Huang Di Nei Jing
aka Ancient support for a “new age” theory
The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine is one of the books that TCM is based on and the oldest known book of medicine.* It is a series of questions and answers between the Emperor (Huang Di) and his physician (Qi Bo). Lately, I have been thinking a lot about combining acupuncture and life coaching. Life coaching according to wikipedia is:a practice with the aim of helping clients determine and achieve personal goals. One of the reasons that I thought this would be helpful is because I spend so much time with patients who’s disease state completely runs their life. They are organized by the thought “I have (insert problem here) and nothing else is important”. These people put on blinders, they forget who they are, what they like and a lose a sense of joy. When I was in Rothenburg this year, much of the material was focused on the emotions and their effect on disease and also on the mental state and how thoughts become processes that become diseases. This second area, about mental state and thoughts relates exactly to life coaching. We need to find the set of beliefs that already exists within someone in order to help them reach a place of health. Just like was mentioned earlier frome the Jeffrey Yuen lecture… it’s not important that the patients believe in whatever modality you are performing, it is important that they believe in the possibility of healing and living a healthful life. So, getting back to the Yellow Emperor… I realized that after trying to find a way to combine acu and life coaching, that they have been connected all along.
In book 1, chapter 1 of the Huang Di Nei Jing, Huang Di states: “I have heard that in ancient times, the people lived to be over a hundred years, and yet they remained active and did not become decrepit in their activities … ” and Qi Bo replied “In ancient times, those people … understood the Tao (which I interpret as each persons individual path/goal/journey) and they lived in harmony…there was temperance in eating and drinking. Their hours of rising and retiring were regular and not disorderly and wild. By these means, the ancients kept their bodies united with their souls … their vital spirit was preserved within; thus, how could illness come to them? … their spirit followed in harmony and obedience; everything was satisfactory to their wishes and they could achieve whatever they wished. (the Secret.. anyone??) Any kind of food was beautiful and any kind of clothing was satisfactory. They felt happy under any condition”*
Thus, the solution is to remember to live according to your personal Dao. Remember your intuition. Be grateful for what you have. Allow your body to exercise, appreciate and love your muscles, bones and tendons who so thanklessly continue to work for you. When you find yourself on a road that doesn’t quite feel right, remember that you can create an exit whenever you want. It is up to you to turn down a different path. You, ultimately have responsibility for what you are, who you are and how you react to life. Doctors, teachers, friends and family can help you to realize what you may need in life, but the decisions still lay in your hands. Advice turns to action only when the advised decides so.
I think acu and life coaching are a beautiful blend of what modern day medicine can offer a patient. You can learn what you want out of life and you can ask for help getting there. I may just be the girl that helps you 
<3
(Veith, Ilza - The Yellow Emperor’s Classic, University of California press, 1949)
September 01 2009 09:15 am | Articles