Japanese Acupuncture Newsletter, Phoenix, Arizona
Volume 3, No. 3: June, 2011
Japanese Acupuncture (480) 246-0624
600 N. 4th Street, Unit 147, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Note From Wall Street Journal, May 18, 2011:
McDonald's Under Pressure to Fire Ronald by Julie Jargon
"More than 550 health professionals and organizations have signed a letter to McDonald's Corp. asking the maker of Happy Meals to stop marketing junk food to kids and retire Ronald McDonald...The letter from the health providers urges McDonald's to cease marketing food high in salt, fat, sugar and calories to kids, from the use of Ronald McDonald to Happy Meal toys." I think it is about time we demand corporate responsibility in creating a healthy diet.
Reminder:
As a member, you receive 25% off from any product by Natural Partners (www.naturalpartners.com) and TriMedica (www.trimedica.com) from us. Sorry, no shipping. You need to pick them up at our clinic.
Oriental Medicine & On Human Conditions
Chapter Three
Spleen: Worry, Harmony, and Illumination #3
I love myself,
I love you.
I love you,
I love myself.
Rumi
The above poem is close to the following zen poem:
The cool wind gently blows through my mind,
No matter what happens.
No matter what happens,
The cool wind gently blows through my mind.
Ummon
Mara, the Devil or the Death, who confronted the Buddha is the metaphor of "conditioned" existence we all live. We suffer because we are conditioned to attach ourselves to emotions. It is the ego of "I" telling us this is how and why we exist (so, we've been "told."). Joseph Campbell writes: "Death can't touch you if there is nothing you desire. So the Lord of 'I' presents himself to the Buddha in the aspect of Mara, …Unfortunate for them, there is nobody there, so when these weapons reach this field of nobody being there, they are transformed into bouquets of adoration." Jesus had to go through the similar temptations. What do we do with endless desire, temptation, death, lust and fear? The Buddha touches the Earth with his fingers, achieves illumination.
Acupuncture's power is not in reducing pain (although it is an extremely efficient tool) or in stop smoking. These are rather tertiary compare to its power to heal emotions and to nurture spirituality. Its purpose is to open the Third Eye, moving the energy to the sahasrara, the seventh chakra. It is an instrument as a yana, a ferry boat to reach the other shore of enlightenment.
For the purpose, my style requires to reduce pain by acupuncture needles as much as possible (my mentor once said: "if it is painful, it is not acupuncture."). Induction of pain is not about achieving or bringing about Qi, the life force energy.* Acupuncture is far more subtle than giving pain and thinking it is good for people.
I have found that most American women are Spleen deficient. Obesity, IBS, celiac disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, all fall into the category. When their symptoms are combined, especially with adrenal imbalance, their whole body becomes pain sensitive. In some cases, they could be under severe stress and depression. Yet, the Spleen is the one to harmonize all. For example, the Liver Element I wrote about in past newsletters is greatly helped by the Spleen. In fact, to balance the right side and the left side of the body, harmony between the Liver and the Spleen is essential (which leads to the Heart and the Kidney balance – the upper and the lower).
How do we then change the negative aspect of the Element, which is worry, into the positive aspect, harmony? The way to do it is when worry comes in start loving ourselves. We need to affirm that we love ourselves and are comfortable with what we are and who we are. Accept, as I have mentioned many times before, that things are As-Is at the moment of Now. The affirmation becomes self-confidence, and we achieve illumination of self-realization that is totally free from emotion, judgment, temptation, desire, and even death: "Cool wind gently blows through my mind."
Acupuncture gently redirects your thought energy to be free from worry because its fundamental purpose is to balance and harmonize the body and the mind. The Spleen** connects crucially to the Heart Element, mainly to the PC (pericardium). The PC is more closely connected to spirituality and the Heart is connection to the function of the heart. For example, if it is depression, take the Spleen points, and if it is an irregular heartbeat, take the Heart points.*** Lastly, the Spleen pairs with the Stomach, therefore, harmonizing the digestive system is utmost importance in balancing the Element.
Start loving yourself. If you do not and don't know how to love others, you will have hard time understanding my next chapter, the Lung Element, which connects with sadness.
*However, when I need to disperse energy, slight sting would be induced.
**The Spleen Element is considered to be a small heart within the heart.
***Of course, other practitioners have different opinions.
© 2011 Dr. Y. Frank Aoi (NM State)/Japanese Acupuncture, LLC
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