Oriental Medicine

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The vastness of Oriental Medicine’s perspective is difficult for the western mind to grasp. Far more than a system of diagnosis and treatment of symptoms of the lower bodies (physical, emotional, and mental), Oriental Medicine embodies a deep and intricate comprehension of the entire sojourn of these bodies — from preceding birth, to death and beyond. All things in the physical world are finite, of course, yet the world view of Oriental Medicine appears to expand endlessly if one cares to look in its direction. So broad is this perspective that many lifetimes can be consumed in probing its nuances, before one’s gaze is eventually drawn upward to glimpse the incomprehensible, true purpose of our existence on this plane.

 

The Most Mature System of Medicine
In the World Today

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Most readers, however, are likely drawn to this page in search of something more tangible in the way of relief from some form of suffering. Hopefully, one will find something here helpful to their search. The importance of beginning with an overview originating from the broadest perspective available is paramount, however, for the true origin and the permanent cure for our maladies neither begins with some random physical event, nor ends with physical modalities of worldly medicine. As we seek succor, our results will be more rewarding if we can maintain this vantage point.

If you leave this page with only one understanding, let it be that Oriental Medicine is, and has been for thousands of years, a highly sophisticated, coherent system of medicine — not a hodgepodge bag of “try this” folk remedies from “alternative medicine”. The difference between these realities is monumental.

So let us begin to unwrap and explore this gift from the East. The great traditions of Oriental Medicine — Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean, Tibetan — all share common principles:

• Human beings, like all else in our physical universe, are composed of and ruled by the forces of duality: yang and yin, active and passive, hot and cold, male and female, light and dark, dry and damp. The list is almost endless because our entire universe is dual. Nothing can exist here without its counterpart.
• These forces are continually changing and seeking balance — ebbing and flowing, transforming from yin into yang, from yang into yin. For instance, if there is too much yang in one's life, imbalance exists. And if this trend is allowed to continue, extreme yang will collapse and transform into yin. A man with high blood pressure, an excessive diet, and an angry countenance (all yang elements) may experience this principle in the form of a stroke (extreme yin). When balance is not present, disease exists. And nature will seek a balance, even if it is death.
• Imbalance in any area of one's life will manifest disease. From the oriental perspective, there is no separation between the physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. Each is part of the constitution and affects the others.

Viewing from this perspective, all the traditions of Oriental Medicine seek to heal by bringing balance and harmony to the client's life. The diagnostic techniques, as well as the treatment modalities, all achieve their remarkable effects by performing this simple task, this solitary mission. Disease cannot exist where balance dwells.

The disciplines of Oriental Medicine are myriad, and one finds each of them blending into all other aspects of oriental life and viewpoint. They all spring from the same source. Of these endless disciplines, however, the four pillars of Oriental Medicine are acupuncture, herbal medicine, diet, and spirit — not necessarily in that order.

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Books which eloquently present a view of the world of Oriental Medicine to the neophyte include:

• Between Heaven and Earth
• Acupuncture: How It Works, How It Cures

If you care to explore the medicine more deeply, some of its modalities, listed below, may interest you.