More on Yin Fire

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Some time ago we had a discussion on here concerning Yin Fire. Here is a

link to an article with some additional information on Yin Fire. Note the

concept that if Original Qi is strong, ministerial fire will be downborne

and stored. But if the Spleen and Stomach are Deficient, they can't do their

part to keep ministerial fire in its place in the Lower Burner (the

Kidneys), it escapes and rises upward to attack the Upper Burner (Lungs and

Heart) and the Middle Burner (Stomach and Spleen). Yin Fire is a

" pathological manifestation or trnsformation of ministerial fire " that has

not stayed in its place.

 

Yin Fire - like Phlegm - can give rise to some " knotty " (complex) and

hard-to-treat problems. The usual treatments for a variety of TCM syndromes

don't work as well as they should because there is an additional factor of

Yin Fire messing things up. The Yin Fire problem also has to be identified

and treated.

 

Also like Phlegm, Yin Fire can have a wide range of possible manifestations.

In the article you'll read about Yin Fire as one of the Roots in a case of

chronic cholecystitis (imflamed gall bladder), chronic gastritis and

insomnia, chronic sores and ulcers in the mouth, and chronic sinusitis.

(Note the " chronic " in all these cases.)

 

For those new to TCM, definition of Original Qi: First when thinking of Qi

(roughly translated as " energy " , pronounced chee), think quantum physics and

E=MC2, and the concept of Qi won't be quite as strange to you. What I'm

saying here is that Qi can assume many forms and roles. It can be very

rarefied, light, and ethereal, or, it can become denser and heavier.

Thinking of water becoming ice (becoming colder and denser and heavier) or

becoming steam (hotter, more diffuse, and lighter) also can give you

insights into Qi. For those of you who haven't just joined the list, in the

past few days you've looked at two of the forms Qi can take: Protective

(Wei) Qi and Nutritive (Ying) Qi. Nutritive Qi nourishes the Interior of

the body, and it's denser than Protective Qi which circulates at the

Exterior and protects the body against Exterior Evils. They do different

things, they're found in different places, but they're both Qi. (For more

info see The Foundations of , Giovanni Maciocia, pp. 37-38.)

 

Original Qi is a type of Qi found in the Kidneys. Maciocia says, " Original

Qi is nothing but Essence " (Jing) " in the form of Qi, rather than fluid. It

can be described as Essence transformed into Qi. It is a dynamic and

rarefied form of Essence having its origin in the Kidneys. " (p. 41) Original

Qi is the foundation of all the Yin and Yang in the body.

 

Original Qi is derived from Pre-Heaven (before birth) Essence, but it has to

be constantly " replenished by the Post-Heaven Qi " (after birth). (p. 42) The

Post-Heaven Qi is coming from the food you eat and the air you breathe. The

Stomach prepares the food ( " rots and ripens " it), and the Spleen extracts

the Grain Qi from this prepared food. This is why Spleen and/or Stomach

Deficiency can trigger Deficiency of the Original Qi in the Kidneys, and the

Original Qi is no longer strong enough to keep the ministerial fire in its

place, and it escapes to harass the Stomach, Spleen, Gall Bladder, Liver,

Heart, and/or Lungs in the form of Yin Fire.

 

Given the prevalence of Spleen Deficiency and Stomach imbalance in many

Western countries - especially in the U.S. - thanks to poor diet, stress,

eating on the run, eating at irregular times, etc., if you're practicing in

one of these countries, you probably will want to learn all you can about

the concept of Yin Fire.

 

http://www.bluepoppy.com/press/journal/issues/journal_articles.cfm?journalarticl\

e=articles/jul01/yinfire.htm

 

Victoria

 

 

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