<\/a>.\u00a0 Following the expulsion of Adam and Eve from \u201cParadise\u201d, the human being is fragmented.\u00a0 The human spirit has become alienated from God, and is consequently incomplete, unwhole, and dis-integrated.\u00a0 We are oriented mainly towards the physical world, and although our spirit is still alive, it is obscured beneath the \u201cearth\u201d .\u00a0 The constant bombardment of impressions from the physical world, through our senses, drowns out the quiet voice of the spirit. The spirit is that part of us which seeks God, so through the Fall we have turned away from God, towards the material world.<\/p>\nSo how can we relate Chinese medicine relate to this Christian paradigm?\u00a0 Chinese medicine underwent no scientific revolution, as Western medicine did.\u00a0 As a result, it has retained a much more integrated view of the human being than has Western medicine.\u00a0 Crucially, it retains an understanding of the human being as an integrated entity of both spirit and matter, of mind (in the highest sense of the word) and body.\u00a0 It shows in great detail how problems in the spirit may become problems in the body, and vice versa.\u00a0 Illness may arise at the level of the spirit, and become physical.\u00a0 Or illness may arise at the physical level, and become illness of the spirit.<\/p>\n
As the Christian Bible looks back to a state of paradise before the Fall, one key Chinese medical text (the Yellow Emperor\u2019s Classic, from around 200 BC) harks back to a time when humankind lived in a more paradisical state: \u201cPreviously, people led a calm and honest existence, detached from undue desire and ambition\u2026 because they lived simply, these individuals knew contentment\u2026 they had compassion for others and were helpful and honest\u2026 they remained unshakeable and unswayed by temptations\u201d (p2).\u00a0\u00a0 Nowadays, however, people seek \u201cemotional excitement and momentary pleasures, people disregard the natural rhythm and order of the universe\u201d (p1).\u00a0 This has led to most people suffering illness, and life expectancy falling from around one hundred to around fifty years.<\/p>\n
What has changed is that humankind no longer lives in accordance with the Tao.\u00a0 Our physical existence does not follow the true calling of our spirit to follow the Tao. However, unlike Western medicine, Chinese medicine at least retains a vision of how one can strive towards a reintegration of spirit and body.\u00a0 More importantly, perhaps, it retains a medical method to try and bring body and spirit back into harmony.<\/p>\n
Chinese medicine remains rooted in a paradigm that incorporates the spirit, whereas western medicine remains rooted in a paradigm that strives to exclude it.<\/p>\n
The Tao and the Logos<\/h2>\n
We have just mentioned that Chinese medicine recognises that human\u2019s have \u201cfallen\u201d.\u00a0 To be more precise, it holds that humans have fallen away from the Tao.\u00a0 They have stopped living their lives in accordance with the Tao.\u00a0 So what is Tao?<\/p>\n
The word has been translated and understood in many ways.\u00a0 It can mean a path, or a way.\u00a0 It can mean the origin of life, or the organising principle of existence.<\/p>\n
St John\u2019s Gospel starts with the words: \u201cIn the beginning was the Logos<\/em>\u201d.\u00a0 In the context of the Bible, Logos is usually translated as Word<\/em>.\u00a0 The Word in this context is usually taken to mean Christ. Some translators of the Bible into Chinese have rendered St John\u2019s words as \u201cin the beginning was the Tao<\/em>\u201d (for example, Dr John Wu, see Merton, p33; see also Damascene).\u00a0 The translators obviously saw a parallel between the concept of Tao as the architect of creation, and the Christian Logos.<\/p>\nIn the words of the Christian Nicene Creed, \u201call things were made through Him\u201d (that is, Christ).\u00a0 Similarly, one key Taoist, Lao Tsu, sees Tao as the generating principle for all things.\u00a0 Christ, and the Tao, can be characterised as the uncreated<\/em>.\u00a0 They have always existed, and always will exist.<\/p>\nWhile we do not have space in this essay to explore the relationship between Tao and Logos, it is sufficient for present purposes to point out that in both Christian and Chinese paradigms illness is due to a separation from the uncreated source of life.\u00a0 We noted the Yellow Emperor\u2019s insight that illness came about because of man\u2019s departure from Tao.\u00a0 Christian theology also makes it clear that illness was introduced by the Fall: \u201cneither illness or deformity existed in the beginning with our original nature\u201d (St Gregory of Nyssa, in Larchet p19).\u00a0 However, it is \u201cbecause of the sin of disobedience that illness torments mankind\u201d (St Irenaeus, in Larchet, p27).<\/p>\n
The elements<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe Fall involves a loss of harmony between humankind and the rest of creation.\u00a0 Christian theology says that when humankind fell, the whole of creation was put out of balance.\u00a0 This is because humans were the stewards of all creation.\u00a0 When the master is sick, his household will also suffer.<\/p>\n
In Chinese medicine, the loss of Tao manifests in the elements<\/em> being out of balance.\u00a0 These elements are water, wood, fire, earth and metal.\u00a0 Each element governs particular physical organs, as well as emotions and parts of the spirit.\u00a0 For example, water governs the kidneys, the emotion of fear, and that part of the spirit which is willpower (the \u201czhi\u201d in Chinese).\u00a0 Wood governs the liver, the emotion of anger, and that part of the spirit which pertains to the \u201cheavenly\u201d or \u201cethereal\u201d realm (the \u201cHun\u201d in Chinese).<\/p>\nUntil around the time of the Renaissance, western medicine held a similar medical paradigm based on the elements, although the elements themselves were different (water, earth, fire and air).\u00a0 Certainly, medicine as practiced in Christian Byzantium was based on the elements, and we can see references in certain Fathers to this paradigm.\u00a0 For example, St Neilos says \u201cthe body falls ill when the balance of its constituent elements is impaired, because one of them has come to predominate in a manner contrary to nature\u201d \u00a0(Philokalia vol 1 p 234).\u00a0 Today some Christians are nervous of Chinese medicine because its system of elements seems \u201cpagan\u201d, so hopefully they will be reassured to see the Fathers using this system comfortably!<\/p>\n
So how does the Chinese system of elements work?\u00a0 Let us take the above mentioned example of the wood element.\u00a0 In Chinese medicine each element governs both a specific emotion and an organ: wood governs anger and the liver.\u00a0 If a human being gets excessively angry, or is unable to deal with her anger, then over a period of time the liver will be affected.\u00a0 In modern terms, we may see a build up of toxins due to liver dysfunction.\u00a0 This may lead, for example, to headaches or joint pain.\u00a0 Chinese medicine also relates each element to an aspect of the human spirit, and wood is related to the \u201cethereal\u201d or \u201cheavenly\u201d aspect of the spirit.\u00a0 If the wood element is out of balance, the \u201cethereal\u201d part of the spirit will also be affected: we can say that the person will become more alienated from the Divine.\u00a0 Her \u201cspiritual vision\u201d will become more clouded, she will feel unsettled.<\/p>\n
An imbalance in one element always spreads to the other elements.\u00a0 More worryingly perhaps, it spreads out to the people around us, and actually penetrates the whole cosmos.\u00a0 Our own state of being therefore is infinitely significant, as it will impact the whole of creation.\u00a0 We see here how humankind\u2019s \u201cfall\u201d impacts on the whole of creation.<\/p>\n
By applying Chinese medicine to this person, let us say acupuncture and herbs, it is hoped that the anger will recede, and the person will become more \u201cbalanced\u201d.\u00a0 This will have an effect on the physical liver, and on the \u201cspirit\u201d.<\/p>\n
But will this work?\u00a0 Acupuncturists themselves disagree about the extent to which acupuncture alone can treat the spirit (see discussion in European Journal of Oriental Medicine, 2005\/ 2006, including my own article).\u00a0 Spiritual growth, many argue, is a hard won inner battle, and can not be achieved merely by external intervention.\u00a0 The Yellow Emperor certainly says words to this effect, cautioning that in order for acupuncture to be effective one must first treat the spirit.\u00a0 It seems that the \u201cspirit\u201d must be worked on in its own right.\u00a0 This certainly accords with my own clinical experience: those patients who do best are those who are willing to work on their own spirit.\u00a0 Nevertheless, Chinese medicine can provide great support and insight for those who are willing to do so.<\/p>\n
Although Chinese medicine strives to harmonise the elements as far as possible, it is recognised that no human will be totally in balance, and therefore free from illness.\u00a0 There is a kind of tacit assumption that imperfection is part of our nature, especially since humankind departed from the Tao.\u00a0 In a sense this accords with the Christian view, that illness is an unavoidable part of our fallen nature.\u00a0 Even the saints succumb to illness, so deep rooted is our collective human imperfection.<\/p>\n
Transforming the spirit<\/h2>\n
We have just mentioned that Chinese medicine recognises the need to transform the spirit to bring about healing.\u00a0 This is certainly a key part of the Christian ascetic struggle.\u00a0 In the case of anger, for example, great inner effort is needed to transform it.\u00a0 Through struggle, negative anger can be transformed into positive \u201cincensive power\u201d.\u00a0 Rather than just getting rid of it, \u201cour incensive power can be used in a way that is according to nature only when it is turned against our own impassioned or self indulgent thoughts\u201d (St John Cassian, in Philokalia vol 1, p83).\u00a0 In the language of Chinese medicine, Cassian\u2019s transformation will lead to a \u201charmonisation\u201d of the wood element. This will have a beneficial impact on the physical liver (the organ ruled by wood).<\/p>\n
Differences between the Taoist and the Orthodox View of Health<\/h2>\n
So far we have made much of the similarities between Chinese medicine and the Orthodox Christian approach to illness and healing.\u00a0 There are, however, important differences too, which it is important not to gloss over.\u00a0 Unfortunately we have little space to do this, so a brief summary will have to suffice here.<\/p>\n
One key difference is between Tao and God.\u00a0 The Christian God is a personal God, whereas the Tao is not.\u00a0 The Christian path to healing therefore requires the development of a personal relationship with God.\u00a0 Although the Christian must himself<\/em> struggle to find healing, ultimately we must to ask for God\u2019s<\/em> help. The Taoist relies on his own efforts alone.<\/p>\nFurthermore, Taoism is essentially cyclical and backward looking: one can only attempt to recreate the paradisical state described in the Yellow Emperor.\u00a0 Christianity, on the other hand, has a historical, linear dimension.\u00a0 After Christ\u2019s incarnation, things can never be the same.\u00a0 We are not called to go backwards<\/em> to become like Adam and Eve, we are called forward<\/em> in a never ending path towards God. The Taoist circle repeats itself endlessly.\u00a0 The cross extends outwards in all directions to infinity.<\/p>\nIn the Christian model, all healing comes from God, who is love.\u00a0 Only a loving relationship with a personal God can bring full healing.\u00a0 The Taoist worldview pays no attention to the role of God\u2019s love in healing.<\/p>\n
The Chinese model usually implies a necessary connection between spiritual illness and bodily illness. In other words, a bodily affliction tends to reflect a spiritual imbalance in a particular person.\u00a0 This is by no means the case in Christianity, where illness is suffered by saints and sinners alike.\u00a0 The Christian view contains the Taoist view as merely one possibility: physical illness may<\/em> reflect spiritual malaise: \u201cRemove sin and illnesses disappear\u201d (St Basil in Larchet p50).\u00a0 However, the Christian view offers other, wider possibilities too.\u00a0 Illness may be sent to try people, as in the case of Job.\u00a0 Illness may lead us to recognise our estrangement from God.\u00a0 Illness may lead us to recognise our total dependence on God, and undermine our pride in our own strength.\u00a0 Certainly, in the Christian view, illness by no means implies that an individual\u2019s illness is a specific reflection of her spiritual state.<\/p>\nThe Christian understanding that man<\/em> is made in the image of God<\/em> has crucial implications for the healing process.\u00a0 To become healed, to become whole, is to try and live up to the likeness<\/em> of the divine image in which we are created.\u00a0 We aspire to be full<\/em> humans, in imitation of Christ himself.\u00a0 Again, we are called ever forward in pursuit of perfection, rather than backwards to a bygone era.\u00a0 We are called to creative development, rather than backwards in a never ending circle.<\/p>\nConclusion<\/h2>\n
Chinese medicine and Orthodoxy have much to learn from each other.\u00a0 Chinese medicine reminds us that body and soul should be intimately connected, and indeed gives a method and framework for working to this end.<\/p>\n
Orthodox Christianity reminds us that the central requirement for true healing is to re-establish our relationship with God.\u00a0 It recognises that this will tend to bring about bodily healing too, but that illness must sometimes be accepted as part of God\u2019s plan.<\/p>\n
Bibliography<\/h2>\n
Damascene, Heiromonk: Christ the Eternal Tao (Valaam)
\nEnglish, J & Gia Fu Feng (trans): Lao Tsu – Tao Te Ching (Gower)
\nLarchet, J C: The Theology of Illness (Saint Vladimir\u2019s Seminary Press)
\nLewis, C S: The Abolition of Man (Harper Collins, 2001)
\nMerton, Thomas: Zen and the Birds of Appetite (New Directions, 1968)
\nNi, M: The Yellow Emperor\u2019s Classic of\u00a0 Medicine (Shambala)
\nPalmer, Sherrard & Ware: Philokalia vol 1 (Faber & Faber)
\nSheldrake, R: The Greening of God
\nSherrard, P: Human Image, World Image (Golgonooza Press)
\nUnschuld, P: Medicine in China (University of California)<\/p>\n
European Journal of Oriental Medicine, 2005 – 2006<\/p>\n
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<\/a>We should note here that \u201cthe Fall\u201d is not something that can be limited to a historical event.\u00a0 It\u00a0 is a process which transcends time, and continues in each one us (see, for example, Sherrard)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Essay based on presentation given at the Institute of Orthodox Christian Studies, Cambridge University, July 2006: Introduction Western science has rested on a fundamentally materialist paradigm since at least around the sixteenth century (see, for example, Sherrard or Sheldrake). \u00a0It…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.henrymcgrath.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.henrymcgrath.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.henrymcgrath.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.henrymcgrath.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.henrymcgrath.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.henrymcgrath.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.henrymcgrath.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.henrymcgrath.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.henrymcgrath.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}