My Background

September 20, 2004

Hi all,

I guess there are some members who are really interested in my

background.

I am a former computer analyst who is now in semi-retirement, at the

age of 53, enjoying a very full and reboust life. I love to dance

(swing, samba, salsa, ballroowm, etc.) and sing (especially the songs

of the 50s and 60s), and play lots of sports when I can find someone

who has time to play including tennis, table tennis, basketball. I

also enjoy chess, backgammon, bridge. While I am 53, my doctor says I

have the body of a 30 year old. I enjoy life, but I don't take it all

that seriously - especially myself. I find that seriousness creates

stagnation and stagnation slows me down - and I like to move. :-)

I've practiced yoga, qigong, taiji for over 25 years and yoga for

about the same amount the time. My practice has gone in many

directions and has certainly evolved over time. One of the things I

have learned is that in life everyone is equal. We are all here to

learn lessons - and no one is any further along than anyone else. We

are all students - and when we have questions, the teacher will

appear. I teach these arts - but for me it is no big deal. It is one

of the things I do in my life and hopefully it allows others to enjoy

their life more - and learn what they are here to learn. Otherwise I

enjoy my own practice, and continue to learn what I am here to learn.

Hopefully, I complete my learning before I die. :-) If not, I guess I

have an infinite number of lives to do it. Or, I have no more lives.

Either way, it is the same. :-)

As I disovered the nature of qi - by experience, not through books - I

became more interested in who qi creates and maintain life and that

brought me in direct involvement with - the classical

medicine, not TCM. Of course, I have been going to TCM pracitioners

using the popular TCM approaches for over 15 years and through that

process I have learn alot about what works and what doesn't work - and

then I tried to figure out why. Why? Because that is what interests me

- understanding the nature of qi, how it creates life and how it

maintains life. It is quite interesting, but it is a different topic

onto itself and probably a different forum, since this is a TCM forum.

Over the years I continued to read and study, on my own and in

schools. My library contains most of the classics and current TCM

books, but in order to " declutter " my mind and home, I have rid myself

of most of these books except for a few which I use to refer to

whenever I " discover " a new idea. Some of my favorite books are little

treasures that I have found in our local bookstores which will never

get to the top 100 on the TCM bestseller list, but I don't think they

are meant to. They are there for students when they are ready. When

the student is ready the book will appear. :-) " Chan Mi Gong " is a one

of these little treasures. So simple and yet so profound. I believe

there is much merit to what Mark Seem writes about TCM. I certainly

have enjoyed his books enormously for the insight they have brought to

me. And while I am at it, I " Who Can Ride the Dragon " had an equally

profound effect - if for nothing more than the insight it brought to

me about the nature of yin, yang, and qi.

I have taken courses in all of the required areas of

including Tuina, , Anatomy and Physiology, and

Shiatsu, etc. But by far and away, the lessons I have taken from my

qigong/anmo pracititioner have been the most profound. For in these

lessons, I have learned how really simple life and health can be. I

never understood how to " balance " anything that was in motion part of

an " open system " , until I realized there was no need to balance. The

" body of qi " naturally balances itself when all the gates and channels

are " unblocked " . Or as my Chinese anatomy teacher recently said - " The

more I study , the more I realize it is all about

cleaning a house - our house. " While he did not say this explicitly,

this surely means our bodies, minds, and spirit.

So here I am, enjoying life. I am pretty much self-maintaining at this

point. I do not use pharmaceuticals or herbs. I do not need anyone to

needle me. I do not worry about " old age " or the pains of growing old.

What I do need, is to keep cleaning house - my house - and learn new

ways to do this. I have enjoyed learning lots of new things on this

forum.

Quickly to my mind are the wonderful posts on qigong and tuina. I have

thanked Brian already for being so kind by lending me " Rooted in

Spirit " by Laree and for introducing me to the work of Tom Tam. There

have been others who stepped forward and offered to help me and I

thank them also. Dr. Kaikobad always tickles my fancy and I have also

received many messages off the board which I have found very

interesting. I am thankful to all those who have helped me learn

something new. I am very, very much looking forward to reading more

from Guigen, because I am sure he will increase my perspective of

qigong and its relationship to health.

So this is who I am. I will not ask for the bios of the people who are

so interested in mine. Your messages and their content speak enough to

satisfy my curiosity about you.

Regards,

Rich

September 20, 2004

Really Rich,

A professional patient who has learnt to breathe well and taken a few

classes in various areas of alternative medicine does not qualify as a

professional healthcare provider.

Please get a grip,

Steve

On 20/09/2004, at 9:53 AM, Rich wrote:

>

> Hi all,

>

> I guess there are some members who are really interested in my

> background.

>

> I am a former computer analyst who is now in semi-retirement, at the

> age of 53, enjoying a very full and reboust life. I love to dance

> (swing, samba, salsa, ballroowm, etc.) and sing (especially the songs

> of the 50s and 60s), and play lots of sports when I can find someone

> who has time to play including tennis, table tennis, basketball. I

> also enjoy chess, backgammon, bridge. While I am 53, my doctor says I

> have the body of a 30 year old. I enjoy life, but I don't take it all

> that seriously - especially myself. I find that seriousness creates

> stagnation and stagnation slows me down - and I like to move. :-)

>

> I've practiced yoga, qigong, taiji for over 25 years and yoga for

> about the same amount the time. My practice has gone in many

> directions and has certainly evolved over time. One of the things I

> have learned is that in life everyone is equal. We are all here to

> learn lessons - and no one is any further along than anyone else. We

> are all students - and when we have questions, the teacher will

> appear. I teach these arts - but for me it is no big deal. It is one

> of the things I do in my life and hopefully it allows others to enjoy

> their life more - and learn what they are here to learn. Otherwise I

> enjoy my own practice, and continue to learn what I am here to learn.

> Hopefully, I complete my learning before I die. :-) If not, I guess I

> have an infinite number of lives to do it. Or, I have no more lives.

> Either way, it is the same. :-)

>

> As I disovered the nature of qi - by experience, not through books - I

> became more interested in who qi creates and maintain life and that

> brought me in direct involvement with - the classical

> medicine, not TCM. Of course, I have been going to TCM pracitioners

> using the popular TCM approaches for over 15 years and through that

> process I have learn alot about what works and what doesn't work - and

> then I tried to figure out why. Why? Because that is what interests me

> - understanding the nature of qi, how it creates life and how it

> maintains life. It is quite interesting, but it is a different topic

> onto itself and probably a different forum, since this is a TCM forum.

>

> Over the years I continued to read and study, on my own and in

> schools. My library contains most of the classics and current TCM

> books, but in order to " declutter " my mind and home, I have rid myself

> of most of these books except for a few which I use to refer to

> whenever I " discover " a new idea. Some of my favorite books are little

> treasures that I have found in our local bookstores which will never

> get to the top 100 on the TCM bestseller list, but I don't think they

> are meant to. They are there for students when they are ready. When

> the student is ready the book will appear. :-) " Chan Mi Gong " is a one

> of these little treasures. So simple and yet so profound. I believe

> there is much merit to what Mark Seem writes about TCM. I certainly

> have enjoyed his books enormously for the insight they have brought to

> me. And while I am at it, I " Who Can Ride the Dragon " had an equally

> profound effect - if for nothing more than the insight it brought to

> me about the nature of yin, yang, and qi.

>

> I have taken courses in all of the required areas of

> including Tuina, , Anatomy and Physiology, and

> Shiatsu, etc. But by far and away, the lessons I have taken from my

> qigong/anmo pracititioner have been the most profound. For in these

> lessons, I have learned how really simple life and health can be. I

> never understood how to " balance " anything that was in motion part of

> an " open system " , until I realized there was no need to balance. The

> " body of qi " naturally balances itself when all the gates and channels

> are " unblocked " . Or as my Chinese anatomy teacher recently said - " The

> more I study , the more I realize it is all about

> cleaning a house - our house. " While he did not say this explicitly,

> this surely means our bodies, minds, and spirit.

>

> So here I am, enjoying life. I am pretty much self-maintaining at this

> point. I do not use pharmaceuticals or herbs. I do not need anyone to

> needle me. I do not worry about " old age " or the pains of growing old.

> What I do need, is to keep cleaning house - my house - and learn new

> ways to do this. I have enjoyed learning lots of new things on this

> forum.

>

> Quickly to my mind are the wonderful posts on qigong and tuina. I have

> thanked Brian already for being so kind by lending me " Rooted in

> Spirit " by Laree and for introducing me to the work of Tom Tam. There

> have been others who stepped forward and offered to help me and I

> thank them also. Dr. Kaikobad always tickles my fancy and I have also

> received many messages off the board which I have found very

> interesting. I am thankful to all those who have helped me learn

> something new. I am very, very much looking forward to reading more

> from Guigen, because I am sure he will increase my perspective of

> qigong and its relationship to health.

>

> So this is who I am. I will not ask for the bios of the people who are

> so interested in mine. Your messages and their content speak enough to

> satisfy my curiosity about you.

>

> Regards,

> Rich

>

September 20, 2004

On 20/09/2004, at 12:41 PM, Rich wrote:

> Hi,

>

> Not better ... different. I never think in terms of better. That is

> one of the things I learned in my life. Another thing I learned is

> what people say about others is really a mirror of what they think

> about themselves. That is why they " notice it " . For this reason, I

> don't criticize others on forums. I would just be criticizing myself.

> I rather do this in private. :-)

>

This is a classic cop-out and underhanded way of making your actual

criticism so you can make a semantic argument to deny you ever

criticised someone. You seem to bounce constructive criticism with such

'jewels " of psycho-babble as your primary defence; as you lack the

'ball's' to talk straight or perhaps the self belief in the actual

content of some of your recent posts ....

Rich,

It is fascinating how your tai ji and qi gong experience recently

jumped from 15 years to over 25 in a few months...... I digress

however..........

My introduction to yin, yang, qi and related concepts began with the

martial arts. In the past 17 years since that time, I have continued to

practice tai ji, qigong (both professionally in my China internship and

privately), and other martial arts since that time.

After dropping out during my first Bachelor of Science Degree after 2

years (human biology) I continued to research, read and take classes in

aspects of Chinese medicine and other alternative therapies.

What I am getting at is; at that point.......I committed to this path

and after 5 years of full-time University level study graduated as a

professional TCM practitioner. Since that time I continue to study

(several hours a day) and learn because I know there is still so much

at assimilate. I also run a private TCM practice.

My area of expertise is not qigong and tuina (although I get the idea

that I have more professional training in these areas than you - both

theoretically and in the hospital setting) so I don't comment either

way on the validity of their theoretical foundations or practical

utility.

If I had not entered professional tertiary education in this field I

may have a distorted and confused idea about TCM, acupuncture and

Chinese herbal medicine like yourself.

I must say again that I am interested in some of your postings,

particularly on the nature of the human body in terms of qigong theory.

I do not disparage any of this simply because I don't have sufficient

experience to judge either way. I find much of it interesting and it

does help my growth. The same is certainly not true when you enter

areas of expertise you have limited valuable knowledge in. ie. TCM,

Herbs or acupuncture.

I wish you would act in a similar manner in regards to TCM, acupuncture

and Chinese herbal medicine. ie. only comment when you have sufficient

understanding of these therapies.........that is in 5 years if you

start now.

I can also guarantee you that being a patient of 1 million different

TCM practitioners will never help you understand TCM to a degree

sufficient to have a respectable professional opinion on TCM itself.

Doctors simplify concepts ad hoc for the individual patient to a degree

you will only understand when you are a doctor yourself; you can't

communicate yin, yang and qi in the limited time of a 1 hour session no

matter how intelligent or interested they are..........that is what

professional full-time education is for!!! A concept you have no grasp

of, nor respect for.

All my lecturers were from China (some famous professors with

illustrious Chinese careers), and each had some difficulties in

communicating TCM in clear and transparent English. This was also the

case in China, and is also the case in 99.9% of TCM texts written only

by a Chinese national. These texts are so simplified that yes, they can

seem inconsistent and illogical. Thankfully, this does not apply to

Wiseman texts or some of the more recent texts written my Chinese

nationals from the large professional TCM publishing houses in the

West. (Paradigm, churchil-livingstone, et all).

At this point, I shall leave any further discussion on these matters to

yourself, professional members on this list and the moderators who may

wish to express their opinions on the suitability of your personal

claims regarding TCM terminology, theory, practice and usefulness.

bao zhong,