Amazing YouTube Video: Qi demonstration

Here’s an amazing video from a Qi Gong master, John Cheng of Java demonstrating his incredible abilities with qi: you can hardly believe your eyes. He lights a piece of paper on fire, turns on an LED light bulb, and sends a chopstick through a 1” thick wood table with a Formica top using qi emanating from his hands. A patient of mine went to Java to get treated by John and attests that this is legit. KB http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAAB0dbc3Es&feature;=related

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The Spiritual Aspects of Pain

I was reviewing some notes this evening about the treatment of pain in Chinese medicine from a seminar taught by Jeffery Yuen. Jeffrey Yuen comes from two Daoist lineages – 88th generation of the Yu Qing Huang Lao Pai (Jade Purity School, Yellow Emperor/Lao Tzu Sect) and 26th generation of the Quan Zhen Long Men Pai (Complete Reality School, Dragon Gate Sect). As a Taoist priest, he has some interesting perspectives on healing and Chinese medicine.With regards to treating pain, Jeffery discusses the spiritual implications of pain.In Chinese medicine there is an oft repeated adage: tong zi bu tong, zi tong, bu tong. Tong means pain, and the adage translates thus: where there is pain there is stagnation [or lack of free flow - of qi and…

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Going Green Can Pay Off $

I noticed this item on Suze Orman's website about tax credits available to homeowners who green their homes: making upgrades such as adding insulation, going solar, and putting on a metal roof. Thought you might find it of interest. KBhttp://www.suzeorman.com/igsbase/igstemplate.cfm?SRC=SP&SRCN;=layout_gogreen&GnavID;=84&SnavID;=127Green Tax Savings: $500 Energy Tax Credits for Upgrade to Your Primary ResidenceCertain eco-friendly upgrades to your home can qualify for federal tax credits through the end of this year. A credit is much more valuable to you than a standard tax deduction. A credit is a dollar for dollar reduction in your tax bill. A deduction’s value is based on your marginal tax bracket. For example, a $500 tax credit reduces your taxable income by $500. A $500 tax deduction for someone in the highest income tax…

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Lift Your Armpit Chest: Yoga Instruction for Beautiful Posture Relieves Back Pain

I went to New York for New Year's, and while I was there I took a few yoga classes at my favorite yoga studio: the NY Iyengar Center. They had re-done it since I'd last visited a few years ago, and it is beautiful. What a treat to take classes there. Quite a different experiences from when I was a regular student there, some years back.I heard an instruction in all the classes I took there, which I have not heard in a long-time: "Lift your armpit chest". This is a regular instruction you hear oft repeated in all the beginner classes there, that I had forgotten. It reminded me of a crucial step in maintaining back health: posture.When Iyengar instructors say "Lift your armpit chest", they…

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Chinese New Year Jan 26th: Year of the Ox 2009

Happy Chinese New Year!2009 - Year of the OxJanuary 26 marks the New Year in China, and there will be much celebrating and fireworks. The fireworks are to scare away any evil ancestral spirits from coming into the New Year. In addition, the Chinese sweep there homes on Jan 25th in order to sweep away any lingering evil qi (energy) from the old year coming into the New Year. So the New Year marks a time of new beginnings.The following gives a little background and folklore about the Chinese Zodiac system which has 12 signs, like it's western counterpart.12 is a powerful number in numerology: 12 apostles, 12" in a ruler (the distances from the king's [ruler's] elbow to his middle finger tip), 12 = a dozen.…

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The Dalai Lama Provdes Inspiration on Overcoming Adversity

Today's contemplation from the Dalai Lama (January 22 The Path To Tranquility: Daily Wisdom) has to do with overcoming adversity. He mentions that he counsels his countrymen that they were born in the darkest of ages. Truly in Tibet's history this is true, with the Chinese taking over and destroying Tibetan culture. But, he says to remember that in despair there is the opportunity to overcome. Adversity is a time to tests one's mettle, one's will & drive, one's strength of character. And through this opportunity there is the dawn of hope. From this viewpoint, he says we are fortunate. Fortunate to have the skills and abilities to overcome the adversity we face.In reflecting, honestly my first thought was, "Wow". The Dalai Lama is emphasizing here the…

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On Integrating Chinese Herbal Medicine Into Our Medical System

Jake Fratkin is a highly respected colleague and herbalist within the TCM (Traditional Chinese Medical) community. Here he gives a thoughtful position on integrating the Chinese herbal tradition into our medical system. I would think all acupuncturists in the US would support his position. KBAcupuncture TodayJanuary, 2009, Vol. 11, Issue 01 The Price of Western Medicine and the Promise of Eastern Medicine By Jake Paul Fratkin, OMD, LAc I would like to put Western medicine into perspective. The training focuses on hospitalized patients, and the profession’s greatest successes lie in saving life and limb: fighting serious infection, severe trauma, and life-threatening deterioration of major organs. When a patient needs to be hospitalized, Western diagnostics, surgery and pharmaceutical medicine prove to be almost miraculous, and our society has…

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Cellphone Drivers are as Dangerous as Drunks, Even With Hands-free Devices: NY Times article

We all know how erratically drivers drive when holding cellphones to their ears. But you may find these findings surprising, I certainly did. Tara Parker Pope, Wellness writer at the NY Times reports that researchers are showing that cellphone users drive as erratically and dangerously as drunk drivers. You may not be able to keep your cell phone driving habit for long: the National Safety Council is pushing for an all out cell phone ban in cars, likening the dangers to drunk driving and lack of safety belts. Like me, you might think hands free devices are OK, no different that having a conversation with a passenger. Nay say the researchers, hands free is just as distracting to the brain. Studies show less driving errors when talking…

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Listen to Your Inner Voice

We all have an inner voice constantly giving us guidance and direction. The problem is, we don't always heed it's counsel. Lately I've been becoming aware of how accurate my inner voice is, and how when I don't heed it's warning, the outcome is never what I had designed in my mind.So I offer you this exercise: start listening to your inner voice and do what it suggests. Note the outcome of following it's advice. As importantly, notice what happens when the inner voice says to do one thing and you do another.I think you'll find the results of this little exercise interesting & surprising. KB

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