Chinese med in the west (herbs and Formulas)

[Guest guest]

In Ted Kaptchuk's course, while memorizing the herbs, we explored a few

main formulas with their major permutations. Bu zhong yi qi tang, gui

zhi tang, liu wei de huang wan, tian wang bu xin wan, liu jun zi tang,

gui pi tang, xiao yao san. We looked at patient types who were

caricatures of a range of 'spleen, liver, or kidney types,' etc. He

gave a description of a patient and then asked, which 'universe' would

you place this patient in? We started with this initial crude look at

how one would prescribe and adjust formulas while studying the herb

list. It kept up our interest during this tedious part of the course.

These exercises also involved taking apart the formulas to discern the

herbs' actions and guess from that how they might be used.

 

Frances Gander

[Guest guest]

Thank you to all those who pitched in about teaching herbs and formulas.

 

Gaal

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

On 4/8/07, Frances L. Gander <threetreasures wrote:

>

> We looked at patient types who were

> caricatures of a range of 'spleen, liver, or kidney types,' etc.

>

 

 

I like this idea very much. While " caricature " kind of suggests exaggerated

features, for a student to connect a formula or treatment principle to

someone they know it a wonderful means by which they can start to ground

theories into reality.

 

Take for instance the strawberry nose of W.C. Fields (or the more recent

Bill Clinton) and talk about damp heat in the middle jiao. The middle of the

face is diagnostically associated with the middle jiao, red is heat,

swelling is sometimes dampness, alcohol consumption creates both...

 

Just TRY and forget that image. That's why I like teaching this way.

 

--

 

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

al, in bill's case, i'm placing mcdonald's food on top of the 'guilty' list.

even though he jogs at a rather good clip. lynn

 

[al] wrote:

On 4/8/07, Frances L. Gander <threetreasures wrote:

>

> We looked at patient types who were

> caricatures of a range of 'spleen, liver, or kidney types,' etc.

>

 

 

I like this idea very much. While " caricature " kind of suggests exaggerated

features, for a student to connect a formula or treatment principle to

someone they know it a wonderful means by which they can start to ground

theories into reality.

 

Take for instance the strawberry nose of W.C. Fields (or the more recent

Bill Clinton) and talk about damp heat in the middle jiao. The middle of the

face is diagnostically associated with the middle jiao, red is heat,

swelling is sometimes dampness, alcohol consumption creates both...

 

Just TRY and forget that image. That's why I like teaching this way.

 

--

 

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.