Most of us have heard of acupuncture, but the truth of the matter is
that for many of us, that's as far as our knowledge of acupuncture goes.
We know it involves sticking needles into our body to help relieve pain.
But the very idea of needles probably sounds painful. However, this is
not really the case.
Acupuncture is a branch of traditional Chinese medicine. This framework
of medical practice begins with the belief that our body is a balance of
two opposite yet inseparable forces - the yin and yang.
By the same line of thinking, this applies to the entire universe. Yin
represents forces such as the cold, the slow and other passive forces,
whilst Yang represents heat, excitement and other active forces. It is a
combination of these forces and the balance between them that
determines our mental and physical well-being.
Another cornerstone of traditional Chinese medicine is the concept of
'chi' (pronounced chee). Chi is the life force of the universe. In the
body, it is the 'chi' that creates and animates life. We are all born with a
certain amount of chi and continually acquire it throughout our lives
through food, air, water and sunlight. Chi is believed to move through
our body in channels called meridians. The quantity and quality of chi in
our body depends on the state of our mental and physical balance (as
represented by the yin and yang).
In fact, imbalances of the yin and yang in the body block the channels
through which chi travels in our body. There are twelve main meridians
(channels through which chi - our vital energy - can travel) in our
body, eight minor meridians and over 2000 acupuncture points or
acupoints which connect these meridians. The practice of acupuncture
unblocks these chi pathways, thus ensuring the constant and free flow
of energy through our body for mental and physical wellbeing.
Oriental medicine has some basic principles but they are not set in
stone. Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine at large are
tailored and modified to suit each patient. Furthermore there are many
different schools of thought.
Traditional Chinese medicine is a complete healthcare system that is
capable of providing both specialized and primary healthcare. It also
gives us guidelines on how to prevent illnesses.
The bulk of traditional Chinese medicine's roots lie in Taoism. Taoism is
both a religion and a philosophy of life. The main focus of Taoism is the
natural laws of the universe and our relationship to the universe.
