> Holistic Healing > Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Energy medicine has become an accepted form of healing therapy the world over. In some parts of the world it’s the treatment of choice. Chi gong (qi gong), acupuncture, healing hands, homeopathy and meditation have become familiar to most. Traditional Chinese medicine, which is made up of chi gong, acupuncture and herbal medicine, is widely recognized as a healing art.

These medicines all operate on the same basic premise–the body’s bio-energetic field, or human energy field. Every living organism has a life force or energy field both inside and surrounding it. In India it is called prana. The Chinese call it chi. In the West it is called the human energy field. The Indian tradition refers to chakras, which are like gates or doors through which the body’s energy can be strengthened.

The Chinese have developed an understanding of the body’s energy based on meridians or pathways along which energy travels, linking all the organs together in a dynamic network. This network is constantly changing and adjusting the human organism in order to maintain the highest possible level of health. In energy medicine, the more you work with the body’s energy through concentration and breathing, the more balanced and harmonious the body becomes. By working directly with energies, dramatic improvements in health can be obtained. Energy medicine has a long history as a healing art, especially in Asia. It was developed over centuries of practice and is continuously evolving.

The use of herbal remedies, vitamins and other natural health products and practices have changed the way people understand and practice health. We are far less likely to accept the car mechanic approach to medicine of taking out body parts and installing new ones. We recognize that drugs do not heal, they just treat the symptom and leave the underlying problem untouched. Eating naturally grown foods, taking supplements and herbs have become a common, accepted practice. The health industry in North America has come a long way in the last few decades. However, we are also realising that it’s not enough to nourish the body with organically grown foods or to take high quality supplements. Proper diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle are as important as ever and we should not diminish their importance, but it’s time to recognize that energy medicine is another piece in the puzzle of living a long and healthy life.

Recently, I had the opportunity to observe a fascinating incident in a large hospital in the Lower Mainland. A man suffering from advanced cancer was lying in bed. He was very thin and weak, barely able to lift his head from his pillow. He was connected to an assortment of IV drips and monitoring equipment. Around him, hospital staff were busy trying to make him comfortable while they took various measurements and recorded data from the monitors.

After the hubbub subsided, a man walked into the room, spoke briefly with the patient’s wife and then directed his attention to the patient. The patient looked nervous and very uncomfortable. The man asked him a few questions, stroked his arm gently and proceeded to instruct him to place his hands on his abdomen, close his eyes and breathe slowly, in and out. He spoke to the patient, gently instructing him to become calm and restful. The patient relaxed visibly while continuing to breathe rhythmically in and out. After a few minutes, a light snoring sound could be heard. The visitor then proceeded to move his hands lightly over the patient’s body at a height of about six inches without actually touching him. He started at the head, gradually moving down the chest to the abdomen, legs and feet. He repeated this action a number of times. Meanwhile, the patient lay there, completely relaxed, snoring lightly.

I had just witnessed the marvelously calming and healing effect of a chi gong treatment administered by a Caucasian male on a middle-aged Chinese patient. The entire session lasted about 10 minutes, yet the change in the patient’s appearance was profound. I noted that the benefits of this ancient Asian method of healing had come full circle back to this Chinese man through the hands and voice of a Caucasian healer.

Every day, thousands of incidents similar to this one occur all over North America. In fact, worldwide, practitioners, including those who practice primarily for their own use, number in the millions. Many people have the mistaken notion that in order to practice chi gong, yoga or meditation they need to be religious. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have been a Christian for over 25 years. I have clients who are Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Jews. Religion has nothing to do with the effectiveness of these practices.

Dean Camfferman and his wife Brenda operate Bio-Energetics, a wellness centre in Burnaby, BC.

Source: alive #219, January 2001