The First Principle - Qi

Chinese medicine developed thousands of years ago when people lived in close relationship with nature.  Their lives were dependent on learning the natural cycles of the seasons and the elements associated with those, as well as the practicality of living in harmony with them, rather than dealing with disease that resulted from an opposing lifestyle.  There was found to be a universal energy field, known to us as qi, foundational to all living things, and a reality that could not be controlled or bargained with.  It could, however, be studied, and fundamental principles were inspired that held true through the millennia and still do.  

 

The universal energy field is conventionally described as electromagnetic waves that travel through the universe and exist at every point in time and space, moving at the speed of light. ​​​The waves are filtered by the atmosphere to provide a beneficial environment for living things, and radiate between us and through us, penetrating our bodies right down to the deepest layer, and infusing each cell. Some of this energy takes the form of visible light, but much of it is invisible to us. Though it can't be seen in the same way that we see other more material things, it can still be perceived.

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There are differences in the way the energy interacts with matter, based on its characteristics.  Likewise there are differences in each area or part of the body in how it penetrates, and places where it tends to be distributed more abundantly (the acupuncture points!).  The relationships between the organs and other structures are connected through that energy and can be accessed along channels with acupuncture needles to influence the flow, direction, and quality of the energy, creating a harmonious balance in the energy system within the body. 

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One can imagine that it might be easy for a system this intricate to drift out of balance.  Even a tiny shift can result in an irregularly shaped structure or abnormal function, which can then be reflected elsewhere in the body, manifesting ultimately as disease.

An acupuncturist can detect these shifts when taking the patient's pulse and observing the tongue, among other ways.  This is what forms the diagnosis and becomes a way of measuring the efficacy of the treatment.

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By these methods of diagnosis and therapeutic evaluation, numerous forms of disease may be detected and improved.

The blueprint of disease development will show up in the pulse and on the tongue, along with other signs, and when the situation improves that is reflected there also.​

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