Basic Medicine Techniques

THIS PAGE IS STILL IN DEVELOPMENT : COMPLETION IS HOPED TO OCCUR VERY SOON BUT HOPEFULLY THE BITS HERE WILL GET YOU INTERESTED IN THIS PART OF THE ART !

So why does Peaceful Fight put so much emphasis on feedback, intuition and going with the flow ? Well, it all comes down to the main objective of the system, ie to make a better World and give an everyday use for Kung Fu. As you'll see, much of the martial side of the art is taught to connect students with their "naturalness". Teaching this within the martial part of the art helps to condition the brain in "fast time" and so gets the internal links to initially form more readily / quickly. For example, in the martial state, linking the intent (Yi) of the frontal brain to energy (Qi) of the lower dantien is what leads to movement of the body. This movement is in turn driven by the feedback that the student gets from the attacker's actions. As such, this is a difficult (and nasty) method by which to learn to fight so why bother ? Well, the reason is that these martial studies and the self understanding which they give, form the basis for the medicine / healing work in the system. In essence, it takes away the preoccupation that the sole measure of what makes a student "worthy" or not in the eyes of the system is being a formidable fighter. This concept is replaced with the concept that a martial artist is a person who is a formidable fighter when that is called for but also a useful / good person in the bits in between. In essence, it emphasises that it is better to live within the Tao (ie to just live and perform as a natural entity), rather than to just exist constrained by other factors (eg society). By using Kung Fu to do "good works" such as taking away pain etc., it gives the system a "real World" use which, for me, is as important (if not more so) than the violence.

So, do the exercises result in students of Peaceful Fight doing Healing or Medicine ?

For me, the differences between healing and medicine is that one is mainly intuitive (ie healing) whilst the other (medicine) has more structure and form. The martial exercises in the system result in students being able to determine and feel the energy of themselves or a patient and rebalance it where necessary, and this is where much of healing is based. Students can transmit and smooth energy where appropriate to take out blockages, strengthen deficiencies etc. Coupling this energy field work the intuitive "I think this is wrong" state helps students to trust their instincts as to which areas of the body would benefit from physical techniques, for example, acupressure (or obviously a combination of both acupressure and energy redistribution, if needs be). Natural movement in the martial realm results in the striking / grasping to a number of pressure point areas which helps students to feel what a pressure point feels like and helps them to understand this area of the art. So, in this part, most of the work which develops from training falls into the scope of the healing realm. It's intuitive and driven by the benefits which can be achieved from human concern, contact, feedback and intuition.

However, although healing is very good, it can have limitations for people like myself who are still developing their skills. However, even with "advanced" healers, few can treat disease indiscriminately and always guarantee success (ie some diseases react more favourably to healing than others). As a consequence, some degree of taught knowledge (ie medicine) is required to broaden the scope of the usefulness of Peaceful Fight. This takes the route of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). So, when pressure point / meridian theory is taught, the healing aspects of the meridian is given and linked to, for example, 5 element theory. Various diagnosis tools (eg tongue diagnosis, pulse diagnosis etc) are given to students as "taught knowledge" to enable them to hone their skills and aid successful diagnosis. This is initially quite basic and will be detailed on later pages but, as medical and martial knowledge (either Eastern or Western) increases, the detail fleshes out the basic theories. This is an area in which no one has a monopoly and there will always be more things to learn.

Overall, we are all healers to some degree but students of Peaceful Fight are martial artists who try to incorporate and understand all aspects (both positive and negative) of humanity. None of us are doctors but folk remedies are our medical heritage. The "shrinking World" culture of the 21st century makes that heritage expand to those cultures beyond our shores and in my case this expansion leads to China. Other cultures have similar remedies so if you prefer the understanding of those cultures then learn those instead. Healing / medicine is not a competition to see who can do the most good or who knows the most esoteric techniques but should be driven by a desire to try and compassion for those who you could potentially help. It may be that your efforts will only work 1 time in 10000 which is statistically poor. However, the 99999 "failures" are no worse off than before but for that 1 person you've made their life better. What better use of martial arts is there ?

Are There Times When Students Should Not Try to Help ?

Yes, never help when it's not the right thing to do. How do you know when it's the right time ? From feedback and intuition. It's the same as the issue of intervention (detailed on the Technical Questions page). Sometimes when you see something which is "wrong", it's the absolutely "right" thing to do to just walk on by rather than getting involved. No different with healing (there is only one set of "rules" in Peaceful Fight regardless of whether, in this case, intuition is encountered in the martial or healing realm - you deal with them the same way in both). With healing, this normally boils down to the student not liking the person who needs healing or just feeling that the potential patient has a "bad attitude". We've all met people who we instinctively dislike / distrust. Whatever "polite society" might say, there's nothing wrong with feeling that way, we are not here to like / help everyone (nor to be liked / helped by everyone else). This feedback / instinct is part of being "natural" so shouldn't be ignored. Your misgivings might be wrong but whilst they remain within your intuitive feedback, you will not be able to help the patient anyway. You'll be half hearted in your diagnosis and subconsciously (or consciously) begrudge using your knowledge / energy / training to help them. This leads directly to failure of your attempts so you've wasted your time (and the patients). It might be that, as you get to know the patient, your views change and any "bias" against them will ebb away. This is then the time to try healing but not before. (This should also highlight why helping someone who you truly love gives the greatest benefits to the patient and also the greatest feeling of well being within the healer).

Situations where I've decided to not do healing were where I've felt that the patient doesn't want to be helped (gave a feeling of blocking the energy feedback which I was trying to get during the diagnosis phase), when they are already predisposed to failure (quotes such as "you're not going to make it worse are you ?" suggest a lack of respect for what you are trying to do and so even if you are successful the patient is unlikely acknowledge it but will certainly blame you for any deterioration of the condition (even if its months later)), patients who find it "quaint" that you've bothered to learn this "occult" stuff and makes jokes with their friends to ridicule your skill (again, suggests a lack of respect for your efforts. I often have a laugh / joke with the patient about my lack of ability but that's not the same as a patent telling a joke which is at your expense), people who deliberately give you false information to "catch you out" (you can normally tell this is happening as long as you trust your intuition but of course you've generally already started diagnosis by the time you realise they are playing this game. If it happens, ignore what they say and go on other signals (eg pulse) instead), people who have come to you for a while but ignore all of your advice (and so don't get to balance but still expect you to do it for them). If you still feel obligated to do something with these types of patients (and there are times when this happen) it's better to do formal medical work rather then trying energy / healing techniques. However, I'd recommend not doing it at all if you don't feel "right" about doing it (oh, and don't feel obligated to give an honest reason for not continuing. Suggest it's too advanced for you and leave with good grace).

The other situation when it's best not to try to help is when you are not having a good day (either spiritually, physically or energetically) and meeting the patient is not going to get you out of your "blue gloom". In these type of situations, it's quite likely that any "negativity" which you have will rub off on the patient and make them feel worse after treatment rather than better. The strategy here is to postpone the session until you are feeling more balanced (and so can help the patient more easily).

In all societies there are places on the body which are "taboo" for outsiders to see / touch. If a patient has a pain in one of these areas then we have to use caution and discretion. Such areas might be the inner thigh, the lower abdomen, the genitals, the lower back / buttocks, the breast area and sometimes the face / hair. If a patient has a pain in these areas and you still wish to treat them, either use medical techniques (which mean there is little need for touch) or get the patient to use their own hand to touch the area and redirect your energy through their hands via touching the shoulders.

Age and condition also leads to some self imposed restrictions. Young (generally < 11) and old (generally > 60) patients have to be treated differently from those in the ages in between due to the relative fragility of the body. Children undergoing puberty also have to be considered to be in a state of constant transformation. All medicine work works to affect the dynamic of the body to try to get it into balance. Where a large, natural, essential transformation is occurring (eg in puberty or pregnancy) you have to consider the effects on the dynamic and that you are trying to get the patient back to the right stage in their dynamic rather than into balance (which would suggests a termination in the natural transformation). Dr Qi recommended to me to not treat pregnant women due to the potential risks to the baby and this is good advise. Many pressure points or medicines can lead to miscarriage or damage to the baby's development if misused.

On an ethical note, you are not there to take the place of a formal doctor. Don't give a western diagnosis of a condition if you only know TCM and certainly never dissuade a patient from seeing a "real" GP. This generally limits your intervention to those times when disease is just starting (eg coughs / colds) or when western medicine gets to the end of its expertise (ie when you have been advised to "live with it" whatever your pain / disease is. This isn't to say that TCM will be able to sort you out any more than western medicine but it might be worth giving it a try) or when the prescribed medicine is doing more harm than good (eg chemotherapy).

Finally, it's fairly obvious that there will also be times when diagnosis / treatment is beyond your ability / experience. If so, say so and pass the patient onto someone else who might be able to help. It's very, very unlikely that with any patient would be injured by the application of healing techniques. Medicine however can have more direct (and occasionally undesirable) effects if choice of the wrong diagnosis and allied medical treatment is undertaken. As a consequence, whenever there is some degree of uncertainty, use medicines very carefully and opt for "hands on" healing techniques in preference.

Formal Training

There are a number of excellent texts on TCM given on the "Recommended Books" page and you are advised to consult these to give a more in depth knowledge of the subtleties of the Chinese system. At this time (Dec 2001), the students are to start learning the following areas :-

1) Diagnosis : Differential Diagnosis : The 8 Principles (Ba Gang Ban Zing) Internal / External, Deficiency / Excess, Cold / Hot, Yin / Yang system: Basics of the 5 Elements / Transformations System : Tongue Diagnosis : Pulse Diagnosis

2) Herbal Cuisine : Ginger (to counteract cold), Dandelion (to counteract hot), Melon (for yin deficiency), Walnut (for yang deficiency), Celery (for resolution of damp), Sugar (for dryness), Carrot (for bloated middle warmer / digestion), Liquorice (to control diet). Ginseng (for general energy deficiency), Raisins (for early morning irritability)

3) Common Problems : Headaches, Constipation, Diarrhoea, Bloated Feeling, Run Down, Hyperactive, Sweats at Night, Insomnia, Nausea, Impotence, Hot flushes, Dizziness

4) Pressure Point Work : Large Intestine 4, Stomach 36, Spleen 6, Gallbladder 20, Large Intestine 13, Triple Warmer 17, Lung 6, Lung 1, Stomach 6, Stomach 15, Governing Vessel 21, Governing Vessel 16, Conception Vessel 4, Conception Vessel 12, Areas of Ears, Foot Massage, Kidney 1, Pericardium 6, Pericardium 8, Large Intestine 14, Gallbladder 34, Governing Vessel 26, Bladder 10, Bladder 1, Gallbladder 21, Liver 3, Spleen 16, Stomach 35

5) Qigong Healing

HOME