Not so long ago, I watched an interview with the charismatic, eloquent astrophysicist, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. He was describing why we have observed Earth Day on April 22th since 1970. He talked of how humans had just made it to the moon and from there images of the Earth were sent back. He described that for the first time, we humans finally saw visually that the Earth wasn't just a thing that we live on but a living organism with "blue ocean, dry land, clouds and pollution." Thus, beginning the current environmental protection movement, which still isn't very successful, in my view. This image touched me but I realised that some of us, even before 1970 were already reverent of the earth, like in traditional cultures that live/d off the land for thousands of years.   
 
All this got me thinking of the Earth and what my experience of it is. I recall myself as a young child running around without shoes in the garden, my mother calling out to me to put on my shoes to protect my feet. She told me at some point too that worms, can go through my feet to infest my body. That sure made an impact on me, so I put on my shoes to walk outside even until adulthood, especially in the tropics. She was correct that some worms, such as hookworms do that. But I have also now learned to go barefoot too, on the sand at the beach, on river rocks and on grass. I realise that I was missing a whole tactile world under my feet when I closed my feet off in socks and shoes, not to mention the sunlight and fresh air. My family and I are often barefoot inside our house, which is how most Asians live inside their homes. My partner is more so the barefoot-person outside but I'm learning to do that and sensing much more with my feet. 
 
Then a few weeks ago, I just watched a documentary, The Earthing Movie: The Science of Grounding. I really recommend it. It is about how the Earth heals us when we connect with it, from a scientific point of view. It wasn't just your imagination when you took your shoes off, went barefoot on the grass in the park and felt so much better. Science is showing us that the negative-charged electrons are being absorbed through your feet and into your body, to neutralize Electromagnetic Field (EMF) radiation that have been absorbed into our body. It is extremely effective for healing inflammation. The movie explains the science, the studies, the whole theory behind how it works and also shows people who have experienced the benefits of Earthing. There is also a book called, "Earthing," which further explains it and available in many languages including German. Basically, Earthing is free and we can all do it without having anything to lose. Just go outside, take off your shoes, be barefoot and begin connecting to the Earth. No excuses, it's warm outside. 


Image Earth by WikiImages on Pixabay
Image Barefoot by Jackie_Chance on Pixabay

If you go on a walk right now, you will observe that the Peony is in or coming to blossom.  In German, we call them Pfingstrosen, I imagine due to the fact that they flower around the time of Pentecost. As a child, I recall having experienced the flower Peony in the form of soap from China; a very strong, sweet scented soap, which was almost too sweet for me. We also used to get duvets from China that were Peony brand. When I went with my mother to the market, I would ask her about the flowers, whose blossoms were wrapped in white tissue and she would tell me that they were Peonies imported from China. So, I had an impression that Peonies were Chinese, as they don't grow in the tropical climate in Malaysia.
 
Since my studies in Chinese Medicine began, I have come to know of how the Chinese honor the Peony. It was referred to by Confucius (551-479 BCE), was often the subject of art in the Tang dynasty (618-907 CE) and even declared the national flower of China during the Qing dynasty, the last imperial government of China till 1912. In Chinese it is called Fu Gui Hua, "flower of riches and honor." Peonies are naturally occurring in temperate and cold areas of the northern hemisphere, from Morocco to Japan to North America. There is a Greek myth of Peony, where the God of Medicine, Aesclepius, got jealous of his student, Paeon, and he was saved from Aesclepius' attack by Zeus who transformed him into a flower - the Peony. 
 
There are tree Peonies, herbaceous Peonies and hybrids that have leaves like the tree but are herbaceous.  In the Chinese Medicine itself, we use 3 different species of Peony: Paeonia suffruticosa, Paeonia lactiflora and Paeonia veitchii. Interestingly, the part of the plant that it used as medicine is not the flower. The part of Paeonia suffriticosa, which is the tree, that is used is the cortex or bark of the tree, Mu Dan Pi. It is used to cool the blood and clear heat, as in the case of fevers. It also moves blood when there has been trauma, lowers blood pressure and inflammation. Paeonia lactiflora, the herbaceous Peony, provides its radix or root as medicine in the form of Chi Shao or Bai Shao. Chi Shao is the root that is still red, which helps move blood and relieve pain from trauma or menses. Bai Shao is the white root, which tonifies the blood, calms the liver, relieves tension and adjusts Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) as well as Wei Qi (Defensive Qi). One of my Chinese herbal teachers called Bai Shao the "White Fairy Mother."
 
I grow Peonies in my garden, both the tree and herbaceous ones. They are special plants that don't like to be moved, they find a spot and they root there till they die. I observe them throughout the year. After they flower in Spring (April to early June), the tree has already flowered now and the herbaceous form is flowering soon, the energy of the plants goes inward and dies back its external manifestation in autumn. This does not mean the plant is not working, the power of the Yin (autumn and winter being Yin times of the year) is being generated in the root of the plant. This I believe is why the root of Bai Shao are so powerful to nourish the Yin and Blood in our bodies. Right now, those who react to the seasonal pollen that is currently in full emission, that includes myself, will be thankful to Mu Dan Pi for providing the cooling and calming of the mucous membranes in the eyes and nasal passages. The bark of the Peony tree is hardy yet gentle, providing the soothing coolness and protection of autumn-winter in the searing heat from growth of spring-summer. It is an herb of balance; sinking when there is strong rising action, calming when there is over-excitement. 
 
Chinese Herbal Medicine uses herbs mostly as formulae, almost never one herb alone, as the synergy of the combined herbs counteract the overexertion of another. One could say they operate as a team, supporting one another and balancing the forces of the other. Each herbal formula is prepared specially for each individual person, paying attention to causes of the imbalance and not just on symptoms. If you are interested in using Herbal Medicine, discuss it with your practitioner so that s/he can help you understand your imbalances and how these amazing plants can aid you in your health.  

Images Peony by Elaine