The vital substances
Qi
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul.” – Genesis 2:17
“Qi is understood to be the intrinsic, dynamic, self-regulating and self-maintaining power of the organism. All healing in Chinese Medicine is directed, ultimately, at conserving, protecting, augmenting, restoring, and facilitating Qi.”
- Between Heaven and Earth by Harriet Beinfield and Efrem Korngold
Qi is the motive force behind your ability to move, see, hear, heal, digest, speak, love, and dream. It is the “spark” that keeps your heart beating, your blood circulating, and your brain thinking. It is the energy behind the phenomenal growth of a small child and the remarkable ability of the human body to heal from injury and disease. One translation of the word Qi is “that which animates life”—the presence of Qi is what distinguishes a living being from an inanimate object. The balanced, unobstructed flow of Qi is critical for health.
Qi serves 5 major functions:
- Activates and animates (metabolic function)
- Warms the body (thermogenic function)
- Protects and defends (immune function)
- Transforms and transports (digestive function)
- Contains and retains (circulatory function)
Meridians (also known as channels) are the pathways that conduct Qi throughout the body. Free flow along the fourteen major and innumerable minor meridians of the human body brings life-giving Qi to every cell of the body, including the muscles, nerves, and organs. An obstruction in a meridian is like a dam in a river or a kink in a hose – Qi builds up and overflows the normal boundaries of the meridian on one side; on the other side tissues lack nourishment. When there is an obstruction, energy stagnates on either side of the blockage and tissue function is impaired. If the blockage is sustained, pain and disease results. In Chinese there is a saying, “If there is pain, there is no free flow; if there is free flow, there is no pain.”
Blockages can be caused by injury, contagious diseases, emotional stress, lack of physical activity, excessive physical activity, overuse injuries, faulty diet, and many other factors. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are used to remove blockages, regulate Qi, and restore physiological and psychological equilibrium.
Yin and Yang
Yin and Yang is a concept based on the simple observation of the ancient Chinese people that many natural phenomena alternate between two opposite poles. For example, day (yang) turns into night (yin), summer (yang) turns into winter (yin), growth (yang) turns into decay (yin). Yin and yang are opposite yet interdependent forces – one cannot exist without the other. For example, there can be no cold without heat, no dryness without moisture, no activity without rest. In the human body, health is defined as a dynamic balance between yin and yang. Disease results when the body is unable to maintain equilibrium in response to internal and external fluctuations in the environment. Stimulation of acupuncture points restores the appropriate yin/yang balance in the meridians and enhances the ability of the body to maintain this equilibrium.
By the age of 40, half of the body’s yin has been consumed. This lack of cooling, moisturizing energy results in a relative excess of warming, drying yang energy. This imbalance is frequently referred to as “deficiency heat”. This is a commonly encountered phenomena in women as they age and approach menopause. As the yin becomes more and more deficient, women often develop symptoms such as night sweats, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, insomnia, and anxiety. These are all signs of yin deficiency – indications that there is not adequate yin to cool and moisturize the body tissues. Fortunately, this situation can be remedied with simple dietary, lifestyle, and herbal strategies.
Blood
In Chinese medicine, the term “Blood” refers to the western idea of blood (red liquid that flows in the circulatory system), as well as several additional functions. In this packet, when the term is capitalized (as in “Blood”) it will be in reference to the Chinese conception. When it is not capitalized (as in “blood”) it will be in reference to the western way of thinking. From the Chinese point of view, Blood is actually a form of denser, more material Qi. Blood flows in the veins and arteries, but it also flows in the meridians (along with Qi). Blood and Qi cannot be separated; Qi infuses life into Blood and without Qi, Blood would be an inert fluid. In the most basic terms, Blood is the substance that serves to nourish and moisten every cell in the body.
According to Chinese medical theory, Blood serves several major functions:
- Nourishes the body
- Moistens the tissues
- Forms the material foundation for the mind (when there is Blood deficiency, a person experiences “deficient restlessness”, which includes vague anxiety, slight irritability, and a feeling of dissatisfaction.)
Essence
Just as Blood is denser than Qi, Essence is denser than Blood. According to Bob Flaws, “Essence is the most fundamental, essential material the body uses for its growth, maturation, and reproduction.”
There are two forms of Essence. The “Pre-Heaven Essence” is inherited from our parents and is formed at the time of conception. It is stored in the Kidney, which forms the foundation for the function of all the other internal organs. The concept of Pre-Heaven Essence corresponds roughly to the western notion of genetics, and it determines our basic constitution, strength, and vitality. We are each born with a finite amount of Pre-Heaven Essence and when it is gone, we die. It is important for us to live in a way that protects this limited resource. “Fast living”, including poor diet, stress, too little sleep, caffeine, too much sex, drugs, and alcohol are factors that accelerate our expenditure of Pre-Heaven Essence. Living in a way that minimizes the withdrawals from our “Pre-Heaven Essence Account” is important for long-term health. This is especially important for individuals who are born with a limited amount of Pre-Heaven Essence (or weak constitutions).
Interestingly enough, the Hebrew word for “inner parts” in Psalm 139:13 refers to the kidney. This implies that more than one ancient culture saw the kidney as fundamental to human life.
“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous, and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (emphasis added)
Psalm 139:13-16
The Post-Heaven Essence is formed on a daily basis from the food we eat, the liquids we drink, and the air we breathe. Fortunately, a strong Post-Heaven Essence that is formed from excellent diet, restful sleep, and proper exercise can partially make up for a weak constitution or past indiscretions.
Because Essence forms the basis for reproduction, adequate reserves of Essence are critical for conception and healthy pregnancy. According to Chinese medicine, a baby conceived at a time when either parent is weakened by illness, fatigue, or old age is likely to be born with weak Pre-Heaven Essence, which will result in a weak constitution and a greater likelihood of congenital malformations or other health difficulties.
Chinese Organ Functions
From a Chinese viewpoint, it is probably more accurate to refer to the function of “organ networks” rather than “organs”. This is because the Chinese view of organs includes a set of physiological and psychological functions that goes far beyond the western anatomical view. The sphere of influence of each organ network includes tissues, meridians, sense organs, mental faculties, and emotional states.
In Chinese medicine, there are 12 major organs. They are:
- Lung (Lu)
- Large Intestine (LI)
- Stomach (St)
- Spleen (Sp)
- Heart (HT)
- Small Intestine (SI)
- Urinary Bladder (UB)
- Kidney (Kid)
- Pericardium (PC)
- San Jiao (SJ)
- Gall Bladder (GB)
- Liver (Liv)
Six of these organs are hollow (LI, St, SI, UB, SJ, GB) and six are solid (Lu, Sp, HT, Kid, PC, Liv). The hollow organs are categorized as yang. This is because their function includes filling and emptying, which are yang functions. The solid organs are categorized as yin. This is because their main function is storage, which is a yin function. As a general rule, the yin organs are much more important when we consider disease diagnosis and treatment. Although it is possible for yang organs to be out of balance, they are usually out of balance as a result of a yin organ disharmony. For this reason, we will only refer to the yin organs for the remainder of this course.
Illness, Pain, and Disease According to Chinese Medicine
According to Chinese medical thought, pain and disease are the result of disruption of the flow of Qi to various parts of the body. This disruption may be caused by:
- Infection
- Injury
- Overuse
- Inactivity
- Weak constitution
- Excessive sexual activity
- Parasites or poisons
- Poor diet
- Excessive emotions and/or stress