Ancient Art of TCM

Dating back 5,000 years ago, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) was birthed in the center of Chinese culture. Diet and exercise components were entrenched in the daily lives of the Chinese people, including nutrition, herbal medicine ,qigong, acupuncture, and Tuina massage; all of the elements of the five branches of Chinese medicine. This daily practice was closely aligned with their views of spiritual growth and healing, as well as their strong belief in responsibility to oneself and the community as a whole.

One story tells the history of acupuncture as a soldier who was shot in the leg with a steel tipped bullet. He noticed that while his leg was in agonizing pain, the numbness in his shoulder was relieved and he could move it freely. This spurred an investigation into the unseen energetic pathways within our bodies that can be stimulated to correct blockages, support what is deficient, and balance what has become excess.

Ancient Chinese herbal remedies were first introduced more than 2000 years ago. Stories about the inception of their medicinal application vary. The one that is most often shared comes straight from the Emperor’s of China. Desiring to live forever, they commissioned their medicine men to find an herb or portion that would give them eternal life. While the medicine men failed in their commission, they did discover effective treatments for many other conditions. Their guinea pigs were often the sick and feeble and many improved after taking the herbal concoctions. They did not live forever but a safe, effective and natural form of medicine was discovered.

Today, Traditional Chinese medicine has grown into a highly respected form of medicine that has earned recognition as an art form, because healing potential increases when combined with the compassion and intuition of the practitioner. Ongoing clinical research in TCM continues to baffle Western minds, as the unseen becomes tangible in the TCM practitioners hands.