Category: Excerpts

Phase Element Fire

Fire is one of the five phases of the five-element doctrine (Wu Xing), which describes the laws of natural phenomena. This theory is applied in practice, for example in acupuncture.

Phase Element Fire | Functional Circuits | Pulse Quality

The Chinese character Li [Fire] actually means to leave, to separate, to be distant[. …] Etymologically the character’s radical shows a short-tailed bird next to it a bird-catcher: a hand holding a net (Wang, p. 68). The bird is caught in the meshes of a net. Popularly Li refers to a golden oriole. Lorenzen 1998, 4
Weiterlesen: Phase Element Fire

Phase Element Metal

Metal is one of the five phases of the five-element doctrine (Wu Xing), which describes the laws of natural phenomena. This theory is applied in practice, for example in acupuncture.

Phase Element Fire | Functional Circuits | Pulse Quality

Metal, as an element of Chinese nature philosophy, here is described as a quality that can flexibly adapt to a mold (ie, as molten metal) and then become hard and thus useful. Changeability and alteration between solid and liquid states corresponds to metal and accounts for its benefit. Lorenzen 1994, 21, 205-219
Weiterlesen: Phase Element Metal

Phase Element Earth

Earth is one of the five phases of the five-element doctrine (Wu Xing), which describes the laws of natural phenomena. This theory is applied in practice, for example in acupuncture.

Phase Element Earth | Functional Circuits | Pulse Quality

Earth, our center of safety and security, is the foundation for maturing our relationships with others. Only a sense of self, an accordance with ourselves, gives us the opportunity to relate and bond with others. It is the definition of the Self in relationship to and differentiation from the environment. It is a Self that draws its power from loyalty to mother earth, from a feeling of being safe, nurtured, accepted. From having a home to retreat to, no longer striving and acting, but absorbing strength and peace and security within oneself.
Weiterlesen: Phase Element Earth

Phase Element Water

Water is one of the five phases of the five-element doctrine (Wu Xing), which describes the laws of natural phenomena. This theory is applied in practice, for example in acupuncture.

Phase Element Water | Functional Circuits | Pulse Quality

Well, in man the phase element water corresponds to plant seeds in nature, which rest in the soil during winter until new growth in spring, preserving the year’s essence, the most valuable of any previous existence. It’s like our own collective existence which we owe to our roots, our basis for new growth. As long as we still have a connection to our past, as long as we are aware of our roots, we can draw life power from them.
Weiterlesen: Phase Element Water

Phase Element Wood

Wood is one of the five phases of the five-element doctrine (Wu Xing), which describes the laws of natural phenomena. This theory is applied in practice, for example in acupuncture.

Phase Element Fire | Functional Circuits | Pulse Quality

Wood means to be deeply rooted in the earth, just like a tree, and to strive towards the sky, fire, absolute Yang.
The wood phase within a person guarantees a free and powerful flow of energy. It lets a person turn outward, open to the outside world through his/her eyes, to behold and grasp the environment, and finally engage in it with the help of muscles and tendons. Lorenzen 1994, 216-217

Weiterlesen: Phase Element Wood

Wang Bi: The Images Stem from the Ideas

The images stem from the ideas. The words make the images clear. In order to fully express the ideas, there is nothing better than words. The words are a result of the images. This is why you can see the images by looking at the words. The images are dominated by the ideas. This is why you can see the ideas by examining the images. The ideas are fully captured by the images and the images made clear by the words. Therefore, the words are intended to explain the images; once you have captured the images, you can forget the words. The images are intended to explore the ideas; once you have captured the ideas, you can forget the images.
Weiterlesen: Wang Bi: The Images Stem from the Ideas

Lama Anagarika Govinda: The Inner Structure of the I-Ching

The most striking feature of the Book of Changes is that it is not looking for the unchangeable and eternal, ie not for something that corresponds to man’s desire to maintain his identity in a constantly changing and transitory world, but that change itself is declared basic principle of the universe. The Chinese did not fall victim to the wish-born thought
Weiterlesen: Lama Anagarika Govinda: The Inner Structure of the I-Ching

Shen

What is Shen? You cannot perceive Shen through your ears. You must have excellent eyesight and an open and tender heart, so that Shen, spirit, communicates through your consciousness. Spirit cannot communicate through the mouth, but through the heart. To capture Shen, you must look very closely, and suddenly you will come to what there is to capture. But just as quickly you will again loose this kind of knowledge. Shen communicates with man just like the wind that suddenly clears all clouds. And that is why in this case we speak of Shen. Huangdi Neijing Suwen, Chap. 36
Weiterlesen: Shen

The classics say that Qi follows Yi and manifests itself as a result. Everything that is, has previously existed as an intention (Yi). In this context Wu Wei signifies to be with intention or to have intention. However, Wu Wei does not mean to do nothing at all.

Intention should not be mistaken for will.

Weiterlesen: Yi

Daoism and Confucianism in TCM

Besides some aspects such as demon or ancestral medicine, the roots of Chinese medicine practiced today developed approximately around 500 to 200 after the turn of the eras. After Zhou Dynasty the social and political structure of China collapsed. During the Warring States Period statesmen and philosophers were concerned with the question how to acquire happiness and well-being for both state and individual. Kongzi [Confucius] and Lao Zi,
Weiterlesen: Daoism and Confucianism in TCM

Bibliography

— Anagarika, Govinda. 1983. Die innere Struktur des I-Ging. Freiburg im Breisgau: Aurum.
— Bordt, Michael. 2017. Die Kunst, die Eltern zu enttäuschen: Vom Mut zum selbstbestimmten Leben. München: Elisabeth Sandmann Verlag.
— Bordt, Michael. 2018. Die Kunst, sich selbst zu verstehen Den Weg ins eigene Leben finden. Ein philosophisches Plädoyer. 1. Auflage. München: Elisabeth Sandmann Verlag.
— Brodde, August. 1976. Ratschläge für den Akupunkteur. Pflaum.
— Clarke, J. J. 1997. C. G. Jung und der östliche Weg. Zürich: Walter.
— Connelly, Dianne M. 1995. Traditionelle Akupunktur: Das Gesetz der Fünf Elemente. Heidelberg: Endrich.
— Dsi, Dschuang. n.d. “True Scripture of Southern Florescence.” http://ctext.org/zhuangzi/nourishing-the-lord-of-life.
— Dsi, Dschuang. 1986. Das wahre Buch vom südlichen Blütenland. Translated by Richard Wilhelm. Köln: Diederichs.
— Fiedeler, Frank. 1996. Yijing. München: Diederichs.
— Frick, Eckhard. 2015. Psychosomatische Anthropologie. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.
— Hammer, Leon. 2000. Psychologie & Chinesische Medizin: Zukunftsweisende Erkenntnisse über das energetische Zusammenspiel von Emotionen und Körperfunktionen. Sulzberg: Joy-Verl.
— Hertzer, Dominique. 1996. Das alte und das neue Yijing. Die Wandlungen des Buches der Wandlungen. München: Diederichs.
— Hertzer, Dominique. 1996. Das Mawangdui-Yijing. Text und Deutung. München: Diederichs.
— Hicks, Angela. 2008. Konstitutionelle Akupunktur nach den Fünf Wandlungsphasen; München ; Jena: Elsevier, Urban & Fischer.
— Hicks, Angela, John Hicks, and Peter Mole. 2008. Konstitutionelle Akupunktur nach den Fünf Wandlungsphasen. München: Urban & Fischer Verlag.
— Kaatz, Debra. 2005. Characters of Wisdom: Taoist Tales of the Acupuncture Points. The Petite Bergerie Press.
— Kaatz, Debra. 2009. Receiving Spirit: The Practice of Five Element Acupuncture. The Petite Bergerie Press.
— Lorenzen, Udo. 2000. Die Wandlungsphasen der Traditionellen Chinesischen Medizin: Wasser. 5 Wasser. München: Müller & Steinicke.
— Lorenzen, Udo. 1996. Die Wandlungsphasen der Traditionellen Chinesischen Medizin: Erde. 3 Erde. München: Müller & Steinicke.
— Lorenzen, Udo. 1998. Die Wandlungsphasen der Traditionellen Chinesischen Medizin: Feuer. 4 Feuer. München: Müller & Steinicke.
— Lorenzen, Udo. 1994. Die Wandlungsphasen der Traditionellen Chinesischen Medizin: Metall. 2 Metall. München: Müller & Steinicke.
— Lorenzen, Udo. 2002. Die Wandlungsphasen der Traditionellen Chinesischen Medizin: Holz. 1 Holz. München: Müller und Steinicke.
— Lowenthal, Wolfe. 1997. An der Pforte zum Wunderbaren. Hamburg: Kolibri.
— Lowenthal, Wolfe. 1997. Es gibt keine Geheimnisse. Hamburg: Kolibri.
— Möller, Hans-Georg. 2010. In der Mitte des Kreises. Daoistisches Denken. Berlin: Verlag der Weltreligionen im Insel Verlag.
— Ni, Maoshing. 2008. “Der Gelbe Kaiser”: Das Grundlagenwerk der Traditionellen Chinesischen Medizin. Fischer-Taschenbuch-Verlag.
— Porkert, Manfred. 1986. Die chinesische Medizin. Düsseldorf: Econ.
— Rogers, Carl R. 2016. Entwicklung der Persönlichkeit: Psychotherapie aus der Sicht eines Therapeuten. Translated by Jacqueline Giere. Stuttgart: Klett-Cotta.
— Schmid, Martin. 2002. Taiji – Die Innere Kraft von Himmel und Erde. Ahlerstedt: Param.
— Vogelsang, Kai. 2012. Geschichte Chinas. Stuttgart: Reclam.
— Watts, Alan. 1983. Der Lauf des Wassers. Berlin: Suhrkamp.
— Wilhelm, Richard. 1989. I Ging. Das Buch der Wandlungen. München: Diederichs.
— Wilhelm, Richard. 1989. I Ching or Book of Changes. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
— Worsley, J. R. 1994. Akupunktur. Heilung für Dich. Neue Erde.
— Worsley, J. R. 2000. Was Ist Akupunktur?: Gesundheit für den ganzen Menschen. Neue Erde.
— Zimmermann, Georg. 2007. I Ging – Das Buch der Wandlungen. Düsseldorf: Patmos.
— Zimmermann, Georg. 2003. I Ging. Diederichs Kompakt. Kreuzlingen: Hugendubel.

Translations: by the author