Guest guest Posted December 6, 2003 Report Share Posted December 6, 2003 This is an interesting question Dr. K. and is in the line of questions that only Chinese medicine can give an answer to. I don't think that W.M. can come up with answers to such riddles that are interwoven in the complexity of our system as a whole. Chinese medicine maintains that the eyes are the reflection of our spirit-shen. The classics say that one's spirit can be detected through the eyes. Fluctuations of mood such as joy, saddness or anger (all of which may produce tears in the eyes) may undoubtedly be seen in the eyes of a person. The classics also say that the liver Qi pours into the eyes. Liver fluid - via the 5 elements (your speciality Dr. K ;-) ) is tears. When a person experiences a sudden emotional change (happiness, anger-frustration, grief) this causes an upward surge of energy driven by the liver. This is also why the face change their color and expression while there is an extreme emotional change. Thus, liver Qi moving abruptly upward to the head and eyes region produces tears - a fluid associated with the wood element. Shmuel, http://acumedico.com > I've always wondered, when people laugh too much they have tears in their > eyes. > Why is that? > > Often they double up forwards, never backwards. > Why is that? > > Dr. Holmes Keikobad > MB BS DPH Ret. DIP AC NCCAOM LIC AC CO & AZ > www.acu-free.com - home based recertification for acupuncturists and health > professionals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 6, 2003 Report Share Posted December 6, 2003 Hi Dr. Keikobad, I like Shmuel's presentation very much. In addition here's my physiology observations. I just taught a section on the autonomic nervous system. The lacrimal glands are hard-wired via the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) with signals coming out of the hypothalamus. This would be parasympathetic innervation. Interestingly the hypothalamus has set points and triggers for emotions of all sorts. If the emotion is strong enough, the response is a sympathetic reaction. The sympathetic arm of the autonomic nervous system actually turns off saliva and tears. So then why the tears with sadness and laughter? It's a parasympathetic recovery mechanism which "follows" strong emotions. Or tears flow after one has been laughing or crying for a bit. They will keep flowing until "parasympathetic recovery" is complete. By the way, this is in "addition to" not in place of Shmuel's comments. I sense that the leaning forward part of laughter has to do with hiding the face. Profound humor is often about paradox. One does not want to challenge the personal or social reality of those near by. Also the mouth is often open wide when laughing, so covering the mouth or leaning forward hides the open mouth. What do you think, Dr. K.? In gratitude, Emmanuel Segmen Merritt College > I've always wondered, when people laugh too much they have tears in their> eyes.> Why is that?> > Often they double up forwards, never backwards.> Why is that?> > Dr. Holmes Keikobad> MB BS DPH Ret. DIP AC NCCAOM LIC AC CO & AZ> www.acu-free.com - home based recertification for acupuncturists and health> professionalsMembership requires that you do not post any commerical, swear, religious, spam messages,flame another member or swear. To change your email settings, i.e. individually, daily digest or none, visit the groups’ homepage: Chinese Medicine/ click ‘edit my membership' on the right hand side and adjust accordingly. To send an email to<Chinese Medicine- > from the email account you joined with. You will be removed automatically but will still recieve messages for a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 6, 2003 Report Share Posted December 6, 2003 [Emmanuel Segmen: [ ... ] I sense that the leaning forward part of laughter has to do with hiding the face. Profound humor is often about paradox. One does not want to challenge the personal or social reality of those near by. Also the mouth is often open wide when laughing, so covering the mouth or leaning forward hides the open mouth. What do you think, Dr. K.?] > I am sitting smug till all the posts are in, after which I comment, basing things on the Logica Penta Elementica Magnus (smiling). As everyone knows, the 5 E can explain anything, except why stockings run one moment before the date arrives. Dr. Holmes Keikobad MB BS DPH Ret. DIP AC NCCAOM LIC AC CO & AZ www.acu-free.com - home based recertification for acupuncturists and health professionals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 6, 2003 Report Share Posted December 6, 2003 Continuing the conundrum: As posted earlier, people madly engaged in laughter 'tear' in the eyes, while some who are grief stricken, with broken heart, are dry eyed. Mirth makes her seem oddly, as though she weeps While Grief resides dry-eyed, and stern demeanor keeps. Like Emperor Huang Di, who had a lot of time on his hands, one asks, trying to keep a straight face: " O Ch'i Po, why is it thusly? " Dr. Holmes Keikobad MB BS DPH Ret. DIP AC NCCAOM LIC AC CO & AZ www.acu-free.com - home based recertification for acupuncturists and health professionals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 6, 2003 Report Share Posted December 6, 2003 It is true that laughter has a very important social context. Different kinds of laughter invoke slightly different behavioural responses. A full open faced laugh is something that can be shared by a group holding similar values. The type of laugh you describe is the kind that has a covert intention which does not convey shared values or appreciation. However one should not overlook the physiological aspect. Laughter involves a convulsion of the visceral muscles. To double over is simply due to the shortening of these muscles in the abdomen. Covering the open mouth may have social implications as does yawning, but it could also be an adaptive mechanism that prevents the tongue from flopping out or being bitten in a paroxysm, or foreign material entering the wide open mouth and causing choking. Laughter is a delightfully ambiguous activity is it not, and there's the rub ;-) Sammy. Chinese Medicine , " dr. k " <aryaone@e...> wrote: > [Emmanuel Segmen: [ ... ] I sense that the leaning forward part of laughter > has to do with hiding the face. Profound humor is often about paradox. One > does not want to challenge the personal or social reality of those near by. > Also the mouth is often open wide when laughing, so covering the mouth or > leaning forward hides the open mouth. > > What do you think, Dr. K.?] > > > I am sitting smug till all the posts are in, after which I comment, basing > things on the > Logica Penta Elementica Magnus (smiling). > > As everyone knows, the 5 E can explain anything, except why stockings run > one > moment before the date arrives. > > Dr. Holmes Keikobad > MB BS DPH Ret. DIP AC NCCAOM LIC AC CO & AZ > www.acu-free.com - home based recertification for acupuncturists and health > professionals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 6, 2003 Report Share Posted December 6, 2003 Here's a 5 Elemental smartfoot jig: On Eyes That which is in the qi, often comes to the eyes. Anger has Red eyes Joy has Wet eyes Obsessing has Damp eyes Grief has Dry eyes Fear has Cold eyes. Dr. Holmes Keikobad MB BS DPH Ret. DIP AC NCCAOM LIC AC CO & AZ www.acu-free.com - home based recertification for acupuncturists and health professionals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 6, 2003 Report Share Posted December 6, 2003 Ode Fear never weeps, its tears are submerged Anger never weeps, its tears are seared Joy never weeps, for sadness sleeps Obsessing never weeps, for tears are viscid Grief never weeps, because .............. ? Dr. Holmes Keikobad MB BS DPH Ret. DIP AC NCCAOM LIC AC CO & AZ www.acu-free.com - home based recertification for acupuncturists and health professionals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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