The first class in the cosmology series by Heiner Fruehaf. He basically laid out the philosophical foundations for the material we're about to study; ideas that are both relatively foreign to "western" thinking as well as integral to the Chinese medicine framework.
One of the central ideas was of the nature of reality and man and the idea of "levels of reality": This map of reality has 5 realms which start with the dao, which can be thought of as the world before it was manifested; the ultimate energetic and ethereal realm. On the opposite end is Qi, the material world (the character for Qi is a vessel surrounded by 4 dogs which might represent the guarding of earthly possessions). In the middle is the realm called Xiang, halfway in between the realms of energy and matter. This is the realm in which chinese medicine operates in.
Hierarchies of thought, of energy, reality thus play an integral role in the medicine. "Energy informs matter" and thus the root of any physical manifestation can be considered to be a primarily energetic and spiritual phenomenon. The highest level of physician, "Shang Gong", can operate and influence the patient on this energetic level, where the lowest type of physician, "xia gong", has only the capability to practice "cook book medicine", looking up specific remedies for physical symptoms without necessarily addressing the underlying energetic cause.
Because the very nature of reality is so elusive in this worldview, the study of Chinese Medicine makes great use of symbols. The organs as specified in Chinese medicine are not the literal structures in the body but rather symbolic descriptions of functional energetic patterns. Thus, "every cell has a liver". Each organ is described with several different symbolic frameworks in order to shed light on different facets of its nature.
Showing posts with label heiner fruehaf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heiner fruehaf. Show all posts
Friday, October 2, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
classical chinese medicine: lecture on the heart by heiner fruehaf
today i went to a CE workshop led by one of my favorite professors here at NCNM (who played a large part in my decision to attend), Dr. Heiner Fruehaf. he talked about the role of the heart and emotions in chinese medicine. the lecture was difficult to grasp in its entirety, so i won't sum it up, but here are some of the main ideas:
the heart as the ultimate sensory organ: the heart is the receptor / vessel / antennae for extrasensory, heavenly information (such as one's life purpose, without which illness will definitely occur) and as such rules the other sensitive areas such as the eyes, tongue, hands, feet, etc. it is through the heart that we can sense that which is beyond the material realm.
the emotions facilitating the heart's communication: emotions arise in response to the heart's "receptor sites" being stimulated. if one is present with the emotions they can be used to help develop our sensitivity towards what the heart is trying to perceive.
the emotions as an evolutionary manifestation: the ability of humanity to feel such emotions via the heart is the main difference between us and the animals. whereas animals have just one nature, the animal nature (which, though it is not spiritual, is in touch with the universe), humanity has three levels in its consciousness: animal nature, the heart, and the spirit / true nature.
the potential for de-evolution: there is always the possibility and in fact the probability that instead of using emotions to facilitate the heart's communication beyond the material realm, we can get trapped in feedback loops that are self-limiting. emotions can become reactions which can become patterns which can become rigid and trap the individual from communicating with his/her true purpose.
blame as the "axis" for emotions: learning to accept responsibility for one's circumstance and relationships rather than blaming others is a crucial turning point in one's emotional life and can liberate the individual to truly affect change in their own life.
some quotes:
"the purpose of ritual is to point to a sacred reality"
"the heart is a receiver of purpose and subtle realities... every place that is very sensitive belongs to the heart"
"if you have no purpose in your life, you will get ill"
"consciousness governs energy, and energy governs matter"
"the most important thing in holistic medicine is to not ever take hope away from the patient"
"we shut our spirits off with doubt"
"for some reason, we venerate our small patterns instead of letting go of them and receiving the larger patterns of the universe"
"modernity is a condition that is heightening the animal needs"
"in order to get true joy, you need to first be able to eat bitter"
"learn what it means to be a filial son or daughter of the universe"
"we are meant to use the emotions as functions of the heart to be in touch with higher realities"
"[qigong] shaking is a form of daily hygeine that is much more important than brushing our teeth- we shake our negative emotions away before they take root"
the heart as the ultimate sensory organ: the heart is the receptor / vessel / antennae for extrasensory, heavenly information (such as one's life purpose, without which illness will definitely occur) and as such rules the other sensitive areas such as the eyes, tongue, hands, feet, etc. it is through the heart that we can sense that which is beyond the material realm.
the emotions facilitating the heart's communication: emotions arise in response to the heart's "receptor sites" being stimulated. if one is present with the emotions they can be used to help develop our sensitivity towards what the heart is trying to perceive.
the emotions as an evolutionary manifestation: the ability of humanity to feel such emotions via the heart is the main difference between us and the animals. whereas animals have just one nature, the animal nature (which, though it is not spiritual, is in touch with the universe), humanity has three levels in its consciousness: animal nature, the heart, and the spirit / true nature.
the potential for de-evolution: there is always the possibility and in fact the probability that instead of using emotions to facilitate the heart's communication beyond the material realm, we can get trapped in feedback loops that are self-limiting. emotions can become reactions which can become patterns which can become rigid and trap the individual from communicating with his/her true purpose.
blame as the "axis" for emotions: learning to accept responsibility for one's circumstance and relationships rather than blaming others is a crucial turning point in one's emotional life and can liberate the individual to truly affect change in their own life.
some quotes:
"the purpose of ritual is to point to a sacred reality"
"the heart is a receiver of purpose and subtle realities... every place that is very sensitive belongs to the heart"
"if you have no purpose in your life, you will get ill"
"consciousness governs energy, and energy governs matter"
"the most important thing in holistic medicine is to not ever take hope away from the patient"
"we shut our spirits off with doubt"
"for some reason, we venerate our small patterns instead of letting go of them and receiving the larger patterns of the universe"
"modernity is a condition that is heightening the animal needs"
"in order to get true joy, you need to first be able to eat bitter"
"learn what it means to be a filial son or daughter of the universe"
"we are meant to use the emotions as functions of the heart to be in touch with higher realities"
"[qigong] shaking is a form of daily hygeine that is much more important than brushing our teeth- we shake our negative emotions away before they take root"
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