Alternative Health Information

Sclerology

2005-11-17T03:48:00.000-08:00

Sclerology is a non-invasive alternative medicine practice in which the sclera is examined for information about a patient's systemic health.
According to advocates, examination of the sclera reveals a great number of disease processes and is capable of revealing much more information than iridology. They claim sclerology requires no clinical tools and is an inexpensive, non-invasive method to enhance the evaluation of patients' health.

History
Sclerology has been used perennially by indigenous cultures for at least a millennia. Ancient Chinese medical texts (Secrets of the Bronze Man, written 1046AD in the Song Dynasty, translated by Dr. Stuart Mauro of Dallas TX) show that the method was used in China over 1000 years ago. American Indians (Nez Percé and Blackfoot) practiced it but kept no written records.

Criticism
Similar to criticism which has been leveled at iridology and other alternative practices, skeptics point out that sclerology is founded in pseudoscience, claiming that there is no reason to assume that the condition of the sclera has any causal relation to a patient's condition in general. They also claim it is ineffective and may be harmful to patients if it delays the diagnosis and treatment of a true medical problem.

Autosuggestion

2005-11-17T03:46:00.000-08:00

Autosuggestion (or autogenous training) is a process by which an individual trains the subconscious mind to believe something, or systematically schematizes the person's own mental associations, usually for a given purpose. This is accomplished through self-hypnosis methods or repetitive, constant self-affirmations, and may be seen as a form of self-induced brainwashing. The acceptance of autosuggestion may be quickened through mental visualization of that which the individual would like to believe. Its success is typically correlated with the consistency of its use and the length of time over which it is used. Autosuggestion can be seen as an aspect of prayer, self-exhorting "pep talks", mation, and other similar activities. A trivial example of self-improvement by autosuggestion is the New Year's resolution, especially if it is followed up by systematic attention to the resolution.
Autosuggestion is most commonly accomplished by presenting (either through caressing or bombarding) one's mind with repetitive thoughts (negative or positive), until those thoughts become internalized. Practitioners typically hope to transmute thoughts into beliefs, and even into actualities. Visualizing the manifestations of a belief, verbally affirming it, and thinking it using one's "internal voice", are typical means of influencing one's mind via repetitive autosuggestion. Autosuggestion is normally thought of as a deliberate tool, but it can also refer to an unintentional process.
The French psychologist Emile Coué wrote extensively on the theory and practice of autosuggestion.
Applications of deliberate autosuggestion are intended to change the way one believes, perceives, or thinks; to change one's acts; or to change the way one is composed physically or physiologically. An example might be individuals reading nightly aloud a statement they have written describing how they would like to be, then repeating the statement in their mind until they fall asleep. People have attributed changes to such a nightly routine or similar employment of autosuggestion, for example, increased confidence, the conquering of life-long fears, heightened mental faculties (e.g., ability to calculate mathematics or read at a quicker rate), eradication of diseases or infections from one's body, and even improved eyesight and growing taller. It is not uncommon to hear people claim that they have been able to get rid of warts on their hands, simply by making a point of saying, "There go my warts!" every time they saw a garbage truck or a trashcan, but it is not clear whether such anecdotal reports should be taken as evidence of the power of autosuggestion.
The same type of effect that deliberate autosuggestion may achieve can also be seen in individuals not consciously trying to program themselves through autosuggestion. The dominant thoughts that occupy a person's conscious mind, if constantly present over an extended period of time, may have the effect of training that person's subconscious mind to organize that individual's beliefs according to those thoughts. In this sense, the mechanisms of pathological fixations and obsessions to some extent resemble the process of autosuggestion.
Autosuggestion is differentiated from brainwashing or hypnosis in that the suggestions given during the sessions originate with the individual, rather than originating with suggestions from others.

References
Thought Reform: A Brief History of the Model and Related Issues: Part I By Lawrence A. Pile Pile works for the Wellspring Retreat & Resource Center, a residential treatment facility for victims of thought reform and cultic abuse, located in the USA
Émile Coué, La maîtrise de soi-même par l'autosuggestion consciente (Autrefois: De la suggestion et de ses applications), Société Lorraine de psychologie appliquée (1922)

Academy for Hypnotic Studies - Dedicated to the study, practice, and teaching of traditional and Ericksonian Hypnosis.
Academy for Professional Hypnosis Training - Professional hypnosis instruction and certification classes in Hollywood, California and the Midwest. Upon successful completion, participants receive national certification as hypnotherapists.
Academy of Curative Hypnotherapists Ltd - A non-profit organisation teaching the use of hypnosis for therapeutic purposes. Code of ethics, contact information, and workshop dates.
Academy of Human Sciences - Since 1977 teaching Psychophysical Therapies and Humanistic & Clinical Hypnotherapy to professional level. Forster (NSW midnorth coast).
The Academy of Professional Hypnosis - Offers Certification in Basic, Advanced, and Advanced Clinical HypnoCounseling. Licensed by The New Jersey Dept. of Education.
Alchemy Institute of Healing Arts - Founded for the purpose of preparing students to work as spiritual hypnotherapists, hypnotherapeutic body workers, and group therapy facilitators. California.
Arkansas Hypnosis Hypnotherapy Behavior Modification Center and School - Site contains hypnosis and hypnotherapy information, training, and related art and artwork.
Association for the Alignment of Past Life Experience - (AAPLE) is the organization that trains members in the Netherton Method of past lives therapy, which includes clinical hypnotherapy.
Atkinson-Ball College of Hypnotherapy and HypnoHealing - Advanced hypnotherapy training for existing therapists and medical practitioners.
Atlanta National Hypnotherapy Institute - ANHI is a state authorized school of hypnosis in Georgia.

Zang Fu

2005-11-17T03:40:00.000-08:00

To differentiate between western or eastern concepts of organs the first letter is capitalized (Liver, instead of liver, Spleen instead of spleen). Because Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is holistic, each organ cannot be explained fully unless the TCM relationship/homeostasis with the other organs is understood. TCM also looks at the functions of the organs rather than fixed areas and, therefore, describes different organs that are not actually physical, like the Triple Burner (San Jiao). This also leads to controversy about the validity of TCM, which comes a lot from the difficulty of translating and lack knowledge about TCM concepts and Chinese culture. So, to avoid conflict and to keep an open mind, please realize that these notions evolved in a different culture and are a different way of viewing the human body.
Zang-Fu theory translates roughly into "theory about solid organ-hollow organ". It is a concept within traditional Chinese medicine and part of the TCM model of the body. There are five zang (臟 pinyin zang1 心、肝、脾、肺、腎) and six fu (腑 pinyin fu3 胃、小腸、大腸、膀胱、膽、三焦).
The association between the zangfu and particular souls or spirits is a later accretion and has been largely absent from the discourse of traditional Chinese medicine for at least the past 200 years.
This theory treats each of the Zang organs as organs that nourish the body. The Zang systems include organs, senses, emotions, and the musculoskeletal system--essentially, the entire person divided into five categorical systems. Zang organs are also known as yin organs, and each has a Fu partner, a yang organ (see Yin Yang). Fu organs can be viewed as hollow organs that aid in digestion. In addition to bodily functions, each Zang organ is the home of an aspect of the spirit.
With a thorough understanding of the Zang Fu organs, practitioners can achieve therapeutic results accordingly. The theory is always in service of practical, therapeutic application, with the goal of an "elegant" treatment. An elegant treatment uses the least amount of force for the greatest therapeutic benefit, and requires true mastery of the art of traditional Chinese Medicine.
The five elements are associated energetically with the following Zang-Fu organs
Wood: Liver, home of the Hun (魂, Ethereal Soul), paired with the Gall Bladder
Fire: Heart, home of the Shen (神, Aggregate Soul) paired with the Small intestine (and secondarily, the San Jiao or Triple burner and Pericardium)
Earth: Spleen, home of the Yi (意?, Intellect), paired with the Stomach
Water: Kidney, home of the Zhi (志?, Will), paired with the Bladder
Metal: Lung, home of the Po (魄, Corporeal Soul), paired with the Large Intestine

See also
Acupuncture
Five elements
Traditional Chinese medicine

External link
Five organs site
Amalgam Illness: Diagnosis and Treatment of Mercury Poisoning - Explains how to find out if someone has mercury poisoning (e.g. chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, ADHD, autism) and what to do to cure it.
The Circle of Healing - Cathy Holt on strengthening and deepening relationships with the self and other people.
DNA Activation - Learn how to do The Orion Healing Technique and the 12 Strand DNA Technique, known as DNA Activation, with author and medical intuitive, Vianna Stibal.
Energy 101 - Jan Meryl's New Age healing manual. Free excerpts.
Healthy Treatments - A resource guide for specific common ailments and illnesses.
How to Grow Taller System - Provides adaptable, flexible, and step-by-step instructions and techniques needed to gain inches in height.
I Dare To Heal - Offering self-help psychology, improved spirituality, health, relationships, and love. Describes alternative medicine techniques. Joel Vorensky.
Ice Cream for the Soul - Over 100 playful activities for joy and wisdom.
Infinite Grace - Written by Diane Goldner. Focuses on energy medicine, healing, science and consciousness.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the Mind-Body Connection - Authored by William B. Salt II, MD. A method for healing combining science with a mind, body, spirit approach.
Life More Abundant - A guide and sourcebook for the west of the teachings of Ming Pang.
Mixed Signals - A book by Hugh Crone that explains how neurotransmitters, hormones and other chemical messengers control all bodily reactions to outside events.
Muscles Testing in the 21st Century - Offers a broad understanding of allergies. Learn to muscle test and remove all guesswork. Easy to learn, step by step, educational book that includes a comprehensive list to test from and suggestions on how to remedy the source.
Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Techniques - A holistic treatment for the permanent elimination of food and environmental allergies, which may be the cause of a wide range of illness.
The Natural Alternative - Recipes for making body products, creams, lotions, cosmetics, salves and herbal medicines.
Natural Therapy of Exercises to Relieve Pain and Stress - Exercises for back pain relief and stress reduction. Manual, classes, and online help. Christy Friederich is based in Davis, California.

Chinese food therapy

2005-11-17T03:37:00.000-08:00

Chinese food therapy is a practice of healing using natural foods instead of medications.
Chinese food therapy is a modality of traditional Chinese medicine, also known as Chinese Nutrition therapy. It is particularly popular among Cantonese people who enjoy slow-cooked soups. One of the most commonly known is a rice soup that goes by many names including congee and jook. This is a traditional breakfast of Asian people all over the world. Congee recipes vary infinitely, depending upon the desired health benefits as well as taste.
Chinese food therapy dates back as early as 2000 BC. However, proper documentation was only found around 500 BC. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine also known as the Niejing, which was written around 300 BC, was most important in forming the basis of Chinese food therapy. It classified food by four food groups, five tastes and by their natures and characteristics.
Contents
1 Philosophy about Food
2 Cantonese classification of food
3 Some common food therapy items and recipes
3.1 Bird nest
3.2 Korean or Chinese ginseng
3.3 American ginseng
3.4 A Cantonese cough remedy
4 See also

Philosophy about Food
The ideas of yin and yang are used in the sphere of food and cooking. Yang foods are believed to increase the body's heat (eg. raise the metabolism), while Yin foods are believed to decrease the body's heat (eg. lower the metabolism). As a generalization, Yang foods tend to be dense in food energy, especially energy from fat, while Yin foods tend to have high water content. The Chinese ideal is to eat both types of food to keep the body in balance. A person eating too much Yang food might suffer from acne and bad breath while a person lacking Yang food might be lethargic or anemic.
As a separate categorization, some foods are considered to be especially restorative/healing to the body.

Cantonese classification of food
Cantonese people pay much attention to the body's reaction to food. Food items are classified accordingly, and diet is adjusted based on the body's conditions. In effect, many Cantonese people practice food therapy in day to day situations. The following is a list of common food classifications:
Cantonese name
rough translation
related symptoms/effects
examples
cures
燥火
dry fire (yang)
causes dryness of skin, chapped lips, nose bleed etc.
chili pepper, deep fried food, dried meat, lychee.
any yin or cooling food
濕熱
wet heat (yang)
causes mouth sore, urinary burning etc. probably due to the acidity or alkalinity.
mango, pineapple, cherry.
chrysanthemum, sugar cane (竹蔗), Imperata arundinacea (茅根), 夏枯草
寒涼
yin
cause dizziness, weakness, pale or green face (low oxygen level in blood) etc.
watermelon, cantelop, honeydew and certain kinds of melon-type fruits or vegetables, green tea.
any boosting or dry fire food
滯
blocking
cause indigestion, stomach gas etc.
all fibrous food, e.g. yam, chestnuts
haw (fruit 山楂), malt (麥芽)
毒
poisoning
cause pus or swelling in wound, outbreak of acnes, hemmorrhoid etc.
duck, goose, bamboo shoot, all shellfish
abstinence at outbreak
油膩
greasy
cause gastric upset, runny stool, outbreak of acnes etc.
all greasy food, e.g. bacon etc.
abstinence at outbreak
清涼
cooling
mild yin type that counteract the dry fire type. Also listed as yin when overused.
beer, lettuce, sugar cane (竹蔗), Imperata arundinacea (茅根), American ginseng.
not needed if not overused
滋潤
nourishing
moisturizing, soothing
apple, pear, fig, winter melon, longan, 淮山, lotus seed, lily bulb etc.
not needed
補血益氣
boosting
replenishing blood and Qi. Also listed as dry fire when overused.
Mutton, snake, wild games, beef, red dates (紅棗).
not needed if not overused
行血活氣
vigorating
circulating blood and Qi.
red wine, Korean ginseng.
not needed
健脾, 開胃, 生津, 養心, 強筋, 強骨 etc.
generating, strengthening
improves various internal functions
various
not needed
The yin yang type of each individual determines how susceptible the person is to these effects of food. A neutral person is generally healthy and will have strong reactions to these effects only after overconsumption of certain kind of food. A yang type person usually can eat all yin type food with no ill effect, but may easily get a nose bleed with small amount of yang type food. A yin type person is usually very unhealthy and is reactive to either yin or yang food. Boosting or nourishing type of food is needed to bring a yin person back to health.

Some common food therapy items and recipes

Bird nest
Oral secretion of swiftlets, collected from the binding material of their nests.
· Alleged effects: promote beautiful skin for women; "strengthen the spleen and open up the stomach" (健脾開胃 meaning improve appetite.)
· vegetables and fruits are believed to nullify the effect of bird nest if taken within the same day.
· The dried material is soaked in water to rehydrate.
· The soaked bird nest is cleaned by hand to remove other nest building debris such as grass and feathers.
· The cleaned and crumbled bird nest is double steamed with rock sugar as a dessert or with a small amount of pork as a soup.

Korean or Chinese ginseng
Root of a plant that has the Yang properties.
· Alleged effects: promote circulation, increase blood supply, revitalize and aid recovery from weakness after illness.
· The ginseng root is double steamed with chicken meat as a soup. (See samgyetang.)

American ginseng
Root of a plant similar to Korean ginseng, but it has the Yin properties.
· Alleged effects: cleansing of excessive Yang in the body.
· The ginseng is sliced, a few slices are soaked in hot water to make a tea.
· Most American ginseng is produced in Wisconsin, USA.

A Cantonese cough remedy
Dried duck gizzards, watercress, apricot kernels:
· Alleged effects: relieve both Yin (resulted from cold) or Yang (resulted from dryness) type of coughing.
· Watercress is for removing excessive yang in the body.
· The sweet apricot kernels and bitter apricot kernels target the lungs.
· The dried duck gizzards are used to balance the Yin Yang of the recipe.
· Watercress is available in most supermarkets while the rest of the ingredients can be found in most Chinese herb stores.
· The ingredients are slow cooked for couple of hours into a soup, a small piece of pork is optional for flavor.
· Do not use beef or chicken in this recipe because they nullify the effects of the water cress.

See also
· Double steaming for more food therapy receipes.
· Chinese cuisine

Gua Sha

2005-11-17T03:32:00.000-08:00

Gua sha (刮痧) is a technique used by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Gua sha (pronounced "gwa shar,") involves firmly rubbing a person's skin with a ceramic soup spoon or large coin. The goal is to relieve stagnation, or in other words, to clear some illness from the body by getting it to move. Gua sha is used commonly on respiratory illnesses, for example, where the skin of the upper back, neck, and chest may be rubbed. Gua sha is known for leaving red and purple marks on the skin that look painful but are not. Well-meaning practitioners of western medicine are sometimes shocked at the sight of these marks and fear that a child with the marks has been abused. For professionals in this position, it is helpful to be familiar with the appearance of gua sha marks and to understand its traditional therapeutic value. It is helpful to be able to make the distinction between gua sha marks and signs of abuse. Gua sha is not known to be harmful. The technique called cupping also leaves distinctive, bruise-like marks on the skin, but is also harmless.
In 2001, a movie called "Gua Sha" (aka "The Treatment") was made addressing this practice and the cultural misunderstandings it causes. The movie stars Tony Leung Ka-Fai.

Related Links

The Cork Clinic Of Chinese Medicine - The Chinese therapies used in our clinic include Tuina Chinese Medical Massage, Vacuum Cupping, Ear Seeds, Gua Sha, Moxibustion.-- http://www.ccm-cork.com Regional: Europe: Ireland: Health: Alternative and Complementary Therapies: Acupuncture (1)
Arya Nielsen - Offers Gua Sha (Guasha) Chinese medicine, pain treatment and acupuncture in New York City.-- http://www.guasha.com/ Health: Alternative: Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine: Practitioners: North America: United States: New York (1)
A Body In Balance Integrative Health Center - Offers acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine including craniosacral therapy and adjunctive techniques such as moxabustion, cupping and gua sha. Provides a list of conditions treated.-- http://robinrigney.com/ Regional: North America: United States: Massachusetts: Localities: H: Holden: Health (1)
Equilibre - Rolf Eggenschwiler bietet Wissenswertes über sein Angebot: Akupressur, Chinesische Massage, Ohrpunktur, Moxa, Schröpfen, Puls- und Zungendiagnose, Gua-Sha, Kräuter, Chinesische TDP Wärmelampe und Fussreflexzonen nach TCM. CH-2502 Biel]-- http://www.equilibre.tv World: Deutsch: Gesundheit: Alternative Medizin: Traditionelle Chinesische Medizin: Therapeuten (1)
Truckenthanner Volker - Shiatsu-Praktiker informiert ausführlich über Shiatsu, Moxa, Schröpfen, Gua Sha und Anwendungsmöglichkeiten, die philosophischen Grundkonzepte der fernöstlichen Heilkunde, Kurse und Vorträge von Ai Ki two und über sich selbst, bietet den Zugang zum Shiatsu-Forum und weiterführende Links. [A-4861 Schörfling]-- http://www.8ung.at/shiatsuvolker/ World: Deutsch: Gesundheit: Alternative Medizin: Shiatsu: Praktiker: Österreich (1)

Meridians

2005-11-17T03:31:00.000-08:00

The concept of meridians (Chinese: "jing-luo") arises from the techniques and doctrines of traditional Chinese medicine including acupuncture and acupressure. According to these practices, the body's vital energy, "qi", circulates through the body along specific interconnected channels called meridians. Disruptions of the body's energy flow (such as stagnations, blockages and redirection) are thought to cause emotional and physical illness. To release those disruptions, specific points on the meridians called acupoints, or tsubo in the Japanese practice, are stimulated via needles, pressure or other means.
The aligned water theory of meridians conjectures that meridians are made up of clusters of "aligned water" in the body that allow ions, light, and sound waves to flow more readily. Aligned water clusters are said to occur where large numbers of water molecules align electrically to form a stable cluster. These have supposedly been photographed outside the body with an electron microscope by Shui-Yin Lo, who calls them IE crystals. These aligned water molecules are said to flow between the cells, forming a chain that completes a circuit around the body. When these water molecules "fall out of alignment" this supposedly has a negative impact on health.
The Chinese meridians have their counterpart in the Mayan acupuncture techniques practiced in the Yucatan. The analogous concept is that of wind channels. Curiously, most of the key points in Mayan acupuncture correspond exactly with key acupuncture points in the Chinese meridian model. (See "Wind in The Blood" by H. Garcia et. al.)
Aside from speculation and ad hoc hypothesising, there is little objective scientific evidence to suggest that meridians or "aligned water" exist, and indeed their existence is not compatible with a conventional understanding of physics, anatomy and physiology. Some experts consider these conjectures to be pseudoscience [1], [2].

See also
• Terms and concepts in alternative medicine
• Water memory

External links
• Science of meridians
• Acupuncture, Qigong, and "Chinese Medicine" — Quackwatch article on Chinese medicine
• Water cluster pesudoscience — Article by a chemistry professor about water cluster claims.

References
• Lo S.Y. (2002) Meridians in acupuncture and infrared imaging. Medical Hypotheses 58(1):72-76.

Moxibustion

2005-11-17T03:29:00.000-08:00

Moxibustion (Chinese: 灸; pinyin: jiŭ) is an oriental medicine therapy utilizing moxa, or mugwort herb. It plays an important role in the traditional medical systems of China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Tibet, and Mongolia. Suppliers usually age the mugwort and grind it up to a fluff; practitioners burn the fluff or process it further into a stick that resembles a (non-smokable) cigar. They can use it indirectly, with acupuncture needles, or sometimes burn it on a patient's skin. Terminology
The word "moxa" comes from Japanese mogusa (艾), with a silent u. Yomogi (蓬) also serves as a synonym for moxa in Japan. Chinese uses the same character as mogusa, but pronounced differently: ài, also called àiróng (艾絨)(meaning "velvet of ài").
The Chinese character for moxa forms one half of the two making up the Chinese word that often gets translated as "acupuncture" zhēnjiǔ (針灸).

Theory and practice
Practitioners use moxa to warm regions and acupuncture points with the intention of stimulating circulation through the points and inducing a smoother flow of blood and qi. Scientific research has shown that mugwort acts as an emmenagogue, meaning that it stimulates blood-flow in the pelvic area and uterus. It is claimed that moxibustion militates against cold and dampness in the body and can supposedly serve to turn breech babies.
Medical historians believe that moxibustion pre-dated acupuncture, and needling came to supplement moxa after the 2nd century BC. Different schools of acupuncture use moxa in varying degrees. For example a 5-element acupuncturist will use moxa directly on the skin, whilst a TCM-style practitioner will use rolls of moxa and hold them over the point treated.
Practitioners consider moxibustion to be especially effective in the treatment of chronic problems, "deficient conditions" (weakness), and gerontology. Bian Que (fl. circa 500 BC), one of the most famous semi-legendary doctors of Chinese antiquity and the first specialist in moxibustion, discussed the benefits of moxa over acupuncture in his classic work. He asserted that moxa could add new energy to the body and could treat both excess and deficient conditions. On the other hand, he advised against the use of acupuncture in an already deficient (weak) patient, on the grounds that needle manipulation would leak too much energy.
A huge classical work, Gao Huang Shu (膏肓俞), specialises solely in treatment indications for moxa on a single point (穴).
Note that Taoists use scarring moxibustion along with Chinese medical astrology for longevity.
Practitioners may use acupuncture needles made of various materials in combination with moxa, depending on the direction of qi flow they wish to stimulate.

Parallel uses of mugwort
In North and South America, indigenous peoples regard mugwort as a sacred plant of divination and spiritual healing, as well as a panacea. Europeans placed sprigs of mugwort under pillows to provoke dreams; and the herb had associations with the practice of magic in Anglo-Saxon times.

See also
• Traditional Chinese medicine
• Traditional Japanese medicine (Kampo)
• Traditional Korean medicine

Kampo

2005-11-17T03:25:00.000-08:00

Kampō (or Kanpō , 漢方) medicine is the Japanese study and adaptation of Chinese medicine. The first Chinese medical works to be introduced to Japan is said to have occurred around the 4th or 5th Century A.D. Since then, the Japanese have created their own unique herbal medical system and diagnosis. Kampo utilizes most of the Chinese medical system including acupuncture and moxibustion, but is primarily concerned with the study of herbs.

Today in Japan, Kampo is integrated into the national health care system. Since 1967, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has approved 148 Kampo formulas for coverage and reimbursement in the national health insurance plan. Every approved formula produced by different manufacturers is composed of exactly the same ingredients under the Ministry’s standardization methodology. The formulas are therefore prepared under strict manufacturing conditions that rival pharmaceutical companies. Rather than modifying formulas as in Chinese medicine, the Japanese Kampo tradition uses fixed and precise combinations of herbs in standardized amounts according to the classical literature of Chinese medicine. Extensive modern scientific research in Japan has validated the efficacy of Kampo formulas. Today, fully 75% of Japanese physicians prescribe Kampo formulas.

In the United States, Kampo is practiced mostly by acupuncturists, Chinese medicine practitioners, naturopath physicians, and other alternative medicine professionals. Kampo herbal formulas are studied under clinical trials, such as the clinical study of Sho-saiko-to (H09) for treatment of hepatitis C at New York Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and liver cirrhosis caused by hepatitis C at UCSD Liver Center.Both clinical trials are sponsored by Honso USA, Inc., a US branch of Honso Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nagoya, Japan.

Recommended Reading:

1. Research in Japanese Botanical Medicine and Immune Modulating Cancer Therapy - Kampo, Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, August, 2001 by Dan Kenner, Ph.D.

2. Complementary Medicine: The Yin and the Yang: Two Party System for Healing by Alan Glombicki, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, University of Texas, Houston, TX

3. KAMPO MEDICINE: The Practice of Chinese Herbal Medicine in Japan by Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon

4. Treating Chronic Liver Disease with Kampo Formula Sho-saiko-to by Dan Wen, MD, Phoenix, Arizona

健康チェック - 体力、食生活、疲労度などの項目別チェックとアドバイス。
-- http://www.kampo.japanpost.jp/kenkou/check/ World: Japanese: 健康: 体調・症例: 家庭の医学 (1)

あおやまクリニック - 中区。漢方と西洋医学を組み合わせて適用。診療案内、適応症。
-- http://www.e-kampo.jp/ World: Japanese: 地域: アジア: 日本: 愛知: 市町村: 名古屋市: 健康 (1)

かんぽ - 郵便局の簡易保険の紹介、かんぽの宿の空室照会、住所変更届。
-- http://www.kampo.japanpost.jp/ World: Japanese: 社会: 政治・行政: 官公庁: 総務省: 日本郵政公社 (1)

観峰塾 - 観峰流の書道教室、観峰美術館とミュリエル・ガチーニ女史による西洋カリグラフィーのスクール紹介。
-- http://www.kampo.co.jp/ World: Japanese: アート: ビジュアルアート: 書・カリグラフィー: 書道 (1)

Kyoto Journal - A non-profit volunteer-based quarterly magazine with essays, poetry, fiction, and photos.
-- http://www.kampo.co.jp/kyoto-journal/ Regional: Asia: Japan: Prefectures: Kyoto (1)

Transcendental meditation

2005-11-17T03:24:00.000-08:00

The Transcendental Meditation technique, or TM, is a form of meditation. Proponents have claimed it to be a simple, natural, easy-to-learn mental technique whose regular practice leads to significant, cumulative benefits on all levels of life, including mind, body, behavior and environment.
Contents
• 1 History
• 2 Technique and procedures
o 2.1 Stress
o 2.2 The mantra
• 3 TM and religion
• 4 Effects and claims
• 5 Criticism
• 6 Notable practitioners
• 7 See also
• 8 External links
o 8.1 Biography of founder of TM - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

History
In 1957, at the end of a big "festival of spiritual luminaries" in remembrance of the previous Shankaracharya of the North, Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, his disciple Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (or simply "Maharishi") inaugurated a "movement to spiritually regenerate the world". That was the formal beginning of TM spreading all over the world.
In the movement's initial stages, Maharishi emphasised the spiritual aspects of TM and operated under the auspices of an organisation named the 'Spiritual Regeneration Movement'. However, the requirements of the West made him adopt a more secular approach in the 1970s. He focused on western science both to show theoretical parallels with his thinking and practical verification of the results of TM. The main emphasis was on relaxation, relief from stress, and improved personal effectiveness.
In the early 1970s, Maharishi launched "The World Plan" to have a TM teaching centre for each million of the world's population, which at that time would have meant 3,600 TM centres. Many such centres were established for a time, but not all are operational now. Today, there are TM-centers and facilities all around the world, and over five million people have learned the technique. Since 1990, Maharishi co-ordinates his global activities from the town of Vlodrop in the municipality of Roerdalen in Holland.

Technique and procedures
TM is practiced for fifteen to twenty minutes twice daily while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. In essence, the TM technique comprises the silent mental repetition of a simple sound known as a mantra, allowing the repetition to spontaneously become quieter and quieter, until it disappears and one is left conscious, but without thoughts. This is the goal of the inward stroke of meditation and is called pure consciousness (in Sanskrit: turiya or samadhi; with Abraham Maslow: peak experience). Alongside the settling down of mental activity, the body also settles to a state of deep rest, and this allows for the release of deep-seated stresses from the system. The release of stress is bodily activity, and this increase in bodily activity results in corresponding activity on the level of the mind, i.e., thoughts return to the mind. This is the outward stroke of meditation. After the purification has finished, the inward stroke starts again. This whole cycle is repeated many times during each sitting of meditation.
The way of learning TM is a prescribed procedure in itself, with several lectures and checking sessions. Before the core instruction, the teacher performs a ceremony of thanksgiving to the "holy tradition" that has passed on the knowledge about TM.

Stress
In Hans Selye's definition, stress is a neutral concept, simply meaning "load". He distinguishes eustress and distress, roughly meaning "challenge" and "overload". According to Selye, the physical changes during TM are the opposite of the body's reaction to stress. (In common usage, the word stress has taken on a meaning close to Selye's distress.)
In TM-lingo, stress is defined as "structural or material impurities resulting from overload on the physiology", which includes both body and mind. The assumption is that it is possible to purify the physiology completely, and that that is the goal of human life, equal to gaining enlightenment. (Compare Maslow's self-actualization.)

The mantra
According to the TM organisation the mantras are sounds specifically chosen to have a soothing effect upon the individual's nervous system.
There is some controversy as to whether or not TM actually is a religion. The primary argument for TM being a religion is that it involves spirituality, and the primary argument for TM not being a religion is that it does not involve faith or worship.
The TM organization encourages practitioners to keep their mantra private and never to repeat it aloud, since it allegedly has the purpose of moving inwards into the 'refined' levels of the mind.

TM and religion
With regard to religion, Maharishi states that:
• Religion and meditation are both necessary -- "One without the other will not survive."
• Everyone should follow their own religion.
• At its beginning, every religion included transcendental meditation.
• Now that religions have forgotten the technique, they are "like bodies from which the soul has departed".
This presents a more generic picture of TM than is commonly used, also within the TM movement: it can be true only for the core practice, not for the systematized way of learning and teaching, including the "puja" or thanksgiving ceremony. E.g. Jesus would certainly have done this differently, and most probably also have used different mantras.
The above points are gathered from Science of Being and Art of Living, where Maharishi also discusses God, distinguishing between impersonal and personal God.
Maharish's claims have been disputed by others. One U.S. court case -- (Malnak v. Yogi, 440 F.Supp. 1284 (1977), affirmed, 592 F.2d 197 (3rd Cir. 1979) -- whose principal findings have not been overturned by a higher court, found that many of the concepts behind TM were in essence religious concepts. It disallowed any government funding of TM courses.

Effects and claims
The TM movement has referenced many medical and sociological studies (see the TM link for specific results and references). The more basic claims of lowering blood pressure, decreasing cholesterol and strengthening the immune system do seem to be more robustly confirmed. Hans Selye has examined the changes measured in TM-practitioners, and found that the therapeutic effect was clearest in conditions caused by wrong ways of adapting and reacting to stress.
According to the proponents of TM, the practice helps in attaining "higher consciousness", which every human being allegedly possesses in common, and which allegedly interacts with one's daily choices. Proponents also assume that in daily existence, humans of flesh and blood do not stand as close to this higher consciousness as they could. TM therefore basically aims to get closer to this consciousness. Since the higher consciousness allegedly equates to the good, people approaching this higher consciousness should more readily understand, intuitively, what 'good' means and will thus more likely behave well. This leans on a belief that it is desirable to act well, and undesirable to act badly, in line with arguments proposed by Plato's Socrates in Meno and in The Republic.
In the late 1970s the claims for the TM technique and associated advanced "Siddhi Techniques" became more radical and increasingly targeted at existing adherents. Propounded benefits include a measurable decreased crime rate in cities with 1% of the population practising TM, or the square root of that number practising the TM-Sidhis program (this phenomenon being called "the Maharishi Effect"), and extraordinary effects including metaphysical levitation.
The more recent interpretations of TM's significance mostly examine its health claims, such as reduced blood pressure and better concentration. In these areas its supporters can view TM as simply the most effective form of waking relaxation. Some of the contemporary proponents of meditation claim that it can lead to reductions in stress, hostility, illusions and attachments, and can help in treating mental illness.

Criticism
Critics of TM assert that transcendental meditation consists simply of standard meditation as practised by many religions, and that absolutely no basis exists for anyone to claim that they invented it or spread it. Many cult researchers consider TM a cult, according to them one of the largest of the present day.

Notable practitioners
• Hugh Jackman, actor
• Beach Boys, musicians
• The Beatles, musicians
• Stevie Wonder, musician
• Céline Dion, singer
• Donovan, musician
• Clint Eastwood, actor
• Mia Farrow, actress
• Heather Graham, actress
• Doug Henning, magician
• John Hagelin, physicist, presidential candidate and HiFi designer
• William Hague, former leader of U.K. Conservative Party
• Andy Kaufman, comedian
• David Lynch, film director
• Christopher Reeve, actor
• Howard Stern, radio personality
• Itzhak Bentov, inventor, kundalini researcher, author

See also

External links
• The Transcendental Meditation Program official website
• Scientific research on Transcendental Meditation
• The David Lynch Foundation For Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace

Trigger points

2005-11-17T03:22:00.000-08:00

Trigger points are hyperirritable spots in skeletal muscle that are associated with palpable nodules in taut bands of muscle fibers. The palpable nodules are the result of small contraction knots in muscle tissue. They are an extremely common cause of pain and are frequently misdiagnosed as some other problem, which often leads to a great deal of anguish for the patient.
A trigger point does not really cause a contraction, it causes a contracture. A contraction is muscular activity mediated by the nervous system, while a contracture is a mechanical "sticking" of the muscle fibers with no involvement from the nervous system. Usually an event of muscular overload causes a prolonged release of Ca++ ion from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (storage unit for the muscle cell) which results in a sticking of the untrained or overloaded cells. This leads to a compression of capillaries and results in an increased local energy demand and local ischemia (loss of blood circulation) to the area. This "energy crisis" (as it is termed in the seminal work on trigger points) causes the release of chemicals that augment pain activity. Since an involved muscle is weakened by this sustained shortening, surrounding muscles can be made to pick up the slack and develop trigger points themselves.
Trigger points are extremely painful on compresson and often elicit referred pain, tenderness and motor dysfunction in predictable patterns.
Trigger points have been a subject of study by a small number of doctors for several decades although this has not become part of mainstream medicine. The existence of tender areas and zones of induration in muscles has been recognized in medicine for many years and was described as muscular rheumatism or fibrositis in English; German terms included myogelose and myalgie. However, there was little agreement about what they meant. Important work was carried out by J.H.Kellgren at University College Hospital, London, in the 1930s and, independently, by Michael Gutstein in Berlin and Michael Kelly in Australia (the latter two workers continued to publish into the 1950s and 1960s). Kellgren conducted experiments in which he injected saline into healthy volunteers and showed that this gave rise to zones of referred pain lower down the limbs.
It was however an American physician, Janet Travell, who was responsible for the most detailed and important work. She published more than 40 papers between 1942 and 1990 and in 1983 the first volume of The Trigger Point Manual appeared; this was followed by the second volume in 1992. A second edition of this work has now been published. In her later years Travell collaborated extensively with her colleague David Simons. A third edition is soon to be published by Simons and his wife, both of whom have survived Travell.
In spite of all this work, the trigger point concept is unknown to most doctors, who still learn little or nothing about the subject at medical school. Other health professionals, such as physiotherapists, osteopaths, and chiropractors are generally more aware of these ideas and many of them make use of trigger points in their clinical work. According to Travell and Simon's seminal work on the subject, Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual, around 75% of pain clinic patients had a trigger point as the sole source of their pain. In addition, the following conditions are often diagnosed (incorrectly) when trigger points are the true cause of pain: carpal tunnel syndrome, bursitis, tendinitis, angina pectoris, sciatic symptoms, along with many other pain problems. Arthritis is often cited as the cause for pain even though pain is not always concomitant with arthritis. The real culprit is a trigger point, normally activated by a certain activity involving the muscles used in the motion, by chronically bad posture, structural deficiencies such as a lower limb length inequality or a small hemipelvis, or nutritional deficiencies.
The main innovation of Travell's work was the introduction of the myofascial pain syndrome concept. This is described as a focal hyperritability in muscle that can strongly modulate central nervous system functions. It needs to be distinguished from fibromyalgia, which is characterized by widespread pain and tenderness and is described as a central augmentation of nociception giving rise to deep tissue tenderness that includes muscles. It is considerably more difficult to treat.
Trigger points can be classified as latent or active, depending on whether they are giving rise to symptoms. Latent trigger points can cause muscle shortening and weakening but not spontaneous pain. The causes of activation include acute or chronic muscle overload, indirect activation by other trigger points, visceral or joint disease, emotion, and radiculopathy. The radiation effects include pain and also other sensations; the affected muscles may also be weak.
Diagnosis of trigger points is mainly by manual palpation. There are changes in the "feel" of the tissues and the patient will report local tenderness, sometimes with radiation effects. There may be a twitch in the affected muscle.
Treatment of trigger points may be by local compression, injection of a local anesthetic such as procaine hydrocloride (novocain), or "spray-and-stretch" using a cooling (vapocoolant) spray. Practitioners of medical acupuncture often use trigger points as the basis for their treatment and studies have shown a considerable similarity between the locations of trigger points and classic acupuncture points

Visualization

2005-11-17T03:19:00.000-08:00

The technique of visualization (or visualisation) consists of creating a mental image of a desired outcome, and repeatedly playing that image in the mind.
A survey released in May 2004 by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine focused on who used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), what was used, and why it was used in the United States by adults age 18 years and over during 2002. According to this recent survey, visualization, or guided imagery, was the 10th most commonly used CAM therapy (2.1%) in the United States during 2002 ([1] table 1 on page 8) when all use of prayer was excluded. Consistent with previous studies, this study found that the majority of individuals (i.e., 54.9%) used CAM in conjunction with conventional medicine ( page 6). "The fact that only 14.8% of adults sought care from a licensed or certified CAM practitioner suggests that most individuals who use CAM prefer to treat themselves (page 6).
In alternative medicine visualization sometimes occurs in conjunction with medical treatment, including cancer treatment (see oncology).
In one example of a visualization, one can imagine cancer cells as some slimy form of sea life being consumed by white sharks, which represent the body's immune cells.
Athletes sometimes use visualization to try to help them succeed at their sport.
Visualization forms part of Rosicrucianism and Esotericism in general. Magick also employs visualization.
Compare with mation and with petitionary prayer.

University of Illinois Chicago Biomedical Visualization Program - Graduate program that ties traditional medical illustration with communication in the health sciences. Includes information on admissions, courses of study, and galleries.-- http://www.uic.edu/ahs/sbhis/bvis/index.htm Arts: Illustration: Specialized: Medical and Scientific: Education (2)
Health Journeys: The Guided Imagery Resource Center - Website offers visualization audiotapes, books, research and resources on guided imagery, a complementary medicine and holistic mind and body healing process.-- http://www.guidedimagery.com Health: Mental Health: Self-Help: Products and Services (1)
Hodges' Health Career Model - Provides a framework for the assessment and evaluation of health care delivery, associated with models of health and visualization in health care. Includes history, objectives, and frequently asked questions.-- http://www.p-jones.demon.co.uk/ Health: Nursing: References (1)

Alternative Health Retreats - Body/Mind Restoration Retreats are an alternative health program that includes a raw food diet, internal cleansing, exercise, guided visualization, meditation and instruction in preventative medicine.-- http://www.bodymindretreats.com Health: Alternative: Fasting and Cleansing: Retreats and Vacations (1)
Spiritual Birth Counseling - This sites promotes the services of a birth counselor, hypnotherapist, childbirth educator (relaxation and visualization) and consultant. I support "babymoon bonding", teen pregnancy and parenting, and pre-birth bonding. I'm a strong advocate of waterbirth, breastfeeding, and holistic health.-- http://jilldiana.homestead.com/counseling.html Health: Reproductive Health: Pregnancy and Birth: Childbirth: Prepared: Hypnosis and Imagery (1)
University of Michigan Biomedical Visualization - Graduate program combining traditional medical illustration with modern health communication studies. Information on courses, admissions and departmental resources.

Tui Na

2005-11-17T03:17:00.000-08:00

Tui na (推拏 or 推拿, both pronounced tūi ná), is a form of Chinese manipulative therapy often used in conjunction with acupuncture, moxibustion, Chinese herbalism and qigong.
Tui na uses traction, massage and manipulation in conjunction with acupressure and is used for both acute or chronic musculoskeletal conditions, as well as certain non-musculoskeletal conditions. It is an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine. Tui na is taught in acupuncture schools as part of formal training in Oriental medicine, and many East Asian martial arts schools teach tui na to their advanced students for personal and professional use.

Tui Awards, The - Information on the New Zealand Music Awards including the artists, the competition and the winners.-- http://www.nzmusicawards.co.nz/ Arts: Music: Awards (1)
Tui's Travels - Photos and descriptions of the places visited whilst working on cruise ships including Scandinavia and the Med.-- http://tuimarie.tripod.com/travels Recreation: Travel: Travelogues: Europe (1)
FOX-TOURS Reisen GmbH - Spezialisiert auf innovative Gruppen- und Sonderreisen innerhalb der World of TUI.-- http://www.foxtours.de/ World: Deutsch: Freizeit: Reisen: Reisebüros (6)
Teatro Principal de Tui - Dispone de datos sobre su historia, arte, estatutos, crónica gráfica e información sobre como colaboorar con el centro.-- http://usuarios.lycos.es/teatroprincipaltui/ World: Español: Países: España: Comunidades Autónomas: Galicia: Pontevedra: Municipios: Tui (3)
Tui Balmes & Waxes - New Zealand manufacturer of natural bees wax massage oil.-- http://www.tuibalmes.co.nz/ Shopping: Health: Massage Equipment: Massage Oil (1)
TUI AG - Logistics - Dictionary of shipping terminology.-- http://www.tui.com/en/jobkarriere/glossaries/logistics.html Reference: Dictionaries: By Subject: Business: Logistics (1)
The Technical University of Iceland (TUI) - Located in Reykjavík. Offers higher education leading to a B.S. degree as well as providing a preparatory programme.-- http://www.thi.is/English/ Reference: Education: Colleges and Universities: Europe: Iceland (1)

Auriculotherapy

2005-11-17T03:16:00.000-08:00

Auriculotherapy is an east-west hybrid medical system, founded by Dr. Paul Nogier of France in the 1940s.
Auriculotherapy began with the traditional Chinese medical (TCM) use of the surface of the auricle or external ear for acupuncture or other therapeutic stimulation. Initially, the Chinese used a small number of acupoints scattered on the surface of the ear for treating a variety of maladies. Through the trade routes between Europe and China, TCM had influenced the local folk medicine of France, particularly in the use of cauterization of an acupoint specific for treatment of sciatica. Dr. Nogier noticed that a number of his patients had these cauterizations, and when questioned, explained the successful treatment of sciatica by local folk medicine healers. Curious, he began to research and explore the traditional use of ear acupuncture, eventually developing the practice into a complete therapeutic system called Auriculotherapy, or sometimes referred to as Nogier. Like TCM, auriculotherapy is generally considered complimentary or alternative medicine.
Auriculotherapy is a microsystem, meaning that the entire body is reflected on the ear, and can be treated by use of the ear exclusively. A similar microsystem is the reflexology system which utilizes the sole of the foot for treatment of any part of the body. There are literally thousands of acupoints on the surface of the auricle. These points can be treated with acupuncture, with laser therapy, or by taping a small bead or pellet on the point. Pellets can be gold, silver, titanium, surgical steel, a seed from a plant that has been soaked in medicinal herbs, or other materials.
Auriculotherapy depends upon a specific use of the radial pulse on the patient's wrist in order to obtain a high level of accuracy, both in the choice of acupoints used, and the accuracy in locating such a small point. This use of the pulse is neither the traditional Western pulse-taking technique, nor is it the traditional Chinese pulse-taking technique, but a third approach to using the pulse diagnostically.
Auriculotherapy is practiced by both TCM specialists and Western medical practitioners. The technique and the accompanying theory is very complex and can prove difficult to learn. Auriculotherapy has migrated back to China, to be simplified in its application to create the modern approach to ear acupuncture. This simplified approach is also commonly used in the treatment of drug addiction in rehab centers throughout the world. Auriculotherapy in its complex form remains a relatively obscure modality of treatment.

List of branches of alternative medicine

2005-11-17T03:12:00.000-08:00

A
· Acupuncture
o Acupressure
o Auriculotherapy
o Korean hand acupuncture
o Medical acupuncture
o Meridian therapy
o Sonopuncture
· Acupressure
· Alexander Technique
· Alternative Medical Systems
o Ayurveda
o Homeopathy
o Naturopathic medicine
o Osteopathy
o Traditional Chinese medicine
· Applied kinesiology
· Apitherapy
· Aromatherapy
· Astrology
· Auriculotherapy
· Ayurveda

B
· Bach Flower Therapy
· Bates Method
· Biologically Based Therapies
o Apitherapy
o Bates Method
o Chinese food therapy
o Fasting
o Herbal therapy
o Macrobiotic lifestyle
o Natural health
o Natural therapy
§ Diet and Food
§ Dietary supplements
§ Exercise
o Naturopathy
o Orthomolecular medicine
o Urine therapy
· Bowen Technique
· Body-Based Manipulative Therapies
o Body work or Massage therapy
o Bowen Technique
o Chiropractic medicine
o Craniosacral Therapy
o Medical acupuncture
o Osteopathy
o Rolfing
· Body work or Massage therapy

C
· Chelation therapy
· Chinese food therapy
· Chinese medicine
· Chinese pulse diagnosis
· Chinese martial arts
· Chiropractic medicine
· Chromotherapy
· Coin rubbing
· Colloidal silver therapy
· Color Therapy
· Colon Hydrotherapy (Colonics)
· Concentration mation
· Craniosacral Therapy
· Crystal healing
· Cupping

D
· Dermovision

E
· Ear Candling
· Electrodermal screening
· Energy diagnosis
· Energy therapies
o Magnet therapy
o Reiki
o Qigong
o Shiatsu
o Therapeutic Touch
· Eyology

F
· Facial diagnosis
· Faith healing
· Fasting
· Flower essence therapy
· Feldenkrais method
· Chinese food therapy
· Functional medicine

G
· Gua Sha

H
· Hair analysis
· Hatha yoga
· Hawaiian massage
· Healing touch
· Health psychology
· Herbal crystallization analysis
· Herbology
· Herbal therapy
· Holistic medicine
· Homeopathy
o Bach flower remedies
o Flower essence therapy
o Isopathy
· Hypnosis
· Hypnotherapy

I
· Integrative medicine
· Iridology
· Isopathy

J
· Journaling

K
· Korean hand acupuncture

L

M
· Magnetic healing
· Manipulative therapy
· Massage therapy
· Medical acupuncture
· Medical intuition
· Medical Qigong
· Mation
o Concentration mation
o Mindfulness mation
o Transcendental mation
· Mega-vitamin therapy
· Meridian therapy
· Mind-Body Interventions
o Alexander Technique
o Aromatherapy
o Autosuggestion
o Bach Flower Therapy
o Feldenkrais method
o Hatha yoga
o Hypnotherapy
o Journaling
o Mation
o Music therapy
o Prayer
o Rebirthing
o Self-hypnosis
o Support groups
o T'ai Chi Ch'uan
o Visualization
o Yoga
· Mindfulness mation
· Moxibustion
· Music therapy

N
· Natural Health
o Natural therapies
§ Diet and Food
§ Dietary supplements
§ Exercise
o Home remedies
· Natural hygiene
· Naturopathic medicine
o Nutrition
o Botanical medicine
o Homeopathy
o Hydrotherapy
o Physical manipulation
o Pharmacology
o Minor surgery

O
· Orgonomy
· Orthomolecular medicine
· Osteopathy

P
· Plum blossom
· Pranic healing
· Prayer
· Psychosocial interventions
· Power yoga
· Psychic surgery

Q
· Qigong
· Quantum touch

R
· Rebirthing
· Reflexology
· Reiki
· Rolfing

S
· Sclerology
· Self-hypnosis
· Seitai
· Somapractic
· Sonopuncture
· Support groups

T
· T'ai Chi Ch'uan
· Tantramassage
· Thalassotherapy
· Therapeutic Touch
· Tibetan eye chart
· Tongue diagnosis
· Traditional Chinese medicine
o Acupressure
o Acupuncture
o Acupuncture point
o Auriculotherapy
o Chinese pulse diagnosis
o Chinese food therapy
o Coin rubbing
o Cupping
o Five Elements
o Gua Sha
o Herbology
o History of traditional Chinese medicine
o Korean hand acupuncture
o Meridian
o Moxibustion
o Plum blossom
o Qi
o Qigong
o Seven star
o Shiatsu
o Sonopuncture
o Trigger point
o Tui na
o Zang Fu theory
· Traditional Japanese medicine
o Meridian therapy
o Shiatsu
· Traditional Tibetan medicine
· Transcendental mation
· Trigger point
· Tui Na

U
· Urine therapy

V
· Visualization

W

X

Y
· Yoga
o Hatha yoga
o Power yoga

Z

Herbalism

2005-11-17T03:09:00.000-08:00

Herbalism, also known as phytotherapy, is folk and traditional medicinal practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts.
The use of herbs to treat disease is almost universal among non-industrialized societies. A number of traditions have come to dominate the practise of herbal medicine in the west at the end of the twentieth century:-
· The Western, based on Greek and Roman sources,
· The Ayurvedic from India, and
· Chinese herbal medicine.
Many of the pharmaceuticals currently available to Western physicians have a long history of use as herbal remedies, including opium, aspirin, digitalis, and quinine.
Contents
1 Biological background
2 Popularity
3 Examples
4 In pop culture
5 Dangers
5.1 Name confusion
5.2 International standards
5.3 Medical interaction
6 See also

Biological background
All plants produce chemical compounds as part of their normal metabolic activities. These can be split into two categories - primary metabolites, such as sugars and fats, found in all plants; and secondary metabolites found in a smaller range of plants, some only in a particular genus or species. The autologous functions of secondary metabolites are varied; for example as toxins to deter predation, or to attract insects for pollination. It is these secondary metabolites which can have therapeutic actions in humans, and which can be refined to produce drugs. Some examples are inulin from the roots of dahlias, quinine from the cinchona, morphine and codeine from the poppy, and digoxin from the foxglove.
As of 2004, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine started to fund clinical trials into the effectiveness of herbal medicine [1].
Some surveys of scientific herbal medicine can be found in: Evidence-based herbal medicine ed by Michael Rotblatt, Irwin Ziment; Philadelphia: Hanley & Belfus, 2002; and Herbal and traditional medicine: molecular aspects of health, ed by Lester Packer, Choon Nam Ong, Barry Halliwell; New York: Marcel Dekker, 2004

Popularity
A survey released in May 2004 by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine focused on who used complementary and alternative medicines (CAM), what was used, and why it was used. The survey was limited to adults age 18 years and over during 2002 living in the United States. According to this recent survey, herbal therapy, or use of natural products other than vitamins and minerals, was the most commonly used CAM therapy (18.9%) ([2] table 1 on page 8) when all use of prayer was excluded.

Examples
Examples of some commonly used herbal medicines:
· Artichoke and several other plants have been associated with reduced total serum cholesterol levels in preliminary studies [3].
· Black cohosh and other plants that contain phytoestrogens (plant molecules with estrogen activity) have been found to have some benefits for treatment of symptoms resulting from menopause [4].
· Echinacea extracts have been shown to limit the length of colds in some clinical trials, although some studies have found it to have no effect.
[5].
· Garlic has been found to lower total cholesterol levels, mildly reduce blood pressure, reduces platelet aggregation, and has antibacterial properties [6].
· St John's wort has been found to be more effective than placebo for the treatment of mild to moderate depression in some clinical trials [7].

In pop culture
'Herblore' is a skill in the MMORPG RuneScape, which mainly involves the player combining various type of herbs found in the game into various potions. 'Herbalism', in the MMORPG World of Warcraft allows the player to collect plants for use as reagents for the skill 'Alchemy'. 'Herbalism' is a skill in the Roguelike game ADOM which allows the character to correctly identify varying herbs collected from bushes found in the dungeons.

Dangers
A common misconception about herbalism and the use of 'natural' products in general, is that 'natural' equals safe. Nature however is not benign and many plants have chemical defence mechanisms against predators that can have adverse effects on humans. Examples are hemlock and nightshade, which can be deadly to humans. Herbs can also have undesirable side-effects just as pharmaceutical products can; these problems are exacerbated by lack of control over dosage and purity.

Name confusion
The common names of herbs may be shared with others with different effects. For example, in one case in Belgium in a TCM-remedy for losing weight, one herb was swapped for another that caused kidney damage. One variety of the herb causes elevated blood pressure and increased heart rate, versus another variety for the weight-loss remedy, the varieties are differentiated by the suffix in the Latin names.

International standards
The legal status of a herbal ingredient may vary from one country to another. For example, Ayurvedic herbal products often contain levels of heavy metals that would be considered unsafe in the US. However, heavy metals are considered to have therapeutic benefits in Ayurvedic medicine.

Medical interaction
It is often advised that those wishing to use herbal remedies first consult with a physician, as some herbal remedies have the potential to cause adverse drug interactions when used in combination with various prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. For example, dangerously low blood pressure may result from the combination of an herbal remedy that lowers blood pressure together with prescription medicine that does the same thing. However, please be aware that most physicians have no knowledge of herbal medicine, so they may not be the best sources of information. Also, there is little known about interactions of herbal remedies with pharmaceuticals since, contrary to pharmaceutical medicine, there is no system in place to report and publish any (adverse) interactions, so even herbalists may not be aware of adverse interactions.
To put the safety issue in perspective, an orial in the British Medical Journal pointed out, "Even though herbal medicines are not devoid of risk, they could still be safer than synthetic drugs. Between 1968 and 1997, the World Health Organization's monitoring centre collected 8985 reports of adverse events associated with herbal medicines from 55 countries. Although this number may seem impressively high, it amounts to only a tiny fraction of adverse events associated with conventional drugs held in the same database." (BMJ, October 18, 2003; 327:881-882).
A meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported the following: "The overall incidence of serious adverse drug reactions (ADRs) was 6.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.2%-8.2%) and of fatal ADRs was 0.32% (95% CI, 0.23%-0.41%) of hospitalized patients. We estimated that in 1994 overall 2,216,000 (1,721,000-2,711,000) hospitalized patients had serious ADRs and 106,000 (76,000-137,000) had fatal ADRs, making these reactions between the fourth and sixth leading cause of death." (JAMA. 1998;279:1200-1205)
Finally, research posted by Ron Law shows a United States death rate of 0.0001% from dietary supplements versus 2.4% from "preventable medical misadventures" and 5.18% from properly prescribed and used drugs (http://www.laleva.cc/petizione/english/ronlaw_eng.html).

Sikhism

2005-11-17T02:52:00.000-08:00

The Golden Temple is a sacred shrine for Sikhs
Sikhism (Punjabi: ਸਿੱਖੀ) is a religion based on the teachings of ten Gurus who lived primarily in 16th and 17th century India. It is one of the world's major religions with over 23 million followers. Sikhism comes from the word Sikh, which in turn comes from its Sanskrit root śiṣya (शिष्य) which means "disciple" or "learner".
The two core beliefs of Sikhism are:
· The belief in one pantheistic God. The opening sentence of the Sikh scriptures is only two words long, and reflects the base belief of all who adhere to the teachings of the religion: ੴ - Ek Onkar
· The teachings of the Ten Sikh Gurus (as well as other accepted Muslim and Hindu scholars) as enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib.
The Guru Granth Sahib is a sacred text considered by Sikhs to be their eleventh and final Guru. Sikhism was influenced by reform movements in Hinduism (e.g. Bhakti, monism, Vedic metaphysics, guru ideal, and bhajans) as well as Sufi Islam. It departs from some of the social traditions and structure of Hinduism and Islam (such as the caste system and purdah, respectively). Sikh philosophy is characterised by logic, comprehensiveness, and a "without frills" approach to both spiritual and material concerns. Its theology is marked by simplicity.
Contents
[hide]
1 History of Sikhism
2 The Gurus of Sikhism
2.1 The Ten Gurus of Sikhism
2.2 The Sri Guru Granth Sahib
3 Sikh religious philosophy
3.1 Primary beliefs and principles
3.2 Underlying values
3.3 Prohibited behavior
3.4 Technique and methods
3.5 Other observations
4 Sikhs today
5 The Five Ks
6 Sikhs around the world
7 Sikh Communities
8 Sikh Communities in the News
9 Sikh Youth
10 Observations
10.1 All welcomed
11 Multi-level approach
12 The Khalsa
13 Followers of Sikhism
14 Sikhs and Punjabis
15 Sikh names
16 See also
17 External links
17.1 Kirtan links

History of Sikhism
The Khanda, one of the most important symbols of Sikhism
Guru Nanak Dev (1469-1538), the founder of Sikhism, was born in the village of Talwandi, now called Nankana Sahib, near Lahore in present-day Pakistan. His father, Mehta Kalu was a Patwari- an accountant of land revenue in the government. Guru's mother was Mata Tripta and he had one older sister, Bibi Nanki. From the very childhood, Bibi Nanki saw in him the Light of God but she did not reveal this secret to anyone. She is known as the first disciple of Guru Nanak. Even as a boy, Nanak was fascinated by religion, and his desire to explore the mysteries of life eventually led him to leave home. He wandered all over India in the manner of Hindu saints. It was during this period that Nanak met Kabir (1441–1518), a saint revered by both Hindus and Muslims. He made four distinct major journeys, which are called Udasis spanning many thousands of miles.
In 1538, Guru Nanak chose Lehna, his disciple as a successor to the Guruship rather than his son. Bhai Lehna was named Guru Angad and became the second guru of the Sikhs. He continued the work started by the Founder. Guru Amar Das became the third Sikh guru in 1552 at the age of 73. Goindwal became an important centre for Sikhism during the Guruship of Guru Amar Das. He continued to preach the principle of equality for women, the prohibition of Sati and the practise of Langar. In 1567, Emperor Akbar sat with the ordinary and poor people of Punjab to have Langar. Guru Amar Das also trained 140 apostles of which 52 were women to manage the rapid expansion of the religion. Before he died in 1574 aged 95, he appointed his son-in-law, Jetha as the fourth Sikh Guru.
Jetha became Guru Ram Das and vigorously undertook his duties as the new guru. He is responsible for the establishment of the city of Ramdaspur later to be named Amritsar. In 1581, Guru Arjan- youngest son of fourth guru - became the Fifth Guru of the Sikhs. In addition to being responsible for the construction of the Golden Temple, he prepared the Sikh Sacred text and his personal addition of some 2,000 plus hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib. In 1604 he installed the Adi Granth for the first time as the Holy Book of the Sikhs. In 1606, for refusing to make changes to the Guru Granth Sahib, he was tortured and killed by the Mughal rulers of the time.
Guru Hargobind, became the sixth guru of the Sikhs. He carried two swords – one for Spiritual reasons and one for temporal (worldly) reasons. From this point onward, the Sikhs became a military force and always had a trained fighting force to defend their independence. In 1644, Guru Har Rai became Guru followed by Guru Har Krishan, the boy Guru in 1661. Guru Teg Bahadur became Guru in 1665 and led the Sikhs until 1675, when he sacrificed his life to save the Kashmiri Hindus who had come to him for help.
In 1675, Aurangzeb publicly executed the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur. Sikh mythos says that Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed himself to save Hindus, after Kashmiri pandits came to him for help when the Emperor condemned them for failing to convert to Islam. This marked a turning point for Sikhism. His successor, Guru Gobind Singh further militarised his followers (see Khalsa). After Aurangzeb killed four of Gobind Singh's sons, Gobind Singh sent Aurangzeb the Zafarnama (Notification of Victory).
Shortly before passing away Guru Gobind ordered that Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Holy Scripture, would be the ultimate spiritual authority for the Sikhs and temporal authority would vest in the Khalsa Panth – The Sikh Nation. The first Sikh Holy Scripture was compiled and ed by the Fifth Guru, Guru Arjan in AD 1604, although some of the earlier gurus are also known to have documented their revelations. This is one of the few scriptures in the world that has been compiled by the founders of a faith during their own life time. The Guru Granth Sahib is particularly unique among sacred texts in that it is written in Gurmukhi script but contains many languages including Punjabi, Hindi-Urdu, Sanskrit, Bhojpuri and Persian. Sikhs consider the Guru Granth Sahib the last, perpetual living guru.

The Gurus of Sikhism

The Ten Gurus of Sikhism
Sikhism was established by ten Gurus — teachers or masters — over the period 1469 to 1708. These teachers were enlightened souls whose main purpose in life was the spiritual and moral well-being of the masses. Each master added to and reinforced the message taught by the previous, resulting to the creation of the religion of Sikhism. Guru Nanak was the first Guru and Guru Gobind Singh the final Guru in human form. When Guru Gobind Singh left this world, he made the Sri Guru Granth Sahib the ultimate and final Sikh Guru. The Gurus are believed to have the same spirit, or "jot", but different bodies.

#
Name
Guruship on
Prakash DOB
Date of Demise
Aged
Father
Mother
1
Guru Nanak Dev
15 April 1469
15 April 1469
22 September 1539
69
Mehta Kalu
Mata Tripta
2
Guru Angad Dev
7 September 1539
31 March 1504
29 March 1552
48
Baba Pheru
Mata Ramo
3
Guru Amar Das
25 March 1552
5 May 1479
1 September 1574
95
Tej Bhan Bhalla
Bakht Kaur
4
Guru Ram Das
29 August 1574
24 September 1534
1 September 1581
46
Baba Hari Das
Mata Daya Kaur
5
Guru Arjan Dev
28 August 1581
15 April 1563
30 May 1606
43
Guru Ram Das
Mata Bhani
6
Guru Har Gobind
30 May 1606
19 June 1595
3 March 1644
48
Guru Arjan
Mata Ganga
7
Guru Har Rai
28 February 1644
26 February 1630
6 October 1661
31
Baba Gurditta
Mata Nihal Kaur
8
Guru Har Krishan
6 October 1661
7 July 1656
30 March 1664
7
Guru Har Rai
Mata Krishan Kaur
9
Guru Tegh Bahadur
20 March 1665
1 April 1621
11 November 1675
54
Guru Har Gobind
Mata Nanki
10
Guru Gobind Singh
11 November 1675
22 December 1666
6 October 1708
41
Guru Tegh Bahadur
Mata Gujri

The Sri Guru Granth Sahib
A man reading the Guru Granth Sahib at the Harmandir Sahib.
Main article: Guru Granth Sahib
The Guru Granth Sahib is the eleventh and final Guru of the Sikhs, is held in the highest regard by the Sikhs and is treated as the Eternal Guru, as instructed by Guru Gobind Singh.
It is perhaps the only scripture of its kind which not only contains the teachings of its own religious founders but also writings of people from other faiths. Besides the Banis of the Gurus, it also contains the writings of saints like Kabir, Namdev, Ravidas, Sheikh Farid, Trilochan, Dhanna, Beni, Sheikh Bhikan, Jaidev, Surdas, Parmanad, Pipa and Ramanand.
The Granth forms the central part of the Sikh place of worship called a gurdwara. The Holy Scripture placed on the dominant platform in the main hall of the gurdwara during the day. It is placed with great respect and dignity upon a throne with beautiful and colourful fabric.
The Guru Granth Sahib is separated into musical measures, called Raags. There are 31 raags within the Guru Granth Sahib.
Interpretations of the Guru Granth Sahib, although translated into English and many other languages, vary from person to person. Its interpretation is based on the mindset and perception of each individual, and its guiding advice can be used for any type of situation, both religious and non-religious.

Sikh religious philosophy
Main article: Sikh religious philosophy
The Sikh religious philosophy can be divided into the following five sections:

Primary beliefs and principles
Main article: Sikhism primary beliefs and principles
Sikhism advocates the belief in one pantheistic God (Ek Onkar) who is omnipresent and has infinite qualities. Sikhs do not have a gender for God nor do they believe God takes a human form. All human beings are considered equal regardless of their religion, sex or race. All are sons and daughters of Waheguru, the Almighty.
Followers of Sikhism are encouraged to wake in the early morning hours, before the sun has risen, and mate on God's name. They must work hard and honestly and never live off of others, but give to others from the fruits of one's own labour. A Sikh's home should always be open to all.
Sikhs believe in the concept of reincarnation, yet other beliefs of the afterlife are also accepted. All creatures are believed to have souls that pass to other bodies upon death until liberation is achieved. Sikhs should defend, safeguard, and fight for the rights of all creatures, and in particular fellow human beings. They are encouraged to have a "Chardi Kala" or positive, optimistic and buoyant view of life.
The Sikh religion is not considered the only way to salvation - people of other religions may also achieve salvation. This concept is shared with other Dharmic religions.
Upon baptism, Sikhs must wear the 5Ks, strictly recite the 5 prayers. Sikhs do not believe that any particular day is holier than any other and generally adopt the religous day of the country within which they reside.
It is every Sikh's duty to defeat these five vices: ego, anger, greed, attachment, and lust. Sikhs are encouraged to 'attack' these vices with contentment, charity, kindness, positive attitude and humility.

Underlying values
Main article: Sikhism underlying values
The Sikhs must believe in the following values:
1. Equality: All humans are equal before God.
2. God's spirit: All creatures have God's spirits and must be properly respected.
3. Personal right: Every person has a right to life but this right is restricted.
4. Actions count: Salvation is obtained by one's actions, including good deeds, remembrance of God, etc.
5. Living a family life: Must live as a family unit to provide and nurture children.
6. Sharing: It is encouraged to share and give to charity 10 percent of one's net earnings.
7. Accept God's will: Develop your personality so that you recognize happy events and miserable events as one.
8. The four fruits of life: Truth, contentment, contemplation and Naam, (in the name of God).

Prohibited behavior
Main article: Sikhism prohibited behavior
1. Non-logical behavior: Superstitions and rituals are not meaningful to Sikhs (pilgrimages, fasting, bathing in rivers, circumcision, worship of graves, idols or pictures, compulsory wearing of the veil for women, etc.).
2. Material obsession: ("Maya") Accumulation of materials has no meaning in Sikhism. Wealth such as gold, portfolio, stocks, commodities, and properties will all be left here on Earth when you depart. Do not get attached to them.
3. Sacrifice of creatures: (Sati). Widows throwing themselves in the funeral pyre of their husbands, lamb and calf slaughter to celebrate holy occasions, etc. are forbidden.
4. Non-family oriented living: A Sikh is not allowed to live as a recluse, beggar, yogi, monk, nun, or celibate.
5. Worthless talk: Bragging, gossip, lying, etc. are not permitted.
6. Intoxication: Alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and consumption of other intoxicants is not permitted.
7. Priestly class: Sikhs do not have to depend on a priest for performing any religious functions. They are not supposed to follow a class/caste system where the priestly class reigns highest. Everyone is equal.

Technique and methods
Main article: Sikhism technique and methods
1. Naam Japna: - meditation and prayer on the Name of God in Sikhism, which is "Waheguru", it is also called the 'Gur-Manter'. Naam Japna is the repetition of this name.
2. Kirat Karni: - Honest earnings, labor, etc. while remembering the Lord.
3. Wand kay Shako: - Share with others in need, free food (langar), donate 10% of income Daasvand, etc.

Other observations
Main article: Sikhism other observations
1. Not son of God: The Gurus were not in the Christian sense “Sons of God”. Sikhism says all humans are the children of God and by deduction, God is mother/father.
2. All are welcome: Members of all religions may visit Sikh temples (Gurdwaras), but must observe certain rules: cover the head, remove shoes, no smoking or drinking intoxicants inside, and visitors must not be under the influence of any drugs, especially alcohol.
3. Multi-level approach: Sikhism recognises the concept of a multi-level approach to achieving one's target as a disciple of the faith. For example, "Sahajdhari" (slow adopters) are Sikhs who have not donned the full 5Ks but are still Sikhs nevertheless.
Note: The Punjabi language does not have a gender for God. Unfortunately, when translating, the proper meaning cannot be correctly conveyed without using Him/His/He/Brotherhood, S/He etc., but this distorts the meaning by giving the impression that God is masculine, which is not the message in the original script. The reader must correct for this every time these words are used.

Sikhs today
Today, Sikhs can be found all over India and elsewhere in the world. Sikh men as well as some Sikh women can be identified by their practice of always wearing a turban to cover their long hair. The turban is quite different from the ones worn by the Muslim clergy and should not be confused with them. The surname or more usually the middle name Singh1 (meaning lion) is very common for males, and Kaur (meaning princess) for women. Of course, not all people named Singh or Kaur are necessarily Sikhs, the Sikhs adopted the name Singh in 1699 during the Birth of the Khalsa. The name Singh is closely linked to the martial antiquities of North India dating back to at least the Eighth Century CE.

The Five Ks
Main article: The Five Ks
Practicing Sikhs are bound to wear five kakaars, or articles of faith, known as The Five Ks, at all times. It is done either out of respect for the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, or out of sense of duty or from understanding of their function and purpose and relevance in daily life. It is important to note that The Five Ks are not merely present for symbolic purposes. The tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, ordered these Five Ks to be worn so that a Sikh could actively use them to make a difference to their own spirituality and to others' spirituality.
The 5 items are: Kesh (uncut hair), Kanga (small comb), Kara (circular bracelet), Kirpan (small sword) and Kacha (shorts).

Sikhs around the world
A Sikh known as Yogi Bhajan brought the Sikh way of life to many young people in the Western hemisphere. In addition to Indian-born Sikhs, there are now thousands of individuals of Western origin who were not born as Sikhs, but have embraced the Sikh way of life and live and teach all over the world.
In the late 1970s and 1980s a limited political separatist movement arose in India with the mission to create a separate Sikh state, called Khalistan, in the Punjab area of India and Pakistan.
Currently, there are about 23 million Sikhs in the world, making it the fifth largest world religion. Approximately 19 million Sikhs live in India with the majority living in the state of Punjab ('greater Punjab' extends across the India-Pakistan border but few Sikhs remained in Pakistan due to persecution during the split of India in 1947). Large populations of Sikhs can be found in the United Kingdom, Canada, and USA. They also comprise a significant minority in Malaysia and Singapore, where they are respected for their drive and high education standards, as they dominate the legal profession.
Giani Zail Singh was the first Sikh to become President of India. Born on 5 May 1916, son of Mata Ind Kaur and Bhai Kishan Singh in a small village named Sandhwan, near Kot Kapura, formerly prince state of Faridkot. In 1982 Giani Zail Singh was unanimously elected by the Congress Party as a choice for President.
Following the Indian general election, 2004, Dr Manmohan Singh has become the first Sikh Prime Minister of India.
Sikhs comprise a large proportion of the Indian Armed Forces. On January 31st 2005, General J.J. Singh became the 22nd Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army (the highest commanding position) and the first Sikh to do so. Also they have a major presence in the Transport Industry in India.

Sikh Communities
Some of the largest Sikh communities exist in Amritsar, Punjab, and other areas of Punjab, in addition to Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand, Kuwait, Germany, The Netherlands, UAE, UK, USA etc.
The number of Sikh youth is on the rise, as young people study in the growing number of Sikh gurmat schools. Sikh gurmat schools number in the hundreds across the world, but some of the more notable ones have been the Miri Piri Academy (Punjab), Akal Academy (Baru Sahib), Khalsa School (Surrey), and Guru Nanak Public School (UK). Emerging schools include the Guru Nanak Academy (Surrey), Panth Khalsa Study Center (Calgary), and Shan-E-Khalsa Gurmat Academy (Abbotsford).
Practices in Sikh communities around the world are standard with regard to behaviour in a gurdwara, or the manner of conducting certain ceremonies, but personal lifestyle often varies.

Sikh Communities in the News
Recently the Sikh community of New Orleans has been in the news due to Hurricane Katrina and the events surrounding the New Orleans gurdwara in the aftermath of the hurricane.
The Sikh community of Surrey has recently been in the news in relation to two attacks on elderly Sikh men in Surrey's Bear Creek Park, and the Surrey Sikh Community's reaction to these hate-motivated crimes.

Sikh Youth
Sikh youth now take a more active role in learning and preaching on the topic of the Sikh faith, especially with the advent of websites for the promotion of different perspectives on Sikh ideology. The Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia has perhaps one of the oldest running Sikh youth websites. Second in age would probably be the West Coast Sikh Youth Alliance, which operates out of British Columbia and organizes an annual camp. More recent youth initiatives include Ottawa Sikh Youth and BC Sikh Youth.

Observations
The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, was born in 1469 to a Khatri family in central Punjab (in what is present day Pakistan). After four epic journeys (north to Tibet, south to Sri Lanka, east to Bengal and west to Mecca and Baghdad) Guru Nanak preached to Hindus, Muslims and others, and in the process attracted a following of Sikhs or disciples. Religion, he taught, was a way to unite people, but in practice he found that it set men against one another. He particularly regretted the antagonism between Hindus and Muslims as well as certain ritualistic practices that distracted people from focusing on God. He wanted to go beyond what was being practised by either religion and hence a well-known saying of Guru Nanak is, "There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim." Guru Gobind Singh reinforced these words by saying, "Regard the whole human race as equal".
Guru Nanak was opposed to the caste system. His followers referred to him as the guru (teacher). Before his death he designated a new Guru to be his successor and to lead the Sikh community. This procedure was continued, and the tenth and last Guru, Guru Gobind (AD 1666–1708) initiated the Sikh ceremony in AD 1699 ; and thus gave a distinctive identity to the Sikhs. The five baptised Sikhs were named Panj Pyare (Five Beloved Ones), who in turn baptised the Guru at his request.
Guru Nanak's doctrinal position is clear, despite the appearance that it is a blend of insights originating from two very different faiths. Sikhism's coherence is attributable to its single central concept – the sovereignty of the One God, the Creator. Guru Nanak called God the "True Name" because he wanted to avoid any limiting terms for God. He taught that the True Name, although manifest in many ways, many places and known by many names, is eternally One, the Sovereign and omnipotent God (the Truth of Love).
Guru Nanak's ascribed to the concept of maya, regarding material objects and realities as expressions of the creator's eternal truth, which tended to erect "a wall of falsehood" around those who live totally in the mundane world of material desires. This materialism prevents them from seeing the ultimate reality, as God created matter as a veil, so that only spiritual minds, free of desire, can penetrate it by the grace of the Guru (Gurprasad).
The world is immediately real in the sense that it is made manifest to the senses as maya, but is ultimately unreal in the sense that God alone is ultimate reality. Retaining the Hindu doctrine of the transmigration of souls, together with its corollary, the law of karma, Guru Nanak advised his followers to end the cycle of reincarnation by living a disciplined life – that is, by moderating egoism and sensuous delights, to live in a balanced worldly manner, and by accepting ultimate reality. Thus, by the grace of Guru (Gurprasad) the cycle of re-incarnation can be broken, and the Sikh can remain in the abode of the Love of God.
A Sikh should balance work, worship and charity - and mate by repeating God's name, Nam japna (to enhance spiritual development). Salvation, Guru Nanak said, does not mean entering paradise after a last judgment, but a union and absorption into God, the true name. Sikhs believe in neither heaven nor hell. They strive for the grace of the Guru during the human journey of the soul.
Political pressure from surrounding Muslim nations forced the Sikhs to defend themselves and by the mid-nineteenth century, the Punjab area straddling modern-day India and Pakistan, Afghanistan and Kashmir was ruled by them. The Sikh's Khalsa Army defeated the invading British army and signed treaties with China.

All welcomed
Members of all religions may visit Sikh temples (gurdwaras = the Guru's door) but are asked to observe the following rules out of respect for sikh sensibilities:
· To cover one's head (there will be bandana-like Rumāls available there)
· To take off one's shoes
· To not smoke or indulge in the consumption of alcoholic or tobacco-related materials (even in the vicinity of the gurdwara)
· Not to bring or possess any alcoholic or tobacco-related items, or be under their effects when entering the gurdwara.

Multi-level approach
Main article: Sikh religious philosophy
Sikhism recognises the concept of a multi-level approach to achieving your target as a disciple of the faith. For example, Sahajdhari (slow adopters) are Sikhs who have not donned the full Five Ks but are still Sikhs nonetheless.

The Khalsa
Main article: Khalsa
A baptised Sikh becomes a member of the Khalsa or the "Pure Ones". When a Sikh joins the Khalsa, he/she is supposed to have devoted their life to the Guru, and is expected not to desist from sacrificing anything and everything in a struggle for a just and righteous cause.
The word "Khalsa" has two literal meanings. It comes from Persian. One literal meaning is "Pure" and the other meaning is "belonging to the king". When the word "Khalsa" is used for a Sikh, it implies belonging to the King, where the King is God himself. To become a Khalsa, a Sikh must surrender themselves completely to the supreme King or God and obey God's will without question or delay.

Followers of Sikhism
A Sikh man wearing a turban
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. The word Sikh is derived from the Sanskrit word shishya which means disciple or student. In the Punjabi language the word Sikh also means humble follower. So a Sikh is a disciple of the Ten Gurus and a follower of the teachings in Sikhism's holy scriptures who they regard as a living guru, the Guru Granth Sahib.

Sikhs and Punjabis
Since Sikhism originated in the Punjab region, most Sikhs trace their roots to that region (though in recent times, with the spread both of Sikhism and Sikhs, one might encounter Sikhs belonging to other geographical locations across the world). With the revisions of the state boundaries in 1966, 65% of the population in the Indian Punjab made up of Sikhs, whereas Sikhs comprise only 2% of the population in India as a whole. Consequently, and also because the Guru Granth Sahib is written in Gurmukhi, a script of the Punjabi language, most Sikhs are able to speak, read or write the language, or are at least familiar with it.

Sikh names
Main article: Sikh names
A Sikh man often bears a middle name or surname of Singh, which means 'lion', and a Sikh woman can be identified with a second name of Kaur, which means 'princess' ('Kaur' being an exclusively Sikh name). Additionally, except only a very few cases, the same first names as used for men are used for women. In other words, though one may not be able to tell the sex of a Sikh person from his/her first name, the second name of Singh or Kaur makes the distinction completely clear. Unisex first names are a salient example of the complete equality between men and women. Many Sikh's first names have a -pal or -jit suffix endings, such as Inderjit, Harjit, Rajpal and Harpal.

See also
An index of the most important pages on Sikhism, can be found at the Sikh pages.
Topics in Sikhism [ Hide ]
Gurus:
Guru Nanak Dev Guru Angad Dev Guru Amar Das Guru Ram Das Guru Arjan Dev Guru Har Gobind Guru Har Rai Guru Har Krishan Guru Teg Bahadur Guru Gobind Singh Guru Granth Sahib Sikh Bhagats
Philosophy:
Beliefs and principles Underlying values Prohibitions Technique and methods Other observations
Practices:
Aardas Amrit Chardi Kala Dasvand Five Ks Kirat Karni Kirtan Langar Naam Simran Three Pillars Wand kay Shako
Scripture:
Guru Granth Sahib Bani Chaupai Dasam Granth Jaap Sahib Japji Sahib Mool Mantar Rehras Sukhmani Tav-Prasad Savaiye
More:
Ek Onkar Gurdwara History Khalsa Khanda Literature Music Names Places Politics Satguru Sikhs Waheguru
· Amritsar
· Bhagat - Bhagat Farid - Bhagat Kabir ....
· Golden Temple - Gurdwaras in Pakistan
· Interfaith
· List of Sikhs
· Punjabi language - History of the Punjab
· Sardar
· Takhat

External links
External Sikhism Info pages
· Ikonkar Sikhism, One God for All
· Sikh Genocide Project
· The Sikh Coalition
· INTRODUCTION ABOUT SIKHS
· Definitions of Sadh Sant Sateguru Naam Japna, Amritsar, Sarover, Ishnan,and other key topics
· Shri Guru Granth Sahib - Complete Audio, Kirtan Videos
· Learn Sikhism in mainstream School at Ontario, Canada - Learn Sikhism as part of K12 curriculum
· www.waheguroo.com - massive Sikh portal to access informeditation or anything Sikhi related
· SikhitotheMax.com - The True Guru online!
· Sikh-History.com - An invaluable source of sikh history and discussion forum
· Sikhism - the Sikh youth of BC
· SikhiWiki.org - Encyclopedia of the Sikhs
· SikhPhilosophy.Net - Redefining Sikh, Sikhi & Sikhism. Learn about Sikh Religion & History.
· Sikhism.com - A great overview of the Sikh faith
· Sikh Missionary Society U.K. - Dedicated to promoting the Sikh Religion, Culture and History. Contains Vast eBook Library.
· Sikhism - ReligionFacts.com profile
· Eternal Glory of Baba Nand Singh Ji Maharaj
· Sikh Religious Symbols - An illustrated Glossary
· Sikhism Thy Name Is Love And Sacrifice
· Info-sikh a wealth of informeditation on Sikhism
· SikhNet
· Sikh Videos Gurbani Kirtan
· ProudtobeSikh.com
· SGGS Translation by SriGranth.org
· Sikhifm.com
· SikhPoint.com
· AllAboutSikhs.com
· Sgpc.net
· Sikh.net

Kirtan links
Text links
· Shri Guru Granth Sahib Complete Audio, Kirtan Videos
· www.keertan.net - The best Keertan site on the web, Classic and Modern styles
· Audio server containing informeditation by topic of key gurbani concepts through kirtan
· Gurbani from Sikhnet.com
· Sikhifm.com
· Akj.org
· Gurbani.org
· SikhVideos.org
· Kirtan
· gurdwaraIndia.com
· Live Kirtan from Harmandir Sahib by Sikh.net
· Kirtan @ ProudtobeSikh.com
· Bhai Harjinder Singh
· SikhWomen.com
· Informeditation from India4World.com
· Bhai Amrik Singh Zakhmi
Audio links
1. Japji Sahib
· Complete Nitnem in Audio
· JapjiSahib.mp3 - Download 1.826M or Play 15.34 min
· Written text of Japji Sahib
· Audio of Japji Sahib
2. Jaap Sahib
· JaapSahib.mp3 - Download 1.028M or Play 17.32 min
· English Translation of Jaap Sahib
3. Anand Sahib
· Link to Anand Sahib
· AnandSahib.mp3 - Download 1.951M or Play 13.18 min
4. Rehras Sahib
· RehrasSahib.mp3 - Download 1.977M & Play 16.51 min
5. Kirtan Sohila
· KirtanSohila.mp3 - Download 1.283M & Play 3.38min
· English Translation of Kirtan Sohila
6. Tav-Prasad Savaiye
· Tav-Prasad Savaiye - English Translation
7. Chaupai
· Kabiobach Bainti Chaupai.mp3 - Download 1.55 Mbyte or Play 4 min 24 seconds
· Audio by Sikhnet.com

Meditation

2005-11-17T02:50:00.000-08:00

Meditation refers to any of a wide variety of spiritual practices (and their close secular analogues) which emphasize mental activity or quiescence.
The English word comes from the Latin matio, which could perhaps be better translated as "contemplation." This usage is found in Christian spirituality, for example, when one "mates" on the sufferings of Christ; as well as Western philosophy, as in Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy, a set of six mental exercises which systematically analyze the nature of reality.
In the late nineteenth century, Theosophists adopted "Meditation" to refer to various spiritual practices drawn from Hinduism, Buddhism, and other Eastern religions. Thus the English word "Meditation" does not exclusively translate any single term or concept from the sacred languages of Asia, such as the Sanskrit dhyana, samadhi, or pranayama. (Note that whereas in Eastern religions Meditation is often a central part of religious/spirtual practice, in Christianity it is rather a fringe activity if practised at all.)
However, the term Meditation contains the Latin root media ("middle"). So, Meditation could also be thought of as "centering," which might be more consistent with Eastern understandings of the concept.
"Meditation" in the modern sense may involve
· focusing the mind on a single object (such as a religious statue, or one's breath, or a mantra)
· a mental "opening up" to the divine, invoking the guidance of a higher power
· attempting to clear the mind of discursive or conceptual thought
· reasoned analysis of religious teachings (such as impermanence for Buddhists)
· simple relaxation
Practices of these types are found within various world religions (East and West) as well as some secular contexts such as the martial arts. It has been suggested that the recent popularity of "Meditation" in the West (for example, in the New Age movement) signals some discomfort with more traditional Western religious practices, such as prayer. Others see Meditation and prayer as harmonious: Edgar Cayce taught that "Through prayer we speak to God. In Meditation, God speaks to us."
From the point of view of psychology, Meditation can induce — or is itself — an altered state of consciousness. However, many religious people would challenge the assumption that such mental states (or any other visible result) are the "goal" of Meditation. In fact the goals of Meditation are quite varied, and range from spiritual enlightenment, to the transforMeditation of attitudes, to better cardiovascular health.
Contents
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1 Types of Meditation
2 Meditation in context
3 Physical postures
4 Frequency and duration
5 Purposes and effects of Meditation
6 Health applications and clinical studies of Meditation
6.1 Meditation and the brain
6.2 Meditation and EEG's
6.3 Adverse effects
6.4 Meditation and drugs
7 See also
8 References
9 External links

Types of Meditation
"Gathering the Light", from The Secret of the Golden Flower, by C. G. Jung and Richard Wilhelm
According to Bogart (1991) and Perez-De-Albeniz & Holmes (2000) the different techniques of Meditation can be classified according to their focus. That is, whether they focus on the field or background perception and experience, also called mindfullness, or whether they focus on a preselected specific object, also called "'concentrative' Meditation." There are also techniques that shift between the field and the object.
As difficult as the question of which practices qualify as "Meditation," is the question of how to categorize its different varieties. One common way is according to religion or lineage. However, some mative traditions such as yoga or tantra are common to several religions. Also, Meditation increasingly occurs outside of religious contexts, or crosses religious boundaries.
Many traditional classification schemes may be cited.
· Hinduism — many different schools exist.
· Vedanta
· Yoga as outlined by Patanjali describes eight "limbs" of spiritual practices, half of which might be classified as Meditation. Underlying them is the assumption that a yogi should still the fluctuations of his or her mind: Yoga cittavrrti nirodha.
· Transcendental Meditation (or TM) is the type used most often in clinical studies. Though avowedly secular, it emphasizes the recitation of Hindu mantras.
· Sant Mat teaches "sound and light Meditation" (surat shabd yoga)
· Osho taught a wide variety of mative techniques, including a "laughing Meditation".
· Sikhism encourages the divine Meditation on God's name, through simran.
· Buddhist Meditation — Meditation has always enjoyed a central place within Buddhism. The Buddha himself was said to have achieved enlightenment while mating under a Bodhi tree. Most forms of Buddhism distinguish between samatha and vipassana Meditation, both of which are necessary for enlightenment. The former consists of learning to focus the attention single-pointedly; the latter involves seeing the true nature of reality.
· Theravada Buddhism emphasizes vipassana Meditation directed towards anapana, mettā bhāvanā, or 38 other traditional topics (see: Kammatthana).
· In Mahayana schools, Tendai (Tien-tai), concentration is cultivated through highly structured ritual. Chinese Chan Buddhism (Sanskrit Dhyana, Japanese Zen) emphasizes ts'o ch'an and kung an Meditation practices. The esoteric Shingon sect shares many features with Tibetan Buddhism.
· Tibetan Buddhism famously emphasizes tantra for its senior practitioners; hence its alternate name of Vajrayana Buddhism. However, visitors to Tibetan monasteries are often surprised to discover that many monks go through their day without "mating" in a recognizable form, but are more likely to chant or participate in group liturgy.
· Taoism — includes a number of mative and contemplative traditions. Historically — to judge by the texts of the Tao Tsang — these often focused on ecstatic journeys to other realms (some of them within the human body). Today Chinese temple activity tends to be ritualized, routinized, conflated with other religions such as Buddhism, and very noisy. More quietistic, perhaps purer forms of Taoist "Meditation" is likely to be found at Taoist pilgrimage sites, such as the five sacred mountains in China.
· Qigong and Daoyin — a large, diverse array of Chinese breath training practises originally related to Taoism, Buddhism, traditional Chinese medicine and the Chinese and some Japanese martial arts.
· Judaism — Although Kabbalah and Hassidic Judaism have the explicit concept of Meditation (Hebrew hitbonenut), one can reasonably argue that a good deal of Jewish prayer (tefillah) is mative. Jewish prayer is usually described as having two aspects: kavanah ("intention," which is similar to mediative spirit) and keva (the ritualistic, structured elements). See Jewish Meditation, by Aryeh Kaplan.
· Christian Meditation — Christian traditions have various practices which might be identified as forms of "Meditation." Many of these are monastic practices.
· Eastern Orthodoxy recognizes the Jesus prayer or hesychasm which some have felt to be similar to Hindu mantra Meditation (an analogy which is not usually accepted by the Orthodox).
· Roman Catholicism includes various contemplative practices, such as the rosary, or the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola.
· Protestant groups — especially in the wake of pietism — came to emphasize Bible study, and changing one's life in accordance with scriptural principles and the Holy Spirit. Probably the Quaker meeting — in which participants sit quietly, waiting for the "inner light" to move someone to speak — best matches our expectations for what "Meditation" ought to look like. New Thought groups practice "Meditation" (often called such) during which various positive thoughts are " affirmed".
· Within Islam "Meditation" is normally associated with Sufism. It includes practices ranging from zikr (recitation of the divine names) to the sema of the Whirling Dervishes.
· The Church of the SubGenius teaches something called "excreMeditation," but this — like everything else put forward by that church — is meant as a satirical joke
Given the diversity of practices which are called "Meditation," the perceptive reader may well wonder how to distinguish between "mative" and non-"mative" activities. Is prayer a form of "Meditation"? What about attendance at mass? Taijiquan exercises? Football? Can watching television or listening to music be considered Meditation? The question of boundaries is a critical one for which no generally-accepted answer exists, though particular traditions may have their own understandings.
Meditation, to reflect off of the tranlation of "contemplation," is also a method of essay or contemplative writing in which one does continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature.

Meditation in context
While Meditation focuses on mental or psycho-spiritual activity, this is of course only one of several spheres of human existence; and we are social beings as well as individuals. Most traditions address the integration of mind, body, and spirit (this is a major theme of the Bhagavad-Gita); or that of spiritual practice with family life, work, and so on.
Often, Meditation is said to be incomplete if it has not led to positive changes in one's daily life and attitudes. In that spirit some Zen practitioners have promoted "Zen driving," aimed at reducing road rage.
Meditation is often presented not as a "free-standing" activity, but as one part of a wider spiritual tradition. (Nevertheless, many mators today do not follow an organized religion, or do not consider themselves to do so faithfully.) Religious authorities typically insist that spiritual practices such as Meditation belong in the context of a well-rounded religious life which may include such things as ritual or liturgy, scriptural study, and the observance of religious laws or regulations.
Perhaps the most widely-cited spiritual prerequisite for Meditation is that of an ethical lifestyle. Even many martial arts teachers will urge their students to respect parents and teachers, and inculcate other positive values. At the same time, many traditions incorporate "crazy wisdom" or intentionally transgressive acts, in their sacred lore if not in actual practice. Sufi poets (e.g. Rumi, Hafiz) celebrate the virtues of wine, which is forbidden in Islam (though one could argue that the poets are speaking metaphorically); some tantrikas indulge in the "five forbidden things that begin with the letter M."
Most mative traditions are "sober" ones which discourage drug use. Exceptions include some forms of Hinduism, which has a long tradition of hashish- or marijuana-using renunciates; and certain Native American traditions, which may use peyote or other restricted substances in a religious setting.
A number of mative traditions require permission from a teacher or elder, who in turn has received permission from another teacher, etc. Hinduism and Buddhism stress the importance of a spiritual teacher (Sanskrit guru, Tibetan lama). Orthodox Christianity has "spiritual elders" (Greek gerontas, Russian starets); Catholic religious have spiritual directors.
The immediate mative environment is often held to be important. Several traditions incorporate cleaning rituals for the place where one mates, and many more offer instructions or suggestions for an altar or other accessories.

Physical postures
Cross-legged posture. See also: Lotus Position
Different spiritual traditions, and different teachers within those traditions, prescribe or suggest different physical postures for Meditation. Most famous are the several cross-legged postures, including the so-called Lotus Position. For example, the Dalai Lama recommends the Seven Points of Vairocana in which
· the legs are crossed in either the Lotus Positon (here called the vajra position) or the other way, "Indian" or "tailor" fashion (here called the bodhisattva position)
· the eyes are kept open (thus affirming the world)
· the back is kept straight (like "an arrow" or "a stack of coins")
· the shoulders are kept even and relaxed
· the gaze is kept at a medium level — too low and one becomes drowsy; too high and one becomes restless
· the mouth is kept slightly open
· the tongue touches the roof of the mouth
Many mative traditions teach that the spine should be kept "straight" (i.e. that the mator should not slouch). Often this is explained as a way of encouraging the circulation of what we might call "spiritual energy," the "vital breath", or the "life force" (Sanskrit pranha, Chinese qi, Latin spiritus).
In some traditions the mator may sit on a Western chair, flat-footed (as in New Thought); sit on a stool (as in Orthodox Christianity); or walk in mindfulness (as in Theravada Buddhism).
Various hand-gestures or mudras may be prescribed. These generally carry theological meaning. For example, a common Buddhist hand-position is with the right hand resting atop the left (like the Buddha's begging bowl), with the thumbs touching.
Quiet is often held to be desirable, and some people use repetitive activities such as deep breathing, humming or chanting to help induce a mative state. The Tibetan tradition described above is probably in the minority for recommending that the eyes remain open; many forms assume that the eyes will be closed.
Often such details are shared by more than one religion, even in cases where mutual influence seems unlikely. One example would be "navel-gazing," which is apparently attested within Eastern Orthodoxy as well as Chinese qigong practice. Another would be the practice of focusing on the breath, which is found in Orthodox Christianity, Sufism, and numerous Indic traditions.
Sitting cross-legged (or upon one's knees) for extended periods or when one is not sufficiently limber, can result in a range of ergonomic complaints called "mator's knee".

Frequency and duration
These vary so much that it is difficult to venture any general comments. On one extreme there exist monks and nuns whose whole lives are ordered around Meditation; on the other hand, one-minute Meditations are not out of the question.
Twenty or thirty minutes is probably a typical duration. Experienced mators often find their sessions growing in length of their own accord. Observing the advice and instructions of one's spiritual teacher is generally held to be most beneficial.
Many traditions stress regular practice. Accordingly, many mators experience guilt or frustration upon failing to do so. Possible responses range from perseverence to acceptance.

Purposes and effects of Meditation
The purposes for which people mate vary almost as widely as practices. Meditation may serve simply as a means of relaxation from a busy daily routine; as a technique for cultivating mental discipline; or as a means of gaining insight into the nature of reality, or of communing with one's God. Many report improved concentration, awareness, self-discipline and equanimity through Meditation.
Many authorities avoid emphasizing the effects of Meditation — sometimes out of modesty, sometimes for fear that the expectation of results might interfere with one's Meditation. For theists, the effects of Meditation are considered a gift of God, and not something that is "achieved" by the mator.
At the same time, many effects (or perhaps side-effects) have been experienced during, or claimed for, various types of Meditation. These include:
· Greater faith in, or understanding of, one's religion
· An increase in patience, compassion, and other virtues
· Feelings of calm or peace, and/or moments of great joy
· Consciousness of sin, temptation, and remorse
· Sensitivity to certain forms of lighting, such as fluorescent lights or computer screens
· Surfacing of buried memories, possibly including memories of previous lives
· Experience of spiritual phenomena such as kundalini, extra-sensory perception, or visions of deities, saints, demons, etc.
· "Miraculous" abilities such as levitation (cf. yogic flying)
· Psychotic episodes (see medical section below)
Some traditions acknowledge that many types of experiences and effects are possible, but instruct the mator to keep in mind the spiritual purpose of the Meditation, and not be distracted by lesser concerns. For example, Mahayana Buddhists are urged to mate for the sake of "full and perfect enlightenment for all sentient beings" (the bodhisattva vow).

Health applications and clinical studies of Meditation
Scenes of Inner Taksang, temple hall, built just above the cave where Padmasambhava mated
In the recent years there has been a growing interest within the medical community to study the physiological effects of Meditation (Venkatesh et al., 1997; Peng et al., 1999; Lazar et al., 2000; Carlson et.al, 2001). Many concepts of Meditation have been applied to clinical settings in order to measure its effect on somatic motor function as well as cardiovascular and respiratory function. Also the hermeneutic and phenomenological aspects of Meditation are areas of growing interest. Meditation has entered the mainstream of health care as a method of stress and pain reduction. For example, in an early study in 1972, transcendental Meditation was shown to affect the human metabolism by lowering the biochemical byproducts of stress, such as lactate, decreasing heart rate and blood pressure and inducing favorable brain waves. (Scientific American 226: 84-90 (1972))
As a method of stress reduction, Meditation is often used in hospitals in cases of chronic or terminal illness to reduce complications associated with increased stress including a depressed immune system. There is a growing consensus in the medical community that mental factors such as stress significantly contribute to a lack of physical health, and there is a growing movement in mainstream science to fund research in this area (e.g. the establishment by the NIH in the U.S. of 5 research centers to research the mind-body aspects of disease.) Dr. James Austin, a neurophysiologist at the University of Colorado, reported that Zen Meditation rewires the circuitry of the brain in his landmark book Zen and the Brain (Austin, 1999). This has been confirmed using sophisticated imaging techniques which examine the electrical activity of the brain.
Dr. Herbert Benson of the Mind-Body Medical Institute, which is affiliated with Harvard and several Boston hospitals, reports that Meditation induces a host of biochemical and physical changes in the body collectively referred to as the "relaxation response" (Lazar et.al, 2003). The relaxation response includes changes in metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and brain chemistry. Benson and his team have also done clinical studies at Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayan Mountains.
Among other well-known studies within this particular field of interest we find the research of Jon Kabat-Zinn and his colleagues at the University of Massachusetts who have done extensive research on the effects of mindfulness Meditation on stress (Kabat-Zinn et.al, 1985; Davidson et.al, 2003).

Meditation and the brain
Mindfulness Meditation and related techniques are intended to train attention for the sake of provoking insight. Think of it as the opposite of attention deficit disorder. A wider, more flexible attention span makes it easier to be aware of a situation, easier to be objective in emotionally or morally difficult situations, and easier to achieve a state of responsive, creative awareness or "flow".
One theory, presented by Daniel Goleman & Tara Bennett-Goleman (2001), suggests that Meditation works because of the relationship between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. In very simple terms, the amygdala is the part of the brain that decides if we should get angry or anxious (among other things), and the pre-frontal cortex is the part that makes us stop and think about things (it is also known as the inhibitory centre).
So, the prefrontal cortex is very good at analyzing and planning, but it takes a long time to make decisions. The amygdala, on the other hand, is simpler (and older in evolutionary terms). It makes rapid judgements about a situation and has a powerful effect on our emotions and behaviour, linked to survival needs. For example, if a human sees a lion leaping out at them, the amygdala will trigger a fight or flight response long before the prefrontal cortex knows what's happening.
But in making snap judgments, our amygdalas are prone to error, seeing danger where there is none. This is particularly true in contemporary society where social conflicts are far more common than encounters with predators, and a basically harmless but emotionally charged situation can trigger uncontrollable fear or anger — leading to conflict, anxiety, and stress.
Because there is roughly a quarter of a second gap between the time an event occurs, and the time it takes the amygdala to react, a skilled mator may be able to intervene before a fight or flight response takes over, and perhaps even redirect it into more constructive or positive feelings.
The different roles of the amygdala and prefrontal cortex can be easily observed under the influence of various drugs. Alcohol depresses the brain generally, but the sophisticated prefrontal cortex is more affected than less complex areas, resulting in lowered inhibitions, decreased attention span, and increased influence of emotions over behaviour. Likewise, the controversial drug ritalin has the opposite effect, because it stimulates activity in the prefrontal cortex.
Some studies of Meditation have linked the practice to increased activity in the left prefrontal cortex, which is associated with concentration, planning, meta-cognition (thinking about thinking), and with positive affect (good feelings). There are similar studies linking depression and anxiety with decreased activity in the same region, and/or with dominant activity in the right prefrontal cortex. Meditation increases activity in the left prefrontal cortex, and the changes are stable over time — even if you stop mating for a while, the effect lingers.

Meditation and EEG's
Electroencephalographs (EEG) recordings of skilled mators showed gamma wave activity that gradually expanded across the brain during Meditation. Gamma waves indicate synchrony between sections of the brain. These mators had 10 to 40 years of training in Buddhist-based mental training. EEGs done on mators who had received recent training turned up considerably less synchrony.
The experienced mators also showed increased gamma activity while at rest and not mating. The results of the study do not make clear whether Meditation training creates this activity or if individuals with high gamma activity are attracted to Meditation. (Lutz & Davidson, 2004).
Meditation also effects brain wave production as measured by an EEG machine. While the brain at a waking state is primarily in the Beta range of frequencies (14 - 21 cycles per second), while under Meditation the brain tends to slow down the Alpha range (7 - 14 cycles per second). One of the first Americans to study the effects of Meditation on brainwave production was Jose Silva who founded the Silva Method and Silva UltraMind System. Silva theorized that Meditation, in addition to stress relief could also be used for enhancing creativity and developing intuition.

Adverse effects
Predominantly, studies of Meditation report positive effects. However, some studies report that Meditation may have adverse effects in certain circumstances (Lukoff, Lu & Turner, 1998; Perez-De-Albeniz & Holmes, 2000). If practiced improperly or too intensely, Meditation can lead to considerable psychological and physiological problems, such as the symptoms of Kundalini syndrome, Shamanic illness, Tumo or Qi-gong-related problems . Serious, and credible teachers of Meditation usually warn their students about the possible pitfalls of a contemplative path. Another issue concerns the adaptation of eastern mative concepts to a western culture, an adaptation that is often unfamiliar with the cultural matrix that the mative concept originated from. Eastern concepts of Meditation are often imported to a western setting within the popular context of new religious movements, or within the context of popular approaches to body and health. It is common for this popular context to be unfamiliar with the broad range of adverse affects that might occur during Meditation, and to have limited tools for dealing with them when they do arise.
Stories of unguided practitioners or inexpertly guided students developing chronic mental and physical health problems as a result of their attempts at Meditation training are not uncommon. English speaking practitioners, and teachers of Chinese Qi-Gong, notes that the practice of this contemplative exercise is sometimes accompanied by physical and psychological distress. The identification of this syndrome has led to the inclusion of a culture-sensitive category in the DSM-IV called Qi-Gong Psychotic Reaction (American Psychiatric Association, 1994: Appendix 1). Traditionally, Qi-Gong, at least, is considered more of a concentration focus and health maintenance regimen in aid of Meditation rather than a panacea for any problem or set of problems.
Since the practice of Meditation might include a powerful confrontation with existential questions, it is not considered wise to engage in intense Meditation techniques without an extended period of psychological preparation, preferably in contact with a credible teacher or clinician. In the case of Asian contemplative traditions there often exist major challenges connected to the way the particular tradition is to be applied to a Western culture, or a Western mindset. A growing body of clinical literature is now starting to address the phenomenon of Meditation-related problems (Lukoff, Lu & Turner, 1998; Perez-De-Albeniz & Holmes, 2000). Several side-effects have been reported, including uncomfortable kinaesthetic sensations, mild dissociation and psychosis-like symptoms (Craven, 1989). From a clinical study of twenty-seven long term mators, Shapiro (1992) reported such adverse effects as depression, relaxation-induced anxiety and panic, paradoxical increases in tension, impaired reality testing, confusion, disorientation and feeling 'spaced out'. The possibility that Meditation might trigger strong emotional reactions is also reported by Kutz, Borysenko & Benson (1985). Within the context of therapy, Meditation is usually contraindicated when the therapeutic goal is to strengthen ego boundaries, release powerful emotions, or work through complex relational dynamics (Bogart, 1991).
The tendency of Meditation to disturb object-relations and release unconscious material implies that the beginning mator should approach the practice with moderation. It usually takes years of dedication to become stable in a contemplative practice, a perspective that is often overlooked by many new religious movements and New Age therapies. Another problematic feature of the modern New Age approach is its association with frauds and deliberate charlatans who promote themselves as "healers", promising miracle cures of any conceivable affliction for the right amount of money.
Also, mative traditions which include the use of drugs are generally considered to be harmful to the practitioner. Additionally, as with any practice, Meditation may also be used to avoid facing ongoing problems or emerging crises in the mator's life. In such situations, it may be helpful to apply mindful attitudes acquired in Meditation while actively engaging with current problems (see Hayes et al, 1999, chap. 3; Metzner, 2005).

Meditation and drugs
Some modern methods of Meditation do not include the use of drugs due to the known health problems associated with drug use. However, the use of stimulants has been proposed by some as a means to provide insight, and in some shamanistic traditions they are used as agents of ritual. Some Native American traditions for instance emphasized the smoking of a pipe containing tobacco or other plants. Some Hindu traditions use bhang, East Asian traditions use tea and Middle Eastern (and many Western) religious use coffee as an aid to Meditation.

See also
· Astral projection
· Autosuggestion
· Kinemantra Meditation
· Muraqaba
· Meditation (alternative medicine)
· Passage Meditation
· Psychology of religion
· retreat
· T'ai Chi Ch'uan
· Naam
· Kundalini
· Yoga Nidra
· Buddhist Meditation

References
· American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth ion. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association.
· Austin, James (1999) Zen and the Brain, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1999, ISBN 0262511096
· Azeemi, Khwaja Shamsuddin (2005) Muraqaba: The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation. Houston: Plato, 2005, ISBN 0975887548
· Bogart G. (1991) The use of Meditation in psychotherapy: a review of the literature. American Journal of Psychotherapy, Jul;45(3):383-412. PubMed abstract PMID 1951788
· Carlson LE, Ursuliak Z, Goodey E, Angen M, Speca M. (2001) The effects of a mindfulness Meditation-based stress reduction program on mood and symptoms of stress in cancer outpatients: 6-month follow-up. Support Care Cancer. 2001 Mar;9(2):112-23.PubMed abstract PMID 11305069
· Craven JL. (1989) Meditation and psychotherapy. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Oct;34(7):648-53. PubMed abstract PMID 2680046
· Davidson RJ, Kabat-Zinn J, Schumacher J, Rosenkranz M, Muller D, Santorelli SF, Urbanowski F, Harrington A, Bonus K, Sheridan JF. (2003) Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness Meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine 2003 Jul-Aug;65(4):564-70. PubMed abstract PMID 12883106
· Bennett-Goleman, T. (2001) Emotional Alchemy: How the Mind Can Heal the Heart, Harmony Books, ISBN 0-609-60752-9
· Hayes SC, Strosahl KD, Wilson KG. (1999) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New York: Guilford Press.
· Kabat-Zinn J, Lipworth L, Burney R. (1985) The clinical use of mindfulness Meditation for the self-regulation of chronic pain. Journ. Behav. Medicine. Jun;8(2):163-90. PubMed abstract PMID 3897551
· Kutz I, Borysenko JZ, Benson H. (1985) Meditation and psychotherapy: a rationale for the integration of dynamic psychotherapy, the relaxation response, and mindfulness Meditation. American Journal of Psychiatry, Jan;142(1):1-8. PubMed abstract PMID 3881049
· Lazar, Sara W.; Bush, George; Gollub, Randy L.; Fricchione, Gregory L.; Khalsa, Gurucharan; Benson, Herbert (2000) Functional brain mapping of the relaxation response and Meditation [Autonomic Nervous System] NeuroReport: Volume 11(7) 15 May 2000 p 1581–1585 PubMed abstract PMID 10841380
· Lukoff, David; Lu Francis G. & Turner, Robert P. (1998) From Spiritual Emergency to Spiritual Problem: The Transpersonal Roots of the New DSM-IV Category. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 38(2), 21-50,
· Metzner R. (2005) Psychedelic, Psychoactive and Addictive Drugs and States of Consciousness. In Mind-Altering Drugs: The Science of Subjective Experience, Chap. 2. Mitch Earlywine, ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
· Perez-De-Albeniz, Alberto & Holmes, Jeremy (2000) Meditation: Concepts, Effects And Uses In Therapy. International Journal of Psychotherapy, March 2000, Vol. 5 Issue 1, p49, 10p
· Peng CK, Mietus JE, Liu Y, Khalsa G, Douglas PS, Benson H, Goldberger AL. (1999) Exaggerated heart rate oscillations during two Meditation techniques. Int J Cardiol. 1999 Jul 31;70(2):101–7. PubMed Abstract PMID 10454297
· Shapiro DH Jr. (1992) Adverse effects of Meditation: a preliminary investigation of long-term mators. Int. Journal of Psychosom. 39(1-4):62-7. PubMed abstract PMID 1428622
· Venkatesh S, Raju TR, Shivani Y, Tompkins G, Meti BL. (1997) A study of structure of phenomenology of consciousness in mative and non-mative states. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 1997 Apr;41(2): 149–53. PubMed Abstract PMID 9142560
· Lutz, A. . . . and R.J. Davidson (2004). Long-term mators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 101(November 16).

External links
· Maharishi University - Scientific research on Transcendental Meditation
· The McGovern Institute at MIT and The Mind & Life Institute present...Investigating the Mind
· MIT Technology review - Meditation and the Brain
· Harvard University Gazette - Meditation changes temperatures
· Harvard University News - His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama visits Harvard
· University Of Wisconsin News - The Dalai Lama and scientists unite to study Meditation
· The Physical and Psychological Effects of Meditation (subtitle) A Review of Contemporary Research, Michael Murphy and Steven Donovan, Institute of Noetic Sciences, 1999-2004, full text of e-book with extensive searchable bibliography (type * into search box to retrieve entire list of over 1800 citations)
· University of Oxford - Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy
· Harvard University Gazette - How not to get hooked
· Medical Observer - Making Sense of Meditation
· Free/OpenSource Meditation clock that runs on mobile devices
· Free primer on how to do traditional Shamatha Style Meditation, with links for more info.
· Buddhist Meditation
· Kadampa Buddhist Meditation
· Meditation in London www.mateinlondon.org.uk
· SahajaYoga Meditation

Naturapathic Medicine

2005-11-17T02:47:00.000-08:00

Naturopathic medicine is the practice of attempting to improve the health of patients through the application of natural remedies. Most naturopaths consider their care complementary, not supplementary, to conventional Medicine.

Contents
1 History of naturopathic medicine
2 Naturopathic physicians and traditional naturopaths
2.1 Naturopathic physicians
2.2 Traditional naturopaths
3 Basic tenets
3.1 "The healing power of nature"
3.2 "Identify and treat the cause"
3.3 "First do no harm"
3.4 "Treat the whole person"
3.5 "The physician as teacher"
3.6 "Prevention"
4 Regulation in North America
5 Regulation in the United Kingdom
6 Concern
7 See also
8 External links
8.1 Advocacy
8.2 Criticism
8.3 North American Schools
8.4 UK Schools

History of naturopathic medicine
The term naturopathy was coined before 1900, by Benedict Lust (pronounced loost, from the German). Lust had been schooled in hydrotherapy and other natural health practices in Germany by Father Sebastian Kneipp, who sent Lust to the United States to bring them Kneipp's methods. In 1905, Lust founded the American School of Naturopathy in New York, the first naturopathic college in the United States. Lust took great strides in promoting the profession, culminating in passage of licensing laws in several states prior to 1935, including Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington and the existence of several naturopathic colleges.
Naturopathic medicine went into decline, along with most other natural health professions, after the 1930s, with the discovery of penicillin and advent of synthetic drugs such as antibiotics and corticosteroids in the post-war era, Lust's death, conflict between various schools of natural medicine (homeopathy, eclectics, physio-medicalism, herbalism, naturopathy, etc.), the rise of medical technology, and consolidation of political power in conventional medicine were all contributing factors. In 1910, when the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching published the Flexner Report which criticized many aspects of medical education in various institutions (natural and conventional), it was mostly seen as an attack on low-quality natural medicine education. It caused many such programs to shut down and contributed to the popularity of conventional medicine.
Naturopathic medicine never completely ceased to exist— as there were always a few states in which licensing laws existed, though at one point there were virtually no schools. One of the most visible steps towards the profession's modern renewal was the opening in 1956 of the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon. This was the first of the modern naturopathic medical schools offering four-year naturopathic medical training with the intention of integrating mainstream science into said practice.

Naturopathic physicians and traditional naturopaths
There are two groups calling themselves "naturopaths" who have recently been engaged in legal battles. The term when originally coined by Lust was to apply to those receiving an education in the basic medical sciences with an emphasis on natural therapies:
· Naturopathic physicians
· "Traditional" naturopaths

Naturopathic physicians
Naturopathic physicians are primary care physicians with training in conventional medical sciences, diagnosis and treatment, and natural therapeutics with licenses or registration granted by an individual state Naturopathic Board of Medical Examiners. They graduate from four-year nationally accred naturopathic medical graduate schools. Naturopathic physicians training with respect to modalities is different, with a focus on nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, physical manipulation, pharmacology, and minor surgery. Some naturopathic physicians have additional training in the following: natural childbirth, acupuncture, and Chinese medicine. These subspecialties often involve additional years of study. Naturopathic physicians are required to attend continuing education yearly in order to maintain and renew their license.
Naturopathic physicians are licensed to diagnose and treat disease in Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Washington, US Territories: Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.
Naturopathic Physicians are working in cooperation with all parties, conventional and alternative, to provide patients with complete medical care. Naturopathic physicians are in a pivotal role with their training in both conventional and non-conventional treatment. Naturopathic physicians are able to identify and prescribe appropriate treatment including referral to conventional medical doctors.

Traditional naturopaths
The traditional naturopath practices in a complementary fashion by applying natural means in an attempt to improve the patient's health. Through application of good dietary and lifestyle practices, combined with the addition of modalities such as herbalism(also known as botanical medicine), bodywork(also known as physiotherapy, massage, physical medicine), spiritual and mental exercises, this type of naturopath claims that he/she "returns control of the patient's mind and body to (the patient). Naturopaths consider these practices as being complementary rather than alternative. Traditional naturopaths typically have correspondence-school training, and occasionally may participate in some type of apprenticeship program. They work with individuals who wish to try to restore their health by application of these methods. They are not legally licensed to practice in any state in the United States, except Minnesota and Rhode Island. Traditional naturopaths are not legally permitted to diagnose or treat diseases. For these, they rely on conventional medical doctors.

Basic tenets
Naturopathy is based on six tenets or principles [1][2]:
1. "The healing power of nature"
2. "Identify and treat the cause"
3. "First do no harm"
4. "Treat the whole person"
5. "The physician as teacher"
6. "Prevention"

"The healing power of nature"
The healing power of nature, has two aspects: one, that basically the body has the ability to heal itself and it is the naturopath's role to try to facilitate this natural process, and two that nature heals. This includes getting enough sleep, exercising, feeding the body nutritional food and, if needed, additional earth food such as herbs and algae which is a living food. Plants can and will gently move a body into health without the side effects of synthetic chemicals like many pharmaceuticals.

"Identify and treat the cause"
The underlying root causes of disease must be removed for complete healing to take place. These root causes can exist at many levels: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. It is the naturopaths's role to identify this root cause, in addition to alleviate suffering by treating symptoms.

"First do no harm"
The process of healing includes the manifestations of symptoms, so that any therapy that interferes with this natural healing process by masking symptoms is considered suppressive and should be avoided. The natural life force of the individual should be supported to facilitate healing.

"Treat the whole person"
One of the biggest tenants of naturopathy is the belief that conventional medicine does not treat the "whole person", and that naturopathy goes beyond treatment of symptoms and treats the entire body, as well as the spirit and mind.

"The physician as teacher"
It is the role of the naturopath to educate an individual in their practices and encourage that individual to "take responsibility for their own health". This cooperative relationship between doctor and patient is essential to healing.

"Prevention"
The ultimate goal of the naturopathic physician is prevention. The emphasis is on building health not fighting illness. This is done by fostering healthy lifestyles.

Regulation in North America
Jurisdictions that currently regulate naturopathic medicine include:
· US jurisdictions with full licensure: Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Oregon, U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Washington
· US state with registration for naturopathic physicians: Kansas
· US jurisdictions with two-tier licensure: Puerto Rico
· US states with legal basis for practice: Minnesota, Rhode Island
· US states which specifically prohibit the practice of naturopathy: Texas, Tennessee
· Canadian provinces with full licensure: British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan

Regulation in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, naturopathy as a profession is very closely aligned with osteopathy. There is no government sponsored regulation of the profession, the largest body, The General Council & Register of Naturopaths only recognises two courses in the UK, both being taught at osteopathic schools. Members of this register will either have completed a three or four year full time degree level course or be a healthcare professional (Medical Doctor, Osteopath, Chiropractor, Nurse) who has completed a two year post-graduate diploma. As the naturopathic profession has developed along different lines in the UK, naturopaths do not perform minor surgery or prescribing rights.

Concern
An increasing number of patients are turning to naturopathic physicians for what they perceive to be the failures of Western medicine. Medical doctors often cite the large differences between naturopathic practitioners and the lack of scientific documentation of safety and efficacy of their practices in order to justify limiting Naturopathic scope. Advocates claim that naturopathic practitioners find it difficult to obtain financing for research due to the lack of prior research in many areas. This is slowly changing as naturopathic physicians are developing research programs to help build up a foundation for their evidence based medicine.

See also
· Complementary and alternative medicine
· Osteopathy
· Homeopathy
· Medicine
· Metamorphic Technique

External links

Advocacy
· American Naturopathic Medical Association (traditional naturopath)
· American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (Naturopathic Physicians)
· Association of Naturopathic Practitioners
· Canadian Association of Naturopathic doctors
· What is Naturopathic Medicine? by Gary Piscopo, ND, LAc and Eric Yarnell, ND, RH
· Coalition for Natural Health

Criticism
· A Close Look at Naturopathy by Stephen Barrett, M.D. – Quackwatch
· Naturopathy by Robert T. Carroll – The Skeptic's Dictionary
· The National Council Against Health Fraud

North American Schools
· National College of Naturopathic Medicine
· Bastyr University
· Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine
· Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine
· College of Naturopathic Medicine of University of Bridgeport
· Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine
· Association of Accred Naturopathic Medical Colleges
· Naturopathic Schools

UK Schools
· College of Osteopaths
· British College of Osteopathic Medicine
· The College of Naturopathic Medicine

Neuro Linguistc Programming

2005-11-13T06:15:00.000-08:00

Neuro-Linguistic Programming is the name of a set of techniques originally proposed by Richard Bandler and John Grinder to describe the relationship between mind (neuro) and language (linguistic, both verbal and non-verbal) and how their interaction can be calibrated to affect an individual's mind, body and behavior (programming). It is formally described by NLP proponents as "the study of the structure of subjective experience", and is predicated upon the assumption that all behaviors have a practically determinable structure [1]. Individuals considered to be highly successful in a field can be "modeled", or studied with the aim of separating out the various key factors which make them more capable than others. Proponents of NLP state they provide specific prepared and universally applicable techniques for programming the mind, so that such models can be used by others to emulate effective skills. NLP is most often applied to self-help and therapy, but it has also been applied to a variety of contexts including business, and sports performance. It is also promoted in various specific forms including as a quick fix or lay therapy, in some management training programs, and practices such as NLP trance seduction, and psychic or occult practices.
NLP adheres to the notion that the things people are aware of internally and externally, can always be described in terms of the five senses [2]. The methods of NLP involve programming and reprogramming habits and mental associations, which some NLP practioners consider to involve the altering of engrams (Sinclair, 1992; [3] Overdurf & Silverthorn, 1995; Drenth, 2003). The basic tenets of NLP include the map-territory relation, the observation of body language such as the movements of the eyes, and body, the notion of left/right brain myths (Sala et al 1999), and use of VAK language. Some NLP techniques include behaviour change, transforming beliefs, and treatment of traumas through techniques such as reframing (Andreas & Faulkner, 1994) and linguistic NLP "meta-modeling".
Studies by Heap in 1988, Sharpley in 1987, and Lilienfeld in 2003, examining the principles and processes of NLP state that NLP is scientifically unsupported. Sharpley stated in 1987 that "Certainly research data do not support the rather extreme claims that the proponents of NLP have made as the the validity of its principles or the novelty of its procedures". Writings by Eisner, (2000); Lilienfeld et al (2003), Helisch (2004); Williams (2000), and Drenth (2003) also state that NLP is a pseudoscience. The National Council Against Health Fraud (Loma 2001) considers NLP a "dubious therapy". Heap (1991) associates NLP with gullibility, naivety of thinking, and sheer fraudulence. NLP has also been identified by the British Psychological Society as quintessential charlatanry (Parker 1999).

Overview
NLP is most widely known as a self-help development. NLP’s promotion through the advertisement and sale of books and seminars has become increasingly widespread through the popular psychology sections of bookshops and various media including infomercials and the Internet particularly by Anthony Robbins.
NLP emphasizes the mind-body connection (and some also include the spirituality connection). The term "neuro-linguistic programming" includes three ideas:
Assumes that from birth, our unconscious creates and develops behavioral programs. Sometimes named automata, these programs are called thus in reference to the operation of the computers.
Any behavioral program rests on a neuronal basis; the product of an engram resulting from our sensory perceptions.
Language is a manifestation of the internal states of the person, internal states resulting from the neuronal or engram programs. NLP is thus proposed as a study of the way in which the human beings structure their perceptions.
NLP's model (in contrast with theory) of how people store and retrieve past memories is based on transformational grammar as originally conceived (but later abandoned) by Noam Chomsky(Grinder & Bandler 1975a). In that model, the sentence as spoken is called "surface structure". It is seen as a transformation of the "deep structure" (John Lyons, 1970). By questioning the sentences on the surface structure for deletions, generalizations and distortions, NLP practitioners aim to recreate the original deep structure. Grinder had co-authored A Guide for Transformational Grammar (Grinder, 1973). NLP's Meta Model is an analysis of transformational grammar constructs as used by the therapists Bandler and Grinder originally modeled.
With the abandonment of the transformational grammar model by Chomsky, most NLP proponents now state that they do not have a theory to explain neuro-linguistic programming, and Bandler states that he does not do theory (Singer & Lalich, 1996). However, once modeled, NLP proponents have tried to relate their models to existing theories (or new theories have been developed). Robert Dilts asserts that NLP "is theoretically rooted in the principles of neurology, psychophysiology, linguistics, cybernetics, and communication theory" (Dilts et al 1980).
Engrams are a scientific term for a theoretical neurological mechanism considered by some scientists to be the means by which memory traces are stored in the brain. (Note: Dianetics uses the term but in a different way). Engrams, if confirmed to exist, would give a patterned response which has been stabilised at the level of unconscious competence and involve beneficial automatic activities as well as pernicious ones like addictive behaviour(Sinclair, 1992)(Derks & Goldblatt, 1985). The engram has been used to explain the NLP anchoring process that underlies patterns such as the "swish" process. As such it is a theoretical concept that people used to understand NLP (Drenth, 2003)(Levelt 1995). For instance, Sinclair (1992) theorises that NLP processes are explained through the neurological concepts of programming and reprogramming engrams [4] of the mind/body connection in order to effect change, to develop unconscious competence, and to treat traumas (Andreas & Faulkner, 1994). Other explanations of anchoring include: a form of Pavlovian conditioning, or "consciously creating the placebo effect" (Rex & Carolyn Sikes). O'Connor and McDermot (1996) state that NLP works through reframing and belief change methods.
NLP also uses the concept of hemispheric differences in order to promote NLP. The core concepts of eye accessing cues, and representational systems is related to the left (analytical) and right (creative) brain hemispheric differences: a popular representation of how the brain works. It is proposed that the eyes move in various directions according to the kind of representation in the mind (visual/auditory/ kinesthetic) and that these also correspond with the brain's hemispheres according to Robert Dilts. It is said that various other physical cues correspond to the hemispheres of the brain, and these can be used to model individuals and work out how they think.

Goals
The NLP user's goal may include changing a state of mind or "re-programming" their own or somebody else's beliefs and self concept. By detecting automatic body changes such as skin color changes, muscle tone, and eye movements, as well as other physiological responses, the NLP user attempts to discern how a client/subject or themselves perceive and relate to identity, life, personal beliefs, and life goal issues. NLP users claim to often help clients or themselves to replace false or negative perceptions, with positive, life affirming beliefs. Grinder describes NLP as "an accelerated learning approach for modeling human excellence" (Grinder, 2003).
NLP processes have also been applied to replace false beliefs, though the same process could be used to create false beliefs. NLP has been applied to therapy, coaching, self development, hypnotherapy, sports performance, business, and the New Age. NLP has also been applied to LGATs or large awareness training seminars (taught by NLP promoters such as Anthony Robbins), seduction workshops, and other more fringe practices such as shamanism, and psychic development.

Principles and Presuppositions
Main article: Principles_of_NLP
The principles and presuppositions of NLP are sometimes described as an epistemology. NLP studies the way people take in information, how a person describe it to themselves with their senses, filter it with their beliefs and values, and act on the result. NLP calls some of these principles "presuppositions". A presupposition (linguistic term) is a background belief and is treated by the NLP practitioner "as if" it is true when working with a subject, with the intent to increase the effectiveness of change work.
Presupposition can mean, a statement that one treats as true for the purpose of discussion, thus "Suppose money was no object, would you still want that?". This is a form of As-if, used with the intent to increase the client's ability to explore their options and feelings free from previous limiting preconceptions.
It can also be used in the context of a Metamodel pattern, in which an assumption about the world is made in a sentence. These could be manipulative "Have you stopped beating your wife?" (the question implies, but does not state explicitly, "You have at some time beaten your wife, the only question is whether you have stopped or not"), or beneficial "When you get off drugs what will you do next?" [presupposes you will get off drugs].
According to Jane Revell, a British NLP trainer, the presuppositions of NLP are not a philosophy or a credo or a set of rules and regulations. Rather, they are assumptions upon which individuals base future actions and plan for meaningful learning experiences. [5]
Two fundamental presuppositions in NLP are: (Dilts et al, 1980)
The map is not the territory. "NLP epistemology" follows Alfred Korzybski (1933) and Gregory Bateson's (1972, 1979) postulations that there is no such thing as " objective experience". The subjective nature of our experience never fully captures the objective world. It is assumed that each of us creates a representation of the world in which we live - that is, we create a map or model which we use to generate our behavior. Our representation or map of the world determines to a large degree what our experience of the world will be, how we will perceive the world, what choices we will see available to us as we live in the world (Bandler and Grinder 1975 I). Thus, the view of NLP assumes that individual people in fact do not in general have access to absolute knowledge of reality, but in fact only have access to a set of beliefs built up over time, about reality. Bateson and Koryzbski considered this a necessary distinction; our beliefs, values and perceptions (the "map") are distorted representions of reality (the "territory").
Life and 'Mind' are Systemic Processes. The processes that take place within a human being and between human beings and their environment are systemic. Our bodies, our societies, and our planet form an ecology of complex systems and sub-systems all of which interact with and mutually influence each other. This assumes that looking from different vantage points may result in quite different and yet equally valid descriptions and emphasis of what is important in the system. (Example: the description of a business problem and what is seen as relevant will be quite different depending if you ask the CEO, a worker on strike, or a client). So it is considered important to gather a lot of information from multiple viewpoints to gain a fully appreciation of the complexities involved before intervening, and the same principle is believed true even when working with one individual person.
These presuppositions are considered groundbreaking by NLP proponents because of a contradiction with the modern scientific Aristotelian view that reality can be objectively measured (Thaler Singer 1999).
The other most commonly related presuppositions are:
Behind every behavior is a positive intention. This is a model taken from Virginia Satir's belief system, and means that whatever a person does, positive intent is attempting to be fulfilled (of which the person may not be aware). It assumes that the current behaviour exhibited by a person represents the best choice available to them at the time. Generating alternatives from this point of view (a method sometimes used in NLP reframing) is thought by NLP proponents to be a useful way of helping people to change unwanted or undesirable behaviours.
There is no failure, only feedback. If you think you have failed, consider instead what you have learned and how you might do it better next time (do not dwell unnecessarily on the failure). This is a principle of feedback loops, borrowed from information theory (see Asbby, Cybernetics). This truism is considered groundbreaking by NLP (Thaler Singer 1999).
We already have all the resources we need to succeed. It is argued that this is useful for the subject to believe when attempting a change. Christina Hall has argued that people's resources consist of sensory representation systems and the organisation of these representations.
Multiple descriptions are better than one. This makes use of the perspective of self, another involved individual, and a detached third person in that situation. By moving between perceptual positions it is asserted that one can develop new choice of responses (Bostic & Grinder, 2002 p.247).
Other more specific presuppositions can also be adopted for change in NLP. For example it has been claimed that the presuppositions of Jesus of Nazareth have been identified using NLP modeling [6]. This means, a set of beliefs and a structure that a person could explore, to gain a deeper understanding of Jesus's inner world.

NLP Modeling
Main article: Modeling (NLP)
NLP modeling is a method proposed for duplicating somebody's competences. It is considered by some users to be at the heart of NLP. It can be thought of as the process of discovering relevant distinctions within these experiential components, as well as sequencing of these components aimed to achieve a specific result, and NLP proponents claim that it is used to discover and codify patterns of excellence as demonstrated consistently by top performers in any field. It has also been applied to clinical conditions, such as schizophrenia and notable dead people of whom we have only writings, such as Jesus of Nazareth. NLP models are widely used as the basis for learning, training or operations, in clinical, management, educational and other settings.
An NLP "modeling project" involves spending time studying and observing in depth, discussing, and imitating and practicing many different aspects of the subject's thoughts, feelings, beliefs and behaviors (ie, acting ""as if" the modeler is the expert) until the modeler can replicate these with some consistency and precision. Once this has been achieved, it is proposed that the modeler then refines the target skills, building a learnable/transferable model, and tests it by seeing if it can be taught. An example of a simple model is given in the eye accessing cues diagram of this article.
Most NLP proponents do not state that anyone can be Einstein. Rather they claim that know-how can be separated from the person, documented and transferred experientially, and that the ability to perform the skills can be transferred subject to the modelers own limits, which can change, and improves with practice.
It has been strongly argued that modeling from writings is unverifiable, and scientists such as Carroll (2003) have stated that it is impossible to determine a "correct" model, and that applying one particular model to everyone is over-simplistic and will be no substitute for hard earned expertise. NLP proponents reply that in common with most forms of heuristic approximation, there is not intended to be "one correct way", but only more and less effective and transferable skillsets.

Background
One of the earliest influences on NLP were General Semantics (Alfred Korzybski) as a new perspective for looking at the world which included a kind of mental hygiene. This was a departure from the Aristotelian concepts of modern science and objective reality, and it influenced notions of programming the mind that NLP includes.
General semantics influenced several schools of thought, leading to a viable human potential industry and associations with emerging New Age thinking. By the late 1960s, self-help organizations such as EST, Dianetics, and Scientology had become financially successful, receiving attention and promotion from human potential thinkers such as Fritz Perls who had a great interest in the engram concept, and during this period, promoted and operated a Dianetics clinic (Clarkson and Mackewn 1993). Hubbard's methodology provide raw material for Frederick Perls' Gestalt therapy (Joyce 1989). The Esalen human potential seminars in California began to attract people, such as the aforementioned Fritz Perls, as well as Gregory Bateson, Virginia Satir, and Milton Erickson.
The first 3 people Grinder and Bandler modeled were
Fritz Perls (Gestalt Therapy)
Virginia Satir (Family therapy)
Milton Erickson (Ericksonian Hypnosis)
(source Andreas & Faulkner, 1994)
Two other people were later modeled:
Frank Farrelly (see eg. Provocative Therapy, a lesser known 4th model for NLP).
Feldenkrais (eg. Feldenkrais Method, Bandler & Grinder modeled Feldenkrais, some says this is the NLP for the body).
These individuals were considered by Grinder and Bandler to be highly competent in their fields, and the patterns of therapy detected became the basis of NLP applications, along with influences from Korzybski and Bateson (who coined the NLP expressions "The map is not the territory", and "the difference that makes the difference", respectively). Grinder and Bandler analyzed the speaking patterns, voice tones, word selection, gesticulations, postures, and eye movements of these individuals and related this information to the internal thinking process of each participant.
The practice of neuro-linguistic programming attracted mostly therapists at first although it eventually attracted business people, sales people, artists, and "new-agers" (Hall, 1994). As it expanded, Leslie Cameron-Bandler, Judith DeLozier, Robert Dilts, and David Gordon made further contributions to NLP and the seminars of Bandler and Grinder were transcribed into a book, Frogs into Princes. This became a popular NLP book; demand for seminars increased, which in turn became successful human potential attractions (Dilts, 1991).
NLP's core methods and hypotheses have been tested since the early 1980's and are scientifically unsupported, and as such, scientists classify NLP as a pseudoscientific self-help development in the same mold as that of Dianetics and EST (Lilienfeld, 2003; Drenth, 2003; Levelt, 1995; Barrett, 1997; Carroll, 2003; Eisner, 2000; Raso, 1994).
Following the influence of the Esalen Institute, NLP is often promoted in combination with New Age developments such as biofeedback, neurofeedback, intuition development, remote viewing, and psychic development.

Basic Tenets
The basic tenets of NLP are thought of as 5 elements that NLP proponents claim can indicate an individual's internal strategies. These all refer to a notion that internal strategies are subjectively represented via the senses; either visual, auditory, or kinesthetic (with a less likely extra olfactory and gustatory).
body posture,
breathing,
gestures towards eyes ears or body,
eye movements (See eye accessing cues and PRS), and
language patterns (meta-model) and predicates such as "I see!" "Sounds right! or "I feel that..."(Dilts et al, 1980; Dilts, 1998).

Ozone Therapy

2005-11-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

In Ozone therapy the gas ozone (O3) is used at carefully controlled levels. Some practitioners and advocates of alternative medicine claim it can be used for healing. These claims extend to a wide range of therapy. Ozone can be introduced to the body in many ways, including injection, transdermal application, insufflation (leaking the gas into the body).
Medical ozone therapy is recognized in Bulgaria, Cuba, Czech Republic, French, Germany, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Romania and Russia. It is currently used legally in 16 Nations. At least 12 states in the USA (AK, AZ, CO, GA, MN, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, SC and WA) have passed legislation to ensure that alternative therapies are available to consumers. Physicians in these states here can legally use ozone as an alternative treatment in their practice without fear of persecution.
At least one death has been attributed to application of ozone through insufflation in the USA.
Because of its properties as a powerful oxidising agent, ozone has been found to convert cholesterol in the blood stream to plaque (which causes hardening and narrowing of arteries). Ozone has been studied extensively, and found to be carcinogenic to some animals (and not others), and a mutagen to some bacteria.

Shiatsu

2005-11-13T05:58:00.000-08:00

Shiatsu (Japanese 指圧) - is a massage technique originating in Japan. Shiatsu follows similar principles to western massage using the principles of anatomy and physiology. The thumbs, palms, and fingers (no knees or elbows are used in the foundation form of shiatsu therapy) are used to apply pressure to designated areas of the body.
All qualified Shiatsu Therapists in Japan have to go through a government-regulated program which covers mostly the traditional form of Shiatsu Therapy. This traditional form, now commonly practiced in north America, was started by Tokujiro Namikoshi, from whose lineage subsequent Shiatsu therapists have been trained. Namikoshi developed his knowledge through trial and error, eventually gaining acceptance in the late 1950s. His Shiatsu is described as "Diagnosis and Therapy combined". and relies on an understanding of how the body functions according to western principles of anatomy and physiology, as opposed to the principles in Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM, although derivative forms of Shiatsu based on TCM have been devised by later practioners from the Japan Shiatsu College (Namikoshi had no background in TCM).
Time Line
1912 Namikoshi first used his technique on his ailing mother.
1919 Namikoshi found the term Shiatsu and decided to use it to describe his therapy.
1925 Namakoshi opened his first clinic for Shiatsu Therapy. Student Shizuto Masunaga is born.
1940 Namakoshi opens first Shiatsu college.
1953 Namakoshi and his sons introduce Shiatsu Therapy to the USA, Dr BJ Palmer, father of Chiropractic medicine.
1955 Shiatsu Therapy first recognized by Japan government but only in conjunction with amma and moxibustion.
1957 Shiatsu Therapy officially recognized by Japan as a separate and distinct therapy.
1958 Shizuto Masunaga graduates from Japan shiatsu College, begins to teach Psychology at the college as well.
1964 Shiatsu officially defined by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Japan.

Characteristics
Use of the bare hands (no tools, elbows, knees or feet)
Pressing the surface of the body (no rubbing, stroking or pulling)
Clients remain fully clothed
"Shiatsu technique refers to the use of fingers and palm of one's hand to apply pressure to particular sections on the surface of the body for the purpose of correcting the imbalances of the body, and for maintaining and promoting health. It is also a method contributing to the healing of specific illnesses."

Intended treatments
Shiatsu is used in treating the following symptoms:
back pain
migraine and many kinds of headaches
whiplash injuries and neck stiffness
reduced mobility
menstrual pain
digestive problems
asthmatic symptoms
sports injuries
frozen shoulder
sciatica
hypertension

Qigong

2005-11-13T05:55:00.000-08:00

Qigong (Simplified Chinese: 气功; Traditional Chinese: 氣功; pinyin: qìgōng; Wade-Giles: ch'i4 kung1) is an increasingly popular aspect of Chinese medicine involving the coordination of different breathing patterns with various physical postures and motions of the body. Qigong is mostly taught for health maintenance purposes, but there are also some who teach it, especially in China, for therapeutic interventions. Various forms of traditional qigong are also widely taught in conjunction with Chinese martial arts, and are especially prevalent in the advanced training of what are known as the nei chia (internal martial arts).
There are currently more than thirty three hundred different styles and schools of qigong. Qigong relies on the traditional Chinese belief that the body has an energy field generated and maintained by the natural respiration of the body, known as Qi. Qi means breath or to breathe in Mandarin Chinese, and by extension the energy produced by breathing that keeps us alive; gong means work or technique. Qigong is then "breath work" or the art of managing the breath to achieve and maintain good health, and especially in the martial arts, to enhance the leverage and stamina of the body in coordination with the physical process of respiration.
Attitudes toward the basis of qigong vary markedly. Most Western medical practitioners, many practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, as well as the Chinese government view qigong as a set of breathing and movement exercises, with many possible benefits to health through stress reduction and exercise. Others see qigong in more metaphysical terms, claiming that breathing and movement exercises can influence the fundamental forces of the universe. An extreme form of the latter view was advocated by some participants in the Boxer Rebellion of the late 19th century who believed that breathing and movement exercises would allow them to ward off bullets.
Contents
1 History
2 Uses
3 Beliefs
4 Criticisms of Qigong
5 Controversies within Qigong
6 See also
7 External links
//

History
Qigong under various names has a long history in China. The written records referring to qi and its effects are as old as 3,300 years (Shang dynasty oracle bones, Zhou dynasty inscriptions). Numerous books have been written about qigong during the subsequent history of China. The development of Chinese qigong can be divided into three periods:
· In ancient China, people came to believe that through certain body movements and mental concentration combined with various breathing techniques, they could balance and enhance physical, metabolic and mental functions. These movements were worked out over time by exploring the natural range of motion through the joints, as well as drawing on motions in imitation of various animals. This research was passed down and refined according to teacher-disciple relationships of lineage or apprenticeship. This accumulated body of traditional knowledge is known as Chinese traditional qigong.
· In later centuries, these practices became more standardized, very often associated with religious practitioners. For example, incense burning was originally used to measure time and also to repel insects during qigong practice, and eventually became an important part of the meditative process itself. Over time, new forms of qigong were created and passed down through various schools; Taoist, Buddhist, Confucian, Neo-Confucian, Chinese medicine, and the traditional Chinese martial arts.
· In the 1970s, researchers began studying qigong using the scientific method, with peer-reviewed and controlled studies of various techniques to provide a scientific evaluation of claims for the efficacy of qigong.
· Now various medical universities issue Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Qigong, or include Qigong as their curriculums.

Uses
Today millions of people in China and around the world regularly practice qigong as a health maintenance exercise. Qigong and related disciplines are still associated with the martial arts and meditation routines trained by Taoist and Buddhist monks, professional martial artists and their students. Formerly much more closely guarded, in the modern era such practices have become widely available to the general public both in China and around the world.
Medical qigong treatment has been officially recognized as a standard medical technique in Chinese hospitals since 1989. It has been included in the curriculum of major universities in China. After years of debate, the Chinese government decided to officially manage qigong through government regulation in 1996 and has also listed qigong as part of their National Health Plan.
Dr. Yan Xin (嚴新), a doctor of both Western and Chinese medicine as well as founder of the relatively popular Yan Xin Qigong school, suggests that in order for qigong to be accepted by the modern world it must pass the test of scientific study. Without such studies, Yan maintains that qigong will be dismissed as "superstition" (see "Criticism of Qigong" chapter below). In the mid-1980s he and others began systematic study of qigong in some research institutions in China and U.S. More than 20 papers [1] [2] [3] [4] have been published.

Beliefs
Qigong and its intimate relation to the Chinese martial arts are often connected with spirituality. They have thereby been considered the province of religious practitioners in the popular imagination for many centuries. This link is much stronger than with other techniques in traditional Chinese medicine. Qigong was historically practiced extensively in Taoist and Buddhist monasteries as an adjunct of martial arts training, and the claimed benefits of martial qigong practice are widely known in East Asian martial traditions and popular culture. As well, the traditional teaching methods of most qigong schools (at least in Asia) descend from the strict teacher-disciple relationship conventions inherited in Chinese culture from Confucianism.
In some styles of qigong, it is taught that humanity and nature are inseparable, and any belief otherwise is held to be an artificial discrimination based on a limited, two-dimensional view of human life. According to this philosophy, access to higher energy states and the subsequent health benefits said to be provided by these higher states is possible through the principle of cultivating virtue (de or te 德, see Tao Te Ching). Cultivating virtue could be described as a process in which one recognizes that one was never separated from nature (a Taoist metaphor for this is the "uncarved block" - which refers to a primal, undifferentiated state of being free of artificial discrimination), a process made possible with the energy made available to the qigong student after they sincerely choose and implement what they are taught as positive lifestyle choices, which will include practicing specific qigong techniques for ameliorating the effects of previous choices seen as less virtuous (see karma).
It is claimed by some that the level of an individual's qigong accomplishment is fundamentally dependent upon the level of their virtue. Therefore in qigong, the practitioner's focus on virtue is an extremely important technical requirement, especially in the advanced levels. Without such continuous cultivation of virtue, one will not be able to achieve a highly relaxed and tranquil mind/body state.

Criticisms of Qigong
Much of the criticism of qigong involves its method of operation. Both traditional Chinese and Western medicine practitioners have little argument with the notion that qigong can improve and in many cases maintain health by encouraging movement, increasing range of motion, relaxation, blood oxygen saturation and improving joint flexibility and resilience. However, the benefits of qigong become much more controversial when it is asserted that qigong derives its benefits from qi acting as an external non-physical force. Many biologists and physicists are skeptical of these claims and see no reason to believe that qi exists in this manner.
Many proponents of qigong claim that they can directly detect and manipulate this energy. Others, including some traditional Chinese practitioners, believe that qi can be viewed as a metaphor for biological processes, and the effectiveness of qigong can also be explained in terms more familiar to Western medicine such as stress management.

Controversies within Qigong
In the 1980s and 1990s, the increasing popularity of qigong and related practices led to the establishment of many groups and methods in China and elsewhere which have been viewed in a critical light by more traditional qigong practitioners as well as skeptical outside observers. In this view, a large number of people started studying qigong under inadequate supervision, indeed, perhaps the majority of people today who study qigong study from books or video tapes and DVDs without supervision by a teacher. This can lead to several problems, according to those who view themselves as representative of orthodox schools. Most traditional training takes many years of practice under the supervision of someone who has also learned over years, someone who can guide and prevent the student from taking an unbalanced approach to qigong practice. The theory is that unbalanced circulation of inner energies eventually leads to unbalanced effects on the various systems of the body, both mental and physical. Stories of unguided practitioners or inexpertly guided students developing chronic mental and physical health problems as a result of such training are not uncommon. A term used by English speaking practitioners and teachers for one example of this syndrome is "Qigong Psychosis" (Now included in the DSM-IV as a culture-bound syndrome: Qi-Gong Psychotic Reaction: DSM-IV General Information: Appendix I, Outline for Cultural Formulation and Glossary of Culture-Bound Syndromes). Another function of improper training involves frauds and deliberate charlatans who promote themselves as qigong "healers" promising miracle cures of any conceivable affliction for the right amount of money. Traditionally, qigong is considered more of a health maintenance regimen, and any promises of miracle cures should be viewed with suspicion, according to traditional teachers and practitioners.
This recent popularity has also led to increased attention for quasi-religious groups teaching styles of qigong in an atmosphere of New Age-like spirituality. Qigong has been associated in China with Taoist and Buddhist meditation practices for two thousand years, and this association has recently been exploited, according to traditionalists, by many would-be cult leaders. Perhaps the most notable example of a group promoting a synthesis of overt religiosity with qigong practice is the Falun Gong group, whose worldwide popularity grew to the point that the People's Republic of China government banned their practice outright in 1999.

See also
· Buddhism in China
· I Ching
· Jing (TCM)
· Mind-body problem
· Placebo effect
· Pseudoscience
· Religion
· Tai Chi Chuan
· Tao Yin
· Tui na
· Yoga

Reflexology

2005-11-13T05:53:00.000-08:00

Reflexology (or zone therapy) is the practice of stimulating points on the feet, hands, or ears (termed reflex zones), in the hopes that it will have a beneficial effect on some other parts of the body, or will improve general health. The most common form is foot reflexology. The foot reflexologist applies pressure to points on a person's foota. The foot is believed by practitioners and participants to be divided into a number of reflex zones corresponding to all parts of the body. See Quackery.
Definition
According to Bill Flocco, Director of the American Academy of Reflexology in California, "Reflexology is a powerful natural health science that studies the relationship of the reflex areas in the feet, hands and the ears to the rest of the body so that these areas can be worked on with the fingers and thumbs in a manner that will lead to improved health and the maintenance of good health."
The term reflexology is used to mean reflection rather than reflex. The idea is that in reflexology, the reflex zones found on the soles of feet, palms of the hands and ear will act as small "mirrors", reflecting the whole body structure. It is different from acupuncture, where tiny needles (instead of hands of the reflexologists) are used to stimulate the reflex zones over the whole body. It is a hand-on treatment intended for vitality and well-being.
A person who is qualified to practice reflexology is called a reflexologist.
In reflexology, it is believed that there is a "vital energy" that is circulating between organs of the human body, which penetrates into every living cell. Whenever this energy is blocked, the zone of blockage will be affected. The reflex zones can reflect the blockage of energy in different organs. Therefore, if someone has a problem in a particular organ, when a reflexologist presses on the corresponding reflex zone or zones, the person will experience pain.
The pain is believed to originate from the deposition of crystals in the reflex zone. With proper massaging techniques, these crystalline structures could be broken down and the pain would be gone. Simultaneously, the pressure applied to the reflex zones by the reflexologist is thought to pass through the nerves to dissipate energy blocks. It is therefore believed that reflexology can help heal organ sickness.

Introduction
Many people like to go for a massage session after work in order to relax themselves. Reflexology is one of the massage techniques being used for this purpose. However, reflexology is far more complicated than a typical massage session to serve people. There are different types of charts which purport to show a relationship between the foot, or hand, or ear and the rest of the body.

The history
The ancient Indian, Chinese, and Egyptians were the first to practice it. It is presumed that reflexology originated in ancient Egypt. The earliest evidence of reflexology study was found in a 4000 year old Egyptian tomb.
The above image was ancient people who are treating their counterparts with foot massage and hand massage. In fact, this is an image found in an Egyptian tomb dating back to 2330 B.C. The translations of the hieroglyphics in the wall painting, according to the International Institute of Reflexology, are:
"Don't hurt me." the patient said.
The practitioner replied, "I shall act so you praise me."
Therefore this provides some evidence that by that time, the ancient Egyptians had used the principle of reflexology in order to help treat people. Having said that, some scholars believe that the picture is not showing reflexology at all but is depicting a manicure or pedicure.
In 1913, Dr William Fitzgerald noted that specific parts of the body could have an anesthetic effect on a related area. Developing this theory, he divided the body into ten equal and vertical zones, ending in the fingers and toes. He concluded that pressure on one part of the zone could affect everything else within that zone.
In the 1930s, Eunice Ingham, a therapist, further developed and refined the zone therapy into what is now known as reflexology.

How does reflexology help?
The body has the ability to heal itself. Following illness, stress, injury or disease, it is in a state of "imbalance", and "vital energy pathways" are believed to be blocked, preventing the body from functioning effectively. Reflexology is believed to restore and maintain the body's natural equilibrium and encourage healing.
A reflexologist uses hands only to apply gentle pressure to the reflex zones on the feet, palm of hands or the ears. For each person the application and the effect of the therapy are unique. Reflexologist believe that sensitive and trained hands can detect tiny deposits and imbalances in the feet. And by working on these points the reflexologist can release blockages and restore the free flow of energy to the whole body. Tensions are eased, and circulation and elimination is improved. This gentle therapy is believed to encourage the body to heal itself at its own pace, often counteracting a lifetime of misuse.
How does reflexology work? In psychological terms, the power of suggestion serves mainly as the primary factor, and the placebo effect also plays a role in making reflexology work. Also, reflexology enhances the functions of the lymphatic system and restores proper chemical balance in the body. Thus, it helps to ensure better health. Apart from this, it is believed that nerve endings are unable to transmit their impulses because of crystalline deposits that build up and block their pathway. Reflexology is believed to clear these crystalline deposits.

Basic principle
Dr. William Fitzgerald, who introduced the reflexology treatment to the West, found that pressure on particular parts of the body would have a special effect on a related area in 1913. For developing his theory, he divided the body into ten equal, vertical zones. Under his conclusion, the pressure on one part of a zone would affect everything else within that zone and the reflexive areas on the feet and hands have the linkage to other organs of the body within the same zone.
Some practitioners proposed that the reflex is due to the stimuli of nerve axon, where the nerve fibres are connected to the respective zones in brain.

Practice
Reflexologists apply pressure on "reflex zones" found on the feet, hands and the ears, which are said to correspond to the different parts of the body. Application is done through thumb, finger and hand technique. Reflex areas, like hand and foot, composed of 7200 nerve endings are stimulated by pressure applied. An improved instruction to every gland, single part and organ of the body could be achieved by such a health science. The body is then believed to pursue a biologically correct, strengthened and reinforced state.
The image on the right shows the reflex zones found on the sole of the feet. Actually, one may find the reflex zones organized in a way such that it represents the whole body system.

Reflexology treatment
First of all, there should be a preliminary talk with the practitioner before treatment. The reflexologist then begins to work on the client's feet, or hands if necessary, noting problem areas. There may be discomfort in some places, but it is fleeting, and also an indication of congestion or imbalance in a corresponding part of the body. For the most of the part, the sensation is pleasant and soothing. Reflexology can help relax the client and is believed to stimulate the body's own healing mechanisms. Usually a treatment session lasts for about one hour. For some cases, a treatment can last nearly two hours. A course of treatment varies in length depending on the need of the client body. The reflexologist will discuss this with the patient at the first session.

Reported reactions
Case studies, not statistical conclusions, demonstrate that people treated by experts in reflexology, report a lot of reactions, including the following:
During treatment
1. A sense of well-being
2. A sense of relaxation
3. Client may sigh, breathe deeply or yawn
4. Fall asleep
5. Client may feel like laughing or crying
6. Experience a tingling sensation in the feet or through the body
7. Pin stick type feelings in the feet over congested areas
8. Temperature change either hot or cold
9. Nausea
10. A sense of unease due to emotional problems
11. A sense of comfort
12. A sense of lethargy, nausea or tearfulness
After treatment
1. Cold-like symptoms such as a running nose as catarrh and sinus congestion are cleared.
2. A cough as mucus is cleared from the lungs and respiratory passages
3. More frequent urination
4. More frequent bowel movements
5. Flatulence
6. Headaches
7. Increased sweating
8. Skin rash
9. Yawning and tiredness
10. Energizable

Alleged long-term effects

Reduced stress and induced relaxation
Many people try reflexology as their first foray into the world of massage, finding the treatment more relaxing than a general body massage. During the treatment, clients are only required to relax and expose their feet to the reflexologist. Treatment components also include soft music, essence oil and soft lighting, which combine to create a drowsy effect. Clients often fall asleep and describe the experience as the most relaxing hours of their day. After the treatment, they describe themselves as having a "refresh walk".
Approximately 75% of all illnesses are said to be related to stress. Stress can lead to headaches, neck and shoulder stiffness, as well as contracting the common cold and the more serious influenza. "Prevention is better than the cure", it is said, and so it is not surprising to see the growing popularity of reflexology as a means of relieving stress.

Feeling of increased energy
It is claimed that reflexology opens pathways to renew ourselves and boost our energy level, immediately after treatment and for several days afterwards. It could keep us free from the feeling of lacking motivation, tiredness, and inability to concentrate.

Alleged benefits
Reflexology advocates say that reflexology not only relieves symptoms, but also acts on improvements of our body as a whole. Some conditions are very much benefited from reflexology therapy. Examples are:
1. Acute and chronic conditions
2. Stress related conditions
3. Sleep disorders
4. Sports injuries
5. Preventative therapy

Current status
Reflexology is a widespread practice in Asia, where foot reflexology (also known as foot massage) is quite popular. Although many people are skeptical about the concepts underlying this practice, its use is spreading, perhaps because it is being taken simply as a relaxing massage therapy. It is not the practice that reflexologists use foot reflexology only, they prefer to use a combination of foot, hand and ear reflexology to obtain a much better result.
Sales of foot reflexology equipment, such as rollers, are increasing rapidly. In addition, many new instruments using the same principle are being marketed, such as whole body vacuum cans. A kind of socks printing the footmap of the reflex zone was developed based on reflexology. People can easily locate the wanted zones by wearing the socks and apply pressure on them. Though not by professional hand, the "reflexology socks" gained very much popularity in Asia region like Taiwan and China. Inexpensive how-to books enabling people to perform the exercises by themselves are also available for self-help practice. Reflexologists advise caution in applying the techniques to oneself, and recommend people to consult an expert before using them if they are pregnant or have a chronic disease.

Other applications

Reflexology used on children
Advocates claim reflexology is just as effective when used on children as any adult. Some advocates go further and claim it is more effective. Advocates have also suggested that reflexology can also help child to create an awareness of self.

Skeptics' views
Reflexology is not a part of modern medical science. Skeptics point out that there are no reliable scientific studies proving its effectiveness as a medical treatment, or that there is any form of link between specific areas of the feet and the various organs of the body. Furthermore, the 'crystalline structures' rationale is unsustained by our current understanding of physiology. On the other hand research shows the relaxing and pleasurable nature of massage has many medical benefits.
Most scientists, health professionals, skeptics and others consider reflexology to be a pseudoscientific quack therapy, noting that there is no scientific evidence that healing can be achieved by it or that the claimed "energies" and their supposed pathways through the body even exist.
Robert Todd Carroll from the Skeptics Dictionary speculates: "One reason foot massage may be so pleasurable and is associated with significant improvement in mood is that the area of the brain that connects to the foot is adjacent to the area that connects to the genitals. There may be some neuronal overlapping."

See also
• Alternative Medicine
• Acupuncture
• Acupressure

Reiki

2005-11-13T05:49:00.000-08:00

Reiki is a controversial form of alternative medicine which was popularized during the early 20th century by Mikao Usui (usui mikao 臼井甕男) in Japan. Practitioners use a technique similar to the laying on of hands in which they claim that they act as channels for Reiki energy — which they say flows through their palms to specific parts of the body in order to facilitate healing. Scientific studies have not confirmed the existence of this specific Reiki energy, yet some patients report feeling various subjective and objective sensations: heat, cold, pressure, etc.
Despite these highly subjective descriptions of Reiki energy, there is actually no scientifically valid evidence proving its existence or effectiveness. Most of the excuses used to explain the technical aspects of Reiki rely upon the existence of "energies" and "auras." Modern physics makes absolutely no allowances for these "energies." Thus, if these Reiki "auras" and "energies" prove to be valid scientific phenomena, it means that for hundreds of years modern physics has been painting an incorrect picture of our universe. Despite these facts, many followers are led to believe in the validity of the practice.
The name Reiki comes from the Japanese pronunciation of two Chinese characters that are said to describe the energy itself: '霊 rei' (meaning 'spirit') and 気 ki (meaning 'life force energy' in this context). Common translations of the term 霊気 reiki are "aura" and also "universal life force energy." English speakers have adopted the Japanese noun Reiki for use as a verb or adjective. Japanese speakers commonly understand the term as describing a generic "ghostly power" and not referring specifically to the Usui Method of Reiki Healing (in Japanese - usui reiki shiki ryoho).
While Reiki is comparatively rare in Japan today, it flourishes in the West and has gained a small following worldwide. Many scientists, health care workers and others dispute the effectiveness of Reiki, claiming that it does not facilitate healing beyond that expected from the placebo effect.

Contents
[hide]
1 Theories and practices
2 History
3 Non-traditional Reiki
3.1 Celtic Reiki
4 Courses
5 Reiki community
6 Controversies
6.1 Opposition from religious groups
6.2 Reiki as a cult
6.3 Internal controversies
6.4 Secret teachings
6.5 The "Reiki Grandmaster"
7 Reiki's origin
8 See also
9 Partial Bibliography
10 External links
//

Theories and practices
The word 'reiki' is a generic term which can be and is used for many techniques. The information below may or may not apply to anything called 'reiki.'
Some schools teach that Reiki energy enters the practitioner through the 7th (crown) chakra, fills the practitioner's aura and flows through her or his hands into the body of the recipient. Other schools teach that Reiki energy enters through the 1st (root) chakra, fills the aura, becomes centered in the 4th (heart) chakra, and flows out through the practitioner's hands. Most schools teach that the Reiki energy is a "intelligent" energy, which "knows what to do," or "where it is needed." Thus, Reiki adherents say, if the recipient needs it and is ready to heal, the Reiki energy will go where it needs to for healing. They also maintain that if, on the other hand, the intended recipient does not accept the energy on some level, the energy will not be absorbed. Some schools teach that Reiki "spirit guides" keep watch over Reiki energy and assist the practitioner. They claim that any intention to do harm will block the flow of Reiki energy.
In a Reiki session, the practitioner asks the clothed recipient to lie down and relax. The practitioner then purports to act as a channel for Reiki energy, theoretically allowing "energy" to be channelled through the practitioner to where the patient requires it. Usually the practitioner applies her or his hands to various parts of the patient's body. Some practitioners touch the body or hover their hands above it. Some patients report feeling various subjective sensations: heat, cold, pressure, etc. Practitioners of Reiki attribute these sensations to Reiki energy filling energetic deficiencies in the body and aura of the recipient, repairing and opening their energy channels (meridians), pulling out "negativity," and dissolving the blockages of stale energy. Other recipients report feeling little or no change.
Some claim that practitioners can also channel Reiki energy through other parts of their bodies (for example, their feet, fingers, or through their eyes) if they wish. According to pracitioners, their intention is the primary method for directing the flow of the energy. Reiki healers claim that this energy can be used for healing either in physical proximity (i.e. by the positioning of hands in a non-invasive manner on a fully clothed body) or from a distance. Furthermore, many Reiki healers claim that the ability to share Reiki comes only after a "Reiki Master" performs an initiation or "attunement". Reiki practitioners, like those who work with forms of Oriental medicine, define full health as total harmony of body, mind, and spirit. Some Reiki traditions teach techniques to address each of the three respectively: Reiki I, Reiki II, and Reiki III (see below).

History
A Japanese Tendai Buddhist named Mikao Usui claimed to have "rediscovered" Reiki. After long meditation, fasting, and prayer, Usui claimed that, through a mystical revelation, he had gained the knowledge and spiritual power to apply and attune others to "Reiki's" healing energy. Mikao Usui claimed that he could enable his students to enlarge their access to the energy through certain initiations. Usui taught that attunement to the energy enhances and refines a person's ability to connect with this already occurring natural healing energy. Through such initiations, students are said to become clearer channels for Reiki, and this theoretically enhances the quality of treatments that student (or practitioner) provides.
Some schools of Reiki believe that Mikao Usui was pursuing knowledge of healing before he developed his Reiki method and that he also studied Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, Qigong, and Yoga. Usui, however, claimed that the awakening of Reiki and the development of his techniques was something entirely different. Nonetheless, Reiki appears to be based loosely around Taoist ideas of qi. The "ki" in "Reiki" is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese character.
Usui was also an admirer of the literary works of Emperor Meiji, and, in the process of developing his Reiki system, summarised some of the Meiji Emperor's works into a set of ethical principles, one translation of which is:
"Inviting blessings of the secret method
Many illnesses of the spiritual (heavenly) medicine
Today only anger not worry not
With appreciation do work To people be kind
In morning at night hands held in prayer
think in your mind chant with mouth
Mind body change it for better
Usui Reiki method
Founder
Usui Mikao"
A less literal translation is:
"The secret method of inviting blessings
The spiritual medicine of many illnesses
Just for today, do not anger.
Just for today, do not worry.
Do your work with appreciation.
Be kind to all.
In the morning and at night hold your hands in prayer, meditate on and say these words.
The Usui Reiki method to change your mind and body for the better.
Founder
Mikao Usui"
Mikao Usui trained several disciples. One of his disciples, the naval doctor Chujiro Hayashi, stressed physical healing and taught a more codified and simpler set of Reiki techniques. Among Hayashi's contributions was a set of fixed hand positions to be used in the course of a treatment; Usui often preferred a more mystical means of diagnosing the patient's problem.
Hayashi initiated and trained Mrs. Hawayo Takata, who brought Reiki to the USA. Mrs. Takata claimed that she had been appointed Grandmaster of Reiki through the lineage of Mr. Chujiro Hayashi, and that there were no surviving teachers of Reiki to be found in Japan after World War II. Researchers have falsified her claim of Grandmastership and her allegation that no Reiki teachers remained in Japan, after they discovered lineages through practitioners other than Hayashi. They also stated that the title of "Grandmaster" does not exist, and is not recognized in Japan.
Hawayo Takata claimed that, after developing the Reiki methodology, as well as receiving the spiritual ability to practice it, Usui went to the slums of Tokyo to attempt the healing of beggars. However, after several years of very little success, he claimed that it was their mindset that kept them ill, even after he had "treated" them again and again. Usui then decided that there should be an "energy exchange" in return for a Reiki treatment. This "energy exchange" may take the form of cash payment, or a trade of some sort. The idea is that the patient is expected to regard the treatment as having a value up front and is prepared to invest himself/herself in the healing process.
There are essentially two broad groups, or schools: the traditional school and the independent school. The traditionalists claim to teach and practice Reiki strictly as it was taught from Usui's time until Takata's time, although modern research suggests that training under Usui differed greatly from the way Takata taught. Another, separate branch of traditionalists advocate adherence to the (now rediscovered) Japanese school's methods. The independent schools vary greatly in their practices and methods, ranging from those descended through Iris Ishikuro, which fundamentally adhere to traditional Reiki practice but eschew Takata's practice of charging $10,000 for attunement to Reiki "Master level," to so-called "newer" schools, which either add elements to traditional Reiki or claim to have been independently developed.

Non-traditional Reiki
The independent movement developed partly in response to the belief that Reiki training should be more widely available and practiced in a flexible and complementary way with other practices, and as a political reaction to the mainstream of Hawayo Takata's style. Furthermore, some practitioners believe that Reiki is humanity's birthright. New paths were developed out of the Reiki core that fused it with New Age thinking regarding Christianity, shamanism, channeling and so forth. Also, new symbols and practices are often added. Many of these symbols emerged through practitioners who said they felt guided to expand the system in various ways. A great deal of generic New Age content is now often taught either as an adjunct to Reiki or even as an integral part of the system, and numerous schools of thought now exist, some being freely offered and some proprietary. This new form of Reiki was initially developed in opposition to the stricter Reiki practices that Hawayo Takata claimed were the authentic method. Some of the independent schools of Reiki differ from mainstream Reiki by the inclusion of what they call "skhm" or "seichim energy" and symbols into their teaching, which is said by its adherents to make the experience and practice of channelling Reiki different.

Celtic Reiki
This is a version of Reiki with a more pronounced New Age theme. It was created by Martyn Pentecost and further developed by Julie Norman, and employs symbols derived from ogham (an ancient runic script used by some Gaelic tribes). Advocates claim that Reiki energy mimics the frequency of various trees and plants so as to combine the alleged healing energy of Reiki with allegedly channeled "ancient wisdom of the Celts."

Courses
Mikao Usui's Reiki method spread all over the world. Correspondence courses over the internet even offer distance training. To achieve a complete education in the "Usui method of Reiki Healing," three courses are necessary: the 1st degree course, the 2nd degree course, and the master course. The specific content of each of these courses varies widely from one teacher to another, depending on personal philosophies. A typical set of courses is something like the following:
First Degree Reiki courses teach the basic theories of how to work with Reiki energy. The channel through which Reiki energy passes to the practioner is said to be widened through an initiation by the teacher, permitting the Reiki energy be strong enough to effect healing. Students learn hand placement positions on the recipient's body that are thought to be most conducive to the healing process.
In the Second Degree Reiki course, a symbol for mental healing is taught, enabling students to purportedly treat even deeply ingrained problems like fears, depression, addictions, and the like. Students are instructed on how to direct Reiki energy to a certain point in time, to a specific person or place, or a specific issue. The issue can be something like an individual's particular health problem, or it can be a more abstract or general issue such as world peace. Practitioners say that this is possible using three symbols taught at the second initiation. The claim is that this skill allows the Reiki channel to be opened even wider.
As part of the master course, usually the third degree, students become a Reiki "master" through the third initiation; they learn how to initiate students and have the option of teaching Reiki courses themselves. The student learns a further "master" level symbol in this course as well as the method of attuning others. In some cases the third level is broken into smaller stages of attunements from the teacher; the attunements for the first, second, and third level may also be administered in stages. A teacher has completed practical training when told that he or she has the ability to attune others to all degrees and has been given the final fourth Reiki Master symbol that is used in attunements.
It is up to students how many levels they want to complete. The courses are sequential, and can be expensive, especially the third (master) level. Often a teacher will require time in between one course and another (during which the student is expected to apply new learning before taking the next degree). Before offering Reiki treatments to the public, a student is often advised to take a second-degree course.

Reiki community
While there is no single standards organization and practitioners practice as they will, some choose to form Reiki communities to bring together often diverse knowledge and experience. Some of these communities have grown out of informal groupings of practitioners who organized Reiki circles for working together, while others have formed around a particular school or teacher.
Many Reiki communities also emerged due, in part, to the expanding popularity of the internet. Global initiatives have been introduced to Reiki communities thereby ("healing the planet" or "global peace fostering" for example) and online Reiki training services are available.

Controversies
Because of the lack of objective evidence for its theories or its results, and the mystical language and metaphor employed by its adherents, the scientific establishment considers Reiki to be nothing more than a placebo. Many scientists, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, health professionals and others dispute the effectiveness of Reiki, stating that there is no proof or evidence that a mechanism for Reiki energy exists, nor proof that healing beyond that expected from the placebo effect can be achieved by it.
The existence of Reiki energy has not been scientifically proven, and thus the scientific community ascribes anecdotal evidence of the effectiveness of Reiki therapy to the placebo effect and a combination of post hoc reasoning and the regressive fallacy. Some critics go so far as to suggest that the treatment is little more than a con scheme to fleece gullible desperate sick people. They cite stories and give examples of stories of people who have paid huge "energy payments" to so called Reiki "doctors" - there have allegedly been cases where even unsuccessful attempts at treatment cost tens of thousands of dollars. Proponents of Reiki claim that they can detect and manipulate this energy, but a means to measure it or even objectively demonstrate its existence to the satisfaction of the scientific community has yet to be found. The predominant opinion among the scientific community is that the sensations felt by practitioners and patients of Reiki are psychologically subjective or the result of self-deceit.
Doctors, academics, and consumer advocates have expressed concern when patients with serious diseases such as cancer choose Reiki solely as a means of treatment over trained doctors. In some cases people reject conventional medicine completely and solely practice Reiki, and this is deemed as a highly untrustworthy and potentially dangerous practice even within the Reiki and wider alternative health community. While it is understandable for patients to seek non-mainstream remedies when conventional options seem ineffective or untrustworthy, many doctors say that Reiki, like many other forms of alternative medicine, is simply exploiting the fear and hope of people with serious illnesses for money while offering only a placebo effect. The response from Reiki practitioners is that Reiki is a reliable and effective treatment that is being unfairly dismissed by conservative Western scientific research. Some Reiki teachers and practitioners advocate a complementary approach to conventional medicine - holding it as the most prudent and responsible means of treating any illness - much like many other alternative medicine advocates suggest.
Some healthcare workers (medical doctors, nurses, mental health professionals, hospice and nursing home workers, and other healthcare providers) believe that Reiki has some beneficial effect on the recipient and is a worthwhile inclusion in both professional training and patient care (to wit, registered nurses may earn continuing education units, or CEUs, through the American Holistic Nurses Association, accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, for Reiki training.)

Opposition from religious groups
There are various religious groups opposing Reiki. Christian fundamentalists condemn Reiki as promoting pagan practices. For example, the Unification Church cautions its adherents to avoid Reiki on the grounds that Reiki involves channelling the energy of evil spirits. Some individuals and groups (like Dominicans from the Roman Catholic Church) actively advise believers against it.

Reiki as a cult
Some people have called Reiki a cult or an attempt at sorcery. Some Reiki adherents would reply that there is no strict structure, guru or chain of command in the Reiki community, so it doesn't fit the modern sense of a cult. While the practice itself does not necessarily fit into cult-like behaviours, some teachers of Reiki have engaged in practices reflective of a cult-like approach, proffering various religious and spiritual beliefs along with the Reiki techniques. The experience of hot or cold sensations in the hands whilst giving and receiving Reiki is put forward as a validation of some groups' particular religious ideology - however far fetched or different to other Reiki groups.
Critics claim that some Reiki groups also put forward that they can never grow ill if they practice Reiki regularly and have a positive outlook - with disappointment and shock being the outcome when their teacher (or they themselves) become mortally ill or die.
Critics point to the substantial fees some Reiki practitioners charge for their teachings as deeply troubling, as well as the obedience that some teachers demand of their students. Chujiro Hayashi's students are, for example, called "disciples" - strongly implying a religious overtone.
Some Christian practitioners of Reiki claim that the source of power that is directed through them is the Holy Spirit, or go so far as to say that Jesus was a Reiki master - claims that are in contradiction with most Christian doctrines. Hawayo Takata has claimed that she once used Reiki to raise a person from the dead. Such a claim falls outside the scope of most alternative health practices. Also, the New Testament describes Jesus as giving his healings freely, and Usui initiated the expectation of a payment in exchange for Reiki treatment.
Desperate people sometimes embrace Reiki because of adherents health claims. Some people desperate for hope that their terminal or chronic health and mental problems may seek out Reiki in hopes of a miraculous cure. The desperation of these people and their willingness to embrace magical thinking is sometimes encouraged by Reiki teachers and practitioners - contributing to perceptions of Reiki's association with cult-like practices.

Internal controversies
With the many varied ways that have been used to teach Reiki, there have emerged many points of controversy between different groups, teachers and practitioners. Controversies often exist on topics such as the nature of the Reiki energy itself, fees charged for courses and treatments, training methods, secrecy of symbols and attunement methods, to name but a few.
Various claims are made as to the 'legitimacy' or 'authenticity' of various schools of practice - with the schools making those claims also engaging in criticisms of the other schools who they see as illegitimate or otherwise inauthentic or immoral in their spiritual conduct. Political fighting is quite strong between many schools; so for example a practitioner of one teacher may often not be welcome to practice Reiki with another teacher's Reiki group. Teachers from other schools are often not welcomed in other teacher's classes. A Reiki school will often discourage the participation of outside students and teachers, particularly when there are claims of an individual school's practices being the only correct practice. This occurs amongst both traditional and non-traditional schools. Often and as a more mild form of enforcing adherence, the unorthodox person is required to be retrained in their levels before being accepted into the fold.

Secret teachings
Teachers sometimes appear claiming to possess hidden additional teachings from the original system and symbols unknown to other schools et cetera, but none of these claims are substantiated with evidence that supports the additional material that they use. A current example of such schools is Dr Ranga Premaratna's "Reiki Shin Kei Dō/Ennersense/Buddhō" (who claims to possess the original Buddhist Reiki system as well as additional symbols, initiations and meditations). Although (among many others) the organization also claims that it possesses additional authentic supplementary teachings, the school does not provide evidence to substantiate these claims. Dr Premaratna demands strict obedience from his students and deregisters them if they disobey him. Dr Premaratna nowadays claims that his teacher, Seiji Takamori, was not really taught and initiated into Reiki by Hawayo Takata, although Takata herself stated that Takamori was one of her students. He additionally claims that although Seiji Takemori was a teacher, he only initiated Dr Premaratna alone. At one time however his training materials claimed no special lineage regarding Seiji Takemori, and instead agreed with Hawayo Takata's statement that she alone was his teacher.
There are many questions remaining around Reiki practice, and newly rediscovered Japanese lineages may put many of the controversies to rest. These lineages can in fact produce historical evidence to support their claims of provenance, and although perhaps the actual nature of "Reiki" energy is a mystery, the system of the "usui shiki ryoho" seems to be becoming clearer.

The "Reiki Grandmaster"
Many conservative schools are based around claims of Hawayo Takata's many student teachers competing as the true "Grandmaster" of Reiki or teaching exactly as Takata herself taught. In recent years however many teachers connected in some way with Hawayo Takata do not strenuously claim to be appointed as the "Grandmaster of Reiki" as they once did in the past. Phyllis Furumoto (the granddaughter of Takata), for example of the "Reiki Alliance" seemed to cease claiming this title around the same time that it was found that historically no such title ever existed once the Japanese schools were discovered by Western Reiki schools. Often these "Grandmasters" attempt to patent the term "Reiki" in their particular country or countries of interest. Such actions are very unpopular in the wider Reiki community and no patents have ever been granted in any country.

Reiki's origin
The provenance of Usui's system is obscure, little independent documentation exists as to his influences. There are superficial resemblances to Chinese Taoist and Buddhist philosophies in the Reiki symbol terminology. Reiki however fails the standard test of whether a teaching is Buddhist or not; that of the three "Dharma Seals" or the "Three marks of existence". This doctrine states that any teaching or practice that does not extol these three core ideas cannot be said to be a Buddhist teaching, and Reiki does not. Reiki may however be said to be a somewhat Buddhist influenced art in the way that karate-dō or shiatsu are practiced by Buddhists without being specifically Buddhist practices.
Frank Arjava Petter has researched Usui's life and practises and claims to have found evidence that Usui found the "formula" he followed in a Buddhist Temple. Usui's memorial stone still stands and its inscription has been translated into English in one of Petter's books.

See also
· Johrei Johrei is not a form of Reiki but has some similarities.
· Faith healing

Partial Bibliography
· The 'Reiki' Factor in The Radiance Technique(R), Dr. Barbara Ray, Radiance Associates (first book written on the intact system, 1983; current Expanded Edition (c) 1992) ISBN 0-933267-06-1
· The Expanded Reference Manual of The Radiance Technique(R), Authentic Reiki(R), Dr. Barbara Ray, Radiance Associates, 1987 ISBN 0-933267-02-9
· Original Reiki Handbook of Dr. Mikao Usui, Usui and Petter, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin ISBN 0-914955-57-8
· Hayashi Reiki Manual: Traditional Japanese Healing Techniques from the Founder of the Western Reiki System, Petter, Yamaguchi and Hayashi, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin ISBN 0-914955-75-6
· Reiki Healer: A Complete Guide to the Path and Practice of Reiki, Ellyard, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin ISBN 0-940985-64-0
· Human Hemoglobin Levels and Reiki (Journal of Holistic Nursing, 7(1)pp.47-54 1989)

Shamanism

2005-11-13T05:46:00.000-08:00

Shamanism refers to the traditional healing and religious practices of Northern Asia (Siberia) and Mongolia. By extension, the concept of shamanism has been extended in common language to a range of traditional beliefs and practices that involve the ability to diagnose, cure, and sometimes cause human suffering by traversing the axis mundi and forming a special relationship with, or gaining control over, spirits. Shamans have been credited with the ability to control the weather, divination, the interpretation of dreams, astral projection, and traveling to upper and lower worlds. Shamanistic traditions have existed throughout the world since prehistoric times.
Shamanism is based on the premise that the visible world is pervaded by invisible forces or spirits that affect the lives of the living. In contrast to animism and animatism, which any and usually all members of a society practice, shamanism requires specialized knowledge or abilities. It could be said that shamans are the experts employed by animists or animist communities. Shamans are not, however, often organized into full-time ritual or spiritual associations, as are priests. It is questionnable whether there was an -ism called "Shamanism" until such a thing was invented in the West out of the diverse practices of indigenous people in particular locations worldwide.

Contents

1 Etymology
2 History
3 Asia
4 Americas
5 Aspects of the practice
5.1 Initiation and learning
5.2 Shamanic illness
5.3 Practice and method
5.4 Shamanic technology
5.5 Gender and sexuality
6 Shamanism and New Age
7 See also
8 References
9 Further reading
10 External links
//

Etymology
The word "shaman" originated among the Siberian Tungus (Evenks) and literally means "he (or she) who knows"; the belief that the word may be derived from Sanskrit is perhaps due to the relation between the words "shamanism" and "shramanism", from the sanskrit "shramana", Pali and Prakrit "samana"; the samanas were ascetics, not shamans, however.
It has replaced the older English language term witch doctor, a term which unites the two stereotypical functions of the shaman: knowledge of magical and other lore, and the ability to cure a person and mend a situation. However, at the present time this term is generally considered to be pejorative and anthropologically inaccurate. Medicine man is preferred, especially as not all traditional peoples approve of the use of shaman as a generic term, given that the word comes from a specific place and people.

History
Native American female shaman of the Clayoquot tribe from Vancouver Island, Canada
Shamanistic practices are sometimes claimed to predate all organized religions, and certainly date back to the Neolithic period. Aspects of shamanism are encountered in later, organized religions, generally in their mystic and symbolic practices. Greek paganism was influenced by shamanism, as reflected in the stories of Tantalus, Prometheus, Medea, and Calypso among others, as well as in the Eleusinian Mysteries, and other mysteries. Some of the shamanic practices of the Greek religion were later adopted into the Roman religion.
The shamanic practices of many cultures were marginalized with the spread of Christianity. In Europe, starting around 400, the Christian church was instrumental in the collapse of the Greek and Roman religions. Temples were systematically destroyed and key ceremonies were outlawed or appropriated. The Early Modern witch trials may have further eliminated lingering remnants of European shamanism.
The repression of shamanism continued as Christian influence spread with Spanish colonization. In the Caribbean, and Central and South America, Catholic priests followed in the footsteps of the Conquistadors and were instrumental in the destruction of the local traditions, denouncing practitioners as "devil worshippers" and having them executed. In North America, the English Puritans conducted periodic campaigns against individuals perceived as witches. More recently, attacks on shamanic practitioners have been carried out at the hands of Christian missionaries to third world countries and by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) against its own citizens. As recently as the nineteen seventies, historic petroglyphs were being defaced by missionaries in the Amazon. A similarly destructive story can be told of the encounter between Buddhists and shamans, e.g., in MongoliaCitation needed.
It has been postulated that modern state campaigns against the use of entheogenic substances are the offshoot of previous religious campaigns against shamanism.
Today, shamanism, once possibly universal, survives primarily among indigenous peoples. Shamanic practice continues today in the tundras, jungles, deserts, and other rural areas, and also in cities, towns, suburbs, and shantytowns all over the world. This is especially widespread in Africa as well as South America, where "mestizo shamanism" is widespread.
Many recent efforts have been made trying to link shamanic practice and knowledge with Western, scientific beliefs. Anthropologist Jeremy Narby has proposed that shamans take their consciousness down to the molecular level, working with DNA and viruses that they see as the twin serpents or malicious "darts". The holomovement theory proposed by David Bohm is often seen as an approach to create a scientific foundation for concepts such as parallel worlds and alternative ways to traverse time and space.

Asia
There is a strong shamanistic influence in the Bön religion of central Asia, and in Tibetan Buddhism. Buddhism became popular with shamanic peoples such as the Tibetans, Mongols and Manchu beginning in the eighth century. Forms of shamanistic ritual combined with Tibetan Buddhism became institutionalized as the state religion under the Chinese Yuan dynasty and Qing dynasty. One common element of shamanism and Buddhism is the attainment of spiritual realization, at times mediated by entheogenic (psychedelic) substances.

Americas
In Native American groups, only the shaman had the power to commune with the gods or spirits, to mediate between them and ordinary mortals, to talk with the souls on behalf of the living. The shaman, man or woman, was often an extraordinary character, both in physical appearance and in acting talents. He would be a mystic, poet, sage, healer of the sick, guardian of the tribe, and the repository of stories. Those who did not possess the full range of the shamanistic attributes became simply "medicine men", and functioned as respected healers. To become a shaman, a person had to "receive the call", to suffer a religious experience, and would then be initiated into the mysteries of the art. By symbolic death and resurrection, he acquired a new mode of being; his physical and mental frame underwent a thorough change. During this period of initiation, the novice would see the spirits of the universe and leave his body like a spirit, soaring through the heavens and underworld. There he would be introduced to the different spirits and taught which to address in future trances. According to Mircea Eliade's book "Shamanism", during the initiation, spirits would take the shaman's old bones and replace them with new ones. Since sickness was thought to be caused by an evil spirit entering the victim's body, the shaman would call it out in order to affect a cure. He would do so by a special ritual, beating a rhythm on his drum, swaying and chanting steadily increasing the sound and interspersing it with long drawn out sighs, groans, and hysterical laughter.

Aspects of the practice
Different forms of shamanism are found around the world, and practitioners are also known as medicine men or women, as well as witch doctors.

Initiation and learning
In Shamanic cultures, the shaman plays a priest-like role; however, there is an essential difference between the two, as Joseph Campbell describes:
"The priest is the socially initiated, ceremonially inducted member of a recognized religious organization, where he holds a certain rank and functions as the tenant of an office that was held by others before him, while the shaman is one who, as a consequence of a personal psychological crisis, has gained a certain power of his own." (1969, p. 231)
A shaman may be initiated via a serious illness, by being struck by lightning, or by a near-death experience (e.g., the shaman Black Elk), and there usually is a set of cultural imagery expected to be experienced during shamanic initiation regardless of method. According to Mircea Eliade, such imagery often includes being transported to the spirit world and interacting with beings inhabiting it, meeting a spiritual guide, being devoured by some being and emerging transformed, and/or being "dismantled" and "reassembled" again, often with implanted amulets such as magical crystals. The imagery of initiation generally speaks of transformation and granting powers, and often entails themes of death and rebirth.
In some societies shamanic powers are considered to be inherited, whereas in others shamans are considered to have been "called": Among the Siberian Chukchis one may behave in ways that Western clinicians would characterize as psychotic, but which Siberian culture interprets as possession by a spirit who demands that one assume the shamanic vocation. Among the South American Tapirape shamans are called in their dreams. In other societies shamans choose their career: First Nations would seek communion with spirits through a "vision quest"; South American Shuar, seeking the power to defend their family against enemies, apprentice themselves to accomplished shamans.

Shamanic illness
Shamanic illness, also called shamanistic inititatory crisis, is a psycho-spiritual crisis, or a rite of passage, observed among those becoming shamans. The episode often marks the beginning of a time-limited episode of confusion or disturbing behavior where the shamanic initiate might sing or dance in an unconventional fashion, or have an experience of being "disturbed by spirits". The symptoms are usually not considered to be signs of mental illness by interpreters in the shamanic culture; rather, they are interpreted as introductory signposts for the individual who is meant to take the office of shaman (Lukoff et.al, 1992).

Practice and method
The shaman plays the role of healer in shamanic societies; shamans gain knowledge and power by traversing the axis mundi and bringing back knowledge from the heavens. Even in western society, this ancient practice of healing is referenced by the use of the caduceus as the symbol of medicine. Oftentimes the shaman has, or acquires, one or more familiar helping entities in the spirit world; these are often spirits in animal form, spirits of healing plants, or (sometimes) those of departed shamans. In many shamanic societies, magic, magical force, and knowledge are all denoted by one word, such as the Quechua term "yachay".
While the causes of disease are considered to lie in the spiritual realm, being effected by malicious spirits or witchcraft, both spiritual and physical methods are used to heal. Commonly, a shaman will "enter the body" of the patient to confront the spirit making the patient sick, and heal the patient by banishing the infectious spirit. Many shamans have expert knowledge of the plant life in their area, and an herbal regimen is often prescribed as treatment. In many places shamans claim to learn directly from the plants, and to be capable of harnessing their effects and healing properties only after obtaining permission from its abiding or patron spirit. In South America, individual spirits are summoned by the singing of songs called icaros; before a spirit can be summoned the spirit must teach the shaman its song. The use of totem items such as rocks is common; these items are believed to have special powers and an animating spirit. Such practices are presumably very ancient; in about 368 BCE, Plato wrote in the Phaedrus that the "first prophecies were the words of an oak", and that everyone who lived at that time found it rewarding enough to "listen to an oak or a stone, so long as it was telling the truth".
The belief in witchcraft and sorcery, known as brujeria in South America, is prevalent in many shamanic societies. Some societies distinguish shamans who cure from sorcerers who harm; others believe that all shamans have the power to both cure and kill; that is, shamans are in some societies also thought of as being capable of harm. The shaman usually enjoys great power and prestige in the community, and is renowned for their powers and knowledge; but they may also be suspected of harming others and thus feared.
By engaging in this work, the shaman exposes himself to significant personal risk, from the spirit world, from any enemy shamans, as well as from the means employed to alter his state of consciousness. Certain of the plant materials used can be fatal, and the failure to return from an out-of-body journey can lead to physical death. Spells are commonly used to protect against these dangers, and the use of more dangerous plants is usually very highly ritualized.

Shamanic technology
Generally, the shaman traverses the axis mundi and enters the spirit world by effecting a change of consciousness in himself, entering into an ecstatic trance, either autohypnotically or through the use of entheogens. The methods used are diverse, and often are used in conjunction with each other. Some of the methods for effecting such altered states of consciousness are:
· Drumming
· Singing
· Fasting
· Sweat lodge
· Vision quests / vigils
· Dancing / Spinning (game)
· Use of "power plants" such as
o Tobacco
o Fly Agaric
o Psychedelic Mushrooms Alluded to euphemistically as "holy children" by Mazatec shamans such as Maria Sabina.
o Peyote
o San Pedro Named thus (St. Peter) by Andean natives because he's the guardian of Gates of Heaven (Quechua name: Huachuma)
o Ayahuasca Quechua for "Vine of the Dead"
o Iboga
o Datura
o Morning Glory
o Salvia Divinorum
o Cannabis
Shamans often observe special diets or fasts and taboos particular to their vocation. Sometimes these have physical purposes beyond effecting a change in brain state or taboo; for example, the diet followed by shamans and apprentices when drinking Ayahuasca includes eating foods rich in tryptophan (which produces serotonin) as well as avoiding foods rich in tyramine, which could cause a hypertensive crisis if ingested with an MAOI such as Ayahuasca.

Gender and sexuality
Most shamans are men, but there are societies in which women may be shamans. In Old Norse Religion, shamanism was seen as unmanly and was practiced mainly by women (see Völvas and Wiccas). However, in Old Norse mythology, the supreme god Odin was also seen as the foremost shaman. In some societies, shamans exhibit a two-spirit identity, assuming the dress and attributes of the opposite sex from a young age, for example, a man taking on the role of a wife in an otherwise ordinary marriage. This practice is common, and found among the Chukchee, Sea Dyak, Patagonians, Aruacanians, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Navajo, Pawnee, Lakota, and Ute, as well as many other Native American tribes. Such two-spirit shamans are thought to be especially powerful. They are highly respected and sought out in their tribes, as they will bring high status to their mates.

Shamanism and New Age
The New Age movement imported some ideas from shamanism as well as Eastern religions. As in other such imports, the original users of these ideas frequently condemn New Age use as misunderstood and superficial.
At the same time, there is an endeavor in occult and esoteric circles to reinvent shamanism in a modern form, drawing from core shamanism, a set of beliefs and practices synthesized by Michael Harner and often revolving around the use of ritual drumming and dance; various indigenous forms of shamanism, often focusing on the ritual use of entheogens; as well as chaos magic. Much of this is focused upon in Europe, where ancient shamanic traditions were suppressed by the Christian church (see Inquisition) and where people compelled to be shamans often find it improper to use shamanic systems rooted in other parts of the earth. Various traditional shamans express respect for this endeavor, sharply distinguishing it from "light" New Age shamanism.
Sometimes people from Western cultures claim to be shamans (i.e., Wicca, Neo-Paganism). This is considered offensive by many indigenous medicine men, who view these New Age, western "shamans" as hucksters out for money or affirmation of self. Many shamanistic cultures feel there is a danger that their voices will be drowned out by self-styled "shamans," citing, for example, the fact that Lynn Andrews has sold more books than all Native American authors put together.

See also
· Neurotheology — speculation regarding the biological basis of spirituality and spiritual practices
· Shaman's Drum Journal

References
· Lukoff, David; Lu Francis G. and Turner, Robert P. (1992) Toward a more culturally sensitive DSM-IV. Psychoreligious and Psychospiritual Problems. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Vol. 180, No. 11, November.

Further reading
· Joseph Campbell, The Masks of God: Primitive Mythology. 1959; reprint, New York and London: Penguin Books, 1976. ISBN 0140194436
· Daniel Pinchbeck, Breaking Open the Head: A Psychedelic Journey into the Heart of Contemporary Shamanism. New York: Broadway Books, 2002. ISBN 0767907426
· Mircea Eliade, Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy. 1964; reprint, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2004. ISBN 0691119422
· Michael Harner: The Way of the Shaman. 1980, new edition, HarperSanFrancisco, 1990, ISBN 0062503731
· Joan Halifax, Shamanic Voices: A Survey of Visionary Narratives. 1979; reprint, New York and London: Penguin, 1991. ISBN 0140193480
· Graham Harvey: Shamanism: A Reader. New York and London: Routledge, 2003. ISBN 0415253306
· Alexandra Leclere, Seeing the Dead, Talking with Spirits: Shamanic Healing through Contact with the Spirit World. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions Bear & Co., 2005. ISBN-1-59477-083-2
· Jeremy Narby and Francis Huxley, Shamans Through Time: 500 Years on the Path to Knowledge. 2001; reprint, New York: Tarcher, 2004. ISBN 0500283273
· Piers Vitebsky, The Shaman: Voyages of the Soul - Trance, Ecstasy and Healing from Siberia to the Amazon, Duncan Baird, 2001. ISBN 1903296188
· Andrei Znamenski, Shamanism: Critical Concepts, 3 vols. London: Routledge, 2004. ISBN 0-415-31192-6
· Wallis, Robert J. Shamans/neo-Shamans: Ecstasy, Alternative Archaeologies and Contemporary Pagans. London: Routledge, 2003. ISBN 041530203X

Traditional Chinese Medicine

2005-11-13T05:44:00.000-08:00

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) also known simply as Chinese medicine (Chinese: 中醫學, zhōngyī xué, or 中药学, zhōngyaò xué) is the name commonly given to a range of traditional medical practices used in China that have developed over the course of several thousand years of history. It is also known as oriental medicine, a term which may include other traditional Asian medical systems such as Japanese, Korean, Tibetan, and Mongolian medicine. Chinese medicine principally employs a method of analysis and synthesis, inquiring on a macro-level into the internal systems of the human body and their mutual relationships with the internal and external environment in an attempt to gain an understanding of the fundamental laws which govern the functioning of the human organism, and to apply this understanding to the treatment and prevention of disease, and health maintenance. TCM is rooted in a unique, comprehensive and systematic theoretical structure which includes the Theory of the Five Elements, the human body Meridian system, Yin-yang and other systems. Treatment is conducted with reference to this philosophical framework.
Contents
[hide]
1 Uses
2 TCM theory
3 TCM diagnostics
3.1 Diagnostic techniques
4 TCM treatment techniques
5 TCM and science
5.1 The question of efficaciousness
5.2 Purported mechanism of action
6 The relationship between TCM and Western medicine
7 TCM and Animals
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
//

Uses
In the West, TCM is often considered alternative medicine; however, in mainland China and Taiwan, TCM is widely considered to be an integral part of the health care system. The term TCM is sometimes used specifically within the field of Chinese medicine to refer to the standardized set of theories and practices introduced in the mid-20th century under the government of Mao, as distinguished from related traditional theories and practices preserved by people in Taiwan, Hong Kong and by the overseas Chinese. The more general sense is meant in this article.
TCM developed as a form of noninvasive therapeutic intervention (also described as folk medicine or traditional medicine) rooted in ancient belief systems, including traditional religious concepts. Chinese medical practitioners before the 19th century relied essentially on observation, trial and error. Like their counterparts in the West, they had a very different understanding of infection which predated the discovery of bacteria, viruses (germ theory of disease) or cellular structures and little knowledge of organic chemistry, relying mainly on distinctly observational medical theory describing the nature of infections and remedies actions. Traditions, and observations based on their theory, along with three millenia of practical experience guided their courses of treatment and instruction in diagnostic principles.
Unlike other forms of traditional medicine which have largely become extinct, traditional Chinese medicine continues as a distinct branch of modern medical practice, and within China, it is an important part of the public health care system. There are thousands of years of empirical knowledge about TCM on its own terms, and in recent decades there has been an effort to place traditional Chinese medicine on a firmer Western scientific empirical and methodological basis as well as efforts to integrate Chinese and Western medical traditions.
That this effort has occurred is surprising to many for a number of reasons. In most of the world, indigenous medical practices have been supplanted by practices brought from the West, while in Chinese societies, this has not occurred and shows no sign of occurring. Furthermore, many have found it peculiar that Chinese medicine remains a distinct branch of medicine separate from Western medicine, while the same has not happened with other intellectual fields. There is, for example, no longer a distinct branch of Chinese physics or Chinese biology.
TCM is used by some to treat the side effects of chemotherapy, treating the cravings and withdrawal symptoms of drug addicts and treating a variety of chronic conditions that conventional medicine is claimed to be sometimes ineffective in treating. TCM has also been used to treat antibiotic-resistant infections.
In China, practitioners of Chinese medicine tend to perform functions which in the West would be performed by allied health professionals such as nutritionists, pharmacists, nurses, chiropractors, physical therapists and others. Chinese medicine hospitals also perform some emergency medicine such as prevention and treatment of shock and seizure. The general distinction made by Chinese in China is that Western medicine involves cutting or acute care while Chinese medicine involves manipulation or chronic care. Hence medical procedures such as bone setting or chiropractic spinal manipulation would be seen as Chinese, while surgery tends to be seen as Western.

TCM theory
There are many schools of thought on which TCM is based. Because of this, the foundation principles of Chinese medicine are not necessarily uniform. Received TCM can be shown to be most influenced by Taoism, Buddhism, and Neo-Confucianism.
For over 3000 years (1200 BC - present), Chinese academics of various schools have focused on the observable natural laws of the universe and their implications for the practical characterisation of humanity's place in the universe. In the I Ching and other Chinese literary and philosophical classics, they have described some general principles and their applications to health and healing:
· There are observable principles of constant phenomenal change by which the Universe is maintained.
o Man is part of the universe and cannot be separated from the universal process of change.
· As a result of these apparently inescapable primordial principles, the Universe (and every process therein) tends to eventually balance itself.
o Optimum health should result from living as harmoniously as possible with the spontaneous process of change tending towards balance. If there is no change (stagnation), or too much change (catastrophism), balance is increasingly lost and illnesses can occur.
· Everything is ultimately interconnected.
o Always use a systemic approach when addressing imbalances.
TCM is therefore largely based on the philosophical concept that the human body is a small universe with a set of complete and sophisticated interconnected systems. Those systems usually work in balance to maintain the healthy function of the human body. The balance is described as necessarily including qi, blood, jing, bodily fluids, the wu xing, emotions, and spirit (shen). TCM has a unique model of the body, notably concerned with the meridian system. TCM isn't monolithic, however, and there are from minor to significant regional and philosophical differences between practitioners and schools which in turn can lead to differences in practice and theory.

TCM diagnostics
The basics of TCM diagnostics are: observe (望 wàng), hear and smell (聞 wén), ask about background (問 wèn) and read the pulse (切 qiè). Then a diagnosis is made using a system to classify the symptoms.
Systems of diagnosis include:
· Yin or Yang
· Five elements
· eight principles
· Zang Fu theory
· Meridian (Chinese medicine)
· Six levels
· four stages
· Three jiaos
And a modern cross that is not formal but in China TCM diagnosis is being very heavily influenced by and integrated with western diagnostic thought moving towards total integration of the two systems. Modern practitioners often use the systems in combination to understand what is happening with the patient.
Because traditional Chinese medicine predates the more invasive medical testing used in conventional Western medicine, TCM requires skill in a range of diagnostic systems not commonly used outside of TCM. Much of this diagnostic skill involves developing the abilities to observe subtle appearances; to observe that which is right in front of us, but escapes the observation of most people.

Diagnostic techniques
· Palpation of the patient's radial artery pulse in six positions
· Observation of the appearance of the patient's tongue
· Observation of the patient's face
· Palpation of the patient's body (especially the abdomen) for tenderness
· Observation of the sound of the patient's voice
· Observation of the surface of the ear
· Observation of the vein on the index finger on small children
· Comparisons of the relative warmth or coolness of different parts of the body
· Anything else that can be observed without instruments and without harming the patient

TCM treatment techniques
The traditional treatment in Chinese medicine consists of six major methods:
1. Tui na推拿
2. Acupuncture針疚
3. Moxibustion艾炙
4. Cupping拔罐
5. Herbology中药
6. Qigong, T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Chinese martial arts in general. Die-da or Tieh Ta (跌打): practitioners who specialize in healing trauma injury such as bone fractures, sprains, bruises etc. Some of these specialists may also use or recommend other disciplines of Chinese medical therapies (or Western medicine in modern times) if serious injury is involved. These practices are also seen as health maintenance regimes as well as interventions.
Traditional Chinese medicine uses herbs and other drugs as the last resort to fight health problems. This conforms to its basic belief: a human body has a sophisticated system to find illness, allocate resources and energy and heal the problems by itself. The goal of external efforts should carefully focus on assisting the normal self-healing function of human body, not interfering with it. There is a Chinese saying which reflects the same idea: "Any medicine has 30% poison ingredients."
The modern practice of traditional Chinese medicine is increasingly incorporating techniques and theories of Western medicine in its praxis.
Other specialties include:
· Nutrition or food therapy
· Gua Sha or coin-rubbing 刮痧
· Auriculotherapy耳燭療法

TCM and science
There are two questions about TCM which can be investigated scientifically:
· Does it work?
· How does it work?

The question of efficaciousness
Most scientific research in the West about TCM has focused on acupuncture. The National Institutes of Health Consensus Statement on Acupuncture summarizes research on the efficacy of acupuncture as follows:
...promising results have emerged, for example, efficacy of acupuncture in adult post-operative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting and in postoperative dental pain. There are other situations such as addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma for which acupuncture may be useful as an adjunct treatment or an acceptable alternative or be included in a comprehensive management program. Further research is likely to uncover additional areas where acupuncture interventions will be useful.
Much less work in the West has been done on Chinese herbal medicines, which comprises much of TCM in China. It is clear, however, that many if not most of these medicines do have powerful biochemical effects. An example is the herb ephedra which was introduced into the West as a stimulant, and later banned in the United States after deaths were attributed to its use. A less controversial example is artemisinin, derived from an herb long-used used in TCM, and now used worldwide to treat multi-drug resistant strains of falciparum malaria. In the West, many Chinese medicines have been marketed as herbal supplements and there has been considerable controversy over the regulatory status of these substances.
TCM practitioners have no philosophical objections to scientific studies on the effectiveness of treatments. The main barrier to the adoption of Chinese herbal medicines into Western practice is economic. It requires a large amount of expertise and money to conduct, for example, a double-blind drug trial, making it a large venture to test even one of the thousands of compounds used by TCM. Because these compounds cannot be patented and owned exclusively, there is a distinct disincentive to sponsor such expensive protocols. Some important western medical drugs have come from Chinese herbs like Ephedrine.
There are also great a priori doubts about the efficacy of many TCM treatments that appear to have their basis in magical thinking, e.g. plants with heart-shaped leaves will help the heart, ground bones of tiger give a person energy because tigers are energetic animals and so on. To researchers, this is a very small base to start serious research on.

Purported mechanism of action
The basic mechanism of TCM is akin to treating the body as a black box, recording and classifying changes and observations of the patient using a traditional philosophy. In contrast to many alternative and complementary medicines such as homeopathy, practically all techniques of TCM have explanations for why they may be more effective than a placebo, which Western medicine can find plausible. Most doctors of Western medicine would not find implausible claims that qigong preserves health by encouraging relaxation and movement, that acupuncture relieves pain by stimulating the production of neurotransmitters, or that Chinese herbal medicines may contain powerful biochemical agents. However, the causative mechanisms of healing often traditionally claimed to be at work in TCM techniques such as "manipulation of qi" as in the case of qigong and accupuncture, are often not recognized as scientifically valid or even possible.

The relationship between TCM and Western medicine
Within China, there has been a great deal of cooperation between TCM practitioners and Western medicine, especially in the field of ethnomedicine. Chinese herbal medicine includes many compounds which are unused by Western medicine, and there is great interest in those compounds as well as the theories which TCM practitioners use to determine which compound to prescribe. For their part, advanced TCM practitioners in China are interested in statistical and experimental techniques which can better distinguish medicines that work from those that do not. One result of this collaboration has been the creation of peer reviewed scientific journals and medical databases on traditional Chinese medicine.
The relationship between TCM and Western medicine in the West is more contentious. While more and more medical schools are including classes on alternative medicine in their curricula, older Western doctors and scientists are far more likely than their Chinese counterparts to skeptically view TCM as archaic pseudoscience and superstition. This skepticism can come from a number of sources. For one, TCM in the West tends to be advocated either by Chinese immigrants or by those that have lost faith in conventional medicine. Many people in the West have a stereotype of the East as mystical and unscientific, which attracts those in the West who have lost hope in science and repels those who believe in scientific explanations. There have also been experiences in the West with unscrupulous or well-meaning but improperly-trained "TCM practitioners" who have done people more harm than good in many instances.
As an example of the different roles of TCM in China and the West, a person with a broken bone in the West (i.e. a routine, "straightforward" condition) would almost never see a Chinese medicine practitioner or visit a martial arts school to get the bone set, whereas this is routine in China. As another example, most TCM hospitals in China have electron microscopes and many TCM practitioners know how to use one.
This is not to say that TCM techniques are considered worthless in the West. In fact, Western pharmaceutical companies have recognized the value of traditional medicines and are employing teams of scientists in many parts of the world to gather knowledge from traditional healers and medical practitioners. After all, the active ingredients of most modern medicines were discovered in plants or animals. The particular contribution of Western medicine is that it strictly applies the scientific method to promising traditional treatments, separating those that work from those that do not. As another example, most Western hospitals and increasing numbers of other clinics now offer T'ai Chi Ch'uan or qigong classes as part of their inpatient and community health programs.
Most Chinese in China do not see traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine as being in conflict. In cases of emergency and crisis situations, there is generally no reluctance in using conventional Western medicine. At the same time, belief in Chinese medicine remains strong in the area of maintaining health. To put it simply, you see a Western doctor if you have acute appendicitis, but you do exercises or take Chinese herbs to keep your body healthy enough to prevent appendicitis, or to recover more quickly from the surgery. Very few practitioners of Western medicine in China reject traditional Chinese medicine, and most doctors in China will use some elements of Chinese medicine in their own practice.
A degree of integration between Chinese and Western medicine also exists in China. For instance, at the Shanghai cancer hospital, a patient may be seen by a multidisciplinary team and be treated concurrently with radiation surgery, Western drugs and a traditional herbal formula.
It is worth noting that the practice of Western medicine in China is somewhat different from that in the West. In contrast to the West, there are relatively few allied health professionals to perform routine medical procedures or to undertake procedures such as massage or physical therapy.
In addition, Chinese practitioners of Western medicine have been less impacted by trends in the West that encourage patient empowerment, to see the patient as an individual rather than a collection of parts, and to do nothing when medically appropriate. Chinese practitioners of Western medicine have been widely criticized for overprescribing drugs such as corticosteroids or antibiotics for common viral infections. It is likely that these medicines, which are generally known to be useless against viral infections, would provide less relief to the patient than traditional Chinese herbal remedies.

TCM and Animals
As animal products are used in Chinese formulas, vegans and vegetarians should inform their practitioner, if their beliefs forbid the ingestion of animals. Often alternative substances can be used.
The animal rights movement notes that a few traditional Chinese medicinal solutions use bear bile. To extract maximum amounts of the bile, the bears are often fitted with a sort of permanent catheter. The treatment itself and especially the extraction of the bile is very painful, causes damage to the intestines of the bear, and often even kills the bears. However, due to international attention on the issues surrounding its harvesting, bile is now rarely used by practioners outside of China.

See also
· History of traditional Chinese medicine
· Public health in the People's Republic of China
· Traditional Japanese medicine (Kampo)
· Traditional Korean medicine

References
· Chang, Stephen T. The Great Tao; Tao Longevity; ISBN 0942196015 Stephen T. Chang
· Kaptchuck, Ted J., The Web That Has No Weaver; Congdon & Weed; ISBN 0809229331Z
· Maciocia, Giovanni, The Foundations of Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Text for Acupuncturists and Herbalists; Churchill Livingstone; ISBN 0443-039801
· Ni, Mao-Shing, The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine : A New Translation of the Neijing Suwen with Commentary; Shambhala, 1995; ISBN 1570620806
· Holland, Alex Voices of Qi: An Introductory Guide to Traditional Chinese Medicine; North Atlantic Books, 2000; ISBN 1556433263
· Unschuld, Paul U., Medicine in China: A History of Ideas; University of California Press, 1985; ISBN 0520050231
· Qu, Jiecheng, When Chinese Medicine Meets Western Medicine - History and Ideas (in Chinese); Joint Publishing (H.K.), 2004; ISBN 9620423364

Trepanation

2005-11-13T05:42:00.000-08:00

Trepanation (also known as trepanning, trephination, or trephining) is a form of surgery in which a hole is drilled or scraped into the skull, leaving the membrane around the brain intact. It addresses health problems that relate to abnormal intracranial pressure.
However, there are dubious advocates who suggest trepanation even for healthy people, claiming that after an operation capillaries in the brain should operate on a higher metabolism resulting in a higher state of consciousness. Some claim spiritual benefits.
Trepanation has been carried out for both medical reasons and mystical practices for a long time: Evidence of trepanation has been found in pre-historic human remains from Neolithic times onwards, per cave paintings indicating that people believed the practice would cure epileptic seizures and mental disorders. Furthermore, Hippocrates gave specific directions on the procedure from its evolution through the Greek age.
Trepanation is generally not practiced by doctors without a medical indication. Illegal in the United States and Europe due to the risk of blood clots, brain injuries and infections, trepanation procedures can lead to meningitis or death.

See also
· Migraine
· Trephinning in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica

The International Trepanation Advocacy Group - http://www.trepan.com/ Information on trepanation, the art of drilling holes into people's skulls.

Medical and Alternative Trepanation - http://www.geocities.com/trepanationz/ Backgroung information on trepanation and the risks associated with it.

Skeptic's Dictionary - Trepanation - http://skepdic.com/trepanation.html Overview focusing on the work of Bart Huges.

Trepanation Guide - http://www.trepanationguide.com/ An indepth source of information on medical and historical aspects of this ancient surgical procedure. Includes references and citations as well and advanced reading suggestions.

Trepanation Diary - http://www.bmezine.com/news/people/A10101/trepan/ The experience of a person who had a hole drilled through his skull. Includes photos of the procedure.

The People With Holes In Their Heads - http://www.ee0r.com/trepan.html Article on trepanation from Eccentric Lives and Peculiar Notions by John Michell.

The Hole to Luck - http://www.free.de/homes/joern/luck_hole.html An interview with self-trepanner Dr. Bart Huges as questioned by Joe Mellen. The Transatlantic Review No. 23, Winter 1966-1967.

Therapeutic Benefits of Trepanation - http://www.socrepsoc.com/trep.html Scientific article by Daniel Witt of Temple University.

Salon - The Hole Story - http://www.salon.com/health/feature/1999/04/29/trepanation/print.html Article by Jon Bowen discussing this procedure citing the pros and cons.

Neolithic Surgery - http://www.he.net/~archaeol/9709/newsbriefs/trepanation.html A newsbrief from Archaeology Magazine describing a 7,000-year-old burial in France that has yielded the earliest unequivocal evidence for trepanation.

Astrology Tomorrow Today - Trepanation - http://meinah.tripod.com/MI/trepanation.html A personal interpretation of this procedure by Mei Nah Khoo. From Metaphysical Insights archives.

Urine Therapy

2005-11-13T05:38:00.000-08:00

Urine therapy is a specialized branch of alternative medicine. Any sort of oral or external application of human urine for medicinal purposes falls into this category.
Promoters of urine therapy believe urine to have many curative powers. Some cultures, especially Indian, have traditionally used urine as a medicine. According to one theory, this perhaps dates to a time when the Amanita muscaria mushroom was used as Soma in Vedic rituals. The psychoactive alkaloids of the mushroom are passed unchanged in human urine, leading to the surviving Siberian practice, especially among the Koryak tribe, of drinking the urine of an Amanita muscaria user in order to become intoxicated (what proponents of the mushroom/Soma theory ascribe to the Vedic "second filter"). Many other cultures consider the practice to be repugnant, even to the point of being taboo.
Urine contains many vitamins, hormones and nutrients that are essential to the proper functioning of human body. However, it also contains metabolic waste by-products and small amounts of toxins such as ammonia and formaldehyde.
Critics of urine therapy note that there are no scientific studies which validate urine therapy. Urea, an ingredient in urine, may have some medical value, but urea is already an ingredient in some contemporary medicines. In recent times, the Port-a-John corporation of Utica, Michigan, USA has developed a filter to collect medically significant proteins from users of their chemical toilets. Some pharmaceuticals contain ingredients extracted from human or animal urine.

Books on the subject
1. Your own perfect medicine by Martha M. Christy
2. Golden Fountain: The Complete Guide to Urine Therapy by Coen Van Der Kroon
3. Water of Life: A treatise on Urine Therapy by John W. Armstrong

Wellness Centers

2005-11-13T05:35:00.000-08:00

Hot Springs Enthusiast - http://www.hotspringsenthusiast.com/ Information on hot springs in the U.S. by state and links to information about hots springs outside the United States. Also has related links on hot tubs, how to locate a hot springs, topological maps.

Holistic Health Yellow Pages - http://www.findhealer.com Database allowing search for alternative practitioners within the US and Canada, listing by specialty and by city. Links to pages about various modalities seem broken.

Donald M. Epstein - http://www.donaldepstein.com Articles, abstracts and alternative health information. Founder of Network Spinal Analysis, Somato Respiratory Integration, and Models of Healing and Wellness.

Healing Arts Network - http://www.HealingArtsNetwork.com A reference for locating practitioners and information on Alternative Medicine, Holistic Health, and Shamanic Practice.

Ibiza Healing Retreat - http://www.ibizahealingretreat.com/ Offering art therapy training, hypnotherapy, chakra balancing, and yoga. Accommodation in a country-villa. Spain. Site in English, Spanish, and German.

Alternative Medicine Network - http://www.sonic.net/~nexus An introduction to alternative medicine. Offers referral services, links to holistic web sites, consultations, and a newsletter.

Satya Health Farm - http://www.satyahealthfarm.com/ Health retreat near the River Paej in Karjat, India.

Yoga

2005-11-13T05:20:00.000-08:00

Yoga (Sanskrit योग, "union") is a family of spiritual practices that originated in India, where it is seen primarily as a means to enlightenment (or bodhi). Traditionally, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Raja Yoga are considered the four main yogas. In the West, yoga has become associated with the asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga, which are popular as fitness exercises. Yoga as a means to enlightenment is central to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.
Goals of yoga
The ultimate goal of yoga is the attainment of liberation (moksha) from worldly suffering and the cycle of birth and death (samsara). Yoga entails mastery over the body, mind, and emotional self, and transcendence of desire. It is said to lead gradually to knowledge of the true nature of reality. The yogi reaches a state called kaivalya or nirvana, where there is a cessation of thought, and an experience of blissful union. This union may be of the individual soul (atman) with the supreme Reality (brahman), as in Vedanta philosophy; or with a specific god or goddess, as in theistic forms of Hinduism and some forms of Buddhism. Proponents of yoga see daily practice as beneficial in itself, leading to improved health, emotional well-being, and mental clarity. Some skeptics question these claims.

Diversity of yoga
Over the long history of yoga, different schools have emerged, and there are numerous examples of subdivisions and synthesis. It is common to speak of each form of yoga as a "path" to enlightenment. Thus, yoga may include love and devotion (as in Bhakti Yoga), selfless work (as in Karma Yoga), knowledge and discernment (as in Jnana Yoga), or an eight-limbed system of disciplines emphasizing meditation (as in Raja Yoga). These practices occupy a continuum from the religious to the scientific. They need not be mutually exclusive. (A person who follows the path of selfless work might also cultivate some knowledge and devotion.) Some people (particularly in western cultures) pursue yoga as exercise divorced from spiritual practice.

The word "yoga"
The word "yoga"--from the Sanskrit root yuj ("to yoke")--is generally translated as "union" or "integration." This may be understood as union with the Divine, or integration of body, mind, and spirit. One who practices yoga is called a yogi or in Sanskrit, a yogin (masculine) or yogini (feminine). These designations are sometimes reserved for advanced practitioners.
The word yoga may also be written יוגה, योग, Joga, Ioga, Jooga, zh:瑜伽, ja:ヨーガ or Yôga.

Yoga and religion
In the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions, the spiritual goals of yoga are seen as inseparable from the religions of which yoga forms a part. Some yogis make a subtle distinction between religion and yoga, seeing religion as more concerned with culture, values, beliefs and rituals; and yoga as more concerned with self-realization, i.e., direct perception of the ultimate truth. In this sense, religion and yoga are complementary. Sri Ramakrishna likened religion to the husk, and direct experience to the kernel. Both are needed, "but if one wants to get at the kernel itself, he must remove the husk of the grain."
Some forms of yoga come replete with a rich iconography, while others are more austere and minimalist. Hindu practitioners of yoga are proud of their religious traditions, while non-Hindu practitioners claim that yoga may be practiced sincerely by those who have not accepted the Hindu religion.
While the yoga tradition remains rooted in the Indian subcontinent, the fact that some modern yogis like Swami Vivekananda and Paramahansa Yogananda came to the West suggests that they saw hope the yoga tradition could also flourish there. Critics of yoga as practiced in the West charge that it is sometimes watered down, corrupted, or cut off from its spiritual roots (e.g. the popular view that yoga is primarily physical exercises).

Common themes
Part of the series onHinduism

History · Deities

Denominations

Beliefs and practices

Reincarnation · Moksha

Karma · Puja · Maya

Nirvana · Dharma

Yoga · Ayurveda

Yuga · Vegetarianism

Bhakti · Artha

Mythology

Shruti : Upanishads

Vedas · Brahmana

Smriti : Bhagavad Gita

Sutras · Itihasa

Related topics

Hinduism by country

Leaders · Mandir ·

Caste system · Mantra

Hindu festivals · Murti

Common to most forms of yoga is the practice of concentration (dharana) and meditation (dhyana). Dharana, according to Patanjali's definition, is the "binding of consciousness to a single point." The awareness is concentrated on a fine point of sensation (such as that of the breath entering and leaving the nostrils). Sustained single-pointed concentration gradually leads to meditation (dhyana), in which the inner faculties are able to expand and merge with something vast. Meditators sometimes report feelings of peace, joy, and oneness.
The focus of meditation may differ from school to school, e.g. meditation on one of the chakras, such as the heart center (anahata) or the third eye (ajna); or meditation on a particular deity, such as Krishna; or on a quality like peace. Non-dualist schools such as Advaita Vedanta may stress meditation on the Supreme with no form or qualities (nirguna brahman). This resembles Buddhist meditation on the Void.
Another common element is the spiritual teacher (guru in Sanskrit; lama in Tibetan). While emphasized to varying degrees by all schools of yoga, in some the guru is seen as an embodiment of the Divine. The guru guides the student (shishya or chela) through yogic discipline from the beginning. Thus, the novice yoga student is to find and devote himself to a satguru (true teacher). Traditionally, knowledge of yoga--as well as permission to practice it or teach it--has been passed down through initiatory chains of gurus and their students. This is called guruparampara.
The yoga tradition is one of practical experience, but also incorporates texts which explain the techniques and philosophy of yoga. Many gurus write on the subject, either providing modern translations and elucidations of classical texts, or explaining how their particular teachings should be followed. A guru may also found an ashram or order of monks; these comprise the institutions of yoga. The yoga tradition has also been a fertile source of inspiration for poetry, music, dance, and art.
When students associate with a particular teacher, school, ashram or order, this naturally creates yoga communities where there are shared practices. Chanting of mantras such as Aum, singing of spiritual songs, and studying sacred texts are all common themes. The importance of any one element may differ from school to school, or student to student. Differences do not always reflect disagreement, but rather a multitude of approaches meant to serve students of differing needs, background and temperament.
The yogi is sometimes portrayed as going beyond rules-based morality. This does not mean that a yogi will act in an immoral fashion, but rather that he or she will act with direct knowledge of the supreme Reality. In some legends, a yogi--having amassed merit through spiritual practice--may then cause mischief even to the gods. Some yogis in history have been naked ascetics--such as Swami Trailanga, who greatly vexed the occupying British in 19th century Benares by wandering about in a state of innocence.

Origins

This statue of a yogini goddess was created in Kaveripakkam in Tamil Nadu during the 10th century. There were 64 such yoginis worshipped in a practice later incorporated into Hinduism.
Main article: History of Yoga
Images of a meditating yogi from the Indus Valley Civilization are thought to be 6 to 7 thousand years old. The earliest written accounts of yoga appear in the Rig Veda, which began to be codified between 1500 and 1200 BC. It is difficult to establish the date of yoga from this as the Rig Veda was orally transmitted for at least a millenia. The first Yoga text dates to around the 2nd century BC by Patanjali, and prescribes adherence to "eight limbs" (the sum of which constitute "Ashtanga Yoga") to quiet one's mind and merge with the infinite.
The first full description of the principles and goals of yoga are found in the Upanisads, thought to have been composed between the eighth and fourth centuries BC. The Upanisads are also called Vedanta since they constitute the end or conclusion of the Vedas (the traditional body of spiritual wisdom). In the Upanisads, the older practises of offering sacrifices and ceremonies to appease external gods gives way instead to a new understanding that man can, by means of an inner sacrifice, become one with the Supreme Being (referred to as Brāhman or Māhātman) -- through moral culture, restraint and training of the mind.

Hindu yoga

Bhagavad-Gita
The Bhagavad-Gita famously distinguishes several types of "yoga", corresponding to the duties of different classes of people. Capturing the essence and at the same time going into detail about the various Yogas and their philosophies, it constantly refers to itself as such, the "Scripture of Yoga" (see the final verses of each chapter). The book is thought to have been written some time between the 5th and the 2nd century BC. In it Krishna describes the following yogas:
(1) Karma yoga, the yoga of "action" in the world
(2) Jnana yoga, the yoga of meditation or intellectual endeavor
(3) Bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion to a deity (for example, to Krishna)

Patanjali
Main articles: Patanjali, Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Perhaps the classic description of yoga is the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which form the basis not only of the darshana called "yoga"--one of six such "orthodox" (i.e. Veda-accepting) schools of Hindu philosophy--but also of the practice of yoga in most ashrams (to the extent these can be distinguished). The school (dharshana) of Indian philosophy known as "yoga" is primarily Upanishadic with roots in Samkhya, and some scholars see some influence from Buddhism.
Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras presents the goal of yoga as 'the cessation of mental fluctuations' (cittavrtti nirodha), an achievement which gives rise to the possibility of stable meditation and thus deeper states of absorption (dhyana or samadhi). This requires considerable restraint (yama) and self-discipline (niyama; see below for Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga)). Patanjali's yoga is sometimes called Raja Yoga (Skt: "Royal yoga") or "Ashtanga Yoga" ("Eight-Limbed Yoga"), in order to distinguish it from Hatha yoga. It is held as authoritative by all schools.
Patanjali's text sets forth eight "limbs" of yoga practice. Interestingly, only one of them involves physical postures (and these mainly involve seated positions). The eight are:
(1) Yama (The five "abstentions"): violence, lying, theft, sex, and possessions)
(2) Niyama (The five "observances"): purity, contentment, austerities, study, and surrender to God
(3) Asana This term literally means "seat," and originally referred mainly to seated positions. With the rise of Hatha yoga, it came to be used of these yoga "postures" as well.
(4) Pranayama (Control of prana or vital breath)
(5) Pratyahara ("Abstraction") "is that by which the senses do not come into contact with their objects and, as it were, follow the nature of the mind." - Vyasa
(6) Dharana ("Concentration") - Fixing the attention on a single object
(7) Dhyana ("Meditation")
(8) Samadhi - Super-conscious state or trance

Hatha yoga
Over the last century the term yoga has come to be especially associated with the postures (Sanskrit āsanas) of hatha yoga ("Forced Yoga"). Hatha yoga has gained wide popularity outside of India and traditional yoga-practicing religions, and the postures are sometimes presented as entirely secular or non-spiritual in nature.
Traditional Hatha Yoga is a complete yogic path, including moral disciplines, physical exercises (e.g., postures and breath control), and meditation, and encompasses far more than the yoga of postures and exercises practiced in the West as physical culture. The seminal work on Hatha Yoga is the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, written by Swami Svatmarama.
Hatha Yoga was invented to provide a form of physical purification and training that would prepare aspirants for the higher training that is called Raja Yoga (see above). This is still true today. Despite this, many in the West practice 'Hatha yoga' solely for the perceived health benefits it provides, and not as a path to enlightenment.

Natya yoga
The guide to Natya Yoga was written by Bharata Muni. Sage Narada along with Gandharvas were the first to practise Natya Yoga, which comprise all the four main yoga's. Natya Yoga was practised by the medieval devadasis, and is currently taught in a few orthodox schools of Bharatanatyam and Odissi.

Buddhist yoga
Within the various schools of Tibetan Buddhism yoga likewise holds a central place, though not in the form presented by Patanjali or the Gita. (For example, physical postures are rarely practiced.) An example would be "guru yoga," the veneration of the spiritual teacher which must be done at the beginning of the spiritual path and regularly throughout. In the tantric traditions a number of practices are classified with the name "yoga", for example, the two of the four general classification of tantras--"Yoga Tantra" and "Highest Yoga Tantra".
Yogacara ("Yoga Adepts"), which is also known as Cittamatra ("Consciousness Only") is an important philosophical school within Indo-Tibetan Buddhism.

Yoga and tantra
Main article: Tantra
Yoga is often mentioned in company with Tantra. While the two have deep similarities, most traditions distinguish them from one another.
They are similar in that both amount to families of spiritual texts, practices, and lineages with origins in the Indian subcontinent. (Coincidentally, both have been popularized to some extent in the West, with perhaps a shallower understanding of their nature.) It should be noted however that for the most part, we are speaking of different families of texts, lineages, etc.
Their differences are variously expressed. Some Hindu commentators see yoga as a process whereby body consciousness is seen as the root cause of bondage, while tantra views the body as a means to understanding, rather than as an obstruction. It must be said that in India, tantra often carries quite negative connotations involving sexual misbehavior and black magic. Nevertheless, most forms of tantra follow more mainstream social mores. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is generally classified as a Hindu tantric scripture.
Tantra has roots in the first millennium CE, and incorporates much more of a theistic basis. Almost entirely founded on Shiva and Shakti worship, Hindu tantra visualizes the ultimate Brahman as Param Shiva, manifested through Shiva (the passive, masculine force of Lord Shiva) and Shakti (the active, creative feminine force of his consort, variously known as Ma Kali, Durga, Shakti, Parvati and others). It focuses on the kundalini, a three and a half-coiled 'snake' of spiritual energy at the base of the spine that rises through the chakras until union between Shiva and Shakti (also known as samadhi) is achieved. (Some Hindu yoga teachers, however, have adopted these concepts.)
Tantra emphasises mantra (Sanskrit prayers, often to gods, that are repeated), yantra (complex symbols representing gods in various forms through intricate geometric figures), and rituals that range from simple murti (statue representations of deities) or image worship to meditation on a corpse! While tantric texts (see kaularvatantra, mahanirvana tantra) and teachers (e.g. Abhinava Gupta) may seem odd and highly arcane from the point of view of classical yoga, that these incorporate yoga concepts seems clear.
In Tibetan Buddhism, which embraces both, yoga is seen as a synonym for "spiritual practice," while "tantra" refers to a specific category of texts and practices, etc that are roughly analogous to the Hindu ones described above. (The fact that Hindu "yoga" has these things as well may have escaped the attention of classical Tibetan commentators.) In that spirit other Buddhist traditions, such as Theravada, practice a form of "yoga" but reject "tantra."

Yogis
Main articles: Yogi, List of yoga schools

Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836-1886)
History is replete with Yogis that have inspired people for many generations. Yogini Meera from the Bhakti tradition, Shankaracharya from the Jnana Yoga tradition, Patanjali, who formalized the system of Raja Yoga, are just a few examples.
Among modern Yogis, Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, a Bhakti Yogi, stands tall. A devotee of Mother Kali and a teacher of Advaita Vedanta, he preached that "all religions lead to the same goal." His student, Swami Vivekananda, a follower of Advaita philosophy as well, is known for revitalizing Hinduism and introducing the transcendental message of Yoga to the west.
Sri Aurobindo, focusing on the goddess Srii, worked on translations and interpretations of Yogic scriptures, such as the Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita. His epic poem Savitri is a treasure of Hindu Yogic literature, formally being the longest poem ever written in English. He also founded Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, that continues to propagate the practice of Integral Yoga, which is Aurobindo's synthesis of the four main Yogas (Karma, Jnana, Bhakti and Raja).
Sri Chinmoy (born 1931), influenced by the Sri Aurobindo ashram, brought a similar synthesis of elements to the West emphasizing love for God, meditation on the heart, and religious tolerance rooted in modern Vedantic principles.
Swami Rama Tirtha, the founding spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute, was the first yogi to be subjected to the scrutiny of modern science. He allegedly stunned doctors by stopping the beating of his heart completely for several minutes.
Swami Sivananda (born 1887) authored over 300 books on yoga and spirituality and attained Mahasamadhi in Rishikesh. He founded Sivananda ashram in Rishikesh, and a society dedicated to Yoga. Swami Sivananda had many disciples who went on in their own right to be yoga gurus, including Swami Satyananda Saraswati, founder of Satyananda Yoga.
Many modern schools of Hatha Yoga derive from the school of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, who taught from 1924 until his death in 1989. Among his students prominent in popularizing Yoga in the West were Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, B.K.S. Iyengar, Indra Devi and Krishnamacharya's son T.K.V. Desikachar.
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada popularised Bhakti for Krishna in many countries through his movement, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, (popularly known as the Hare Krishna movement) which he founded in 1966.
Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952), a practitioner of Kriya Yoga, moved to America purporting a pluralist ideology with Yoga as the binding force, specificaly trying to reconcile Hinduism and Christianity. Yogananda founded the Self-Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles, in 1925.
Gopi Krishna (1903-1984) was a Kashmiri office worker and spiritual seeker. He wrote autobiographical accounts of his spiritual experiences with Yoga.
Swami Ramdevji Maharaj is a modern Indian yogi who follows the tradition of astanga yoga discovered by Maharshi Patanjali. He emphasised the practice of pranayama and claims to have used it to cure various diseases.
Shrii Shrii Anandamurti, India, 1921-1990 incorporated within Raja Yoga, advanced meditation techniques from the tantras. He is the founder of Ananda Marga.
Swami Maitreyananda of Uruguay is the president of the International Yoga Federation. www.fiy.yoganet.org He united international, continental, national and regional yoga association, masters, ashrams, schools, and linages all over the world for the first time in history of the world wide yoga community. Swami Maitreya teaches Integral Yoga and Maha Yoga
Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda is the author of the scientific master-system Yoga in Daily Life and founder of the International Sri Deep Madhavananda Ashram Fellowship. He has been living in Vienna, Austria since 1972.

See also
Hinduism
Hindu Philosophy
Raja Yoga

Anahata Yoga
Bikram Yoga
Naked yoga
Sahaja Yoga
Surat Shabda Yoga
Tsa lung Trul khor

Chakra
List of Hatha Yoga Postures
Prana
Seven stages
Yoga (alternative medicine)
Yoga as exercise

External links
Aspects of Yoga — articles on meditation, japa, and other facets of Inner Life
The Philosophy of Yoga - An Aesthetic Appraisal by Sri Nitin Kumar.
More information about yoga and practising methods