deficiency of Jin qi is severe from his/her experience. When the deficiency of Jin-qi progresses further, the treatment would be done on the CV line on the yin side. Even within the CV line, there are yin and yang; the sternum is on the yang area and the lower abdomen is on the yin area.
As well as the back shu points treatment, these CV points in the sternum also follow the abdominal diagnosis pattern. This treatment is very effective especially for patients who cannot lie on the prone position. In addition, the sternum treatment is used right after the outer line, without using GV line, so the choice of tools are also important; Teishin needle or Chinetsukyu. It is very difficult to use a filiform needle and tonetsu-kyu (heat penetrating moxa). For reference points, one should check Shaku mainly and reactions such as the bicipital groove. However, you have to be very careful for a female patients because of breasts and the underwear...
You might not use this treatment so often, but you have to be used with it in your practice so that you can use it when necessary.
When looking at the body in terms of yin and yang, each line of back shu points (the outer line, the inner line of bladder meridians, JJ line, GV line) is given each meaning, but the same thing can be said even when comparing it with the abdomen. The GV line, the pole of the yang side, the back, is used when the practitioner judges that the deficiency of Jin qi is severe from his/her experience. When the deficiency of Jin-qi progresses further, the treatment would be done on the CV line on the yin side. Even within the CV line, there are yin and yang; the sternum is on the yang area and the lower abdomen is on the yin area.
As well as the back shu points treatment, these CV points in the sternum also follow the abdominal diagnosis pattern. This treatment is very effective especially for patients who cannot lie on the prone position. In addition, the sternum treatment is used right after the outer line, without using GV line, so the choice of tools are also important; Teishin needle or Chinetsukyu. It is very difficult to use a filiform needle and tonetsu-kyu (heat penetrating moxa). For reference points, one should check Shaku mainly and reactions such as the bicipital groove. However, you have to be very careful for a female patients because of breasts and the underwear...
You might not use this treatment so often, but you have to be used with it in your practice so that you can use it when necessary.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Insertion of SJ Needle
It is difficult to insert a SJ needle, how can I insert it? We'd like to talk about this question today.
Firstly, let us consider this technically. Is the posture of your Oshide (pressing hand) foamed stably? Oshide plays the role of opening the skin and guiding the needle towards its direction. If the right and left balance of Oshide is not equivalent, you are unable to make the angle of the needle that is perpendicular to the surface of the skin. In this situation, it is impossible to transmit the pressure of Sashide (needling hand) to the needle tip properly.
In fact, the pressure required for penetrating the needle is very subtle. It is as small as not bending a soft silver needle, so if you missed only a little, the pressure transmitted to the needle tip can be reduced, nearly zero sometimes. If you are continuing this, it is impossible to insert the needle forever.
In addition, if the purpose is just inserting the needle, you can force to insert the needle. However, this forcing needling is not related to tonifying the Jin-qi and healing process of diseases. It is notable how to insert a needle is also important.
Here, let us look at it from a different point of view. The needle used in Shakuju therapy is special for its tip being round and difficult to insert. Comparing with other needles, SJ needle is a kind of difficult-to-insert-needle in terms of its needle tip and its elasticity. Actually, this is the point.
Let me give you an example. When teaching students who just start learning acupuncture how to insert a SJ needle, they can insert it easily. However, as more years of experience of acupuncturists pass, more difficult for them to insert a needle. Why? Hint lays in the word "comparing with other needles" mentioned above. The difference between senior and fresh students are the difference of the amount of "common sense" of acupuncture sphere. If the difference of them is only the amount of practice, the senior students must take the advantage.
Moreover, I myself don't think that a SJ needle is not an especially-difficult-to-insert-needle. The difference between the easy-to-insert needle and the difficult-to-insert needle is not in the needle itself, but in the body of the recipient. This needle can be inserted anywhere in the body, so the stereotype that it is impossible to insert the SJ needle is irrelevant.
In other words, it is necessary to understand that it is you who accept the common sense of its difficulty of insertion and create its result. The common sense such as you have to needle in the painful area, incurable diseases, impossible to cure with acupuncture, these are what you accept and create the phenomena. You have to cross the border of such common sense. Here, coming back to the today's question, the answer is that you have to break the common sense that you have to insert a needle to be able to insert a SJ needle.
Firstly, let us consider this technically. Is the posture of your Oshide (pressing hand) foamed stably? Oshide plays the role of opening the skin and guiding the needle towards its direction. If the right and left balance of Oshide is not equivalent, you are unable to make the angle of the needle that is perpendicular to the surface of the skin. In this situation, it is impossible to transmit the pressure of Sashide (needling hand) to the needle tip properly.
In fact, the pressure required for penetrating the needle is very subtle. It is as small as not bending a soft silver needle, so if you missed only a little, the pressure transmitted to the needle tip can be reduced, nearly zero sometimes. If you are continuing this, it is impossible to insert the needle forever.
In addition, if the purpose is just inserting the needle, you can force to insert the needle. However, this forcing needling is not related to tonifying the Jin-qi and healing process of diseases. It is notable how to insert a needle is also important.
Here, let us look at it from a different point of view. The needle used in Shakuju therapy is special for its tip being round and difficult to insert. Comparing with other needles, SJ needle is a kind of difficult-to-insert-needle in terms of its needle tip and its elasticity. Actually, this is the point.
Let me give you an example. When teaching students who just start learning acupuncture how to insert a SJ needle, they can insert it easily. However, as more years of experience of acupuncturists pass, more difficult for them to insert a needle. Why? Hint lays in the word "comparing with other needles" mentioned above. The difference between senior and fresh students are the difference of the amount of "common sense" of acupuncture sphere. If the difference of them is only the amount of practice, the senior students must take the advantage.
Moreover, I myself don't think that a SJ needle is not an especially-difficult-to-insert-needle. The difference between the easy-to-insert needle and the difficult-to-insert needle is not in the needle itself, but in the body of the recipient. This needle can be inserted anywhere in the body, so the stereotype that it is impossible to insert the SJ needle is irrelevant.
In other words, it is necessary to understand that it is you who accept the common sense of its difficulty of insertion and create its result. The common sense such as you have to needle in the painful area, incurable diseases, impossible to cure with acupuncture, these are what you accept and create the phenomena. You have to cross the border of such common sense. Here, coming back to the today's question, the answer is that you have to break the common sense that you have to insert a needle to be able to insert a SJ needle.
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| basic training of insertion (BL 40) The round needle tip Open the point with the thumb and index finger of Oshide. (1) Inserting skill (2) The ability to grasp change of the body Perpendicular to the skin |
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