TCM encompasses many different practices, including Acupuncture, Moxibustion (burning an herb above the skin to apply heat to acupuncture points), Chinese herbal medicine, Tui na (Chinese therapeutic massage), Dietary therapy, and Tai chi and Qi gong (practices that combine specific movements or postures, coordinated breathing, and mental focus).
Chinese medicine looks deeply at the emotions as a gauge for health, yet it understands that a person’s emotional state is not only a question of emotions but is also related to organ function. By adjusting the function of the organ (or organs) involved, there will be an accompanying adjustment in the emotions.
In the TCM paradigm, your body is a whole, and your mind and emotions are completely connected. TCM understands that body, mind, emotions, and spirit are linked, and that an excess of any emotion can affect the function and balance of its corresponding organ. The reverse is also true: an imbalance in an organ’s function can actually cause emotional issues.
Your body is an integrated whole. You are a complete package. Each and every structure in your body is an integral and necessary part of the whole. Along with your mind, emotions, and spirit, your physical body structures form a miraculously complex, interrelated system that is powered by life force, or energy. Everything you need to heal yourself exists within your being.
You are completely connected to nature. Changes in nature are always reflected in your body. TCM factors in the particular season, geographical location, time of day, as well as your age, genetics, and the condition of your body when looking at your health issues.
You were born with a natural self-healing ability. Your body is a microcosm that reflects the macrocosm. Think about it: nature has a regenerative capacity, and so do you. Sometimes, this ability may appear to be lost or difficult to access, but the good news is, in most cases, it is never completely gone. TCM helps you recharge this self-healing function.