Category: News

Traditional  Chinese Medicine (TCM) is built around an entirely different paradigm to that of Western medicine. As a result, TCM can seem a little crazy when first encountered by Westerners who have only been exposed to the clinical approach to medicine . The void left by the lack of understanding is frequently filled with vague and confused language, often centred on the idea of energy. In fact, there's no need for mystical explanations. By understanding that the two medical traditions simply approach the human condition from different directions and that neither tradition is definitive,  it's possible to find truth and value in both.

In recent years, Western science has increasingly investigated the claims of TCM with regard to treatments such as acupuncture and pursuits such as meditation, Tai Chi, Qigong and Yoga (which of course originates in India but is analogous to Tai Chi in many ways. That's the subject for a post all of it's own though!). The resulting studies are slowly building a picture of the real and tangible benefits to be gained from the Chinese model. The discovery of the Interstitium and investigation into facial layers within the body provide Western models with a medium through which the effects of treatments like acupuncture can be transmitted throughout the body.

Of course, those of us who practice Tai Chi and Qigong already know how beneficial it can be in helping to maintain physical and mental wellbeing, but it's always nice to have a little bit of Western science confirming what your body's telling you!

As Covid-19 continues to spread around the world, the following article discusses the benefits offered by Qigong and Tai Chi for people recovering from not only Covid, but other equally awful illnesses such as cancer...