The traditional oriental view of health is quite different from the modern, technological medicine in the West. In Eastern philosophy, illness is placed in the context of a holistic approach to life, and in particular the concept of an energy-based system, from the idea of a universal energy, or the highest level of spirituality, down to the lowest forms of life, much of Eastern ideology is an energetic one, with all parts of the human body interconnected and infused with a vital energy, and all life-forms similarly interdependent on an exchange of energies.
These concepts have led to the development of traditional therapeutic systems, such as acupuncture in China, and Shiatsu or acupressure in Japan.
We all know that the first written documents of massage were found in China and the massage therapy has very deep roots in that country. What is less known is that Tibet, Mongolia and Thailand have also been practising massage techniques that are very effective and popular. Shiatsu, the Japanese therapy, is globally accepted and is very popular in the West. So are acupressure and acupuncture.
To know about the Oriental therapies, one must know a little about the Oriental philosophy. Most of these therapies are based on the common principles of ‘Yin and Yang’, ‘The Five Elements’ and ‘Chi’. Whether it is the medicine, therapies or the Feng-Shui, everything is based on these basic principles, so it is very useful to know a little about them.
The idea of harmony and balance are the basis of Yin and Yang. The belief that the opposing, but complementary forces of yin and yang govern each person is central to all Chinese thought because it is believed to affect everything in the universe, including us.
Traditionally, yin is dark, passive, feminine, cold and negative; yang is light, active, male, warm and positive. Modern therapists would simply say that there are two sides to everything – happy and sad, tired and energetic, cold and hot.
Yin and yang are the opposites that make the whole, they cannot exist without each other and nothing is ever completely one or the other; there are varying degrees of each within everything and everybody. The Tai chi symbol illustrates how they flow into each other with a little yin always within yang and a little yang always within yin. The same happens within the body after exercise (yang) the body wants to rest (yin), after a fever breaks (yang), you get chills (yin) and within the head (yang) the mind is yin.
The body, mind and emotions are all subjects to the influences of yin and yang. When the two opposing forces are in balance, we feel good, but if one force dominates the other, it brings about an imbalance that can result in ill health.
Yin and yang are also part of the eight principles of traditional Chinese medicine. The other six are – cold and hot, internal and external, deficiency and excess. These principles allow the practitioner to use yin and yang more precisely in order to bring more detail into his diagnosis.
The Five Elements
The yin and yang philosophy was further refined into the system of the five elements to gain a deeper understanding of how the body, mind and spirit work. The five elements have numerous associations. Among other things, each one is related to a season, an organ, a taste, a colour, a smell, an emotion, a body part and even a grain.
The system is a complex one, based on the belief chat life is an ever-changing process. It is probably most simply explained in terms of seasonal change and the smooth cyclic process of nature. The five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water relate to the seasons in the following way: wood to spring, fire to summer, earth to late summer, metal to autumn, and water to winter.
Each element then flows into the next in the same way that one season, slowly gives way to another. In the same way a seed planted in spring, blooms in summer, seeds itself in late summer to autumn, dies in winter, and a new seed grows again in spring. It is part of a never-ending cycle and each phase has its role to play in maintaining the balance of nature.
The same process of change occurs within the body. Cells grow and die to make way for new cells, and body systems depend upon each other in a similar way to the seasons, working together to ensure the balanced functioning of the body, mind and spirit and the healthy flow of life through the whole person.
Within the person, the five phases relate to organs and the emotions associated with those organs. For example, summer is connected to the fire element, which contains the heart, the small intestines, the heart protector (pericardium) and the three heater (the body’s physical and emotional thermostat). The heart protector is often associated with physical heart problems such as palpitation or angina, while the heart itself is related to a more spiritual, mental and emotional concerns.
Most importantly, the heart is the home of Shen. Shen is the spirit, the driving force of the mind and the personality, and ruler of all organs. It is forever changing and developing and is as vital to the mind and emotions as the heart is to the body.
Each one of us possesses all five elements. When we are functioning well, all elements are in balance. Ill health arises from a weakness or excess of one of the elements, which throws the rest of the body out of balance. The imbalance is demonstrated by a specific colour, tone of voice, smell, taste, season, inappropriate emotional behaviour and ultimately physical illness.
The thrust of five-element diagnosis is to isolate and treat the imbalanced element, because an imbalanced element is like a weak link in your energetic chain that can undermine the strength of your body, mind and spirit.
The ‘Chi’ Concept
Inner harmony relies on a healthy, balanced and unobstructed flow of Chi. Chi could be described as the vital energy or life force, which drives every cell of the body. It supports, nourishes and defends the whole person against mental, physical and emotional disease. It is an invisible, intangible flow of energy, which modern researchers have described in terms of electromagnetic energy. Chi flows around the body in invisible channels known as meridians. There are twelve main meridians, six of which are yin and six are yang and numerous minor ones, which form a network of energy channels throughout the body.
Each meridian is related to, and named after an organ or function, the main ones are – the lung, kidney, gall bladder, stomach, spleen, heart, small intestine, large intestine, urinary bladder, sanjiao (three heater) and pericardium (heart protector).
When Chi flows freely through the meridians, the body is balanced and healthy, but if the energy becomes blocked, stagnated or weakened, it can result in physical, mental or emotional ill health.
An imbalance in a person’s body can result from inappropriate emotional responses such as excess anger, over-excitement, self pity, deep grief and fear.
Other factors, which are what the Chinese call the ‘pernicious external influences’, are cold, damp/humidity, wind, dryness, and heat. Any one or more of the internal and external factors can upset the balance of Chi by making it too hot, too cold, excessive, deficient, too fast, stagnant or causing it to become blocked. Other causes are wrong diet, too much sex, overwork, and too much exercise.
It is this imbalance of Chi that has to be restored to bring health to a person. This restoration can be done through various methods like acupuncture, massage, acupressure etc. If the Chi is too cold, it needs to be warmed and if it is blocked it has to be unblocked, if it is too weak, it has to be strengthened. Once balanced, physical, mental and emotional good health is restored.
Yin-yang and Aromatherapy Massage
The physical and mental disorders of the individual too often reflect imbalances in the world at large. In Chinese medicine it was deemed important to bring the energy of the body into balance with the natural environment. Disease was attributable to changes brought about by the weather, the seasons or personal infringement of the natural law.
The health and sense of well-being of the individual is in direct relationship with his or her social and environmental matrix. This includes such factors as the quality of our food and water, the air we breathe, weather conditions, relaxation, sleep, work, exercise and relationships of all kinds.
In our current attempt to control, manipulate and exploit both natural and human ‘resources’, often solely in the search of short-term profit, we are violating laws that will only lead to a rising incidence of physical and mental ill-health. Many of our illnesses today are related to stresses, such as increased pressure in working and family life and the increasing toxicity in our food, air and water in the form of complex cocktails of chemicals and radiations.
As individuals, we have certain immediate choices we can make in regard to our health, such as how much we choose to smoke or drink or how much exercise we take. Ultimately, however, we may have to look further at the wider political and economic structures, if we are to achieve a society, which is more in tune with natural forces and more caring of our health and well-being.
If we look at the principles of Chinese medicine we see that, like everything else in the universe, our bodies can be classified according to the two distinct forces of Yin and Yang. These forces are in constant interplay. The Yin force is more substantial and is associated with the interior front and lower parts of the body. It moistens and cools. It is associated with night and darkness and promotes relaxation and sleep. Yin is more heavy and material and will condense and contract. It is associated with the earth, the moon, autumn, winter, decrease and inwardness.
A person, who is deficient in Yin may suffer slight fever or feelings of heat in the late afternoon, night sweating and a dry throat at night, difficulty in sleeping, anxiety and restlessness. The tongue will be red, peeled and cracked. This is because the cooling, moistening and grounding aspects of Yin are not apparent.
Aromatherapy can be combined wonderfully, to work with the yin and yang theory. The use of oils of rose and geranium help to support the function of Yin. These oils are often used during the menopause, when the Yin energy of the woman is depleted.
Yang is associated with the back, exterior and upper parts of the body. It is energising, moving and less substantial. It is hot and dry and associated with day, the sun, spring, summer, increase and expansion. If Yang in the body is deficient, the person may be cold, pale, depressed and lethargic. The tongue will be pale with a white coating and the pulse weak.
Essential oils, which promote Yang in the body, are warm, tonifying oils such as ginger, rosemary, thyme and cinnamon. These are herbs and spices we instinctively used in winter to counteract the cold Yin time of year along with warming, cooked food.
If Yang is in excess, there will be too much heat and activity in the body resulting in fever, burning pains, inflammation, dryness, red tongue and rapid pulse. The differences between excess Yang and deficient Yin is that one is a ‘full’ overactive condition and the other an ’empty’ depleted condition.
Essential oils to counteract excess Yang are cooling, moistening oils such as lavender, lemon, camomile and melissa. Our diet should have a preponderance of raw, cooling foods such as salads and fruit.
Yin and Yang are relative terms and the aim of the practitioner is always to achieve a greater sense of equilibrium. There is however, never a point of stasis. The universe is seen to be in constant flux between these two forces, as night follows day and autumn and winter follow spring and summer. Autumn and winter were seen as times of rest, when we should sleep longer and conserve our energy. Spring and summer were times of increased work and activity.
In our hectic modern world we no longer allow for such observances. Electric light enables us to work both day and night indiscriminately and the grind of work and time schedules goes on with a relentlessness, which holds no regard for the seasons. Few bosses would be impressed if we demanded a shorter working day in the winter because it was cold and dark and our bodies needed more rest!