This article by Giovanni Maciocia discusses the nature and functions of the Shen and Hun in the human psyche. This is based on classical texts and on Giovanni’s own thoughts and clinical experience. There are five parts to this discussion: 1) The nature of the Shen 2) The nature of the Hun 3) The Shen … Read More
Empty Heat derives from Yin deficiency and the two pathological conditions (Yin deficiency and Empty Heat) are often considered as one. All modern Chinese books include Empty Heat clinical manifestations under the patterns of Yin deficiency. For example, under the pattern of Lung-Yin deficiency they will have dry throat and dry cough (Yin deficiency) and … Read More
I have been consulting the Nei Jing for 35 years initially in its French translation (by Chamfrault) and later in Chinese. As we all know, the Nei Jing is a mine of information and most of the things we do in practice are in this text. It should be stressed that the Nei Jing was … Read More
‘The Energetics and Treatment of Body Areas – The Vertex’ by Giovanni Maciocia, is now available to purchase as an e-book, readily available to download. The curriculum of most schools of Chinese medicine is usually broken down into the following topics concerning the theory of Chinese medicine: • Physiology of the Internal Organs • Aetiology … Read More
The Nei Jing, and especially the Ling Shu, contains very many passages with instructions to acupuncturists as to how to needle. All these passages give instructions as to how to engage the Shen, Yi or Zhi (of the practitioner) when needling. Just as a reminder, Yi is the mental faculty of the Spleen which refers … Read More
SU WEN CHAPTER 81 and TEARS Chapter 81 of the Su Wen has an interesting view of sadness and tears. The Jing of Water is Zhi and the Jing of Fire is Shen. The interaction of Water and Fire causes sadness of both the Zhi and the Shen and that is why tears run out … Read More
THE SHEN (神) OF THE HEART The Shen of the Heart plays a prominent role in memory partly by itself and partly because it coordinates the Yi of the Spleen and the Zhi of the Kidneys which also play a role in memory. The Shen of the Heart plays a role in memory in the … Read More
In the past few years it has become common practice by oncologists to advise patients who are undergoing chemotherapy not to take anti-oxidant supplements. The reasoning behind this advice is that chemotherapy destroys cancer cells by inducing free radicals and by promoting oxidation of the cancer cells. Antioxidants, on the contrary, do the exact opposite, … Read More
The thinking about geriatrics in Chinese medicine has been dominated by Kidney deficiency for centuries. As Kidney-Jing declines as we age, the clinical approach to the treatment of the elderly has been based largely on tonifying the Kidneys. However, modern diseases of the elderly that account for 90% of mortality (cancer, heart disease and stroke) … Read More
“Anxiety” is a modern term that does not have an exact equivalent in Chinese medicine. There is no Chinese medicine term that corresponds exactly to what we call “anxiety” but several ancient Chinese disease entities closely resemble anxiety. The four main disease entities that correspond to Anxiety are: “Fear and Palpitations” (Jing Ji) 惊 悸 … Read More
