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Karool Massage - What's New?
What’s New or should I say What’s Old, very Old.
CHI and MERIDIANS
Sometimes you’ll hear me speaking about the body in an approach that is more eastern then western. Although I don’t expect everyone to embrace this perspective, it usually evokes curiosity and for some a greater understanding of the body/mind connection. Below Brandon Raynor explains his interpretation of these two key areas of healing.
What is Chi? Chi or Qi (Chinese) or Ki (Japanese) with the closest English translation being “life force”. To understand Chi means to look back to the beginnings of Oriental Medicine to Taoism (dow-ism), which means The Way. Taoism is the most influential root of Oriental Medicine.
‘In ancient Chinese philosophy, all things are believed to combine the two opposites, Yin and Yang. Yin is negative, cold, dark, heavy and feminine, while Yang is positive, light, bright, warm and masculine. The symbol for Yin and Yang is a diagram of an egg divided into yolk and white, dark and light—Yin and Yang’
From “Myths and Fairytales Collection” by Neil Phillip
It is said that Chi applies to the human body in two ways: inherited Chi and acquired Chi,. Inherited Chi is the energy we receive from our parents at the time of conception. Acquired Chi is the energy accumulated by the quality of life we choose to lead, and the food and air we ingest.
What is a Meridian? A meridian is a pathway that carries our Chi through our bodies. Nutrient Chi flows inside the meridians. Wei Chi, which extends outside the body, is closely related to the immune system. Chi in the meridian system flows in a similar way to the circulatory system.
Not only does Yin-Yang theory try to explain the relationship between the internal parts of the body, it also describes an “energetic” relationship between it’s inner and outer aspects—the vital organs and the surface. The supreme achievement of traditional Chinese medicine was perhaps that it perceived the inner organs as centres of transformation and distribution, which literally “organized” the entire body. This “organization” is mediated by the system of Channels that carries the Chi to all parts, flowing from within and circulating near the surface of the body. The internal condition of the body is reflected on the outside; working on the outside can affect the inside. In health, this is the body’s regulating mechanism which allows us to adjust to the environment. In sickness, the mechanism breaks down, and symptoms are produced on the outside. The ability to move Chi inside the body by giving treatment from the outside arises from the continuity of the energy network between inside and out. This is the “energetic” relationship.
Yin and Yang
‘In ancient Chinese philosophy, all things are believed to combine the two opposites, Yin and Yang. Yin is negative, cold, dark, heavy and feminine, while Yang is positive, light, bright, warm and masculine. The symbol for Yin and Yang is a diagram of an egg divided into yolk and white, dark and light—Yin and Yang’
From “Myths and Fairytales Collection” by Neil Phillip.
When we find ourselves to be out of balance it is usually because our Yin and Yang energies have become imbalanced. Having well-balanced yin and yang energies creates harmony in the body and so gives us healthy Chi, our life force.
Yin energy represents the earth and Yang energy represents the heaven or the sun. Therefore meridians carrying more Yin energy commence at the lowest point, as the spleen meridian; it’s first point is on the big toe. If a meridian contains more Yang energy it commences from the highest point, as in the bladder meridian; it’s first point is beside the eye.
