What is traditional Chinese medicine for? 

Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM for short, refers to the traditional healing method that originated in China over 2000 years ago and is now also taught and practiced in Europe. Like all methods, it is based on theories, principles and basic assumptions.

The Law of Duality

The foundation of all theories is the theory of yin and yang. It is the basic theory of duality. Yin is darkness, Ying is light. Yin stands for night, cold, sleep, slowness, passivity and death. Yang, on the contrary, stands for the day, the heat, the awake state, the speed, the activity and the life. However, they are not only opposites, yin and yang also complement each other. They are dependent on each other, because without one there is no other.

The human body; "just" flesh and blood?

Another fundamental assumption is that the human organism does not consist only of flesh and blood. Rather, our body is crisscrossed by pathways, imperceptible to the human eye, in which the life energy (Qi) flows. If the energy in a pathway comes to a standstill or if there is too much or too little energy in the system as a whole, an imbalance occurs, which then manifests itself as illness. The treatment consists of using various methods and techniques to release the blocked energy, expel the excess energy or build up the missing energy.

The cause of every disease is disharmony

However, traditional Chinese medicine has also always had the claim not only to combat short-term symptoms, but to find the cause of the disease. This cause is always due to an imbalance of Yin and Yang.

In the "Yellow Emperor", a standard work of Chinese medicine, this is described as follows:

"The universe is the expression of alternation and interplay between Yin and Yang. The law of Yin and Yang is the natural order of the universe, the basis of all things, the mother of all change, the root of life and death. To treat a disease, one must find the root of the disharmony, which is always subject to the law of yin and yang."

Like most teachings, different types of diagnostic methods have emerged in TCM over the many years. They were developed and coined at different times and due to different situations. In modern TCM, they all coexist and are used situationally to identify patterns. While this makes diagnosis more complex, it also makes it more sophisticated. However, it also means that I cannot go into detail about the individual types in this framework.

4 E's to explain causes of disease

However, I would like to explicitly mention an approach to the identification of the root cause, which has only recently emerged in this summarized form. This is because, from my point of view, despite its supposed simplicity, it represents a holistic approach that I have not been able to get to know in any of my trainings so far. It says that every imbalance (we remember the disharmony of Yin and Yang as the cause of every illness) arises from one or more of the following, rough causes:

• Wrong diet
• Misdirected emotions
• External pathogenic factors (microorganisms, viruses, toxins and ionizing radiation)
• Hereditary factors

Some causes can be treated with TCM. Especially in nutritional matters, traditional Chinese medicine with its energetic nutritional teachings offers many possibilities for the reduction of disease symptoms. External pathogenic factors have less attack surface in the human body, the stronger the immune system of the affected person is. Here, too, TCM offers great possibilities. In the case of hereditary diseases, too, TCM naturally offers ways to alleviate the resulting symptoms. The same applies to misdirected emotions.

In the dossier Methods & Models, we will introduce you to various methods that are ideally suited for the treatment of fears, grief, anger, egg addiction or stress, to name a few misdirected emotions. We will be happy if you find the right method for you at this time. Still unsure about your choice? Write to us. We will be happy to give you a non-binding recommendation tailored to your case.