Traditional Chinese Acupuncture
It is a part of the oldest system of medicine. It is based on a completely different diagnostic method and reasoning. Firstly, Traditional Chinese medicine explains that health is the result of a harmonious balance and flow of the Vital energy called “Qi”. Qi is the energy of the body, of the meridians, of food and the universe.
Secondly, within the body, there are two basic types of Qi: Congenital Qi and Acquired Qi.
Congenital Qi is the Qi that we are born with. Acquired Qi is derived from the quality of our lifestyle habits such as:
- food quality;
- physical exercise
- the air that we breathe;
- the balance of emotions.
Qi is said to flow through 12 main meridians, or pathways, in the human body. These meridians and energy flows are accessible through 350 main acupuncture points in the body.
Yin and Yang
Yin and Yang are terms used to describe relative opposite qualities or manifestations of Qi. Everything that is Yin contains some elements of Yang, and everything that is Yang contains some elements of Yin.
Yin refers to aspects or manifestations of Qi that are relative: material, solid, heavy, pale, soft, descending, cold, moist, cooling, dark, passive, quiescent, lethargic, underactive.
Yang refers to aspects or manifestations of Qi that are relative: immaterial, expanding, hollow, light, ascending, hot, dry, warming, bright, aggressive, and active.
When there is an imbalance between the Yin and Yang aspects of the Qi, the pathology onset. Therefore, the aim of the acupuncture, is to re-establish a balance and a correct flow in this energy to resolve the pathology.