Imagine yourself; scrolling down the vitamin and supplements aisle at one of the organic grocery stores and thinking about buying some folic-acid or iron pills.
Which brand?
Is it organic? Ingredients? Do I really need it?
This was me today trying very hard indeed to find the best and the most organic one. Then, this question repeated itself once again:
Do I really need it?
If they are made of plants and/or fish, why can I not eat them fresh?
This moment made me realize that our health is depended on what the current trend is. Therefore, I would like to challenge our modern times' habits by talking through the concepts TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). I believe that the more ideas or maybe routines of TCM we implement into our day-to-day life, the healthier we get.
For full disclosure, I am not a medical doctor nor a TCM expert. I am someone who is so eager to discover the connection of mind, spirit, and body. From my experiences, TCM has been and still is so helpful and beneficial to me: the herbal medicine and acupuncture/acupressure are the ones that I have benefitted from.
Let's take a tour: What are the essentials of Traditional Chinese Medicine?
My understanding and explaining of this sophisticated medicine system would be "keeping the balance going on". TCM has been around and evolving for approximately 2500 years now. The fundamental concept is "Qi". It is pronounced as "chee" and means the life force, vital and material energy that we are given before we were born and will have it until we depart from the earth. Meaning that Qi exists all the time and it is universal energy broadly. Maybe it is the spirit that we have embodied in our bodies. Why not?
Qi lays on the Pillars: Yin and Yang
In order to understand how Qi changes in the body, we will be talking about the concept of "Yin-Yang". I have to admit that I am mesmerized by how the same concept of "Yin-Yang" can go along with anything and everything in life. But now, I will keep talking about the function of the body. Qi is almost like never stopping, never-ending energy transforming from one aspect of Qi into another. Therefore, in order to describe the transformation aspects of Qi, TCM uses Yin and Yang. There are opposite qualities.
It is Black and White. One cannot exist without one another.
It is simply fundamental. Because it is vital.
If yin is forming, then yang is functioning. If yin is material, then yang is immaterial.
Yin is shade, night, cold, resting period, femininity whereas, Yang is sunlight, heat, movement, masculinity.
Although they represent completely opposite qualities, yin holds some elements of yang and yang contains some yin. This is the "wholesome" point of view. I think this is what we lack in our diet, daily routines, emotional balance, etc...
Since this is a very broad concept, I would like to keep sharing more information and ideas about how to bring this wholesome concept into our lives. Before I end my writing, I would like to ask:
How are you feeling every day?
How do you feel about your energy levels?
Any digestion issues?
Any skin problems?
It is maybe your period?
I believe these are good questions to ask ourselves. If you feel like, there is some degree of disharmony in your body, you are probably right! And I am so glad that our roads have crossed each other here. I have so much to share about how to bring harmony back into the body, mind, and spirit.
Stay tuned until next time.
Comments