ICM  Institute for Chinese Medicine, acupuncture basel, chinese medicine basel,tui na Basel, tcm basel
D E F  
  • Acupuncture
  • TCM
    • History
    • Methods of Treatment
    • Diagnostics
  • Treatment Modalities
    • Acupuncture
    • Auricular Acupuncture
    • Electroacupuncture
    • Chinese Herbal Medicine
    • Tui Na /An Mo Massage
    • Moxibustion
    • Cupping
    • Physical therapy
    • Qi Gong
    • Tai Ji Quan
    • Gua Sha
    • Chinese Nutritional Therapy
    • Wai Qi Liao Fa
  • Team
    • Elaine Yap
    • Ava Markwalder
    • Gabi Rahm
    • Frank Hediger
    • Noriko Matsumoto-Loosli
    • Olivier Schmidlin
    • Edmundo Belloni
  • ICM Treatment Information
    • Treatment Rooms
    • Treatment at ICM
    • Treatment Costs
    • Treatment Procedure
    • Documents
    • FAQ
  • Health Insurance Coverage
    • Health Insurance Coverage
    • FAQ
  • Contact
  • DEUTSCH
  • Blog
    • FRANÇAIS

Acupuncture Channels and Points

17/2/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Many people I meet assume that as I look Chinese and practice Chinese Medicine, I must have grown up having Acupuncture. This is not the case, I got to know Acupuncture, which wasn't very common at the time in Malaysia, a little over 25 years ago. I was in the US at university at the time and was experiencing an injury of my own from dance training. I began by talking to a friend of a friend, who was Native American; she had had Acupuncture for her issues and had a very positive experience. This inspired me to try it and it opened up a whole new world of my body that I had never been aware of. At first, it all seemed so mystical and supernatural, my practitioner sticking needles into my injured ankle, which then began a healing process that required me to become observant of my own body. It was this new awareness of my body that inspired me to begin my journey into healing. I began researching Acupuncture Meridian/ Channels and Points, trying to understand how Acupuncture works, realizing that actually there is a logical body of knowledge and understanding in Chinese Medicine that dates back thousands of years. It is one that does not just focus on the physical, material world but also the energetic; what our eyes may not see but our beings can sense if we are open and ready to sense it. As we walk out into Nature, we may not see what moves the trees or the rivers, but we "know" that this power exists. The ancient Chinese called this force Qi. 
  
I like to view Acupuncture Meridians as Rivers of Qi flowing through our bodies in very distinct patterns and configurations. The Chinese civilisation, like many civilisations around the world, was born along 2 Rivers, the Huang He and the Yang Zi. As such Water shaped a lot of their understanding of Nature and reality. These Qi Rivers are essential to the flow and nourishment of life in a living body. If for some reason the flow is blocked or stopped at a place in the body, this area or other areas further downstream will become undernourished or depleted of Qi. This can then manifest pain, swelling, necrosis or other symptoms that may cause discomfort. The complete absence of Qi in a being would then result in death.
 
As a student in Chinese Medicine school, I often asked the question, "Which came first, the Channels or the Points?" This question was not clearly answered until I was a practitioner at a continuing education course in Shonishin (Japanese Children's Acupuncture-Massage). As we learned to massage children along specific Meridian pathways, I became aware that most Acu-Points are not mature at birth but actually develop through years of movement, nourishment, experience and growth. As such, we can deduce that the body's Qi Rivers begin flowing first and with time the Acu-Points develop. Through my practicing of Acupuncture and Tui Na massage, I have gained the perspective of Acu-Point as being like access locations to the Qi flow of our body, like access sites at the bank of a River. We could also therefore describe Acu-Points as doorways into our Qi pathway that are already in flow. Through pressing or needling an Acu-Point, we could influence this flow of Qi to increase, decrease its volume and force, or to divert its flow into an area or an organ of the body.  
 
There is an Acu-Point called Yŏng Quán 湧泉, Kidney 1 (KI-1), the first Acu-Point of the Kidney Channel and the closest Acu-Point to the Earth. It is on the bottom of the foot, in the centre-line of the foot, on the area just below the ball of the foot. This is translated as "Gushing Spring." (Ellis, Weissman, Boss, 1989) The Kidneys are associated with the Water element, as such a body of Water like a Spring indicates to us that this is where the source of life manifests. This is an Acu-Point that can revive consciousness, like in the case of fainting or a stroke, by taking the Qi upward, like a gush from the source. Another name for this Acu-point is Dì Chōng 地沖 Earth Surge. (Ellis, Weissman, Boss, 1989) This explains the other function of this point to root the Qi down to the Earth by descending Qi blocked in the head. This point can be used for headaches but also to dispel local foot pain. In a blogpost a few years ago, I wrote about Earthing, walking barefoot on the Earth to create connection. This is clearly the Kidney 1 Point being stimulated.
 
I mentioned in my last blogpost about honouring the Rivers we live by, stimulating your Acu-Points on your body is like honouring your Rivers within. Try taking off your shoes to walk barefoot on the Earth, or bathe your feet in Water, or even both at the same time in a River near you.
 
   

​

​
Reference
Ellis, Andrew / Wiseman, Nigel / Boss, Ken (1989): Grasping the Wind. Brookline, MA, USA: Paradigm Publications
 
 
Image Baby Feet by 5921373 on Pixabay, adapted by Elaine
Image Okavango Delta River by Lion Mountain on Pixabay

0 Comments

Earthing: The Power of Connection

27/5/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
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


0 Comments

    Elaine Yap

    I am a Chinese Medicine practitioner at ICM, mother of 2 sons, living on my third continent. I'd love to share with you my perspectives on healing, TCM, movement, plants, social change and life.

    Archives

    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019

    Categories

    All
    5 Elements
    5 Pillars Of Chinese Medicine
    5-pointed-star
    Abdomen
    Acupuncture
    Acupuncture Channels
    Acupuncture Points
    Adapting
    Addiction
    Adventure
    Ancestors
    An Mo Massage
    Apple
    Ask
    Asking
    Assumptions
    Autumn
    Awareness
    Baby
    Back
    Bacteria
    Balance
    Ballet
    Barefoot
    Being Thankful
    Belief
    Birth
    Blessing
    Body
    Body And Mind
    Bokashi
    Bonding
    Breath
    Breathing
    Buddhism
    Bulbs
    Camellia Sinensis
    Celtic Shamanism
    Centre
    Change
    Children
    China
    Chinese Calligraphy
    Chinese Dietetics
    Chinese Herbal Medicine
    Chinese Materia Medica
    Chinese Medicine
    Chinese New Year
    Chinese Nutrition
    Chinese Philosophy
    Choice
    Christmas
    Cinnamon
    Circle
    Clinic
    Common Sense
    Competition
    Complementary
    Complementary Medicine
    Congee
    Connecting
    Conscious Living
    Consciousness
    Container
    Cooling Foods
    Core
    Courage
    Crocus
    C-tactile Afferent
    Daffodils
    Dan Tian
    Dao De Jing
    Daoism
    Death
    Destination
    Diagnosis
    Digestion
    Digestive
    Digital Media
    Dim Sum
    Ears
    Earth
    Earthing
    Eating
    Echinacea
    Empower
    Emptiness
    Epigenetics
    Essence
    Everyday
    Evolution
    Excellence Of Self
    Experience
    Eyes
    Fantasy
    Fascia
    Fasting
    Father
    Fear
    Feet
    Fire
    Fire School
    Fish
    Flexibility
    Flower
    Food
    Food As Medicine
    Fruit
    Gardening
    Genetics
    Gong Fu
    Gong Fu Cha
    Gratefulness
    Gratitude
    Green Tea
    Greeting
    Grounding
    Growth
    Hands
    Handstand
    Hangover Cure
    Hay Fever
    Headstand
    Healing
    Heart
    Heaven
    Herbal Decoction
    Herbal Formula
    Herbal Infusion
    Herbal Medicine
    Heroes
    Holistic Medicine
    Honouring
    Human
    Humility
    ICM
    ICM Garden
    ICM Garden Project
    Immune System
    Information
    Injury
    Insomnia
    INternal
    Inward Movement
    Jing
    Journey
    Joy
    Kidneys
    Labor
    Lao Zi
    Large Intestine
    Late Summer
    Leaf
    Less Is More
    Letting Go
    Life
    Life Love
    Listening
    Looking
    Lung
    Lungs
    Magic
    Maple
    Martial Arts
    Massage
    Medicine
    Menstruation
    Middle
    Migration
    Mindfulness
    Mother
    Mountains
    Movement
    Moxibustion
    Narcissus
    Natural Breath
    Nature
    Nei Gong
    News
    Normal
    Nourishment
    Nourish Yin
    Now
    Nuclear Power
    Nurture
    Oil
    Olympics
    One-Size-Fits-All
    Optical Illusion
    Our Story
    Pain
    Parenting
    Path
    Patience
    Pear
    Pentagram
    Peony
    Perception
    Perfect
    Permaculture
    Perspective
    Plant
    Plastics
    Post-Heaven
    Pre-Heaven
    Pulse
    Qi
    Qi Gong
    Recycling
    Resilience
    Respect
    Retreat
    Rhythm
    Ritual
    River
    Romanticism
    Roots
    Rose
    Routine
    Saffron
    Science
    Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis
    Seasons
    Seeds
    Sense Organs
    Senses
    Shang Han Lun
    Sharing
    Shen Nong
    Shonishin
    Simple
    Sleeping
    Snow
    Sound
    Space
    Space Time
    Spice
    Spicy
    Spleen
    Sports
    Spring
    Stillness
    Stomach
    Stress
    Stretching
    Summer
    Summer-Heat
    Summer Solstice
    Support
    Survival
    Sweet
    Sword
    Tai Ji Quan
    Tai Ji Symbol
    Taiwan
    Taste
    TCM
    Tea
    Teachers
    Temperature
    Tension
    Third Ear
    Third Eye
    Time
    Toilet Paper
    Touch
    Touching
    Transformation
    Trees
    Tui Na Massage
    Valleys
    Vibration
    Virus
    Vision
    Walking
    Warming
    Water
    Watermelon
    Wei/Protective Qi
    Winning
    Winter
    Winter Solstice
    Woman
    Women
    Women's Life Phases
    Wood
    Words
    Wordsworth
    Work
    Wu Ji
    Wu Long Tea
    Yang
    Yellow Emperor Classic
    Yin
    Yin Yang
    Yin-Yang
    Yoga
    Zen Buddhism

    RSS Feed

Institut für Chinesische Medizin ICM GmbH

Falknerstrasse 4 | 4001 Basel
Tel. 061 272 88 89 | Fax 061 271 42 64
info@icm-basel.ch ​
  • Acupuncture
  • TCM
    • History
    • Methods of Treatment
    • Diagnostics
  • Treatment Modalities
    • Acupuncture
    • Auricular Acupuncture
    • Electroacupuncture
    • Chinese Herbal Medicine
    • Tui Na /An Mo Massage
    • Moxibustion
    • Cupping
    • Physical therapy
    • Qi Gong
    • Tai Ji Quan
    • Gua Sha
    • Chinese Nutritional Therapy
    • Wai Qi Liao Fa
  • Team
    • Elaine Yap
    • Ava Markwalder
    • Gabi Rahm
    • Frank Hediger
    • Noriko Matsumoto-Loosli
    • Olivier Schmidlin
    • Edmundo Belloni
  • ICM Treatment Information
    • Treatment Rooms
    • Treatment at ICM
    • Treatment Costs
    • Treatment Procedure
    • Documents
    • FAQ
  • Health Insurance Coverage
    • Health Insurance Coverage
    • FAQ
  • Contact
  • DEUTSCH
  • Blog
    • FRANÇAIS