Medicine Chinese Medicine Use emotion to overcome emotion
“Sadness can treat anger; one must move the patient with sad, painful and bitter words. Euphoria can treat sadness; one must entertain the patient with jokes, wisecracks, and practical jokes. Fear can treat euphoria; one must frighten the patient with threatening words about death or bad luck. Anger can treat thought; one must provoke the patient with insolent words. Thought can treat fear; one must divert the patient’s attention towards another subject so that he forgets the cause of his fear.” (Zhang Zihe, as cited in Rossi, 2007, p. 31)
Ke cycle (controlling cycle) for instant change of emotion.
Sheng cycle (generating cycle) for lasting change of emotion. Figure 1
5 element Sheng & Ke cycles
Note. Adapted from Acupuncture point dynamics volume three: Evidence-based methods of point selection (p. 16), by J. McDonald, 2022, Acupuncture Colleges. Copyright 2022 by John McDonald. 4
Joy Fire Anger - Wood Sadness – Metal Thought Earth Joy – Fire Fear – Water Sadness/Grief Metal Thought – Earth Anger – Wood Fear Water Sadness – Metal Euphoria – Fire Anger Wood Fear - Water Thought - Earth
Note. Adapted from Shen: Psycho-emotional Aspects of Chinese Medicine (p. 30), by E. Rossi, 2007, Churchill Livingstone Elsevier. Copyright 2007 By Elisa Rossi.
Joy Lè = harmonious form of joy Xĭ = euphoria or excess state of joy A state of excitation, maybe mild, but constant. Being ‘out of bounds’ Hyperactive Nervousness Life is filled with commitments & amusements, but they become agitated the more they have to do. Inappropriate laughter Not aware of surroundings Grandiose, maniacal behaviour Issues with passion, enthusiasm, joy (Rossi, 2007) 6
“This movement of Qi is dispersed, which unravels like a
fraying fabric. The Qi is no longer united, it loses its centre and everything else escapes. As the harmony of the Heart and its integrating action is diminished, the whole breaks apart.” (Rossi, 2007, p. 36)
Celebrate like it’s Summer or midday (celebrate in general)
Laugh Play like a child – have fun Immerse yourself in activities you love Write list of everything in life which has made you happy - recreate those experiences where possible. If passion and enthusiasm is fading – use the strategies for Wood because Wood nourishes Fire.
Worry (thought, pensiveness) Yì = intellect (think, consider, deliberate). Worry about trivial everyday activities – do everything in a hurry. Excessive, preoccupied, constant thinking / analysing Brooding nostalgia instead of living in present moment Excessive mental work in employment or study Cold intellectualisation that excludes feeling Process of rationalisation that allows no room for emotions or sentiments. Obsessive rumination (endless circles of thought which do not result in action). Issues with assimilation/learning, organisation, concentration, focus (Rossi, 2007)
Presents with a monotone voice, oppression, heaviness,
bloating, possibly anxious (becoming worried by recurring thoughts). ‘Sinking in a swamp’ Spleen, Heart, Lungs
Ke cycle Fear of Water moderated by reflection of Earth. Attempt to control the world to defend oneself from its dangers (obsessive-compulsive) (Rossi, 2007) 10
Act like it’s a balmy Indian Summer or late summer afternoon
Organise, file, sort out, throw out junk. If you lack enthusiasm for these tasks, try the Fire strategies (Fire nourishes Earth). Reflect and take stock When learning something new, look for patterns – easier to learn and remember organised information/ideas. Study actively. Break things down into basic components – just like digestion. If your appetite for learning fades, try Fire strategies.
Pain Suffering Anguish Grief Melancholy Regret Grief Depression* Often derived from some form of loss – the suffering of the living. Issues with letting go, separation, response to change, adventure (lack of), optimism (Rossi, 2007) 12
Pain consumes life Qi is exhausted We feel we have nothing left Agitation and obstruction in upper jiao prevents circulation of nutritive and defensive Qi
Breathe out before you breathe in Eliminate clutter in your life (Earth nourishes Metal) Travel – travel light with a spirit of adventure Practice your Tarzan call? Let go - have faith that it will all work out Welcome change (the only constant thing in life).
Sudden fright (shock, trauma) Apprehension about something that may occur Fear - relationship with anxiety & panic attacks Issues with tranquillity, determination, perseverance
Practice tranquillity daily Feel the fear but do it anyway (action cures fear) Never give up Finish what you start If fear is overwhelming, try Metal strategies (Metal nourishes Water) – nothing to lose, nothing to fear.
Strategies to enhance Wood Act like it’s Spring or sunrise Do something new, do something now. Pursue creativity – music, art, writing etc Exercise (vigorous) to move Qi – e.g., dancing Sing or breathe deeply Want more power? Take more responsibility Dream great dreams & set breathtaking goals, plan to achieve them. Decide now – no procrastination. Stand up for what you believe in. Practice tranquillity daily (Water nourishes Wood)
Rest & relaxation is essential Practice soothing the emotions – quiet the Will (Zhì), calm the spirit (Shén) Utilise breathwork, Qi Gong, & meditation skills
Discuss how personal
development & mental cultivation can benefit you as a practitioner.
Shén of the patient, shén of the practitioner, shén of the situation.
“There are five requisites for a good acupuncturist; many
ignore them: the first is to regulate Shen, the second is to know how to ‘nourish life’ (yangsheng), the third is to know the properties of the substances, the fourth is to know how to prepare the stone points of various sizes, the fifth is to understand diagnosis of organs, Qi, and Blood.” (Suwen, Chapter 25 cited in Rossi, 2007, p. 273)
“When he needles, the doctor has to be in a state of deep
calm, has to come and go only together with shen, act as though he had doors and windows shut, hun and po are not dispersed, yi and shen are concentrated, jing and qi are not divided, the voices of the people around him are not heard, so that jing is collected, shen is united, and zhi is concentrated on the needle.” (Lingshu Chapter 9, cited in Rossi, 2007, p. 278)
Rossi (2007, p. 275) identifies several examples of common
therapeutic relationship dynamics for practitioners in clinical practice: Feeling pressured to give patients more time Feeling misunderstood by patients (underestimated, undervalued) Feeling overwhelmed by the poor state of health of the patient Feeling frustrated with the cycle of improvement, then plateau, but never complete resolution. Feeling intolerant of certain patient’s personalities, behaviours, characteristics.
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