With its practical and immensely readable introduction to the nature and self-help uses of a key acupoint for each week of the year, this book is a gateway to the mysterious world of Chinese medical thought.
The author journeys through the seasons of the year, and the five elements that make up the Chinese universe, looking at the physical, emotional and spiritual associations of the most useful acupoints associated with each element. Exploring the deeper meaning of the name, function, and healing use of each acupoint, he shows how to use the acupoint in real life, and explains its practical benefits for the reader, which vary from sharpening a sense of smell, avoiding jetlag, curing a headache, to improving a good sense of humour.
With descriptions and images that capture the spirit of each element,and photographs of the point locations, this book will be a delight to anyone interested in a different view of the body and its deeper health, as well as students and practitioners of Chinese medicine looking for poetic and imaginative understanding of the five elements, and the key acupoints of each.
Notes on the Text. Preface. 1. Landscape of the Five Elements. 1.1. How to use this book. 1.2. The Five Element model. 1.2.1. Origins of the Five Elements. 1.2.2. Five Elements go west. 1.2.3. Cycles of the Five Elements. 1.2.4. Constitutional Element. 1.3. Principle of Resonance. 1.3.1. Seasons. 1.3.2. Senses. 1.3.3. Colours. 1.3.4. Sounds. 1.3.5. Odours. 1.3.6. Emotions. 1.3.7. Organs and officials. 1.4. Acu-points. 1.4.1. Point names. 1.4.2. Point selection. 1.4.3. Treating points with acupressure. 2. Water. 2.1. The Nature of Water. 2.2. Resonances of Water. 2.2.1. Season: Winter. 2.2.2. Sense: Hearing. 2.2.3. Colour: Blue (Black). 2.2.4. Sound: Groaning. 2.2.5. Odour: Putrid. 2.2.6. Emotion: Fear. 2.2.7. Organs and officials. 2.3. Power source point K 3. 2.4. Regeneration mountain BL 60. 2.5. Two extraordinary points K 6 & BL 62. 2.6. Lumbago BL 23. 2.7. Fire of the gate of life GV 4. 2.8. My Achilles is killing me BL 57. 2.9. Bubbling spring K 1. 2.10. Holding up the heavens BL 10. 2.11. Resurrecting spirit K 24. 2.12. The spirit of Water BL 52. 2.13. Waking from hibernation GB 25. 2.14. Transition from Water to Wood. 3. Wood. 3.1. The Nature of Wood. 3.2. Resonances of Wood. 3.2.1. Season: Spring. 3.2.2. Sense: Seeing. 3.2.3. Colour: Green. 3.2.4. Sound: Shouting. 3.2.5. Odour: Rancid. 3.2.6. Emotion: Anger. 3.2.7. Organs and officials. 3.3. Is life Worth living? LV 3. 3.4. How flexible are you? GB 34. 3.5. Keep your shoulder well GB 21. 3.6. Neck release GB 20. 3.7. Gate of hope LV 14. 3.8. Tears of frustration GB 41. 3.9. Surviving the spring wind invasion GV 16. 3.10. Jump up and touch the sky GB 30. 3.11. The spirit of Wood BL 47. 3.12. Wood feeds Fire LV 2. 3.13. Transition from Wood to Fire. 4. Fire. 4.1. The Nature of Fire. 4.2. Resonances of Fire. 4.2.1. Season: Summer. 4.2.2. Sense: Speech (touch). 4.2.3. Colour: Red. 4.2.4. Sound: Laughing. 4.2.5. Odour: Scorched. 4.2.6. Emotion: Joy. 4.2.7. Organs and officials. 4.3. Mind your heart HT 7. 4.4. Choosing wisely SI 7. 4.5. Steady as she goes HP 6. 4.6. Guarding the frontier TH 5. 4.7. Light my fire HP 8. 4.8. Stairway to heaven SI 3. 4.9. A dyslexic guy walks into a bra HP 7. 4.10. Shrugging off shoulder pain SI 10. 4.11. All you need is love CV 17. 4.12. Healing trauma BL 43. 4.13. The spirit of Fire BL 44. 4.14. Transition from summer to late summer. 5. Earth. 5.1. The Nature of Earth. 5.2. Resonances of Earth. 5.2.1. Season: Late summer & transitions. 5.2.2. Sense: Taste. 5.2.3. Colour: Yellow. 5.2.4. Sound: Singing. 5.2.5. Odour: Fragrant. 5.2.6. Emotion: Sympathy & worry. 5.2.7. Organs and officials. 5.3. An army marches on its Stomach 36 ST 36. 5.4. Transport yourself SP 3. 5.5. Happiness is a full tummy ST 40. 5.6. Master of the seas SP 4. 5.7. One for all, all for one SP 6. 5.8. Receiving line ST 13. 5.9. And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core SP 16. 5.10. Return to centre ST 25. 5.11. Mother's embrace SP 21. 5.12. The spirit of Earth BL 49. 5.13. Transition from Earth to Metal. 6. Metal. 6.1. The Nature of Metal. 6.2. Resonances of Metal. 6.2.1. Season: Autumn or Fall. 6.2.2. Sense: Smell. 6.2.3. Colour: White. 6.2.4. Sound: Weeping. 6.2.5. Odour: Rotten. 6.2.6. Emotion: Grief. 6.2.7. Organs and officials. 6.3. The breath of heaven LU 1. 6.4. Letting go of letting go LI 4. 6.5. Catching a breath, reaching the depth LU 9. 6.6. Anyone for tennis elbow? LI 11. 6.7. Battle of the bulge BL 25. 6.8. A fork in the road LU 7. 6.9. Point of the shoulder LI 15. 6.10. Smell the roses LI 20. 6.11. Skylights LU 3. 6.12. The spirit of Metal BL 42. 6.13. Transition from Metal to Water. Acknowledgements. References. Further Reading.
