Team

Martial art and life

by Team | 44,Oct, 2021 | healingArt

The practice of a martial art is a path that leads to full health.

Martial arts are often associated only with fighting. However, a true martial art is much more than that. It is an art that involves the whole person: body and mind. The practice of a martial art is a real tool for personal development. Its ultimate goal is the plenitude of the being and serenity.

The martial artist seeks to develop a strength that allows him to face different types of trials experienced as aggressions. What is this strength? Does it come from an abundance of muscles and proven fighting techniques? Many combat sports falsely lead their students to believe that they are practising self-defence against external aggressors. But the ultimate goal of self-defence is to learn to face our own inner struggles and keep our ego at bay. This is where the martial artist will find this strength.

Our experience of practice, as well as numerous meetings with teachers and masters in martial arts have confirmed that the goal of martial arts is to build the individual to become a Warrior.

The warrior differs from the common mortal by the meaning he gives to his life. The warrior is in a permanent quest to connect with the forces of the universe. He seeks to live in harmony with himself and with his environment. What is a stress for everyone is a challenge for the warrior: “How to solve this test with wisdom?” Indeed, The Way of the Warrior asks us to live in harmony with our inner strength and the universal consciousness.

Why become a warrior?

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Everyday life looks more and more like a fight, whose attacks are often underhand (frustration, illness, death of a loved one, fear of losing…).

Thanks to the martial art, the individual reprograms himself in a methodical way. This gradually enables him to better cope with the above-mentioned situations. By materialising conflictual contexts of physical aggression, the practitioner experiments with defence techniques, while learning to know himself better.

Thus, each difficulty encountered in his practice (effort, test, remark) prepares him for this confrontation with life. The apprentice warrior learns to observe and to feel. Thus he gradually develops his awareness of himself and his environment.

He learns through physical combat to control his instinctive reactions. Thus he adapts his reaction to a given situation as accurately as possible. This is what will allow him, with time, to face the emotional aggressions mentioned above without being overwhelmed. The martial art thus brings mental relaxation and the ability to sustain confrontation and to develop effective strategies.

This result requires the diligence and humility of the practitioner. Among its many riches, the martial art has the ability to learn to undergo attacks without being overly affected by them. This is particularly precious nowadays, where fear is distilled all day long in the media. Of course, there are different ways to cope with life’s difficulties. But from experience, the rigorous practice of a martial art is particularly effective. It is all the more interesting for women, who because of their socio-cultural heritage, find themselves or place themselves more in the position of victim. The self-confidence generated by the practice of a martial art allows them to get out of this eternal victim status.

The virtues

The martial artist is initiated into a culture. He practices an art, develops virtues that will be integrated throughout his evolution. The beginner, from the first second, pursues a path, even if he is not yet aware of it. It is the way of harmony. Thus he cultivates a body aesthetic in each of his movements. In doing so, he develops physical and mental qualities through the more or less delicate situations in which he is placed. For harmony is the key to a healthy and fulfilled life.

In addition, the martial art teaches mutual aid and solidarity. In training, the opponent is above all a partner. And each partner seeks to help his or her partner progress as much as to progress in the above-mentioned virtues. Thus the martial art teaches altruism and respect for the Other.

In everyday life, aggression is rarely physical. As a result, the individual has lost sight of an essential element: vigilance. The practice of a martial art, by physically materialising an aggression, forces the practitioner to cultivate this vigilance. Indeed, the slightest lack of vigilance is paid for harshly. This vigilance develops gradually to become an extra-awareness, which will last outside the dojo.

Bushido or the way of the warrior

Bushido (literally the Way of the Warrior) is the code of honour of the samurai. It summarises the virtues to be developed through the practice of a martial art, and to be integrated into one’s life.

Here are the 7 essential virtues according to Bushido:

Loyalty,
Courage (the art of understanding what is right),
Honour (respecting an ethic in our actions),
Benevolence (it induces solidarity),
Rigour (the sense of duty),
Respect (mark of our greatness of soul),
Honesty and sincerity (being fair, speaking fairly).

These virtues are objectives to be developed through the practice of the martial art and to be integrated into daily life. With time they become an integral part of the individual and their application in everyday life is automatic.

The anxiety

by Team | 3131,Aug, 2021 | medical

Anxiety is the emotion associated with the spleen in tcm

Anxiety is related to the element Earth, and to the organ of the Spleen. It covers the following range of emotions: worries, obsessive thoughts, worry, mental rumination, intellectual overwork etc.

The Spleen is located in the left hypochondrium. In TCM, the Pancreas is attached to the function of the Spleen and forms an energetic couple with the Stomach, both belonging to the Earth element.

Anxiety, called “Jiao Lu” in Chinese medicine, is a state that everyone may experience occasionally when faced with a difficulty in life. However, if this state is persistent and repeated, it can seriously affect daily life. At this point, we speak of neurosis or psychological disorders.

Apart from the phenomenon of unjustified intense fear, in pathological anxiety states various symptoms are observed such as difficulty in concentrating, memory loss, sleep disorders, irritability, sweating, palpitations, shortness of breath, discomfort in the chest, etc. People with anxiety are no longer able to solve their problems themselves.

Excessive intellectual work, for example in students, as well as excessive worry, often causes a dysfunction of the Spleen/Pancreas by tying up the Qi. Conversely, a Spleen/Pancreas imbalance will tend to make the person anxious.

The spleen houses the Thought (Yì 意)

Indeed, TCM considers that the Spleen houses the Thought (or Yì). It is through the Spleen that we can concentrate, memorize and think. If the Spleen Qi is weak, these functions become difficult. Thinking can turn into mental rumination. When Yì is correct, the brain understands and analyzes with ease, and memorizes easily. If the Yì is deficient, memory will be weak and conceptualization difficult. Finally, a disturbed Yì can generate melancholy, a recollection of the past.

The main symptoms of an emptiness of the Spleen Qi are:

Mental weariness,
Rumination of thoughts (looping),
Worrying,
Mental confusion,
Physical fatigue,
Difficulty falling asleep,
Loose stools,
Lack of appetite.

Functions of the spleen

The spleen transports and distributes nutrients throughout the body. It extracts qì from food to extract pure qì, brings it up to the lung to form, together with qì extracted from the air breathed, the complex qì zōng qì (宗气) usable by the body. From the chest, the zōng qì is divided into yíng qì (营气, nutritive qì) and wèi qì (卫气, defensive qì), which are then distributed to the rest of the body.

Having separated the pure from the impure from the substances received from the stomach, the Spleen thus brings up the pure, and down the impure parts to the small intestine, then the large intestine and the bladder for elimination. This is why it is called the “patron saint of digestion and appetite”.

The Spleen also has the function of controlling the blood and keeping it in the vessels. If the energy of the Spleen is low, there will be a tendency to hematoma, or hemorrhage. The Spleen plays an important role in balancing menstruation for women. If the Spleen is empty of qi, it will not produce enough blood, so the Liver will not store enough blood or the uterus will lack blood. Menstruation will be absent or scanty. If the Spleen Yang is weak, this will lead to heavy or bleeding menses, as the Spleen lacks the strength to keep the blood in the vessels.

Spleen and muscular tonus

The Spleen holds the organs in place, thanks to the rise of the Spleen qi. If this qi collapses, there may be organ descent which may affect the stomach, uterus, intestines, kidneys, bladder, vagina, anus or rectal veins with the appearance of hemorrhoids.

The Spleen is in charge of flesh and muscle tissue. A deficiency in the energy of the Spleen can lead to flaccidity of the flesh, lack of tone, especially of the limbs. This is what the person feels and expresses it by “My legs are cut”, or “I have no strength in my arms”.

Finally, the Spleen “opens to the mouth” and manifests itself through the lips. Thus the observation of the tongue and lips allows us to diagnose the state of energy of the Spleen. If the lips are pink, fleshy and without cracks, the Spleen energy is correct.

If the Spleen blood is insufficient, the lips are dry. In TCM, moisture is harmful to the Spleen.

Clinical case

Lucy – 26 years old

Lucy came to see us just after she moved to Cambodia. During her first consultation, she explains her situation and the conditions that cause her anxiety. She had just arrived from her hometown (San Francisco) and this was the first time she had been separated from her twin sister. She is a very sensitive person and suffers from anxiety. This change of life has caused her anxiety to increase. She doesn’t sleep well and sometimes feels frightened at night. We started the acupuncture treatment. Five days later, she returned for a second session. She feels much better already. Five more days, after two acupuncture sessions, she is sleeping well and feels emotionally stable.

We continue to treat her with acupuncture once or twice a week.

At her last session with us, a month after her first visit, she still has ups and downs which are usually due to stressful external situations. But her anxiety has decreased considerably. She can now manage it. She usually sleeps well.

Eating habits that are harmful to the spleen

eating too many moistening foods: industrial dishes, cold cuts, milk, fried foods…
drinking or eating too cold
drinking too much alcohol
eating too many raw vegetables
eating too much sugar and sweet foods
eating too many meals and too late at night
eating at irregular hours

If you suffer from anxiety, you will find here 10 natural solutions to treat it.

Low back pain

by Team | 44,Aug, 2021 | medical

Low back pain (or Yāo tòng) as seen by Chinese medicine.

The Chinese term yāo tòng refers to back pain, whether unilateral or bilateral. Low back pain is often encountered in clinical practice. It is not uncommon that behind this apparently simple complaint, other complications may be hidden such as :

a herniated lumbar disc,
lumbar disc protrusion (collapse of the vertebral discs),
kidney stones,
spinal osteoarthritis (degeneration of the intervertebral disc).

Sciatica or back pain (especially in the lumbar region) affects between 50 and 70% of the population. The origin is variable. It lasts from a few days in acute phase to several years. Traditional Chinese medicine links these pathologies to the Kidneys and the Bladder.

Low back pain is pain of the back that originates from the muscles located on both sides of the spine (the quadratus lumborum). The spasms of these muscles cause significant pain. This starts below the last dorsal vertebra (L1), to go down through the buttocks, extending behind the thigh, then behind the knees, and sometimes to the toes.

Less well known is cruralgia, a pain that focuses on the front part of the thighs and the outside of the buttocks and that can go down to the front of the knee, the shins and the toes.

Both types of pain are often only felt on one side of the body.

Etiology

These low back pains can have very diverse origins:

Excess of physical activity
Unsuitable physical activity
Bad posture (or prolonged position)
Sudden movement (without respect for joint physiology)
Exaggerated repetition of a movement
Heavy loads lifted
Traumatic injuries
Lack of physical activity
Excessive sexual activity
Pregnancy and childbirth
Overwork

Clinical signs

Chinese medicine identifies through its diagnosis different syndromes at the origin of the pathology:

A cold wet wind: this is a pervert that can invade the Bladder meridian. The cold contracts the muscles of the back. Moisture hinders the circulation of Qi and Blood, thus causing obstruction, which is a source of pain.
Heat-humidity: when pathogenic factors (heat – humidity) penetrate and stagnate in the body, there is a feeling of heaviness.
The stagnation of Qi and Blood: localized, it causes muscular contractures, and therefore pain.
Emptiness of the kidneys: this reinforces the impact of the above-mentioned perversions, as the kidneys can no longer nourish and strengthen the back muscles.

Depending on the syndrome, the pain may have different characteristics:

acute or chronic,
sensation of cold or heat,
heaviness,
more intense during the day or night,
at rest or in motion,
tingling, numbness,
fixed or erratic,
dull or sharp,
revived by emotions,
more intense after effort…

The lumbar region, home of the Kidneys

Low back pain is pain in the lumbar region, an area that is connected to the Kidney, Bladder, Governing Vessel and sometimes the Belt Vessel meridians.

According to TCM, the lumbar area is connected to the Kidney. This organ is also coupled to the Bladder. The Bladder meridian is a long meridian that runs down the spine, continues behind the thigh, joins the calf and ends on the side of the foot at the little toe.

“The lumbar region is the home of the Kidneys and the root of the Qi.” Their deficiency promotes the penetration of perverts into the lumbar region. The Zu Tai Yang (Bladder) meridian as well as the Du Mai (Governor) meridian run through the lumbar region. If perverts invade and obstruct these meridians and the Kidneys fail to defend their home, lumbago occurs.

The invasion of external perverts

Sweating, living in a cold and damp environment, working in water or in a humid environment, etc. can all make the body prone to the attacks of external perverts such as Wind, Cold and Humidity. If we add other internal factors, such as the excessive consumption of hot, spicy and fatty foods, these perverts can, in a second stage, turn into Dampness-Heat.

When attacked by these external perverts, the meridians are obstructed. Wind is a Yang pervert which often starts with the Yang meridians when it invades the body.

Cold and Damp are Yin perverts, which often start by attacking the feet and then spread upwards.

The latter two do not necessarily cause low back pain, unless there is a Kidney Yang Emptiness.

If you sweat a lot or work in a cold, damp place, your body may be prone to these attacks. The Wind is mainly involved because it is a Yang pervert which attacks the Yang meridians, i.e. the Bladder and Biliary meridians.

However, the attack will remain superficial, affecting mainly the muscular tissues.

Mechanical trauma

Low back pain can develop gradually following a trauma to the lumbar vertebrae, for example, following an accident. It often occurs as a result of prolonged muscular tension related to: a state of tension, stress, poor posture, an accident or carrying an excessive load.

In case of sprain or tension, the local meridians are affected, which leads to a stagnation of Qi and blood stasis, and consequently to pain. The consequences can be more or less serious, for example, up to the displacement of a vertebra or the pelvis. Without rapid intervention, the body may quickly compensate by correcting its posture, thus generating new tensions and new pains.

It is then recommended to consult an osteopath or a physiotherapist to restore a correct posture.

Emotions and aging

Any intellectual overwork or sexual excess can affect the Kidney organ, draining its energy and therefore having an impact on the lower back.

Strong emotions related to the Kidney, such as fear and anxiety, can trigger delayed pain in the lower back.

Chronic illness will also consume the Qi and Blood, as will aging. The function of the Qi and Yang of the Kidneys is to warm and circulate the Blood so that it fills the meridians and nourishes the muscles, tendons, bones, tissues, etc.

If the Qi and Blood are weakened, they will not be able to fulfill this function, which will generate internal cold and an accumulation of mucus. As a result, the loins will receive less heat and nutrition. This will result in, among other things, low back pain.

The Kidneys also govern the bones. A weakness at this level can of course trigger lower back pain.

Therapeutic techniques

Acupuncture and moxibustion can give quick and satisfactory results. The work will consist in clarifying the heat, teasing the meridians and dispersing the cold to eliminate the perverts. It will also be necessary to regulate the Qi and Blood to nourish the Kidney.

It is important to use Chinese pharmacopoeia to reinforce the work of acupuncture. Qi gong is highly recommended to strengthen and nourish the Kidneys, and to promote the circulation of Qi throughout the body.

We also use cupping and Chinese Tuina massage. But the use of Chinese pharmacopoeia is essential.

Osteopathy and exercise

A certain number of tests are to be performed to identify muscular hyper or hypotonia, an osteoarticular imbalance, localized or distal.

Low back pain can therefore occur as a result of different body situations :

badly treated ankle sprain,
trauma to the knees (ligaments, menisci…),
a locked shoulder,
a hypertonic lumbar spine (it accentuates the lumbar lordosis),
a hypotonic abdominal belt…

Osteoarticular normalizations are therefore to be performed in order to restore the balance allowing the free circulation of blood and energy, and to calm the pain.

Physical exercises are also recommended to strengthen the back and the abdominal muscles (static exercises in particular).

Duration of treatment

Finally, as in any pathology, it is important to adapt one’s lifestyle (work, leisure, rest, sports activities…) while limiting stress factors. This includes, of course, dietetics, but also activities such as yoga, qi gong or meditation that help build a more stable emotional state.

The duration of care will of course depend on the duration of your condition. An acute attack can be relieved in a few days. Chronic low back pain will take longer to treat. Results will be faster and more durable if the patient makes the appropriate changes in his or her life.

Thu Tran Hoang

by Team | 77,Jun, 2013 | Portrait

A model of willpower

Thu Tran Hoang was Essence of health’s assistant for 5 years in Vietnam, and then for 3 years in Cambodia.

Thu was born in Hoi An, central Vietnam. Her family had to face many painful experiences related to the war: exile, dispossession of their property. These events will leave deep traces in her family and will have repercussions on the psyche of the young child who is born just after the war.

Before she was 3 years old, Thu’s family moved to the south of Saigon where she would spend her entire childhood in the countryside, in a very simple life where rice was grown, and where one shared with one’s neighbors what there was to eat. For there was no money then.

When we meet her, she is working in a French resort in Hoi An, the Victoria, where she has managed to reach a position of chef de partie, in the kitchen. A cheerful and dynamic young woman, she has acquired good cooking skills. She has learned Western cuisine from her successive Chefs. And unlike many colleagues, who don’t even want to taste what they are cooking, Thu’s curious nature leads her to taste and enjoy the cuisine.

Along with her profession, she has also worked hard to study English.

And it is as a translator that we meet her, because her husband’s grandfather is a traditional healer. At nearly 80 years old, he harvests his own plants and grinds them every day in a huge mortar with an energy that many would envy him. Dominique having recourse to his care, and the old man not speaking English, he summons his granddaughter to be able to communicate with us.

The current passes, Thu invites us to share a lunch with her family on the occasion of Têt festivities. We will then lose sight of her for a while. And when we find her again, we offer her to assist us with our installation in Hoi An, as it is very difficult to get by without speaking Vietnamese. This was the beginning of a friendship and an eight-year collaboration.

Because of her family background, and the simple life she leads, Thu has always been interested in natural medicine and the healing power of plants. In addition, she has an innate ability for spiritual activities such as meditation, yoga, etc. In this framework, she receives instruction in hatha yoga, meditation, taiji chuan, qi gong, reiki. She becomes a Reiki master.

In Phnom Penh, she rediscovers a hobby she practiced as a child, making paper flowers. She is gifted with her hands and we encourage her to develop this talent. She perfects and develops her flowers, using other materials like fabric. She created her own creative activity: “Eternal flowers”, in Phnom Penh.

Thu Tran Hoang will return to live in Vietnam permanently in 2017.