Guest guest Posted July 21, 2000 Report Share Posted July 21, 2000 , Michael Max <michaelmax@e...> wrote: > > Being one of those northwesterners, I've often wondered why we can have 4 > coffee shops on each corner of an intersection AND have all them doing a > booming business. I think you are right, we are self medicating in an > attempt to deal with this damp environment. > To expand on this, I think everyone on the planet is constantly immersed in some form of self medication and consciousness alteration, whether from sugar, meat, alcohol, caffeine, drugs of all kinds, vitamins, herbs, etc. All in an attempt to feel OK from moment to moment. Everything we consume alters our biochemistry and, through trial and error, we do our best to maintain physical and mental equilibrium. Here again, the value of TCM bian zheng and properties of substances can be invaluable in determining what to ingest to achieve long term contentment instead of short term fix. I also can't help but notice how the three mental errors of tibetan Buddhist psychology relate to this self medicating tendency: Aversion to things that do not cause any immediate displeasure, without regard to long term gain Attraction to anything that causes immediate pleasure, without regard to longterm harm (if it feels good, do it, y'know) Ignorance of the nature of things, which prevents one from making choices other than aversion or attraction. While Buddha says the ultimate solution to this suffering is meditation, the tibetans have linked these mental tendencies to their medical system, which is largely drawn from ayurveda. In comparing TCM and tibetan tridosa, I have stuck with noting similarities in symptom complexes, not addressing vast conceptual differences. Aversion is pitta, which manifests like TCM patterns of damp and hot, and excess yang Attraction is vata, which manifests like patterns of internal wind, qi depression, general stagnation and impediment of exterior and interior, including xu constipation Ignorance is kapha, which manifest like patterns of damp, phlegm and excess yin. The clear orifices of the mind are thus clouded. By treating the zheng with herbs, we can facilitate the ultimate solution to the endless quest for peace of mind, which is to achieve a mental state which transcends these baser tendencies. In Hindu theology, we live in the Kali Yuga, a time when the extremes of aversion and attraction are quite pronounced and polarized throughout the world. However, this exaggeration of extremes is also supposed to provide an impetus for worldwide consciousness change that does not occur under less extreme circumstances. In one interpretation of this theology, the farther we are from god, the more chance we actually have of noticing the separation, waking up and going home. TCM may thus have a role to play in these far reaching societal changes. And according to philosopher and historian Ken Wilber, it is not necessary to create change in the entire population to accomplish this goal. One must merely introduce the cultural mutation into enough of the population so that this change in our cultural genetic code will eventually come to be dominant over time if it is truly a beneficial adaptive change. The mutation I am talking about is the recognition of the cause and cure of suffering in Buddhist terms. And it is exactly the global corporate consumerism that feeds this pathology. Buddha actually modeled his cure on the medicine of his day: find the root and treat it with correct therapy; don't just address the branches endlessly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 21, 2000 Report Share Posted July 21, 2000 I moved to the Pacific Northwest ( sea level / grey / wet ) from New Mexico ( 5-7000 feet mean altitude / sunny / dry ) and began craving coffee, for which I've always nurtured a love. I used to visit a little, local coffee bar that had great coffee. I thought at the time that they should expand their business as their coffee was great. This local yocal was known by the quaint name of Starbucks. I entered Chinese Medical School in New Mexico, impressed by the students who cured me of a nagging and painful neck and shoulder disorder. They told me I had a wind-cold-damp invasion. I wonder where I got that? Coffee is necessary for my health, but it is not for everyone. I base this on the blood-type diet theory. As blood-type A, coffee is more than medicinal, it is essential. For blood-type O it is a big no-no. I do not believe in Chinese Food or Diet Therapy ( yes I am a heretic ). Blood-type food therapy works better although it is an incomplete paradigm. I have experimented upon myself and my patients with typical prescriptions to avoid cold foods, raw foods, spicey foods, greasy foods, ad nauseum. I felt no effects of this therapy upon myself nor did my patients. I abandoned it because it is really based on Chinese cultural mores. For example, cheese, yogurt and dairy were looked upon as very bad, not because they were truly bad for one, but because the hated Mongol invaders made it a part of their daily regimen. A note to Todd. The Buddha did not prescribe meditation as the cure for suffering. The First Noble Truth is often rendered into English " there is suffering " . This is a terrible mistranslation of the Pali ( and later Sanskrit ) term used by Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha. As a teacher fluent in Sanskrit, I can attest that the term " duhkha " does, in no way, mean " suffering " . It is a term used by oxen herders to describe the movement of a cart that has lost one axle. The term, translated into English is " imbalance " . Thus the First Noble Truth is " There is imbalance " The Second Noble Truth is " There is a cause " . The Third Noble Truth is " There is a cure " . The Fourth Noble Truth is " The cure is the the Noble Eightfold Path " (Arya Astangika Marga ). Therefore, the cure is to follow that Path. G. Cordova Tiger Medicine - herb-t Friday, July 21, 2000 11:17 AM self medication > , Michael Max <michaelmax@e...> > wrote: > > > > > Being one of those northwesterners, I've often wondered why we can > have 4 > > coffee shops on each corner of an intersection AND have all them doing > a > > booming business. I think you are right, we are self medicating in an > > > attempt to deal with this damp environment. > > > > To expand on this, I think everyone on the planet is constantly immersed > in some form of self medication and consciousness alteration, whether > from sugar, meat, alcohol, caffeine, drugs of all kinds, vitamins, > herbs, etc. All in an attempt to feel OK from moment to moment. > Everything we consume alters our biochemistry and, through trial and > error, we do our best to maintain physical and mental equilibrium. Here > again, the value of TCM bian zheng and properties of substances can be > invaluable in determining what to ingest to achieve long term > contentment instead of short term fix. I also can't help but notice how > the three mental errors of tibetan Buddhist psychology relate to this > self medicating tendency: > > Aversion to things that do not cause any immediate displeasure, without > regard to long term gain > > Attraction to anything that causes immediate pleasure, without regard to > longterm harm (if it feels good, do it, y'know) > > Ignorance of the nature of things, which prevents one from making > choices other than aversion or attraction. > > While Buddha says the ultimate solution to this suffering is meditation, > the tibetans have linked these mental tendencies to their medical > system, which is largely drawn from ayurveda. > > In comparing TCM and tibetan tridosa, I have stuck with noting > similarities in symptom complexes, not addressing vast conceptual > differences. > > Aversion is pitta, which manifests like TCM patterns of damp and hot, > and excess yang > > Attraction is vata, which manifests like patterns of internal wind, qi > depression, general stagnation and impediment of exterior and interior, > including xu constipation > > Ignorance is kapha, which manifest like patterns of damp, phlegm and > excess yin. The clear orifices of the mind are thus clouded. > > By treating the zheng with herbs, we can facilitate the ultimate > solution to the endless quest for peace of mind, which is to achieve a > mental state which transcends these baser tendencies. In Hindu > theology, we live in the Kali Yuga, a time when the extremes of aversion > and attraction are quite pronounced and polarized throughout the world. > However, this exaggeration of extremes is also supposed to provide an > impetus for worldwide consciousness change that does not occur under > less extreme circumstances. In one interpretation of this theology, the > farther we are from god, the more chance we actually have of noticing > the separation, waking up and going home. > > TCM may thus have a role to play in these far reaching societal > changes. And according to philosopher and historian Ken Wilber, it is > not necessary to create change in the entire population to accomplish > this goal. One must merely introduce the cultural mutation into enough > of the population so that this change in our cultural genetic code will > eventually come to be dominant over time if it is truly a beneficial > adaptive change. The mutation I am talking about is the recognition of > the cause and cure of suffering in Buddhist terms. And it is exactly > the global corporate consumerism that feeds this pathology. Buddha > actually modeled his cure on the medicine of his day: find the root and > treat it with correct therapy; don't just address the branches > endlessly. > > > > ------ > Great brand name shoes at Zappos.com. > Click Here! > http://click./1/7060/11/_/542111/_/964203510/ > ------ > > Chinese Herbal Medicine, a voluntary organization of licensed healthcare practitioners, matriculated students and postgraduate academics specializing in Chinese Herbal Medicine, provides a variety of professional services, including board approved online continuing education. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 21, 2000 Report Share Posted July 21, 2000 The term, translated into > English is " imbalance " . Thus the First Noble Truth is " There is > imbalance " > The Second Noble Truth is " There is a cause " . The Third Noble Truth is " > There is a cure " . The Fourth Noble Truth is " The cure is the the Noble > Eightfold Path " (Arya Astangika Marga ). Therefore, the cure is to follow > that Path. I appreciate the clarification. I am clearly no buddhist scholar. I was just trying to make the point that the Buddhist approach to this " imbalance " is essentially medicinal in nature and there are inferences to be made between Buddhist ideas concerning this imbalance and TCM zheng. In fact, your more correct translation of imbalance (rather than suffering) further underscores this association in my mind. I was however aware that the cure is actually the eightfold path. I did not mean to offend anyone by reducing that path to its most obvious well known practical method, which is meditation. This was done merely as an illustration. However, the point is well taken that dabbling in Buddhist ideas is just as fraught with lingusitic uncertainties as is TCM, a point I make over and over again. Touche. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 21, 2000 Report Share Posted July 21, 2000 Two out of three of your messages carried the virus. This one did not. ???? Catherine - Phosphor Saturday, July 22, 2000 12:59 AM Re: self medication As blood-type A, coffee is more than> medicinal, it is essential.As in you can't be healthy without it? Are there any significant toxiceffects though from the caffeine?AndrewChinese Herbal Medicine, a voluntary organization of licensed healthcare practitioners, matriculated students and postgraduate academics specializing in Chinese Herbal Medicine, provides a variety of professional services, including board approved online continuing education. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 22, 2000 Report Share Posted July 22, 2000 As blood-type A, coffee is more than > medicinal, it is essential. As in you can't be healthy without it? Are there any significant toxic effects though from the caffeine? Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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