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Cun means “inch” A Cun (“tsoon”) is an important reference for locating acupoints. In order to locate acupoints, you must understand how to measure the body using cun. How big is a cun? One cun is equivalent to the width of your thumb. Notice that I said the width of your thumb. A cun measurement…
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Kidney Yang is like the Winter Sun The Kidneys are associated with the Water Element. Winter is the season of the Water Element. Yang refers to light, the Sun, heat, and fire. So, “Kidney Yang” may seem like a paradox at first glance. Every Organ has both a Yin and Yang aspect. To understand Kidney Yang, observe the…
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Liver Qi Stagnation is the cause of many ailments. Tight muscles, headaches, jaw tension, and sciatica often have the same root cause: Liver Qi Stagnation. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, manifested ailments arise from energetic imbalances. This energy is called Qi (“chee”) in Chinese medicine. You may also see Qi spelled as Chi. Qi…
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The nose is the sense organ of the Lungs. Every organ system has an associated sense organ. Classical Chinese medicine is more poetic, and writes that these sense organs are the “flowers” of the associated organ system. Since the lungs are all about breathing, it is easy to understand that the nose is the flower of the…
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Everything is changing all of the time. Notice the changes. Seasons are changing, one into another every moment of every day. We don’t usually notice the small transitions leading into a new season, until it has become very obvious – we know it’s winter when the snow falls. Calendars and clocks track time. Tracking time is a…
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Digesting new ideas is just like digesting a new meal. Let’s talk about how the spleen’s energy supports learning. First, we cut it up into bite-sized chunks, then we chew for a while and then we swallow. What happens after we swallow our food is a bit of mystery, yet we trust the process. Learning…
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Sensing Qi has been the key to transforming my massage practice. Once I learned how to utilize Qi in my hands-on work, I started getting better results for my clients and creating more ease in my own body. The most common questions I get while teaching about acupoints and meridians are: How do I know…
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Question: My friend was in a severe car accident and was placed in a medically induced coma. She is slowly being weaned off of sedation and showing good signs of recovery, except that she recently has pneumonia. Are there any points you can suggest to help my friend? My response: I would consider two things: First, they…
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Too much energy in the head can result in feeling anxious, overwhelmed, distracted, hyperactive, and unable to sleep. Every part of our body from head to toe requires energy. This energy, known as Qi (“chee”) in Chinese medicine, can get out of balance. An excess amount of energy in the upper part of the body…
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Qi. Qi (“chee”) is the basis of Chinese Medicine. Western medicine has no equivalent notion of Qi. Qi is the difference between Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine. As energy, Qi is unseen and unmeasurable with the technology of western medicine. Western medicine has a mastery of the physical, “seeable”, measurable parts of the human body. However,…
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