Guest guest Posted February 18, 2000 Report Share Posted February 18, 2000 -- --------- Forwarded Message --------- DATE: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 01:24:35 Dagmar Riley <gesund2000 Letter-from-China _____ LETTER FROM CHINA January '00 (1) A newsletter on and modern China by Dagmar Riley ______ In this issue: THE 5 ELEMENTS ....the Wood type: energy characteristics and personality BEIJING MEMOIRS OF MY CANADIAN FRIEND ROBIN ....Hong Kong COMMENT BY NED HOKE OMD,L.Ac. DISCLAIMER SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE information ______ Please feel free to FORWARD this newsletter to friends. ______ THE 5 ELEMENTS - WOOD Short revision: The 5 Elements are: Wood - Fire - Earth - Metal - Water. The Element WOOD is associated with: Spring - Birth - Anger - Wind - Liver - Gallbladder - Eyes - sour. For BACK ISSUES of this series, please visit http://www.topica.com/lists/Letter-from-China or send an e-mail to gesund2000 The 5 Elements are a symbol for the 5 basic energies of the Universe. The energy associated with Wood is also associated with *Spring*, and to get a feel for the characteristics of the Wood-energy, let us think of spring: Spring energy is a strong, dynamic, young and restless energy of expansion and growth. Plant and animal life that seemed dead in winter explodes with life: Suddenly, there is green everywhere...we feel light and full of energy, ready to leave the old behind and embrace the new. The nature of Wood energy is like a sprout that grows to be a tree: It grows upwards towards the light with an amazing energy of expansion. The sprout has to be well rooted in the earth but also flexible to grow around obstacles. Wood stands for *Birth*, growth and development, and provides us with the creative energy to implement our visions and ideas. Famous scientists, national leaders, artists and explorers are strong Wood types. People who lack wood energy have thousands of ideas but never " give birth " to these ideas: They remain fantasies that never become reality. Think of the birth of the universe itself: What before was formless energy became matter in an explosion and expanded at an incredible rate. Imagine the explosiveness of wood-personalities if you don't let them expand: *Anger* is the emotion associated with Wood, and teenagers, who are in a strong wood phase of their lives (the spring phase of their lives, strong development towards and birth of adulthood), show explosive anger towards the smallest restrictions their parents want to place on the expansion of their character. Wood-personalities feel most comfortable when everything in their lives is free flowing like the *Wind*, the climatic factor associated with Wood. Wind, free flowing, brings change in weather. But if strong wind meets obstacles, it becomes destructive. [Now keep the feel of spring and wind while reading on.] Wood-personalities: *are driven by an internal force to always remain active and look for a new challenge: Once a goal is reached, the achievemnt becomes uninteresting and a new goal is sought out. " Woodys " need physical or mental activity to feel good and often find it difficult to relax. *value freedom and independence as essential. To be dependent, even ever so slightly, means imprisonment to the Woody. *are ambitious and love competition. They always want to be the best and feel compelled to win. Woodys love it when they are admired for their success. *can be workaholics *can seem distant in relationships. Their strong drive for independence, freedom and competition sometimes makes it hard for them to be close to others. *like to be the boss and are good at it. Their enthusiasm and optimism easily motivates others. *are stimulated by difficulties, deadlines and people doubting their success. *are impulsive and trust their gut feelings when making decisions. They like to take a jump without thinking much and are good in making quick although sometimes irrational decisions. *love risk and extreme situations. Leaders of expeditions or mountain climbers are Woodys. They don't mind strain and hardship in order to explore the unknown. *are loyal and persistant *typically react with anger to any difficult or restrictive situation, e.g when they meet limits, things don't go their way or when they lose control. Woodys need to express their anger immediately. *are open and direct in their relation to others, although sometimes they can be insensitive and follow their own interests without consideration for others. Woodys don't like long discussions. Well? Identified any Woodys around you, maybe even yourself? Next time we are going to look at the internal organs associated with Wood (*Liver* and *Gallbladder*). In the meantime, don't forget to write with questions, comments or criticism! ______ *********************Notice***************************** The following ad does not create revenue but is a friendly ad-exchange amongst ezine publishers. *********************Advertisement********************** FREE Website review and traffic building consultation -no strings attached! webmaster ?subject=website-review or call me at 732-324-0231 for a FREE, no obligation review of your business. No hype or sales pitch, just honest information to help YOU succeed! *********************End Advertisement****************** BEIJING MEMOIRS OF MY CANADIAN FRIEND ROBIN [i had the opportunity, over the past year, to visit China. My husband is a refrigeration mechanic who was sent to Beijing to build an ice rink in a shopping plaza so that you can skate and shop. Since I love to travel, I quit my job to follow him. This is the story as it unfolds.] It was Monday afternoon and I had just finished doing the mundane things of living, washing clothes in a tiny apartment sized washing machine that is hidden behind some curtains in our living room. Michael called me from work to say get the passports and meet me at the World Trade Centre we have to get tickets to go to Hong Kong tomorrow. We had to renew our Visas and since now was better than later in the project we would be better off going tomorrow. So I flew out the door, missed the bus, flagged a taxi and went to arrange tickets. Tickets were arranged and provided on the spot, unlike home where you have to pick them up at the airport. We were to leave at 7:50 am and so were up at 5:00 to get there. Everything went smoothly and we found ourselves in the departure lounge talking to a Chinese fellow who had a house near our place in Toronto. The flight was smooth and as we deplaned Ricky, the Chinese fellow, asked how we were getting to our hotel. We had no firm arrangements, so he offered us a ride. As we got outside the wonderfully modern new Hong Kong airport he ushered us into a Mercedes 450 SEL and drove us to the door of our hotel. This boded well for our stay in Hong Kong. I Love Hong Kong!!! It is a vibrant city, with a true British flavour and enough stores to provide shopping for everyone. More jewellery stores per sq. foot than anywhere in the world with pearls as large as grapes. Clothing stores need no description and restaurants and bars everywhere. We decided to take the ferry across the harbour to Central Hong Kong -so off we went to explore and find the Peak Tram which is a cable tram (like San Francisco) which takes you to the highest peak in Hong Kong. The ferry ride was about 8 min of mouth opening view. Boats and hovercrafts were everywhere and the crossing was smooth. Once we got to the other side, a free open deck, double decker bus took us to the tram. We boarded it and, not expecting much, started up the slope, it felt like looking up the ski jump at Lake Placid!! All of a sudden a break came in the trees and we looked out onto a picture that brought a lump to my throat. Spread beneath us was Hong Kong Bay with skyscrapers soaring above us. This was only half way up! When we got to the top we could only stare. It was the most incredible sight I have ever seen. You could see both sides of Hong Kong with buildings reaching up to touch you. I am having a problem finding the words to describe it. That night we went to the area Wan Chai which was made famous in the movie of Suzie Kwan. Bars, restaurants and model dancing with mama-sans outside urging people in (read men) abounded. After wandering for a bit we found Ricks Cafi. After 2 pina coladas we were ready to dance. But it was only 8:30 - we found a disco with a few people in it and started dancing anyway. Bingo, so did everyone who was there. Another instant party. Soon it was time to leave to catch the ferry back. Unfortunately we had to leave at noon on Friday, but again I was bowled over by the efficiency of Hong Kong. Free bus to the airport express train to the airport, where we checked in and got our boarding passes for the plane and then an incredibly smooth comfortable ride to the airport. This was the most unstressful departure I have ever seen. The airport was airy, and we whiled away our time going through only a few of the shops that were available. This place is the epitome of convenience and stress free travel! I cannot praise it enough. As I sit here describing this all to you I am frustrated because my words do not give a complete picture of this incredible place. Well, thats all for now - back to reality and our first sprinkling of snow in Beijing. I will write again soon. ______ COMMENT BY NED HOKE OMD,L.Ac. The first sight of a People's Liberation Army soldier at the airport in Shangahi sent a violent chill through my entire exhausted body. I, a child during the Korean War, 'Chinese soldier' meant endless streams of infantry like carpets coming over hills against my tribe, the visiting American Army. After a few seconds of that, it was obvious the young man was quietly wearing a symbol threatening nobody. My passport contained a coveted entry visa, I was told on the plane, that indicated I was a guest of the state. It was early 1981 and I was priviledged to be a " first American " to a World Health Organization program through the Academy of Traditional , Acupuncture Institute in Beijing. I was met at the airport by the director of the program. The Institute car looked like a big 1949 Ford with a humped rear section. We sped off into the night with no headlights on..flashing them now and again to seemingly encourage bikers to make way. Checking into the Minzu Hotel and phoning home about arrival ended the first chapter of what further supported what has become a life's work.. I celebrate Dagmar's gifts to her readers opening up her story and those of others as she brings her mind to the process of seeing through the window of Chinese medicine as described. Most of industrial healthcare offers no such reflection, neither wisdom nor compassion for the ordinary challenges of living. This is no mere adventure story to be amused by and then forgotten quickly hungry for yet another distraction. In modern times it is a straightfoward call for physical, emotional, and ecological sanity. A study of the self and it's relationships not for narcissistic gratifications, pleasures or maintaining denials. Mass mind is our commercial culture's antidote to actual life. I'm grateful this little newsletter, like a flower peeking through the concrete, gently gives the teachings which can provide honest and respectful means to self cultivation and care. Ned Hoke OMD,L.Ac. ______ DISCLAIMER The material in this newsletter is intended for informational purposes only. I do not prescribe and I do not diagnose. If you use the information in this newsletter without the approval of a health professional, you prescribe for yourself, which remains your constitutional right, but the author assumes no responsibility. _______ SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE The Letter from China is published every two weeks on Fridays. New rs will be forwarded the current issue. by sending a BLANK email to: Letter-from-China- by sending a BLANK email to: Letter-from-China- submit your own personal stories gesund2000 and write " article submission " in the subject line. comments, suggestions or criticism gesund2000 and write " comment " in the subject line. _______ Copyright ) 2000 by Dagmar Riley Talk to your friends online with Messenger. http://im. ___________ Check out the new and improved Topica site! http://www.topica.com/t/13 --------- End Forwarded Message --------- --== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ==-- Share what you know. Learn what you don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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