I am fascinated with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).  I’ve always understood and identified with trees, so understanding the methods of TCM as treating “roots” vs. “branches” makes sense to me. Since the basic philosophies are true for pups and kitties, it’s easily translatable in canine/feline TCM theory.  The ancient study of medicine is broken up into five categories:

  1. Herbs

  2. Acupuncture

  3. Tui-Na

  4. Diet

  5. Exercise


Traditional Chinese Medicine  looks at the body and symptoms of disease as one large picture of disharmony. No one aspect of the body can exist without the others.

https://animalwellnessmagazine.com/tcm-dogs-explained/


To begin to understand the Chinese ways, you have to start with yin and yang.


            

The motion of yin and yang generates all things in nature.

MEH JIUZHANG & GUO LEI


Yin is what is defined as cold and dark.  Yang is light and warm. Together they make the perfect environment.  Harmony. Discord in the body arises when one side is out of balance. And, that’s where TCM comes into play.  

OK.  So what’s Qi?

Where qi is described as the life force that moves all life, it is divided into 5 elements:

~Fire

~Earth

~Metal

~Water

~Wood

Yin and yang are the cornerstone of all existence.  Right down to behavior issues, all comes back to how in tune the qi is within your dog.  Next blog, we will explore how herbs influence qi, and how they can keep the peace between yin and yang.  


~Lisa