Acupuncture Theory

This is a very brief outline of acupuncture theory. Several of the books in the for further reading section offer much greater information for those that with to know more.

Acupuncture is an ancient form of healing that originated on the Asian continent thousands of years ago. It is based on the tao, which is a philosophical theory of life. Acupuncture strives to help the person maintain the balance of qi and of yin and yang.

What is qi?

Qi is what flows through the body. It is like the energy system of the body. Hence, you hear terms like energy medicine or energetic medicine. Any type of medicine that is really an energy medicine is working with qi. Qi is not something that we have the ability to measure with the current state of our science.

What is yin and yang?

Yin is the femine or quiet energy. It is nurturing and watery. It is our cooling energy. It is more earthy. Bodily fluids like blood and saliva are yin. Nighttime is considered yin time. Yin gives us form.

Yang is the active or masculine energy. It is what makes us move and keeps us moving. Yang is firy and warming. It is more of the air . Our spirit is considered yang. Daytime is considered yang time.

And how do we balance them?

Because yin and yang are pairs of opposites, sometimes one side becomes more prominent than the other polarity and they need to be balanced. We are prone, by lifestyle and by genetics to certain types of imbalances which acupuncture can help.

Another way for the two to become unbalance is through a trauma, such as a car accident or fall when parts of our bodies are suddenly not in alignment with each other. This can block the flow of qi and then some areas get too much qi and other areas, not enough.

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