Ti Xing Shen... and...

July 18, 2002

A sincere thanks to the list and all the help.

What follows is more or less what i will try to convey unfortunately no time to translate it into Spanish, however if there are any serious discrepancies or errors that I have made would appreciate a comment, fist the actual "title" is incorrect but bear in mind it is a informal presentation.

That will start with a A4 paper that has a lot written on it to explain how most humans really have pre conceive ideas then a short introductory meditation to "simulate" the need for an empty mind to be able to learn new things hence another piece of A4 paper with yet no letters... (really must say thanks to the person in Arizona for bringing this to my attention, about pre conceived ideas)

As for a translation note asked someone to help with a paragraph below:

That of what has become known as body mind dichotomy...

And the person simply said Chinese Cosmo vision is better, something which I am not even entering in the Talk (it is not relevant either or...)

Just a comment how important one needs to take the transmission of knowing via translation serious (and yes I am trying to learn Chinese with a book by Unschuld)

I also think that such topic could in part be done via internet so any teacher course out there?

A historical overview of the concept body in

Classical can when it wanted (or wants to) distinguish and separate between various humanly aspects, such as:

Mental

Emotional

spiritual

corporal

dynamics

The stronger tendency has been to perceive of these as integrated both with cosmos (extended environment) at large and within the body. Hence once recognised that Chinese medicine is different from Western medicine the continuous task of learning how Chinese medicine can contribute to the understanding and treatment of diseases as well as maintaining a healthy person in Guatemala can begin.

Some traditions specially Daoist have placed an greater emphasises on what can be referred to as mental-spiritual (but not emotional) dynamics and practices for health. An example of this is what is recorded as DaoYin – “guiding and pulling the Qi”. Another recurrent and important them is Yang Sheng “nurturing life” of which a greater part was devoted to “correct” understanding and action related to sex.

These examples are presented to draw the attention that something which toady (in a westernised world)[1] may be consider the realm of the mind dao yin (at least the meditative part) and something which today predominately would be consider a physical act (sex on the whole is consider a bodily pleasure, and a biological need). Both are concern with and their objectives are to guard create vital aspects that affect the person as a whole i.e. body-mind.

That of what has become known as body mind dichotomy in the western world cosmos vision is more seen as a fusion between congregations of functions in Chinese medicine, of which material aspects and detectable functional aspects are assembly of functions and their impulse are:

The way of heaven and earth

Thus when qi congregates stuff is made and when qi disperse stuff departs. Qi is stuff and that which makes stuff.[2]

The important thing for the purpose of understanding the body in Chinese medicine is that all things and phenomena has a common originator and its source at a very primoral level is Qi.

Some definition of Qi:

Qi probably originally meant the steam that rises to form the clouds[3], and at some stage slightly later meant steam rising from rise. Also air –breath -vitality - What you circulate around your body when you regulate your breath to cultivate your qi.

Since it has been mention that all things and phenomena has its source in Qi thus physical, mental, spiritual, and even social health were not (is not albeit to a lesser extent today) conceived of as separate. Human beings were considered to be microcosms of the universe the macrocosm, and it is essential in Chinese medicine for your health to make sure your qi circulates properly, including the health of the state and the cosmos for (its) qi to circulate properly.

"Psycho-physical stuff" - Some scholars like this translation because in Chinese and practice, qi, it is all the "stuff" or physical matter of the universe, and it also includes thought, intention, and emotions. In its original context, it also included spiritual dimensions. One very useful way of thinking about qi in practice is as attention.[4]

Some words that the today extant classic of Chinese medicine use to explain the body.

Xing form shape and sometimes considered the counterpart of shen2 –spirit (in Chinese language the two shen1 shen2 are not the same source character hence the numbering.)

Ti is body, but in the medieval period was used prominently in discussions as the term for substance, in contrast to yong function. (here it is interesting to note that in classical Chinese medicine qi is considered one of the vital substances, which in terms of western Cosmo vision it is consider as a non substance and hence does not exist[5] (?) please see note1)

Shen1 body and the person as a whole with their subjective and conscious experience.

What is interesting to observe is that some inner practices-nei dan (variations of cultivating the qi) are referred to as “refining the form” lian xing,[6] hence refining the form develops the person as a whole, including its mental emotional spiritual corporal dynamics.

Conclusion

From the introductory overview one can see that Chinese medicine has identified various human aspects as an integrated functional whole or at least as a tendency to view the body-person as such.

A questions any one can elaborate on this question:

Preliminary implication for the clinic? (potentials-coperation-suggestions and so forth)

I would like to take the opertunity today to at least contemplate, bearing in mind That Chinese medicine really is in its pre-primary stage of transmission and accultariscacion in Guatemala.

[1] Guatemala for example is actually not a pure western country its strengths lays within the its specific roots and recognizing that it has a living history of its own.

[2] Source from N. Sivin via memory hence no page number from the book nor original source from the Chinese Language.

[3] That's what Xu Shen wrote in Shuo Wen Jie Zi, which is the earliestknown extant dictionary of Chinese characters. Information thanks to Ken Rose.

[4] Information thanks to TJ Hinrichs

[5] But, surely LOVE exists East West North South? :-)

[6] Information thanks to Fabrizio Pregadio