What Is Shen in Daoist and Chinese Healing?
The Light of Consciousness That Makes Us Who We Are. Sometimes, something inside you lights up. It might be quiet, like taking a deep breath in the middle of a busy day. Or it could be bright, like the excitement that comes over you when you feel fully seen. At that point, your eyes get […]
What Is Qi in Daoist Healing?
A Living Force That Connects, Animates, and Moves Through Everything When things are functioning well, you get into a sort of flow. You’re present, clear, and motivated. You’re not “trying” to do anything — you’re just doing it. Movement comes naturally. Ideas are flowing. Breath is simple. You’re in sync with yourself and the surrounding […]
What Blood Means in Daoist and Chinese Medicine
A Vital Substance That Nourishes More Than Just the Body When your body’s well-nourished, you experience a unique type of fullness. A fullness rooted not only on food, but on life itself. A feeling of being at ease with your body. Clear in your head. Emotionally grounded. Present. In Daoist and Chinese medicine, this grounded, […]
What Causes Disease? A Daoist Perspective
It’s not random. And you’re not to blame. We’re taught to view disease like bad weather—something that simply appears and spoils the day. You’re okay one minute. The next, you have a headache. Your digestion could suffer. Or perhaps you’re unexpectedly worn out, anxious, hurting, breathless, whatever. What about the explanation? “It just happens.”“Genetics explains […]
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 […]
Your Body as a Community: Understanding the Daoist Organ System Concept
Think of your body as a vibrant community. Though everyone works together, each element has a specific job or function. The heart, lungs, stomach—they’re all interconnected, aiding one another to keep everything running as it should. The others join in to help any one component that’s struggling. In the Daoist healing arts, the concept of […]
What Are the Essential Substances That Form the Daoist Foundation of Health?
Have you ever given any thought to what actually keeps your body in perfect working order? Five essential substances—also known as vital substances—lie behind the Daoist healing practices. Working together—like the building blocks of health—they keep you balanced and optimized. They include essence, blood, body fluids, qi, and spirit. Though they all have different purposes, […]