Plants are our food, our medicine, and our oxygen. They create our climate. More than this, they are our teachers. This is why we chose to feature David King, botanist and plant activist, in our premiere of The Lia Andrews Show (airing this Wed @ 7pm PST).
David King was Judith’s and my botany professor for our masters program at Yo San University. Traditional Chinese Medicine is a plant-based medicine, so the importance of his class was obvious. However, he did far more than teach us about deciduous trees vs evergreens, he introduced my class to their world. Stephen Harrod Buhner’s The Lost Language of Plants and Eliot Cowan’s Plant Spirit Medicine were required reading.
Our distance from nature has allowed the emergence of factory farming, GMOs, and deadly pesticides as acceptable ways to grow our food. There is little thought to the destruction this causes to the soil and water, the suffering to the animals or laborers, or the health risks to consumers. There is also psychological damage. When we are in sync with our electronics we develop a frenzied pace that affects all our relationships and our happiness, whereas a few moments walking in nature can restore us to peace.
As David relays in the interview, life had dealt him a heavy blow, and it was his connection with plants that saved his life. He came back from that experience with the ability to listen; an ability that humankind used to have before the advent of video games and cell phones. I believe, of all his gifts, this is his greatest; to teach us how to listen again. This is a vital lesson for herbalists, gardeners, farmers, and for all of us who share space with plants.
David King is the founding chair of the Los Angeles Seed Library and is garden master of the Learning Garden, where he hosts classes. David is also working on a book for gardeners.
The holidays are over and as we emerge from our sugar-comas we instinctively want to “cleanse.” We want to get off the sugar roller coaster, fulfill our goal to be healthier this year, and of course shed a few pounds. We often associate cleansing with suffering. In fact, in an increasingly secular society, restricted eating has become the new penance.
If your goal is sustained health and balanced weight loss, however, I prefer a gentler approach that will not cost more than you are already spending on groceries. First I want to go over a key term in Chinese medicine; Phlegm-Damp. Phlegm-Damp is a pathological fluid accumulation that can cause such symptoms as lethargy, excess fat, high cholesterol, cellulite, nasal congestion, snoring, incomplete bowel movements, water retention, yeast overgrowth, and weepy skin conditions.
What Causes Phlegm-Damp
Excess consumption of: sugar, greasy foods, raw or cold foods. Eating less does not resolve the issue. Instead, it is more effective to eat foods that counteract Phlegm-Damp without starving yourself.
Daikon Radish
Cleansing Guidelines
1. Eat a high proportion of vegetables. Aim for 50%. Vegetables gently cleanse excess conditions in the body, regulate bowel movements, and aid in weight loss. Fruit also has a cleansing action but its high sugar content can trigger blood sugar imbalances. Limit fruit to 1- servings daily.
2. Unless you have a lot of Heat (feel hot, crave ice cold drinks, have hot flashes, etc.) limit raw food. Eat your vegetables in soups, casseroles, steamed, or sauteed. Exception: eat a little pungent or digestive vegetables with meals such as daikon radish, red radish, or fennel bulb.
3. Drink plenty of room temperature or warm water. Cold water suppresses digestion, which is a hot process, and can compound poor fluid metabolism issues.
4. Cut out sugar (wine, white bread and tortillas, cereal) and dairy for at 1-2 weeks. Then limit to 3-5 times per week.
5. Eat complex grains and organic protein to feel satiated and energized.
This is just a simple cleansing program but it is highly effective to balance your body after the holidays.
Chinese Face Reading evolved as a way of diagnosing disease, ascertaining constitutional strengths and weaknesses, and predicting how individuals would get along together. I studied face reading with Patrician McCarthy, of the Mian Shiang Institute, at Yo San University. Her classes brought the abstract concepts of the 5 Elements into tangible features and personality traits. Face reading is not only an incredible tool for acupuncturists, but also for every manager, salesperson, and dating person.
My teacher emphasized both the gifts and challenges of our facial features. Thick eyebrows, for example, show a propensity towards great passion, or anger, depending on our choices and life experiences. What each of us needs and wants in terms of a relationship partner varies considerably and you will want to delve into face reading more deeply for specific features that work for you in a mate.
Crazy Eyes
A person’s Shen, or spirit, can be seen in their eyes. The number one red flag is someone with a crazy, sinister, or otherwise unsettling look in their eyes. Unless someone is non-functional, they will be able to maintain a facade of normalcy during initial courtship. The unsettling gaze is something you will catch by chance when a person is triggered and their pathology surfaces. This may seem obvious, but we often disregard our instincts when the person in question has an otherwise pretty package.
While a crazed look should be taken as a clear sign to get away, the following traits are tendencies to keep an eye out for:
Cleft Chin
Sizeable Cleft Chin
An Extreme Cleft
This is a matter of degree. A shallow indentation or dimple is a Fire trait and shows a desire for attention, playful flirtation, physical connection, and fun sexuality. My teacher also called it a Performer’s Chin as it is common amongst actors and other performers.
A cleft indicates more ego than fun as a motivation, a stronger need for attention, and also an association between getting sex and feeling loved. If someone is not aware, this can lead to a propensity towards sex addiction.
A very deep cleft indicates an even stronger association between sex and love. Sexual rejection is very difficult for them and there is a tendency towards addiction and predatory behavior if they have not learned to deal with these feelings. This is also an indicator of a “manly” man.
Little Eyes
Very small eyes in proportion to the rest of the face indicates someone who is ambitious, self-referential, materialistic, and hedonistic in sensual pursuits. These qualities make them more likely to be unfaithful. There are many factors involved in people being unfaithful. These individuals just have a stronger natural pull in that direction.
Inverted Trapezoid-Shaped Face
Strong jaws are a sign of determination. As with all features, the bigger the feature, the stronger the trait. Determination is exaggerated in an inverted trapezoid-shaped face. The jaws are wide and strong compared to a narrower forehead. These individuals are physically strong, determined to get their way, and aggressive. They can be tyrannical.
Downward Slanting Eyebrows
When the eyebrows slant downwards it indicates a tendency towards high expectation of others but not necessarily of themselves. They also tend towards selfishness and promiscuity. They do tend to be loyal once they find the right person.
Prominent Browbone
Prominent browbone both central forehead and over eyes.
A prominent browbone indicates control. When the browbone is prominent over the eyes but not the center, the individual has a great deal of self-control. When the browbone is strong in the center of the forehead this indicates a need to control others.
Thicker Lower Lip
The lower lip tends to be a little fuller than the top lip in most people. Also a thick lower lip balanced by a thick upper lip does not apply. This refers to the lower lip being significantly, proportionately larger than the upper lip. Such individuals tend to be sensual, unreliable, and have an (undeserved) high opinion of themselves. They have difficulty keeping relationships or staying faithful. They have a lot of wants and needs and act out on their desires.
Unibrow
When the two eyebrows are connected it indicates there is more anger than passion, and a tendency to direct it towards others. These individuals tend to be edgy, provocative, and quick to fight. While this may be a great trait in a contact sport, it isn’t so nice in relationships. This is an easy fix, however. Consistent tweezing will mellow this trait over time.
In closing I want to note that our personalities and behaviors are also shaped by our social conditioning, family values, and personal choices. For example, I know a man with a very prominent browbone (both central and over the eyes). He is a warm, laid back guy by all accounts, particularly to his wife and child. He claims he had been willful as a child but that his tough Korean mom had “beat it out” of him. He had learned to funnel his controlling nature into professional accomplishments and kept it out his relationships. Rather, use these features as additional clues.
Many of these traits are also associated with high testosterone, a quality that requires social conditioning and positive outlets in order to be constructive.
The Face Reader – by Patrician McCarthy, is an extensive look at Daoist Face Reading covering 5 Element Personalities and specific facial features. She has 5 new books coming out in 2014, one for each element.
Ancient Daoists advocated limiting the frequency of ejaculation to increase vitality and longevity. They would often give a mathematical formula such as the famous one by Sun Simiao:
“A man may attain health and longevity if he practices an ejaculation frequency of twice monthly or 24 times a year. If at the same time he pays careful attention to proper diet and exercise he will have a long healthy life.”
This did not limit the frequency of intercourse or orgasm. Rather Daoists learned to control their ejaculation and were able to reach orgasm without ejaculating. As with everything, there is a too little and too much. Modern interpretations can get us into trouble, as our society seems to gravitate towards extremes. For example, men who are too zealous with limiting ejaculation will overheat and develop mental and emotional disturbances.
Ejaculation frequency becomes important when vitality (as seen in immunity, fertility, or energy levels) is low or after the age of 40, when men’s Jing starts to decline. Often this means limiting ejaculation to once every 7-14 days. Men will know they need to limit ejaculation when they do not feel revived or feel disconnected from their lover after sex.
Modern Research Appears to Support These Practices
Testosterone levels in men can be seen as a physical indicator of the health of Yang Qi, as the health of the sperm can be used to assess the state of the Jing. This gives us a way of translating ancient Daoist practices into modern scientific understanding, even though the concepts of Yang Qi and Jing encompass more than just testosterone levels and the health of the sperm respectively. Daoist (and TCM) theory states that aging occurs when the Jing declines. (Our Jing includes both our Yin and Yang Qi, however men usually require more Yang tonification and women more Yin tonification.)
A 2003 study recorded that abstinence for 7 days raised the subjects’ serum testosterone levels to 154.7% of baseline. The study also noted minimal fluctuations in serum testosterone levels from the 2nd to 5th day of abstinence. Studies support a direct correlation with testosterone levels in men and signs of vitality such a 2013 study suggesting a link between low testosterone levels and dementia in older men.
The Consciousness Part
This information is not new, and there are many resources on the mechanics of ejaculation control in both the Daoist and Tantric traditions. What is too often missing is the ethics part; how you increase your vitality and what you do with it. I believe that men not only have to develop themselves physically in regards to sex, but also need to work to raise the consciousness of their sexuality.
Much of male sexual conditioning is predatory and unconscious in nature. There is a consciousness raising process that must occur prior to developing sexual techniques whereby we become aware of our connection and social responsibility. When men are exposed to these principles without this awareness it is easy for them to develop sophisticated tools in the same old context; as a means to gaining power, only they now have the power to do more harm.
The pitfall is in increasing Yang in the body in an unbalanced way. Our Kidney Yang provides our determination and drive. Our Kidney Yin gives us our sense of oneness and spiritual connection to the world around us. When the two are balanced and strong, we naturally become instruments of great service. If our Kidney Yang becomes excessive it leads to tyranny. We become self-centered, arrogant, ruthless. We live by the motto “the strong eat the weak.” Ultimately this leads to self-destruction, but only after incurring a great deal of negative karma.
An example of misguided sexual cultivation is sexual vampirism, whereby individuals are not content to conserve their own energy and steal the sexual energy from others. This was acceptable, and still is in certain circles. Short-term this can increase energy, as well as ego. Long-term you get a heap of bad karma and a big step backwards in your spiritual evolution.
Conscious ejaculation greatly surpasses the benefits of ejaculation control. Limiting ejaculation increases short-term physical vitality. Conscious sexual cultivation has the ability to transform a man’s life and that of the people around him.
Ways to Infuse Consciousness into Sexual Cultivation:
Practice in the context of a spiritual goal.
Hold the intention of giving and receiving fully during sexual interactions.
Always honor your lover.
During ejaculation, imagine you are giving healing, empowering energy to your lover or to a particular goal.
When abstaining from ejaculation, imagine giving heart energy to your lover or to a particular goal. Use it as an opportunity to increase connection.
For those who were wondering, here are the men’s Jing (vitaliy) Cycles:
From the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon
8 (1×8)- A man’s Kidney energy is prosperous, his hair develops and his teeth emerge at the age of eight.
丈夫八岁，肾气实，发长齿更；
16 (2×8)- His Kidney energy grows and is filled with vital energy, and he is able to let his sperm out at the age of 16.
二八，肾气盛，天癸至，精气溢写，阴阳和，故能有子；
24 (3×8)- His Kidney energy is developed, his extremities are strong, and all of his teeth are developed by the age of 24.
三八，肾气平均，筋骨劲强，故真牙生而长极；
32 (4×8)- His body has developed to its best condition, and his extremities and muscles are very strong at the age of 32.
四八，筋骨隆盛，肌肉满壮；
40 (5×8)- His Kidney energy begins to decline, his hair falls out and his teeth begin to whither at the age of 40.
五八，肾气衰，发堕齿槁；
48 (6×8)- His Kidney energy declines more, the yang energy of the entire body declines, his complexion becomes withered and his hair turns white at the age of 48.
六八，阳气衰竭于上，面焦，发鬓颁白；
56 (7×8)- His Liver energy declines as a result of Kidney deficiency; the tendons become rigid and fail to be nimble at the age of 56.
七八，肝气衰，筋不能动，天癸竭，精少，肾藏衰，形体皆极；
64 (8×8)- His essence and vital energy is weak, as are his bones and tendons. His teeth fall out and his body becomes decrepit at the age of 64.
八八，则齿发去。
What This Means in Practical Terms
The Jing Cycles serve as a guide for how we can care for ourselves to extend our vitality. They describe a general trend. Some individuals are born with a strong constitution and can get away with misbehaving longer, while others must always exercise caution with their health. The natural peak of vitality for most men is between the ages of 24-40. Before age 24 the body is vulnerable because it has not reached full maturity. Protective measures should be taken, particularly in early childhood, to strengthen digestion and immunity. After age 40, surplus vitality begins to wane, the sex hormones begin to drop, and rejuvenative measures should be employed.
The care of boys prior to age 8 is the same as for girls under age 7 that I describe in 7 Times a Woman. Into adulthood, the diet and lifestyle recommendations are similar to women, and vary more based on individual imbalances (disease pattern differentiation). Where maintaining vitality diverges from women is in the area of procreation.
Longterm Vitality Means Conserving Jing
We pass on the best of ourselves to our offspring through the genetic material via the egg and sperm. Our egg and sperm can be viewed as a physical manifestation of our Jing. Our bodies do not differentiate between when we actually want to produce a child or not, so there will be some Jing loss for every menstruation (or gestation) and ejaculation. For this reason women must take extra care of themselves during menses and during the first month postpartum, to recuperate the loss. Men must learn to limit ejaculation based on their levels of vitality. Both men and women need to practice rejuvenation and boost their hormone levels during menopause and andropause, when sex hormones decline.
from http://www.sacredlotus.com/theory/yinyang.cfm
“In the beginning was Yin and Yang which gave birth to the 5 Elements, which in turn gave birth to the 10,000 things” – Dao de Jing (Tao te Ching)
I consider myself lucky now that I had a health crisis as a young teen. It pushed me towards Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and understanding the cyclical nature of life at an early age. In the modern West we have come to believe life is this linear downhill ride; beginning with vitality and ending with decrepitude and death. The Daoist philosophy is that life is a compilation of smaller and bigger cycles. Like waves, they are predictable and can carry us high if we know how to time our actions. If we do not, we get pummeled. These cycles occur on a daily, monthly, yearly, and 7 year (for women) or 8 year (for men) cycles. To increase our health we learn to adapt our behavior to work with the natural cycles rather than against them.
Cycles have their origin in Yin and Yang theory. According to this theory, Yin and Yang interact in 4 ways:
Stand in Opposition. Yin and Yang represent opposites. A wave crest is Yang while a wave trough is Yin. Spring and summer are Yang times of year, while fall and winter are Yin. Yang is hot, extroverted, and excess. While Yin is cold, introverted, and deficient.
Are Inter-dependent. Yin and Yang cannot exist without each other. Without day there would be no night. Without an interior there would be no exterior.
Are Inter-consuming. Yin and Yang consume one another. When we are hot (Yang) we sweat, depleting body fluids (Yin).
Are Inter-transforming. Yin and Yang change into one another. Night turns into day.
Examples of adapting our behavior to the cycles:
Daily cycles: Sleep from 10pm to 6am. Save greatest activity for morning and early afternoon.
Monthly (menstrual) cycles: Rest during menses. Save greatest activity between ovulation and menses.
Yearly cycles: Eat more cooling foods during spring and summer. Eat warming foods during Fall and Winter.
7 Year cycles: Begin preparing for menopause at age 35.
Deer antler has enjoyed notoriety as a sports performance enhancer and a male virility tonic (it treats impotence, spermatorrhea, and nocturnal emission), but it has been used for thousands of years in Chinese medicine for much more. Deer antler, or Lu Rong 鹿茸 (Cornu Cervi), is a powerful Jing tonic. This means it is a general anti-aging tonic, enhances fertility, and strengthens the structural integrity of the body (particularly the bones and ligaments).
Anti-aging in both men and women. As a Jing tonic, deer antler promotes healthy hormone levels, maintains elasticity of the skin and connective tissue, . Because it is also a Yang tonic, it is heating and must be taken in smaller doses and/or balanced with Yin tonics in women (and men who run warm).
Male and female infertility. Deer antler enhances sexual functioning in men and women and rejuvenates the ovaries and testes.
Anemia. Deer antler treats severe anemia as occurs due to blood loss or protracted illness.
Athletes. Deer antler speeds healing of broken bones and joint injuries. It also increases muscle strength and decreases muscle fatigue. (Yang tonics are particularly important in cases of extreme strength or explosive power).
Protection in later years. Deer antler treats and prevents Bi Syndrome (joint aches and pains) and osteoporosis.
Lu Jiao, Mature Horn
Deer antler is an expensive medicinal and its products are divided into grades of potency:
Tips – Lu Rong refers to the soft new antler growth or tips. This is the most hormonally active and thus highest in Jing.
Gelatin – Lu Jiao Jiao is gelatin derived from deer antler. It is weaker than Lu Rong but still very potent. Additionally, it has Blood and Yin astringing properties similar to E Jiao (donkey gelatin) and is ideal for excessive uterine bleeding due to deficiency.
Mature horn – Lu Jiao refers to the hardened established male horn. This is weaker in its action to tonify Jing than the above two, but stronger to move Blood. It is thus appropriate for joint or low back pain and gynecological issues.
Dregs – Lu Jiao Shuang are the dregs left over from processing deer antler gelatin. This is the weakest form of deer antler and safest for long-term use. (Strong tonics tend to be cloying and their continuous use can generate stagnation and heat. For this reason it is usually recommended to cycle tonic use). It also has astringent properties.
Lu Jiao Jiao, Antler Gelatin
Tincture form is often the most economical method of administration. It can also be powdered and taken as a tea or in capsule form. Deer antler is a product that can be humanely extracted from the animal without injuring it. It is important to research your source.
There are three times during a woman’s life when she has the opportunity to either improve, or else risk damaging her health. These are menstruation, postpartum and menopause. This theory has historically been used by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and has more recently been popularised by Dr. Zhuang Shuqi, a Taiwanese doctor of TCM specialising in women’s health. This article expounds on this theory and explores its relevance to modern Western society, presenting a comprehensive description of the main pathologies, practices, prohibitions, dietary approaches and lifestyle choices that practitioners should be aware of in order to help women recover and optimise their health during these life transitions.
With all the Goddess talk going around, modern culture still views menstruation as an annoyance to be medicated and ignored. Daily I hear women describe their time of the month as a curse, and say they wish they could simply get rid of it. However, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), like many traditional cultures, views menses as a time of ritual and opportunity; and central to honoring women.
To understand this we need to take a step back and discuss the concept of Jing (Essence). Jing is a challenging concept to translate into English. It is our reserves of energy, contains our genetic material, and is deeply linked to our sex hormones and reproduction. We inherit our Jing from our parents. In fact, we are conceived of the meeting of the Jing of both our parents. Having strong Jing means we will stay young longer and recover from life’s challenges. If our Jing is depleted we will age, become infertile, and not be as resilient to stressors or disease. Since it is difficult to acquire more Jing we must focus on preserving what we have.
Men and women lose Jing differently. Men lose Jing through ejaculation and thus rejuvenation for men hinges on limiting ejaculation. Women lose Jing when they lose eggs (during menses and birth). Women’s rejuvenation depends on proper rest and self-care during menstruation, pregnancy, and postpartum. This means that being educated on our menstruation is vital to reclaiming our power.
Menstrual Renewal is a system of practices and nutritional guidelines based on TCM that all women should follow. By practicing Menstrual Renewal we balance our monthly cycle, strengthen our hormones, increase fertility (if desired), boost immunity, increase work and athletic performance, and generally feel more vital. Additionally, Menstrual Renewal allows us to view being woman as a sacred gift. It is not possible to disparage your period and honor the Divine Feminine.
