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Learn About The 3 Philosophies Of Traditional Chinese Medicine

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Mohammed Yusri
Learn About The 3 Philosophies Of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Introduction

TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine is a thousand-year-old practice in Chinese medicine that focuses on an individual's overall health and wellness. While Western medicine focuses mainly on treating the disease, TCM involves the betterment of a person's entire well-being. TCM does not depend on science and Western medicine for treatment. Instead, it has a holistic approach towards one's health, based on balance, harmony, and energy.

TCM clinics approach their clients' well-being via several holistic methods which include:

  1. Acupuncture is a process in which excellent needles are pressed gently in the skin.
  2. Cupping is a process in which heated cups are used to create suction on one's skin.
  3. Herbs, mostly from plants, are used in tea or the form of powders and capsules.
  4. Moxibustion is a process in which dried herbs are heated close to one's skin.
  5. Meditation is a process in which one quietly sits down and tries to calm his mind.
  6. Tai chi is a form of exercise involving slow movements and focused breathing.

This form of alternative medicine focuses more on building immunity to prevent diseases than on treating ailments. TCM is broadly based on three schools of Chinese philosophy. These philosophies shall be widely discussed in the following paragraphs. 

  1. 1. Qi

 In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qi is a concept which determines a method of treatment. It has two branches: 

  1. One department focuses mainly on a person's physical surroundings, that is, the air they breathe, the water they drink, and the food they eat.
  2. The second branch is mainly focused on the energy and vital fluids that flow through one's body. TCM considers emotional and physical ailments as imbalances and interruptions in the flow of these essential fluids and energy.
  3. Yin and Yang

 These are the opposites that attribute specific qualities to qi.

  1.  Yin represents the night, darkness, coldness, and feminine energy.
  2. Yang represents the day, lightness, warmth, and male energy.

This philosophy believes that all aspects of life involve a bit of both Yin and Yang. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is believed that a healthy balance between the two needs to be maintained to maintain one's health and wellness.

  1. 3. Wuxing

The Wuxing, also known as Five Elements of Five Agents, is a five-fold concept used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It represents five traditional elements, namely fire, water, wood, metal, and earth. TCM classifies organs and tissues in the human body into categories of these five elements. A balance between these elements helps achieve wellness and health in TCM clinic.

Conclusion

These three philosophies have substantially defined and structured Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years.

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