I had a light-bulb moment in TCM class last week that I am still thinking about now. Although I got told this at the start of class, I can't explain how good it is to finally get it now.
In TCM school we learn about the Heart, the Stomach, and the Spleen, the Blood, and the Marrow amongst other things. These all have an English translation from the Chinese work, i.e. Blood in Chinese is Xue. I wish they left the Chinese names because it would be easier.
I found out that the organs listed in TCM are always with a capital letter or have a capital letter abbreviation such as Stomach is ST. This is to distinguish it from the stomach as we understand it in the Western culture. "You're thinking like a Westerner" is what one of my lecturers keeps saying. How true.
Anyway, as I now write my essay on Essence, Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids I am so glad I found out about the capitalisation beforehand! Doh! Apparently there's something on this in the Maciocia text but I don't own that one yet as I bought the one from the required textbook list. Doh.
For example, the Spleen is much more like the duodenum in function. Maybe it is the duodenum. TCM doesn't care too much about which actually physical structure does what. Where Western medicine loves to specify and narrow-down, TCM seems to want to be concerned with the general picture.
Anyway, I am absolutely loving studying both. I really want to remain doing both. This inspires me to remain calm and not stress-out. I don't have enough stress to go around two different medical courses.
Well back to my essay writing. It's actually very easy and placid and enjoyable.
In TCM school we learn about the Heart, the Stomach, and the Spleen, the Blood, and the Marrow amongst other things. These all have an English translation from the Chinese work, i.e. Blood in Chinese is Xue. I wish they left the Chinese names because it would be easier.
I found out that the organs listed in TCM are always with a capital letter or have a capital letter abbreviation such as Stomach is ST. This is to distinguish it from the stomach as we understand it in the Western culture. "You're thinking like a Westerner" is what one of my lecturers keeps saying. How true.
Anyway, as I now write my essay on Essence, Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids I am so glad I found out about the capitalisation beforehand! Doh! Apparently there's something on this in the Maciocia text but I don't own that one yet as I bought the one from the required textbook list. Doh.
For example, the Spleen is much more like the duodenum in function. Maybe it is the duodenum. TCM doesn't care too much about which actually physical structure does what. Where Western medicine loves to specify and narrow-down, TCM seems to want to be concerned with the general picture.
Anyway, I am absolutely loving studying both. I really want to remain doing both. This inspires me to remain calm and not stress-out. I don't have enough stress to go around two different medical courses.
Well back to my essay writing. It's actually very easy and placid and enjoyable.
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