One of the core teachings of Chinese Medicine is that everything must flow. Blockages will lead to problems. If everything flows and the energy is strong, health follows. If there are blockages, and the energy is weak, problems will appear.

Chinese Medicine emerged from an ancient philosophical system that emphasizes that we must obey Universal Laws. Even Nature itself follows these Universal laws.

So it is informative to read an article like this one in the New York Times on September 7, 2014, entitled, “Let the River Run Wild”. In this Op-Ed piece, the authors detail the problems on the Susquehanna River (they call it America’s river). Here’s their key point:

This once magnificent watercourse, which runs through New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland toward the coast, is today an ecological disaster — largely thanks to four hydroelectric dams, built along its lower reaches between 1904 and 1931.”

 The authors detail the harmful impact the 4 dams have had on the river’s ecology. It’s another sad, troubling article about how unmindful human activity is harming our environment.

Yet, from a Chinese Medical point of view, we should not be surprised. Blocking a river’s flow, just like blocking an energy meridian in the body, is going to lead to problems because that flow is part of the harmonious communication and movement between all parts of Nature and all parts of our bodies.

And water on our planet is a powerful energy and life-giving source, is it not? Blocking this will lead to problems eventually.

I am a passionate advocate for Qigong practice because for us, it helps to maintain and support the proper flow—of energy, emotions (beware of blocked emotions!) and of blood (like a river, right?) in our bodies.

Without proper attention to this flow, our inner ecological balance will be disturbed and we will end up just like this river. This is how illness is understood in Chinese Medicine.

Maybe it’s time to bring Qigong into your life. Check out the Budding Spring Healing programs for some ways to get started. Have you considered scheduling an appointment with me for personal guidance on how to begin a Qigong practice?

Let the river run wild, indeed.

1 Comment

  1. What an apt example of the conflict we all must face between the so-called advantages of the modern world and consequences of messing with the natural order of things. Yet, I still wonder does it have to be either/or. Is there not a way to do both/and?

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