These Six Things are Circular Motions
In the previous post, we looked at how the Three Yīn and Three Yáng are described as great movements. Like Russian Matryoshka dolls, we saw that these Six thing-a-ma-jigs are circular images within circular images.
Let’s now contemplate this a bit further. I hope you are enjoying yourself as much as I am!
In Sùwèn Chapter 6, Treatise on the separation and unity of the Three Yang, after describing the placement of the Six in heaven and earth as well as in our bodies, Qi Bo states “Hence, this is the separation and unity of the Three Yang.” The three Yáng are one Yang. This is the unity. We divide them into three, Tàiyáng, Yángmíng, and Shàoyáng. This is the separation. He then goes on to say that “Tàiyáng opens, Yángmíng and Shàoyáng pivots.” This description is followed by, “These three Jīng 經, they must not lose each other. They come together in a circular fashion, instead of floating away. This is named the One Yáng.”
He is saying that we divide them into three but they are actually one circle. What are these three divisions? In this chapter, he tells us they are actions. They are the actions of opening, closing, and pivoting. These are movements he is talking about. If we imagine a […]
Translation of Chinese into English must be a conversation, not a conclusion. This is something I learned from my friend Sabine Wilms. Her book, 
Getting to Rothenburg is not easy. The flight is bound to have at least one stop and then there are several trains to take and finally a taxi from the train station. I was there teaching two years ago and I was pooped by the time I arrived. And yet, it is so worth it! The city itself is spectacular and it is surrounded by farms and forests full of hiking trails. The TCM Kongress is always held in May which is an exquisite time to be there. The Kongress itself is, I think, the largest and most prestigious in the world with esteemed speakers from all over the world. It is well worth the long trip.
Toby Daly 
When I take the train from my home area to New York City, I like to sit by the window and watch the changing scenery. Along the way, there are large tracts of the marshland filled with all manner of birds. Much of this marsh is made up of phragmites reeds. The way the bend in the wind is oceanic and beautiful. These reeds and their rhizomes are a medicinal herb. The part of the reed growing out of the water is called Wei Jing and the rhizome is called Lu Gen. Since Wei Jing is meant to be used fresh, often the dried rhizome is used in its place. Zhang Zhong-Jing named a formula after this herb called 
Recently I was speaking to my friend and teacher, Andy Ellis about Wen Bing. He told me about a book I had not heard of. This text is by the late Dr. Hu Xi-Shu called
I am now introducing 
Good Morning!
In my last post, I expressed why it is so important to know if the exterior still needs resolving and I promised to let you know how I evaluate this.
Shang Han Lun