Marrow

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Marrow is one of the 6 Extraordinary Yang Organs. The 6 are the Brain,

Bones, Blood Vessels, Gall Bladder, Uterus, and Marrow.

 

The TCM concept of Marrow is very, very different than the Western concept

of bone marrow. We've seen before how Blood as defined by TCM includes some

of what Western medicine defines as blood but also some concepts that

Western medicine doesn't include in its definition of blood. The same holds

true for Phlegm. Phlegm as defined by TCM includes much of what Western

medicine means by phlegm or mucus but the TCM concept goes beyond the

Western concept. (For one thing TCM recognizes that Phlegm can accumulate

anywhere in the body, including nerve endings which can result in some cases

of paralysis.) We've also seen how Organs (or to be more exact, Organ

Systems) in TCM include many concepts not known in the Western definition of

these organs.

 

The TCM concept of Marrow parts company with the Western concept of marrow

even more than the TCM concepts of Blood, Phlegm, and Organs do with their

Western counterparts.

 

TCM Marrow is the matrix of Bone and Brain. It is produced by the Kidney

Jing (translated Essence). Maciocia reports that the Spiritual Axis says,

" The refined essence of food is changed into fat, it enters the bone

cavities and fills the Brain with Marrow. " (p. 125) (Keep in mind that the

TCM concept of Fat also is different from the Western concept of fat.) TCM

Marrow not only forms Bone-Marrow (similar but not identical to the Western

concept of bone marrow), it nourishes the Brain and spinal cord.

 

The Bones are the residence of Marrow just as the Heart is the residence of

Shen and the Kidneys are the residence of Jing (Essence). Keep in mind when

considering the TCM concept of Marrow living in the Bones and Shen in the

Heart that the way of thinking which gave rise to TCM is very holistic. TCM

recognizes a physical-mental-emotion-spiritual connection in reality. Thus,

the TCM concept of Marrow contains many intangibles not recognized by

Western medicine. TCM Marrow not only is something tangible like the Marrow

that fills the Bone Marrow in a way that is similar to the Western concept,

it also is something which nourishes the Brain and the spinal cord.

 

TCM Marrow is made from Kidney Jing. If Kidney Jing is Deficient, Marrow

will be Deficient. If Marrow is Deficient, that's going to create problems

in the Bones and the Brain. One thing that TCM healers sometime do is to

treat the Kidneys in order to speed up the healing of broken bones.

(Maciocia, p. 125)

 

I will be doing a more detailed posting on the concept of Jing. For now

know that the concept of Jing imbalance includes but is not limited to the

Western idea of many genetic disorders.

 

Victoria

 

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