The Foundations of the Dao: Understanding the Core Patterns of Nature
Observation of nature forms the foundation of Daoist thought. It’s about grasping how life moves and learning how to go with it rather than against it, not about rigid ideas or abstract theories. Understanding the basic patterns that define existence will help us to develop in daily life a greater sense of harmony, clarity, and […]
The Daoist Map of the Body: Understanding Meridians and Qi Flow
Picture your body as a large system of rivers delivering essential energy— qi—to every organ, muscle, and cell. Everything gets nourished and balanced when the rivers run naturally. But when a river gets blocked, what follows? The water leaves some parts dry, floods other regions, and stagnates overall. In the Daoist healing arts, this is […]
Hidden Wounds: Understanding Covert & Insidious Trauma
What if trauma isn’t what you think it is? Most individuals understand trauma as extreme events—physical abuse, severe neglect, or violent experiences. These are overt traumas, clear and generally acknowledged as destructive. Not all trauma, though, manifests this way. Some wounds are concealed. They develop gradually over time and in ways that are hard to […]
The Core Factors That Make an Experience Traumatic—And How They Apply to Childhood Complex Trauma
Trauma is about how an experience shapes a person’s sense of safety, control, and capacity to comprehend or process an event or situation—it’s not only about what happens. While some experiences could be distressing but not traumatic, others leave long-lasting scars impacting a person’s emotional, mental, and physical well-being for years. What therefore distinguishes a […]
Reclaiming Power: How Trauma Steals Agency and How to Take It Back
When people discuss trauma, they usually center on the incident itself—what happened, how severe it was, how much damage it produced. But the sense of powerlessness accompanying trauma is what defines it, more than the actual occurrence. When we confront something overwhelming—something we cannot escape, fight off, or control—trauma results. The unifying denominator in all […]
Integrating Daoist Wisdom into a Western Healing Framework: An Overview
Does the sheer variety of healing techniques available sometimes overwhelm you? You’re not alone in feeling this way. Anyone trying to heal from childhood complex trauma can find themselves seemingly standing at a crossroads. While holistic approaches such as the Daoist healing arts stress balance, energy flow, and harmony, Western medicine offers therapy, drugs, and […]
10 Common Ways Childhood Complex Trauma Affects the Body
When contemplating the idea of trauma, we usually focus on its psychological and emotional effects—that is, anxiety, depression, or maybe problems in relationships. But childhood complex trauma (CCT) impacts the body as well, sometimes in ways we would not have predicted. It doesn’t only leave its mark on the psyche. You might experience stomach problems, […]
The Roots of Anger: How Unresolved Childhood Trauma Shapes Political and Social Rage
Beneath the surface, anger is often a mask—protecting old wounds of powerlessness and pain that were never allowed to be felt. Anger seems to dominate political and social debate in today’s society. This is most clear nowhere more than in the strong allegiance many people have for leaders like Donald Trump. His rhetoric, full of […]
Understanding Pathology in the Daoist Healing Arts: The Foundation of Imbalance
When you hear the word pathology, you could imagine any number of concepts from Western medicine—extensive studies of tissues, cells, and bodily chemistry changes among them. Pathology is somewhat different in the Daoist healing arts, though. It focuses on general illness processes and how they could be corrected, not about microscopic alterations. Pathology functions as […]
Liver-Soothing Qi Gong: A Gentle Practice for Releasing Tension and Emotional Healing
If you’ve ever felt a vague sensation of tightness, tension, or discomfort in your body—like something’s not quite flowing smoothly—you could be dealing with a common problem known as Liver qi stagnation. This form of discomfort is more of a subtle, bloated sensation or an underlying tightness that’s difficult to identify than it is of […]