Dao

In the Far East, all philosophy, art and science are traditionally based on the fundamental idea that there is an intrinsic source of all things. This source is profound and universal. It cannot be expressed in words and cannot be truly comprehended by the logical mind. Just as it is impossible to comprehend the concepts of infinity and eternity with the intellect alone, this universal source is beyond the scope of our logical minds. It is comprehensible, however, when we approach it from a deeper place in our being. The Chinese call this source Dao, or the Way.

Everything comes from Dao and returns to Dao. Dao is the beginning and end of all things. Dao is the unnamable origin, the source of all things. Though Dao is itself indefinable, it manifests in an ever-changing pattern that can nonetheless be observed to follow universal laws.

The entire universe is governed by the laws of Dao, and thus all of nature is united, forming one complete whole. All things and all processes are connected and all things and processes influence everything else in some way or manner. And the human body, mind, and spirit form one complete whole within themselves and with the environment and the universe. The degree of influence varies according to the power of each factor, upon the degree of proximity, upon the number and efficiency of connective links and upon other factors.

Oriental masters long ago recognized the interconnectedness of the various parts of the body to one another. Although modern Western physiology now recognizes many of the connections classically described in Oriental medical literature (as in the concepts of referred pain and feedback loops, etc.), the Eastern knowledge of these connections is both extensive and extraordinarily insightful. The organs have reflex actions on various distant places in the body because of the energetic, chemical, neural and psychic connections, and these are described in great detail in Oriental texts, both classical and modern. In the Oriental health arts, it is accepted as indisputable truth that the bodily and the psychic aspects of a human being are inseparable. The body influences the mind so that changes in one's physical being will result in changes in one's thinking and in one's intuitive and subconscious psychic processes. The mind likewise directly and indirectly results in both gross and subtle changes in one's physical nature. This notion of the interconnectedness of the body and psyche should never be forgotten, even for a moment, by a practitioner of the Oriental health arts.

All of the Oriental health arts are based upon this premise and would fall apart instantly without this greatest of the fundamental principles. Virtually all aspects of health, healing, sickness and the disintegration of health are rooted in the union of the body and the psyche. In the East, it is taught that by cultivating one's body, one can influence the quality of thought and intuitive experience, which can lead to a truly successful, joyous, enlightened life. This is of course the basis of the yogic arts as practiced throughout the world. Inversely, cultivating the various aspects of one's psyche can and does have profound influence upon one's physical nature. This is the basis of meditation, guided imagery and visualization techniques. The Oriental healing arts take full advantage of this oneness of body and psyche to help each person to grow to as full a state of health, well being, and spiritual awareness as the person is ready to achieve. Physical techniques are routinely used to influence the mind, the emotions, the subconscious and the human spirit. Simultaneously, psychological means are used to bring about changes in one's physical condition.

No form of health care is complete unless it recognizes and utilizes this principle of the unity of physical and psychic energy, because in fact there is no real distinction between them. Therefore, Chinese Tonic herbalism, as a health art, is in no way limited to the physical body. The goal of Chinese Tonic herbalism is not really to influence a singular change in just one aspect of a person's physical life.

The real goal, and the purpose of using the tonics, is to establish a new level of well being, a new level of health and happiness that forms the foundation for true spiritual discovery, growth, and possibly the discovery of one? own holiness, irrespective of the spiritual or religious path one chooses to follow. Although Chinese herbalism has achieved a very high degree of sophistication and is quite capable of 'fixing' many of the physical problems that plague human beings, the user should never lose sight of the larger goal. If the herb user does lose this larger perspective and falls into the trap of attempting to 'heal' illness without treating oneself as a whole being, at one with nature under the influence of universal laws, this herb user cannot be said to be truly practicing the Oriental health arts.

The principle goes beyond unity just within the isolated human being. A person is also always seen to be intimately interconnected with their environment in both the small and large sense. Oriental philosophy is essentially naturalistic and recognizes that a human being is as much a part of nature as any other being or entity of this planet. We have evolved over millions of years by the process of adaptation. A human life is complex beyond our imagination. All this complexity has evolved so that we can survive and flourish within the environment found on earth at this time.

Indeed, any change in the environment influences us both physically and psychically. When it is hot we perspire, when it is cold we shiver. When there is psychological stress, we react (appropriately or inappropriately). How we handle such changes, how we adapt to the stresses of life, will be the determining factor in our health and well being. Conversely, as we change, the environment around us will be influenced and will reflect our changes.

The greatness of Oriental natural philosophy lies to a great degree in our subtlety and breadth of vision with regard to the interconnectedness of a human being and his or her environment. The Oriental practitioner recognizes such influences as seasonal change, the wind, heat, cold, moisture and so on as fundamental causative factors in one's health as well as one's dis-ease. Thus it is true that by harmonizing one's environment, one harmonizes one's own life. And in harmonizing one's own life, one's environment will be brought into order. The practitioner of the Oriental health arts will establish order in their own lives both directly and by discerning areas of disharmony within their environment that must be brought into balance. If the environment cannot be altered at this time, the practitioner is aware of the problem and avoids the environmentally disharmonious forces and strives to establish a new environment that is more harmonious.

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