Source: Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation.
The event passed without most people even taking notice. It was 1982, and at the University of Paris, physicist Alain Aspect led a research team in an experiment that turned things on their head—at least in terms of how reality and the world are understood. What they discovered was that under certain conditions subatomic particles can instantaneously communicate with each other no matter how great a distance between them. Whether they are ten centimeters or ten million miles apart, particles like electrons are aware of what the other is doing!
One of the most challenging aspects of this discovery was that it violated Einstein’s tenet that communication cannot travel faster than the speed of light. Traveling that fast is equal to breaking the time barrier, and so Aspect’s research prompted a great re-thinking in order to explain the results of his experiment: Just how is reality actually structured? Many weighed in, yet physicist David Bohm’s take was perhaps the most intriguing—universe as hologram. Bohm proposed that reality is an intricate hologram, where each part is not only inseparably connected to the greater whole, each part contains within itself the entire whole and is a
continuum of it. Each electron is able to communicate instantaneously with any other despite enormous distances because they are in fact not really two separate things but rather two parts of the same greater entity.
As surprising as it sounds, this concept most likely would not have come as a shock to the early Chinese sages. Thousands of years ago, the earliest practitioners of what evolved into traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) were deeply sensitive to the often-invisible connections between all things in nature. Out of this awareness emerged a profound view of healing that has at its center a dynamic understanding of the universe as a holographic structure and its fundamental quality of interconnection. “Ancient” TCM theories and principles reflect this “modern” paradigm. For example, TCM views the individual as a complete microcosm of the
macrocosm, and on a smaller scale, perceives some areas of the body—such as the ears, the hands, and the feet—to be microcosms of the entire body. Practically applied, the comprehension of a deeper, invisible reality as a supporting ground to the physical one we all experience is a key component of TCM treatment.
One secret the early Chinese sages intuited was that the very origin of our existence—where we come from and what we are all a part of—is also the most potent source for our healing. Everything we need, including everything we need to heal ourselves, is right there—or right here, depending on your perspective—in the Universal. But we have to open and rediscover our connection to it in order to access and receive its unlimited healing power. How can we do this?
One very powerful way is group healing. For most Westerners, the concept of group healing calls to mind a talk-oriented group therapy based on models of Western psychology. Group healing from the TCM perspective moves beyond the mind to include the all facets of the individual—body, mind, emotions, and spirit—and reestablishes their connection to the Universal, forming a truly holographic approach. The mechanism that enables this to occur is Qi.
Vital energy, what the Chinese call “Qi” (pronounced chee), is the life force that flows continuously throughout our body via meridians, a complex network of invisible energy pathways. The meridians link every single part of our body, forming it into an organic whole; through them each part can communicate with the rest— instantly. Qi links body, mind, emotions, and spirit, yet it also creates a continuity between each individual and the external world. Qi is the unifying force between all things, between material and nonmaterial states; through
Qi all things can communicate. Qi is the most important aspect of TCM treatment. It takes energy to heal. A quantity of energy—energy beyond the body’s everyday needs—must be accumulated. This energy, when concentrated and used, can create significant health changes.
There are two ways a TCM practitioner can approach group healing. One relies solely on technique. Essentially, the potential of energetic connection between group members is not used. The other approach is vastly different because it is based on principles of energy, not technique. By linking the individual Qi of each group member in a special way, a stronger, shared group energy is formed. This increases the energy available for each participant to heal. Here, the techniques of treatment such as acupuncture or Qigong (energy practice) are really
just tools to make the dynamic energy field stronger. For example, the TCM practitioner may have all the participants hold a certain Qigong posture. This technique builds each individual’s energy while making him or her more sensitive to the group energy, yielding many more healing benefits. Ultimately, the maximum benefit comes from a connection to the Universal energy field.
One special component of TCM is the quality of the relationship between doctor and patient. Many people wonder if this is lost in a group treatment setting. Energy-based group healing functions as an important transition to self-healing. Practitioners using this approach see a patient on an individual basis first before that person is placed in a healing group. This enables the doctor to understand the person’s overall condition and become familiar with his or her internal energy pattern. At an appropriate time after individual treatment, they can then begin group healing. Access to the high level of energy generated by the group further sparks the
person’s self-healing ability. This approach also educates the individual, especially with regard to basic principles of energy and lifestyle. In this way, the strong TCM tradition of self-healing and prevention can be accessed and applied.
Using an energy approach to group healing requires a practitioner with very special skills. The ability to understand and manipulate energy is essential. He or she must be able to create an energy field and manage the energy involved so the group members can connect to each other. In ancient times, Qigong was an integral part of a TCM practitioner’s training. Over the millennia, the emphasis has increasingly turned toward technique and book knowledge, while the fundamental component of energy has receded and become relatively rare. However uncommon, doctors trained in energy principles—in Qigong—still practice TCM. It is these practitioners who are able to bring to group healing the powerful element of energy and fully use its qualities of
interconnectedness.
Ancient TCM concepts of related patterns or energies can be used when composing the members of a group. A key point is that the energy is more concentrated when all group members have a similar problem with the same source. This is where the ability to make an accurate diagnosis is crucial. TCM believes that external symptoms have an internal cause. Practitioners of TCM move beyond symptoms to find the source of a health problem. Similar symptoms do not necessarily mean similar root causes. For instance, two people can have a cough, but the internal cause of each can be completely different, and therefore each would be treated in a different way. This is why correct diagnosis is as important in a group setting as it is in individual treatments.
Using principles and practices based on natural law and a concept of the universe as an interconnected, holographic structure, TCM helps individuals connect to their innate healing ability and then connects them to the ultimate source of healing—the Universal. These connections are magnified to great benefit, both physically and spiritually, when practiced in a group. “Everybody has unlimited power, unlimited possibility,” states Dr. Nan Lu, a modern Qigong master. Traditional Chinese medicine and group healing form a strong and unique
combination that empowers any sincere seeker with virtually limitless healing potential.
No comments:
Post a Comment