healing crises, tissue memory and releasing dysfunction

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends, colleagues, and teachers,

 

If I may add my reflections to others that have been expressed in this

interesting discussion. I am not a scholar in Chinese literature, but rather a

student in awe of the wonders of the body, a licensed acupuncturist and a

craniosacral therapist. From my perspective, I see Chinese medical diagnosis

and practice, be it acupuncture, herbs, diet, tuina or qi gong as invaluable

tools able to monitor and treat the constantly changing dance of the patient.

The picture the patient presented last week, gives us a direction from where to

view today, but must never be used as an exclusive guide to treating today. The

amazingly complex and numerous stimuli that occur from moment to moment all

affect to some degree where the patient " is " at this given moment. Much of the

" noise " of stimuli we are exposed to, we are able to discriminate and deal with.

Those who can't are labeled as having ADD. Yet, it is my firm conviction that

this comes from sensory overload, from too many

unbearable experiences in life, each person having their own threshold. John

Upledger talks about the concept of " tissue memory " : That the tissue of the body

remembers what happens to it, and encapsulates as " energy cysts " physical and

emotional trauma and illness that it is not able to slough off or release. I

apply this principle to my practice. I believe that when we treat a patient,

and there is a significant change that is facilitated by our treatment, it

should be considered potentially as if a layer of dysfunction (or an energy

cyst) has been released. Underneath that layer may be many (even hundreds) of

other layers, but they cannot be accessed unless the top layer is released, like

a chamber of a dark cave opened up. The release may be accompanied by a deep

sigh, a shiver, a temperature change, a tremor, even a fit of laughing,

screaming, shaking or a seizure (I have seen and experienced all of the above

with patients), but once it's released, it's gone

forever, the patient has effectively moved the clock backwards, and becomes

aware of his/her existance before this now released trauma/illness. Upledger

brings the analogy of a videotape, a piece of plastic " remembering " a piece of

music, or even a movie. How much more powerful and brilliant is the body's

ability to remember and playback! So rather than look at the released trauma

resulting from a treatment as a " healing crisis " , IMHO, we need to be aware of

the process transpiring. This is where Chinese medicine can be so helpful. For

with a new dynamic, obviously will come changes in pulses and tongue. By

treating the " new " status quo we are treating the previously untreated illness,

helping to release the next layer. Ted Kapchuck tells us that in Chinese

medicine, we are taught to think differently, to address function rather than

define structure, to be aware of our ever changing terrain. I would posit that

perhaps this is the reason why this concept is not

discussed at length by the ancients: Their emphasis was taking the journey

rather than freezing and analyzing the moment, the snapshot.

 

Respectfully,

 

Yehuda Frischman, L.Ac, CST, SER

www.traditionaljewishmedicine.com

 

 

<zrosenbe wrote:

Dear Nadia,

And thank you as well for your thoughtful discussion. My

original response, of course, was based on my concern for what Thomas

had mentioned about various teachers and authors of Chinese medical

textbooks; including " The Law of Cure " as a bona fide part of

Chinese medical theory. This is clearly not the case.

 

 

 

On Dec 5, 2006, at 5:15 PM, clothoatropos wrote:

 

> Z'ev,

>

> Interesting response - Thank you. I admit that my example is not

> taken from clinical experience (hence the remote chance of

> encountering it as you mention) but merely meant as an illustration.

> Your point is well-taken however.

>

 

 

[Guest guest]

Beautiful discussion, Yehuda.

 

I have been reading these posts (but of course can't remember all the details at

this point). I will throw in my two cents. I am Worsley-school trained and yes

we do look for law of cure or healing crisis with some of our intial

clearings.(Lonnie Jarret is the only one I have seen write that down for any

public reading) I have had patients report feeling bad for two days and then

feeling great. It can manifest many ways - diarreah, headache, flu feeling.

Something is moving out of the body. I have seen pains move in the body and

eventually out.

 

Somebody said, it may be what we experience is what we are looking for. I

believe that is true. The beautiful and important piece is that the patient is

throwing off layers that are limiting them emotionally or physically. Whether

that is orginating from Chinese medicine, homeopathy, or Upledgers work, it is

all helping.

 

Anne

 

 

-------------- Original message ----------------------

 

> Dear Friends, colleagues, and teachers,

>

> If I may add my reflections to others that have been expressed in this

> interesting discussion. I am not a scholar in Chinese literature, but rather

a

> student in awe of the wonders of the body, a licensed acupuncturist and a

> craniosacral therapist. From my perspective, I see Chinese medical diagnosis

> and practice, be it acupuncture, herbs, diet, tuina or qi gong as invaluable

> tools able to monitor and treat the constantly changing dance of the patient.

> The picture the patient presented last week, gives us a direction from where

to

> view today, but must never be used as an exclusive guide to treating today.

The

> amazingly complex and numerous stimuli that occur from moment to moment all

> affect to some degree where the patient " is " at this given moment. Much of

the

> " noise " of stimuli we are exposed to, we are able to discriminate and deal

with.

> Those who can't are labeled as having ADD. Yet, it is my firm conviction that

> this comes from sensory overload, from too many

> unbearable experiences in life, each person having their own threshold. John

> Upledger talks about the concept of " tissue memory " : That the tissue of the

body

> remembers what happens to it, and encapsulates as " energy cysts " physical and

> emotional trauma and illness that it is not able to slough off or release. I

> apply this principle to my practice. I believe that when we treat a patient,

> and there is a significant change that is facilitated by our treatment, it

> should be considered potentially as if a layer of dysfunction (or an energy

> cyst) has been released. Underneath that layer may be many (even hundreds) of

> other layers, but they cannot be accessed unless the top layer is released,

like

> a chamber of a dark cave opened up. The release may be accompanied by a deep

> sigh, a shiver, a temperature change, a tremor, even a fit of laughing,

> screaming, shaking or a seizure (I have seen and experienced all of the above

> with patients), but once it's released, it's gone

> forever, the patient has effectively moved the clock backwards, and becomes

> aware of his/her existance before this now released trauma/illness. Upledger

> brings the analogy of a videotape, a piece of plastic " remembering " a piece of

> music, or even a movie. How much more powerful and brilliant is the body's

> ability to remember and playback! So rather than look at the released trauma

> resulting from a treatment as a " healing crisis " , IMHO, we need to be aware of

> the process transpiring. This is where Chinese medicine can be so helpful.

For

> with a new dynamic, obviously will come changes in pulses and tongue. By

> treating the " new " status quo we are treating the previously untreated

illness,

> helping to release the next layer. Ted Kapchuck tells us that in Chinese

> medicine, we are taught to think differently, to address function rather than

> define structure, to be aware of our ever changing terrain. I would posit

that

> perhaps this is the reason why this concept is not

> discussed at length by the ancients: Their emphasis was taking the journey

> rather than freezing and analyzing the moment, the snapshot.

>

> Respectfully,

>

> Yehuda Frischman, L.Ac, CST, SER

> www.traditionaljewishmedicine.com

>

>

> <zrosenbe wrote:

> Dear Nadia,

> And thank you as well for your thoughtful discussion. My

> original response, of course, was based on my concern for what Thomas

> had mentioned about various teachers and authors of Chinese medical

> textbooks; including " The Law of Cure " as a bona fide part of

> Chinese medical theory. This is clearly not the case.

>

>

>

> On Dec 5, 2006, at 5:15 PM, clothoatropos wrote:

>

> > Z'ev,

> >

> > Interesting response - Thank you. I admit that my example is not

> > taken from clinical experience (hence the remote chance of

> > encountering it as you mention) but merely meant as an illustration.

> > Your point is well-taken however.

> >

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello all, I have two cents!

With apologies for my rudeness (this is actually all

a criticism directed at myself), and hoping that I

don't get too sophisticated, I'd like to bolster the

idea that, within its scope of practice, there is

enough in already, and that we should

be wary of adding or re-interpreting CM through

less-experienced eyes.

 

I've written a recap of the actual meaning of

" sophistication " , in contrast to the popular use of

the word, and, at the end, a note on chinese medicine

in three acts. Thank you for your indulgence!

 

soph·ism (s & #335;f' & #301;z' & #601;m) pronunciation

n.

 

1. A plausible but fallacious argument.

2. Deceptive or fallacious argumentation.

 

sophistry

noun

 

1. Plausible but invalid reasoning

2. Deceptively subtle reasoning or argumentation;

 

an argument used to deceive

 

sophistry

n.

 

The controversial method of an opponent, distinguished

from one's own by superior insincerity and fooling.

This method is that of the later Sophists, a Grecian

sect of philosophers who began by teaching wisdom,

prudence, science, art and, in brief, whatever men

ought to know, but lost themselves in a maze of

quibbles and a fog of words.

 

 

So·phis·ti·ca·tion

n.

 

[Cf. LL. sophisticatio, F. sophistication.]

The act of sophisticating; adulteration; as, the

sophistication of drugs.

 

 

ACT I

 

It is possible, through:

 

1. careful study of reputable sources

2. devoted attention to an accomplished teacher

3. concerted meditation on and contemplation of the

methods, principles and clinical realities of Chinese

Medicine,

 

to discover a wealth of unbelievably subtle and

ever-deeper insights regarding our human condition.

 

 

ACT II

 

I would therefore suggest that, before we are seduced

by modern " breakthroughs " such as the idea of " tissue

memory " , " energetic cysts " and, by g-d, the

" Mind-Body " , we should take a few moments to consider

our " simple-minded " Chinese Medical theory. In this

case, one of the initial statements from which so many

others progress:

 

Where there is free-flow, there is no disease. Where

there is lack of free-flow, disease will appear.

 

In my opinion, the above statements are an

unsophisticated description of the topic at hand, and

in my view are a deeper, wiser, genuinely intelligent

and more supple explication of this thing which I,

being the sophisticate I am, would prefer to call the

" Tissue Memory " and the " Healing Crisis " .

 

 

ACT III

 

I hope that so far I have not created a very bad

word-fog. The final toot on my horn has to do with

long-term effects, or what some have called " Big Way

Medicine " (Da Dao Yi). This type of medicine is the

one that is least interested in band-aids and such,

and looks forward the most.

It is interesting to me that half of a " Healing

Crisis " is " Crisis " . While it is sometimes necessary

and at times unavoidable, as CM practitioners we

should be wary of creating or enabling crisis. A

crisis is like a rebellion or revolution - both highly

unstable, dangerous situations. As we learn in CM,

slow change is stable or safe, and rapid change is

unstable or unsafe. Needing to create a rapid change,

or crisis, is in itself a symptom of an underlying

problem, which might be characterised as the problem

of not looking forward. Again, it is sometimes

necessary, but we may want to avoid taking a " Healing

Crisis " as a matter-of-course. If we are, or perhaps

aim to be, great doctors, we might develop enough

foresight that we might gently nudge now, rather than

wait for the " zero-hour " emergency later.

 

Thanks, hope that's of service,

Hugo

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

On Wednesday 06 December 2006 05:26, yehuda frischman wrote:

<snip>

> Yet, it is my firm conviction that this comes from sensory overload, from

too many unbearable experiences in life,

 

Hi Yehuda!

 

Very insightful. Do you mind if I quote you? With proper credit, of course.

--

Regards,

 

Pete

http://www.pete-theisen.com/