Meridians, Points + Chinese Medicine
Boost your Qi with Medicinal Qi Tonic Porridges
In Chinese Medicine, the body and mind function through the interaction of the “vital substances.” The vital substances are Qi, Blood (Xue), Essence (Jing), Spirit (Shen), and Body Fluids (Jin Ye). These substances are defined not so much by their location as by their function (similar to the TCM organs). ...
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Feeling Sluggish, Heavy and Bloated? Support your Spleen!
In Taoism and Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the power of the Spleen is vital for digestive health and overall energy. In TCM, the Spleen is considered much more than an immune system organ. Along with the stomach, it’s primarily responsible for digestion and assimilation, which means it’s a key component ...
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Yoga Practice for Kidney Qi
Yoga Sequence to Support Kidney Qi Within Chinese Medicine, the Kidneys are paired with the Urinary Bladder and are related to the water element. The Kidneys are sometimes referred to as the “Root of Life”, and are considered very important due to their impact on overall energy levels and stamina. ...
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Late Fall Self Care: The Season of Slowing and Rooting
The plants dive into the ground now, their deep roots growing beneath us, seeking nourishment from the mineral-rich soil below. This is the slowing and rooting of late fall. The mist has settled in the valley in my little corner of the world, my winter squash has been picked off ...
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Food as Medicine || Using the Five Flavours of Chinese Medicine
“If people pay attention to the five flavours and blend them well, Qi and Xue (Blood) will circulate freely, and breath and bones will be filled with the essence of life.” Huang Di Nei Jing Earth based medical systems like Traditional Chinese Medicine recognize high quality whole foods can be ...
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Late Summer Self Care: The Golden Season of Nourishment
Here in the valley where I live the abundance of late summer is on full display. We still have more weeks of hot weather, but I can already feel the shift towards the earth element. My garden basket is brimming with late summer tomatoes and basil, and the squashes are ...
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How to Build Yin (and why it’s so important!) According to Traditional Chinese Medicine
The holistic philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches that we each need a balance of yin and yang for overall health and wellbeing. In the body and mind, yin is easily depleted by overwork, stress, and other factors. Similar to Ojas in Ayurvedic medicine, yin is closely related to growth, ...
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Healing the Heart – Mind with Rose Medicine
Summer is in full swing here, and I’ve been enjoying the arrival of swifts and swallows swooping through the air, the lengthening evenings, and warm air. This time of year it’s a delight to make medicine with wild rose which is plentiful and popping up everywhere in meadows and ditches ...
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Calm Heart & Clear Mind | Healing the Shen with Food as Medicine
Within Chinese Medicine, we use the term Shen to describe a person’s spirit or consciousness. This spirit is said to be visible in the spark of our eyes, and its energetic health determines how we connect with ourselves and each other. The Shen, and more generally the Heart-Mind system, is ...
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Pericardium and Triple Burner Meridians for Yoga
In Chinese Medicine, the Pericardium and Triple Burner (San Jiao) are paired. When looking at the organs through the lens of Chinese Medicine, it’s important to remember that Chinese Medicine is concerned with relationships, interactions, and functions more than physical location. So whenever the organs are discussed in Chinese Medicine, ...
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