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Autumn: The Movement Inwards

15/10/2020

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Over a month ago, we were discussing the coming of autumn in my yoga class. A few of us spoke of the "dread" of the change from summer to fall season; the change of light and temperature. I find this time of year has its beauty but it is not simple to adapt to. From the full openness that the summer warmth has created in us, we begin the journey back inward of autumn. The darkness and the coolness outside forces us inward, our bodies are pushed to close the pores of our skin in order to conserve warmth. Since I began studying Chinese Medicine, I have begun to understand and appreciate each season of the year better and observe how my body/being changes with them.
 
As Claude Larre and Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallée, sinologists and Chinese Medicine scholars describe in The Secret Treatise of the Spiritual Orchid:
 
"To rise in order to fall, and to fall in order to rise, that makes circulation. It is so high that we cannot perceive the essence of it. It is so universal that everything, everybody, every animal and every plant is affected and is under the same natural movement of tian yun. The progression of this is seen through the four seasons [...] Spring manifests itself everywhere as some beginning of life or renewing of the beginning of life [...] Summer takes what has been started and progresses along the line up to an acme, to the highest point of that progress, and then suddenly, in order to protect life and to protect the universe, it has to reverse its movement. So on some uncertain morning in the autumn time, the quality of air is very different. It's shocking. Something has started to reverse. It means that the yin which has been there but covered, unable to manifest itself except as a hidden, sustaining power, is now able to arise in its own right." (Larre, Rochat 1992: 7)
 
This "uncertain morning in autumn" is upon us now and we knew it was coming. Nevertheless, it is "shocking" for our beings, just as a metallic object touches our bare skin; a certain coldness makes us contract inward. This is the effect and energetic movement of Metal, to be more inward focused and passive, more Yin.
 
From the 5-Element perspective, Metal is associated with the organs of Lung and Large Intestine. It is not surprising then that many of us will experience Lung and digestive themes, such as a cold/ flu or those with asthma can have a flare-up or a gastrointestinal virus (stomach flu) at this time of year. As with all the elements there is an emotion associated with Metal, it is sadness/ grief. The direction is the West, where the sun sets. Makes sense, doesn't it? The Yang, like the sun and daylight, is setting, and the Yin, the moon and night, is rising. The climate becomes dry, making our skin dry. This is that clear manifestation of the energy moving inward, no longer nourishing the most external parts of us, as with the trees. In humans, the skin and in trees, the leaves. 
 
For me, this is a beginning of a death that will happen in winter. But through this death, comes new life next spring. Can we find beauty in death? Yes, I believe so. I look to the trees, the Japanese Maple tree, Acer palmatum, especially. We have a few in our garden. One in particular has a longer process of a "glorious death." He, I sense him as male, is green and robustly thick all summer. Then, just as that "uncertain morning in autumn" comes, he transforms his green leaves into a rusty red. Then suddenly comes the piercing frost at the end of autumn and then begins that magnificent, crimson red phase till he drops his leaves completely for his winter's sleep. The Japanese have a practice in this time of year, momijigari, "the hunt for deep red leaves." Many go on a "pilgrimage" to places where the Maple trees are transforming life to death, to appreciate this beautiful process. I personally have not yet been to Japan but I know that I will be at least once in this lifetime on a momijigari.
 
As I have mentioned before in other posts, I look to the trees for life's wisdom. Even in this time of contraction and closing in, there is beauty and purpose for the inward movement. It is as Larre and Rochat state, it is "in order to protect life and to protect the universe."


Reference
Larre, Claude/ Rochat de la Vallée, Elisabeth (1992) : The Secret Treatise of the Spiritual Orchid. Nei Jing Su Wen Chapter 8. Cambridge: Monkey Press.

Images by Elaine ​
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The Fifth Season

27/8/2020

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Picture
Since a few weeks, we have entered a new season, what we sometimes define as Late Summer in Chinese Medicine. This corresponds to our theory of the 5 Elements/ Phases; hence, the 5 seasons. It is of the Earth element.
 
As the extreme heat of summer begins to climax, moisture seeps into the air, making it not only hot but humid. The summer heat transforms into clouds which produce rain, often in the form of a summer storm. This in turn triggers the ripening of the crops. It is the power of Earth, the power of transformation. Not only in the Late Summer but also in between seasons, which I will explain further on. The seeds from Spring have transformed to plants and trees, which are now bearing fruit that are ready to be harvested. The Earth is the initiator and the binder of change.
 
The 5-Element theory explains to us that there are different ways in which the 5 Phases interact with one another; the Sheng (Generating) Cycle and the Ke (Controlling) Cycle, both of which I wrote of in my first post a while back. But there is a third Cycle, the Seasonal Cycle. Often this cycle displays the 5 Phases together with its correspondences together with the cardinal directions of the Earth. The Earth is the centre of all the Elements. It links all Phases together as seen in the Seasonal Cycle diagram. An Element manifests and returns its energy to the centre, to the Earth. It is the transition-maker; the one that transforms one to the other, the one that links everything together, the one that smoothens the change. Sounds like someone we know - the Mother.
In the Lei Jing (Classic of Categories) written in 1624 by Zhang Jie Bing, it states, "The Spleen belongs to Earth which pertains to the Centre, its influence manifests for 18 days at the end of each of the four seasons and it does not pertain to any season on its own." One of our Chinese Medical scholars of the present, Giovanni Maciocia puts it very accurately by stating that the Earth corresponds to "Late Summer," "Late Autumn," "Late Winter" and "Late Spring." It is the season of Transition, the Fifth Season. 
 
We can observe this now, by the concurrent warming and cooling. Thus, creating stormy weather. It is not just here but all around the globe, August-September is a time of storms; the countless hurricanes and typhoons often peak around this time. In fact, due to the global overheating, we are experiencing the transitions and changes stronger. These "18 days" that was indicated by Zhang Jie Bing almost 400 years ago was almost 30 days this past April. What we knew of April showers in the past, is no longer true, it came in May. But that is the nature of life, change. 
 
Most of us find change and transitions challenging. But it is simple. The Elements show us, we need to come back to our centre. Begin by finding centre in your body, through movement and stillness. Somewhere between these two points is the middle but you have to find it for yourself. No one can feel it for you but yourself. How does that work? Go walking, dancing, do Qi Gong, Tai Ji Quan or Yoga. Then find the stillness in these practices. This is one of the reasons that drew me to my practice of Tai Ji Quan and Yoga, the incorporation of both movement and stillness meditation. Find breath, this links us to our inner rhythms and the environment. It also gives us a way to deal with things better when we are stressed; we breathe deeply to calm our minds, we feel more connected to our bodies and suddenly, what we perceived as a stressful situation is no longer one. Eat seasonal-ripening foods and eat in moderation. When we overeat, it is harder to feel/ find our physical centre and, thus our emotional and spiritual centres are impeded. 

​This time of transition is like a bridge into the next phase of the year and of life. If we accept that change is inevitable and move along this bridge with awareness, the journey becomes easier.


​
​Image by Mustang Joe on Pixabay 
Diagrams by Elaine
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Peony: Finding Balance in Times of Change

17/5/2020

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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
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    Elaine Yap

    I am a Chinese Medicine practitioner at ICM, mother of 2 boys, living on my third continent. I love to share my perspectives on healing, TCM, gardening, social change and life.

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