Reasearch... Meridians & Electricity : Separate but related Existence

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

The thread of research is under "represented", if I may say so...

 

Although embedded in some resent postings, Rey and Guy for example, there postings actually shows that getting the terminology right is paramount.

 

Term -----concept-----meaning-----(aim of) comprehension-----"action" (these phenomena-aspect(s) are of course much complicated but as to not make a potentially long letter even longer...)

 

The "leading" western proponent of acumoxa is possibly (i.e. I have not actually talked to him...) "clouded" with a desire to "prove" something wrong and gives an impression that the clinical utility-flexibility-efficiency of acumoxa is not being explained or even consider in "his" preconceived ideas (preconceived here means when one "step" into something with a already conceived notion due to culture bound influences, this very often renders one prejudices whether we like it or not).

 

This in it self is not necessarily a bad "thing" depending more on how one draws on certain advantages of coming from "the outside" and how one minimise if not eliminates the disadvantages of coming from out side.

 

Hence the question to what extent can the approach/model of the person in question (I forgot the name apologies) lead to clinical insight ("first part"), both in terms of explaining the possible-partial mechanism "behind" the clinical treatment and also in terms of actually deriving a treatment when confronted with a new patient.

 

Now the words and wordings that is being use in the "first part" will no doubt guide-affect-influence the second part, possibly/maybe (at least potentially) leading to some "new" insight and more likely excluding insights.

 

Just as a parentheses I have seen quite a few comments like yet to see what "language" can do here is an example, i.e. if one only was to take time out and analyse what the simplified scheme:

 

Term -----concept-----meaning-----(aim of) comprehension-----"action"

 

Related to

 

"explanation" (of mechanism of treatment)

"further knowledge" (how to treat a new patient)

 

This goes for "East West"

 

Now if we where to look at Rey and some of his letter there is a "common" thread and also a preassumtion to the letters.

 

And although I can not put my words as representing his opinion it seams to me that he has a very positive view of TCM practitioner and there capabilities. However I for one do not comprehend even such term Qi in its historical-social and hence clinical aspects and the terminology derived there of, which no doubt will affect above outline "scheme".

 

Thus same analytical "scheme" can be applied to Chinese medicine

 

It seams that the Wife and Husband team/books-efforts fall on deaf ears at times (i.e. Zhang Yu Huan & Ken Rose).

 

Possibly because we as humans being have it difficult to ask what are my personal deficiencies let alone comprehend how to approach "them"?

 

The fact remains that all questions asked needs to be asked with their opposite and to Chinese medicine as well as Western medicine:

 

What do I gain by not knowing the "Chineseness" in Chinese medicine?

What do I lose by not Knowing the Chineseness" in Chinese medicine?

 

What do I gain by not knowing the "westerness" in Western medicine?

What do I lose by knowing the "westerness" in Western medicine?

 

What do I gain/lose by knowing or not the westerness in "new Chinese medicine"?

What do I gain/lose by knowing or not the Chineeseness in "new Western medicine"?

 

What do I gain by using the term energy*1?

What do I lose by using the term energy?

 

What do I gain/loss by perverting history and try to attempt a term medical acupuncturist?

Hijack the term physician, doctor, medical practitioner, medicine...

 

I think I was trying to state that the last topic is still taboo.

 

We can learn again from Asia where the world health organisation states clearly in a paper that ONLY China (mainland), Vietnam and the two Korea(s) has a public health system that practice integrated health, that recognise physicians of Chinese medicine as doctors.

 

There is not enough research yet done as far as I am aware how this affects the health of the population, and admittedly it is complicated because of economical-social factors and so forth...both in the respective countries and funding as to do research. What is certain that the possibilities available to patients with regard to treatments are at time more varied, surely a good aspect on its own?

 

Since the topic or thread of research is under represented in my opinion it could be because people are not interested in it or deem it unimportant or for others to deal with..or.... However I feel that it was an unexplored topic for a long time and as such not enough background information to really elaborate on the topic (can not wait until the day I can read CAOM).

 

However sorry for the imprudence but really "urge" the people in Charge of I think it is called Acupuncture research society and there web site (Birch and Hamerslangh... name mist spelt sorry) change it PLEASE it is boring to the point of obstructing learning, considering the potential it has...

 

Marco Bergh

 

 

 

 

 

*1As a "note" in Nan Ching - Classic of difficulties, prolegomena Pual Unschuld states something like the term energy does not off course bear any reassemblies to the concept Qi in Chinese medicine, either the colloquial use or scientific usage.

 

however what I think is that TCM practitioners actually do not use the term in any of these senses, and adds on any comprehension gain of the term Qi onto the term energy. This is not necessarily a good or bad thing and in fact this has happen through out Chinese medicine in China. Chinese medicine has borrow colloquial terms making them specific technical terms Language for general purposes to Language for specific purposes. However since both the western scientific notion of energy and the colloquial term usage (in general) are not only different from one another but also from the term energy when referring to Chinese medicine a loan translation would be more acceptable and in the long run less confusing Qi (or better still the Chinese character)

 

Another note as not to divert to far of the intended topic. I think Wiseman in a paper states something like:

 

The Koreans and other Neighbouring Asian countries adopted the Chinese characters for language of Chinese medicine and thus we can not learn anything from them (meaning with regard to how to translate and not meaning how to practice Chinese medicine, which we must do sooner or later i.e. learn from Vietnam Korea(s) and so forth)

 

However I think Wiseman was possibly trying to save space because all his and colleagues great efforts are in fact doing just that (making us realise that we need to learn Chinese), more people "sick" of the insecurities that one has in the clinic will learn Chinese as a language. We can learn a great deal from the transmission of Chinese medicine to other lingustical aerias China to Korea for example.

 

 

This does not mean that translations will cease because after all we need to be able to communicate with non TCM practitioners....via Kichee, Swedish, Spanish, English etc....

 

For me these aspects actually started with Bensky, Kapchuck, Giovany, then Flaws, Clavey, Birtch, Frhuiet(mist spelt sorry), Brown,Wen, Seifert, Ellis, Volker, Felt, Feng, Wiseman, Al Kafaij, Fischer, Huan & Rose, Robert and Rey... (and others that I am unaware of but with similar background), what we need is also more women practitioners coming to the forefront so we can learn even more...

 

The learning aspect is not just regard to whether "pro or contra" the professionalisation of translation, but for there knowledge the one can detect in people that have studied in Asia and know an Asian language (that have internalised the information, rather then learnt the information). What more and not visible in this above paragraph they all have had teachers from the source....

 

I just which I could access more of there writings...

 

 

And to something different,

 

My fiancé sister is finally going to leave us. You whom happen to be married to a Indigenous (Native American as in the continent) and or Latin person might now or relate to what I am talking about.

 

This joyful event will mean that we have room to spear.

 

I would like to say that any one that is interested in visiting Guatemala can stay with us:

 

150 us dollars for professionals for a month water (cold) and access to a gas cooker a fridge included.

Student 100 us dollars a month.

 

However you must be willing to teach or share comprehension knowledge of Chinese medicine, maybe even ideas how to start a "charity" NGO or how to make a sustainable community orientated clinic running...(but most important is willing ness to teach-Share Chinese medicine knowing)

 

If I have not mention it Guatemala is a very nice place to come and visit as a tourist - you will probably love it.

 

Marco Bergh

 

Ps. the room is more comfortable for one person but two could possibly use it, however would change the price a bit...the income is to develop the aspects that I deem important with regard to Chinese medicine in Guatemala...(maintaining teaching and promoting Chinese medicine in various forms and aim to set up a community orientated clinic).