Clinical gaze

"'Clinical gaze'... to look at something seemingly very complex, and see simplicity within it... that's the challenge and goal in every clinical interaction. To find the elegant simplicity that underlies all the things that are happening."

- Phil Settels LAc, from Qiological podcast #Qi084 ("Following the Process: Classical Thought in the Modern World") 

(listen to 41:20 for how open-close-pivot (開闔樞) relates to the Six Conformations (六經) of Chinese medicine, from the Shang Han Lun 傷寒論 perspective)

Qiological is my favorite Chinese medicine podcast in English. I think it's our best podcast for Chinese medicine practitioners in the USA. It might be a bit much for the lay person, but still very interesting. Give a listen!

=
Pictured: "Owl shaped pottery jars with ash glaze" from the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan. From the Han dynasty (206 BCE- 220 CE)

Ordinary

Kaptchuk, Placebo, and Acupuncture

Ted Kaptchuk wrote "The Web That Has No Weaver," one of the first books about Chinese medicine in the USA. He's been doing research about the placebo effect, and its relationship with Chinese medicine. Fascinating. Two studies (described here) show that acupuncture is almost twice as effective as optimal mainstream care in treating chronic lower back pain. However, acupuncture and sham acupuncture achieve similar clinical effects... but work in the body in different ways.

"... while both genuine and sham acupuncture equally reduced noxious stimuli, needle stimulation inhibited incoming noxious stimuli with a peripheral-central bottom up somatosensory modulation, while sham acupuncture activated a top-down modulation of pain and worked through the brain's emotional circuitry." (1)

Read the whole article, here:
http://media.virbcdn.com/files/59/FileItem-112513-KaptchukCJIMRESPONSES2010.pdf

See more of Kaptchuk's research, here:
http://tedkaptchuk.com/selected-publications



References
(1) Kaptchuk TJ, Chen Ke-Ji, Song Jun. Recent Clinical Trials of Acupuncture in the West: Responses from the Practitioners. Chin J Integr Med 2010 Jun;16(3):197-203
from
 Kong J, Kaptchuk TJ, Polich G, Kirsch I, Vangel M, Zyloney C, et al. An fMRI study on the interaction and dissociation betwen expectation of pain relief and acupuncture treatment. NeuroImage 2009;47:1066-1076.

Summer Solstice Ceremony

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We harvest and surrender, in Autumn. We rest and dream, in Winter. We plant seeds and create our visions, in Spring. We tend our plants and flower our visions, dancing with fire, in Summer, time of greatest movement and activity. . As we enter this fiery season, let's clarify our intentions and actions. Come welcome summer's brightest blessings with our Summer Solstice Blessingway Ceremony, on the longest day of the year: Saturday, June 22 at @the_mama_cocoon with @intothewild.yoga and I. Jessy's weaving the ceremony container. I'm helping you create something sacred, beautiful, and tangible (it’s a surprise). . Sign up at @venturewellyoga or https://www.venturewellyoga.com/events/summer-solstice-blessingway . Happy Summer Solstice! . Photo story: The dirt road winds on and on, up and over mountain passes. It's getting dark. There are no clear pull-off's, so I pull as far off the road as I can, stuff my pack with my sleeping bag and journal, brush my teeth, then tromp up-hill to sleep. I climb just over the barren hill, out of sight of the road, with no trees overhead, and a clear view of the brightest of stars and Milky Way. The winds start howling around 11 PM, picking up speed until I must anchor myself down with stones, to stop my sleeping bag from noisily flapping in the wind, and prevent my pack's attempts to fly away. The wind renders me practically naked in my old down bag. I shiver in fetal position all night, body curled tight to stay warm, waiting, waiting, watching with bleary eyes as stars march across the sky, Milky Way slowly fades, and Sky finally starts changing color. I weep with gratitude when the Sun finally rises. Every cell of my body sings in celebration as Sun's heat kisses my face, that kiss warming and spreading through my body as its' Fire licks my own internal Fire back to life.

A post shared by Jiling 林基玲 (@linjiling) on Jun 4, 2019 at 5:46am PDT

The Process

The Process

Connective exercises for journaling and walking in nature. Nature connection, plant connection... internal and external connection. 

1. observe
   1. internal (notice thoughts/ feelings arising and passing)
   2. external (fully-embodied sensory observations)
2. engage
   1. gift
   2. inquire
   3. notice
   4. engage/ record (journal/ draw/ move)
3. gratitude
4. share

• oral (word, song)
• written (read)
• visual (share drawing/ movement)

Questions (on emotions)

1. when do you experience this
2. how do you process it
3. 3 actions to transform my current relationship with it

Five Phase 五行 Words

(words to evoke images, felt senses of each Element. experience. savor. )

– 水 WATER –

North. Water. Winter. Fear. Wisdom智. Will志. Kidney. Bladder. Bones. Roots. Groaning. Ears/ Sound. Salty. Cold.

Skill. Resources. Death. Storage. Purpose. Ocean. Rivers. Rain. Lymph. Cycles. Rhythm. Flow. Depth. Regeneration. Possibility. Unknown. Limits. Boundaries. Essence. Adventure. Journey. Travel. Danger. Hibernation. Patience. Darkness. Vastness. Peace. Spine. Teeth. Generations. Future. Sleep. Dreams. Mystery.

– 木 WOOD –

East. Wood. Spring. Anger. Compassion 仁. Dreams魂. Liver. Gallbladder. Sinews. Sprouts. Shouting. Eyes/ Vision. Sour. Wind.

Decisions. Planning. Ideas. Spontaneity. Curiosity. Growth. Birth. Pioneer. Actions. Goals. Creation. Movement. Stagnation. Stuck. Trees. Forest. Courage. Initiation. Dawn. Sprouts. Youth. Competition. Drive. Stress. Frustration. Overwhelm. Organization. Flexibility. Resilience. Balance. Emotions. Alignment. Learning.

– 火 FIRE –

South. Fire. Summer. Joy. Propriety 禮. Spirit神. Heart. Small Intestine. Blood vessels. Flowers. Laughing. Tongue/ Speech. Bitter. Heat.

Love. Passion. Sex. Relationships. Sun. Intimacy. Fun. Play. Dynamism. Wild. Thrive. Desire. Queen. Mind. Intelligence. Humor. Naked. Authenticity. Confidence. Core. Opening. Chaos. Practice. Dedication. Devotion. Celebration. Communication. Excitement. Mastery. Arts. Pleasure. Expression. Focus. Creativity.

– 土 EARTH –

Southwest/ Center. Earth. Mid- Summer. Contemplation/ Sympathy 思. Integrity信. Intention意. Spleen. Stomach. Muscles/ Flesh. Fruit. Singing. Mouth/ Taste. Sweet. Damp.

Food. Digestion. Belly. Family. Honesty. Adulthood. Maturity. Grounding. Stability. Body. Feet. Community. Support. Mother. Gratitude. Belonging. Care. Nourishment. Hunger. Responsibility. Mountains. Stones. Dirt. Soil. Delicious. Comfort. Trust. Cozy. Home.

– 金 METAL –

West. Metal. Autumn. Grief/ Praise. Righteousness義. Intuition魄. Lung. Large Intestine. Skin. Seeds. Weeping. Nose/ Smells. Pungent/ Spicy. Dry.

Transformation. Receiving. Releasing. Authority. Respect. Logic. Old age. Harvest. Alchemy. Sacred. Breath. Utility. Precious. Money. Possessions. Power. Sky. Space. Solitude. Stillness. Transience. Heartbreak. Tears. Father. Men. Regrets. Grudges. Defecation. Shit. Tradition. Admiration. Strengths. Weaknesses. Spirituality. Purity. Giving. Truth. Respiration. Cleanse. Surrender. Ritual. Compost. Hope. Wonder. Awe. Lineage.

Kids Yoga + Art/ Herbs Camps!

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Summer classes for 6-12 year olds! - ART & MOVEMENT CAMP (one week) - June 24-28 Monday thru Friday, 1:30-3:30 45 min Yoga + 1 hr mixed media Art class - HEALTH & WELLNESS CAMP (one week) - July 29-August 2, Monday thru Friday, 1:30-3:30 45 min Yoga+ 1 hr Herbs class - WEEKLY YOGA CLASS - Thursdays at 3:30, for 8 weeks beginning June 27. - For more info: www.HitchcockCC.com/yoga www.HitchcockCC.com/farm-to-table

A post shared by Jiling 林基玲 (@linjiling) on May 19, 2019 at 8:06am PDT

Register here: 
www.HitchcockCC.com/yoga
www.HitchcockCC.com/farm-to-table

Kids yoga

Adult yoga students

don't often come in bearing in hand-drawn gifts,

little felted oval gifts,

knotted yarn bracelet gifts,

or gifts made by their mama's.

Kids do.

I was moved this morning by this little sticker

drawn by a student's mom,

with Monkeyflowers (Mimulus)

surrounding our beautiful state,

which has had a hard year of fire,

followed by an epic spring bloom.

.

Teaching kids yoga is full of surprises.

I go in with an idea or theme,

then mostly surrender.

Sometimes we stay according to plan,

other times not.

Not today.

And it was wonderful.

I laughed so hard during class,

then was nearly moved to tears by the end of class.

.

We closed class by sharing what sea creature we were during shavasana,

along with what we were bringing back into the world,

from the magical basket we wove together, in class.

We had dolphins, otters, a boat, and seaweed

bringing peace, fun, friendship, and the Great Mystery

back into our worlds.

.

Dear friend reading this now,

likely "adult,"

likely logical, contemplative...

what sea creature are you?

What do you bring into the world,

with your arms opening up overhead,

head tipping back in laughter,

to sprinkle down unto our planet?

(have fun!)