Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)
The name may sound something archaic or old. Many might reject the benefits calling it "Pseudo-science", but like Yoga, this is experiential. You can appreciate the benefits only when you have done the procedures yourself. It may take some time to reach the subtlety from gross exercises. The more you know, the better it will be during the practice. One can also observe the nuances during practicing TCM.
This is more than 3500 years old. Still we are talking about this..That means something is important.
Common Methods:
Acupuncture, Cupping therapy, Gua sha, Massage (tui na), Bonesetter (die-da), Exercise (qigong), Herbal medicine and Dietary therapy
Basic Process:
The Tao/Dao. Yin-Yang characteristics.
Vital life force - Chi/Qi circulating through channels i.e. meridians. Meridians are connected to body organs and functions.
Meridians:
The path through which Qi flows. Click to enlarge the image.
Yin-Yang:
The basic mistake people make is to tell yin is woman and yang is man. It's about the characteristics. Yin defines the feminine characteristics (Present in men too); Yang defines the masculine characteristics (Present in women too).
Very similar to Carl Jung's Anima - Animus.
Celestial bodies - Moon - Sun
Gender - Female - Male
Location - Inside - Outside
Temperature - Cold - Hot
Direction - Downward - Upward
Humidity - Damp/moist - Dry
Yin vacuity (also termed "vacuity-heat"): heat sensations, possible sweating at night, insomnia, dry pharynx, dry mouth, dark urine, and a "fine" and rapid pulse.
Yang vacuity ("vacuity-cold"): aversion to cold, cold limbs, bright white complexion, long voidings of clear urine, diarrhea, pale and enlarged tongue, and a slightly weak, slow and fine pulse.
Qi:
Actuation (推动; 推動; tuīdòng) – of all physical processes in the body, especially the circulation of all body fluids such as blood in their vessels. This includes actuation of the functions of the zang-fu organs and meridians.
Warming (温煦; 溫煦; wēnxù) – the body, especially the limbs.
Defense (防御; fángyù) – against Exogenous Pathogenic Factors
Containment (固摄; 固攝; gùshè) – of body fluids, i.e., keeping blood, sweat, urine, semen, etc. from leakage or excessive emission.
Transformation (气化; 氣化; qìhuà) – of food, drink, and breath into qi, xue (blood), and jinye ("fluids"), and/or transformation of all of the latter into each other.
Zang-fu organs:
Zang (Yin in nature) - Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lung, Kidney
Fu(Yang in nature) - Small Intestine, Large Intestine, Gallbladder, Urinary Bladder, Stomach and Sānjiaō
The zàng-fǔ are also connected to the twelve standard meridians–each yang meridian is attached to a fǔ organ, and five of the yin meridians are attached to a zàng. As there are only five zàng but six yin meridians, the sixth is assigned to the Pericardium, a peculiar entity almost similar to the Heart zàng.
Elements:
Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood
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Tui na
Tui na (推拿) is a form of massage akin to acupressure (from which shiatsu evolved). Asian massage is typically administered with the person fully clothed, without the application of grease or oils.Techniques employed may include thumb presses, rubbing, percussion, and assisted stretching.
Qi Gong
Qìgōng (气功; 氣功) is a TCM system of exercise and meditation that combines regulated breathing, slow movement, and focused awareness, purportedly to cultivate and balance qi.
One branch of qigong is qigong massage, in which the practitioner combines massage techniques with awareness of the acupuncture channels and points.
Qi is air, breath, energy, or primordial life source that is neither matter or spirit. While Gong is a skillful movement, work, or exercise of the qi.
Different types of Qi-Gong:
Nei gong: introspective and meditative
Wai gong: external energy and motion
Dong gong: dynamic or active
Jing gong: tranquil or passive
Tai chi
Tai chi was originally a "neija" or internal martial art having a goal of personal growth. Mainly used for self-defense and agility. It is also used in healing body and mind. The main aim is to foster good health and inner peace.
Styles:
Chen-style - Alternates between slow movements and explosive ones
Yang-style - The most widespread of the forms, characterized by slow, fluid movements
Wu-style - Utilizes small, slow , deliberate movements
Hao-style - Focused on internal movements, with almost microscopic external movements, one of the least practiced.
Objective:
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To control movement through stillness
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To overcome force through finesse
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To move second and arrive first
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To know yourself and your opponent