Japanese Acupuncture, LLC (480) 246-0624:
600 N. 4th Street, Unit 147, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Volume 2, No. 1: September, 2008
Oriental Medicine & On Human Conditions
Chapter One
Liver: Anger, Love, and Redemption #7
知彼知己、百戦不殆
---孫子/謀攻篇
Arguably, the most famous military strategist in the history of China is Sun Zi（孫子: historians debate whether or not he was a real historical figure). One of his most famous sayings was: "Know Him (the enemy) and know Myself, then a hundred battles could be won (cannot be beaten)." Many of his teachings were for the art of war, but they could be applied in many situations, and this teaching is one of them.
To cure an illness (enemy), we need to know what it really is. We must make sure that we can defeat it. However, knowing what it is and what to do sometimes are not good enough. There is always a human element, a weakness. I have seen so many people fall into self-doubt and fear, and they become weak minded. The mind easily tricks us when it is not grounded. It conjures up a dire consequence and eliminates possibilities. We fall into thinking that there is nothing we can do and there is no hope.
When we face a difficulty (as thousands of military generals in history did), we must first take a deep breath and strengthen our minds by saying I am OK, and that there is a hope and a way out. We must first win over our mind. By knowing our weakness and strengthen, we can change the course of our history. If we cannot, then an enemy has already beaten us.
How do we avoid a certain defeat?
When we are ill, we must have courage to face the fact and deal with it properly. The word "courage" in Japanese is pronounced "Dai-Tan." Literal translation is "Big Gallbladder." In Oriental Medicine, the courage is attributed to the Gallbladder. It is the organ that governs decision-making. It deals with adversity and leads to action. Action, then, must be activated with its paired organ, the Liver. Unfortunately, when we are ill, the liver is also weakened, and our mind is off-balanced. With most of illnesses, the liver must be strengthened (of course, in a certain condition, liver detox is recommended*: i.e., cancer, acute hepatitis, etc). I highly recommend acupuncture to strengthen the liver and to take vitamin 6 and 12 (the foundation of DNA) supplements.
*Liver detox: here in Arizona, I find many people overdoing liver detox to the point it is no longer beneficial, and so doing, forgetting about strengthening the liver.
In my last newsletter, I talked about the autonomic nervous system and the adrenal system to restore the mind (the Spirit). The two systems need to be balanced to help the Liver attaining the final goal, which is the self-actualization, helping the Heart Element to reach the realm of "I Am."
To balance the autonomic nervous system, we can start with a stress reduction. Identify stress factors. Create an action plan for the stress. Change behaviors or routines if necessary. Keep the blood pressure in the normal range. Have a proper diet. Eat well with discerning knowledge. Take some minerals along with water. Do light exercise with abdominal breathing technique. Consult with a physician. To balance the adrenal system, do all just mentioned plus take some tyrosine (amino acid: 500 mg/day) and iodine if the thyroid is affected (one drop in a cup of water, twice a day: consult with your health care provider).
To balance the both systems by acupuncture, one example is as follow.
Autonomic Nervous System:
If rapid pulse, needle Ren-4 (関元: Gate of Origin, on the midline, about 3/5 below the navel on the line drawn between the navel and the pubic symphysis) or Ren-6 (気海: Sea of Qi, on the midline, about an inch inferior to the navel). ) Reduce the pulse rate.
Palpate Kid-2 (然谷: Blazing Valley, on the medial side of the foot, in the depression distal and inferior to the navicular tuberosity). If the point is tender, LU-10 (魚際: Fish Border, on the thenar eminence of the hand, in a depression between the midpoint of the first one metacarpal) could be tender, too. Needle the Metal and the Water points of each meridian line (only if the Fire point is tender).*
*Nagano-Matsumoto treatment according to Nan Jing (難経) Chapter 75.
Adrenal System:
If Kid-27 (喩府) in the depression on the lower border of the clavicle) is tender (possible thyroid/adrenal imbalance sign), then needle the point and Kid-6 (照会: slightly below the prominence of the medial malleollus). Add LU-5 (尺沢: Cubit Marsh, half the distance of the elbow cubital crease). If Kid-27 is really tender upon palpation, then needle HT-7 (神門: in the depression on the lower border of the clavicle) first. It will reduce the tenderness at Kid-27 immediately.*
*note from Sawada/Shirota style
If with respiratory problems, needle Kid-3 (太渓: in the depression between the medial malleollus and the Achilles tendon, level with the prominence of the medial malleollus) instead of Kid-6. For an elderly person or he has general weakness, needle Kid-9 (築賓: Guest House, on the medial aspect of the lower leg, draw a straight line from Kid-3 to where it meets the inferior end on the gastrocnemius muscle) instead.
According to the Sawada/Shirota style, Kid-6 is Kid-3. It is one of the most crucial points. Add Ren-12 (on the midline, half way between the xiphoid process and the navel) and Left SJ-4 (陽池: Yang Pool, on the dorsum of the wrist, in the depression). They are the essential points.
One last thing. Human touch is the most powerful healing tool we have. Acupuncture does not come close to the power of touch. The autonomic and adrenal systems will be helped by it, but more importantly, one's realization of "I Am" is enhanced. The connectedness of the touch awakens the Heart Element: the joy and the love. The enemy within will be defeated by the elements, for there is always hope.
© 2008 Dr. Y. Frank Aoi/Japanese Acupuncture
Chapter One
Liver: Anger, Love, and Redemption #7
知彼知己、百戦不殆
---孫子/謀攻篇
Arguably, the most famous military strategist in the history of China is Sun Zi（孫子: historians debate whether or not he was a real historical figure). One of his most famous sayings was: "Know Him (the enemy) and know Myself, then a hundred battles could be won (cannot be beaten)." Many of his teachings were for the art of war, but they could be applied in many situations, and this teaching is one of them.
To cure an illness (enemy), we need to know what it really is. We must make sure that we can defeat it. However, knowing what it is and what to do sometimes are not good enough. There is always a human element, a weakness. I have seen so many people fall into self-doubt and fear, and they become weak minded. The mind easily tricks us when it is not grounded. It conjures up a dire consequence and eliminates possibilities. We fall into thinking that there is nothing we can do and there is no hope.
When we face a difficulty (as thousands of military generals in history did), we must first take a deep breath and strengthen our minds by saying I am OK, and that there is a hope and a way out. We must first win over our mind. By knowing our weakness and strengthen, we can change the course of our history. If we cannot, then an enemy has already beaten us.
How do we avoid a certain defeat?
When we are ill, we must have courage to face the fact and deal with it properly. The word "courage" in Japanese is pronounced "Dai-Tan." Literal translation is "Big Gallbladder." In Oriental Medicine, the courage is attributed to the Gallbladder. It is the organ that governs decision-making. It deals with adversity and leads to action. Action, then, must be activated with its paired organ, the Liver. Unfortunately, when we are ill, the liver is also weakened, and our mind is off-balanced. With most of illnesses, the liver must be strengthened (of course, in a certain condition, liver detox is recommended*: i.e., cancer, acute hepatitis, etc). I highly recommend acupuncture to strengthen the liver and to take vitamin 6 and 12 (the foundation of DNA) supplements.
*Liver detox: here in Arizona, I find many people overdoing liver detox to the point it is no longer beneficial, and so doing, forgetting about strengthening the liver.
In my last newsletter, I talked about the autonomic nervous system and the adrenal system to restore the mind (the Spirit). The two systems need to be balanced to help the Liver attaining the final goal, which is the self-actualization, helping the Heart Element to reach the realm of "I Am."
To balance the autonomic nervous system, we can start with a stress reduction. Identify stress factors. Create an action plan for the stress. Change behaviors or routines if necessary. Keep the blood pressure in the normal range. Have a proper diet. Eat well with discerning knowledge. Take some minerals along with water. Do light exercise with abdominal breathing technique. Consult with a physician. To balance the adrenal system, do all just mentioned plus take some tyrosine (amino acid: 500 mg/day) and iodine if the thyroid is affected (one drop in a cup of water, twice a day: consult with your health care provider).
To balance the both systems by acupuncture, one example is as follow.
Autonomic Nervous System:
If rapid pulse, needle Ren-4 (関元: Gate of Origin, on the midline, about 3/5 below the navel on the line drawn between the navel and the pubic symphysis) or Ren-6 (気海: Sea of Qi, on the midline, about an inch inferior to the navel). ) Reduce the pulse rate.
Palpate Kid-2 (然谷: Blazing Valley, on the medial side of the foot, in the depression distal and inferior to the navicular tuberosity). If the point is tender, LU-10 (魚際: Fish Border, on the thenar eminence of the hand, in a depression between the midpoint of the first one metacarpal) could be tender, too. Needle the Metal and the Water points of each meridian line (only if the Fire point is tender).*
*Nagano-Matsumoto treatment according to Nan Jing (難経) Chapter 75.
Adrenal System:
If Kid-27 (喩府) in the depression on the lower border of the clavicle) is tender (possible thyroid/adrenal imbalance sign), then needle the point and Kid-6 (照会: slightly below the prominence of the medial malleollus). Add LU-5 (尺沢: Cubit Marsh, half the distance of the elbow cubital crease). If Kid-27 is really tender upon palpation, then needle HT-7 (神門: in the depression on the lower border of the clavicle) first. It will reduce the tenderness at Kid-27 immediately.*
*note from Sawada/Shirota style
If with respiratory problems, needle Kid-3 (太渓: in the depression between the medial malleollus and the Achilles tendon, level with the prominence of the medial malleollus) instead of Kid-6. For an elderly person or he has general weakness, needle Kid-9 (築賓: Guest House, on the medial aspect of the lower leg, draw a straight line from Kid-3 to where it meets the inferior end on the gastrocnemius muscle) instead.
According to the Sawada/Shirota style, Kid-6 is Kid-3. It is one of the most crucial points. Add Ren-12 (on the midline, half way between the xiphoid process and the navel) and Left SJ-4 (陽池: Yang Pool, on the dorsum of the wrist, in the depression). They are the essential points.
One last thing. Human touch is the most powerful healing tool we have. Acupuncture does not come close to the power of touch. The autonomic and adrenal systems will be helped by it, but more importantly, one's realization of "I Am" is enhanced. The connectedness of the touch awakens the Heart Element: the joy and the love. The enemy within will be defeated by the elements, for there is always hope.
© 2008 Dr. Y. Frank Aoi/Japanese Acupuncture
1 comment:
Hi, I'm a practitioner in Orlando Florida and I hope to exchange information in this field!
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