Episode 1

Most people, when they face Chinese Medicine at some point, are primarily interested in how TCM can benefit their health, which conditions it can treat and how it works. Few people would ever wonder about its origins - when, and more importantly, why the ancient Chinese began to treat diseases by puncturing the body with bare needles or use herbs to relieve sickness. So far only few researchers paid attention to these questions; most Chinese Medicine textbooks and acupuncture practicums mention origin of TCM as uniform theory without much coherently identified evidence.

According to standard, widely used theory in P.R. China acupuncture had its origins early in the Late Stone Age (the Neolithic Age, c. 8000-3500 BC) and developed gradually over many thousands of years through a process of trials and errors. The traumatic nature of acupuncture, and it's treatment protocols may appear quite crude by modem standards. We do recognize long history in China full of various inventions and discoveries. However, if the accepted knowledge is correct, we are confronted with a great mystery. Why did acupuncture, unlike any other healing system, appear only in ancient China and nowhere else in the classical world?

As a matter of fact, it was a great and relatively sudden invention based on theory as well as practice, which occurred in classical China, not long before the birth of Christ. The Western Han Dynasty arose over 2000 years ago. This is a considerable span of time in the overall history of human civilization. However, in the context of China's 4000 years of recorded history, the civilization of the Western Han was actually more modern than primitive. The previous centuries had seen the blossoming of Chinese culture during the intellectual give-and-take of the Spring and Autumn (110-416 BC) and Warring States 415-221 BC) Periods, and the subsequent territorial unification of China by the Qin Dynasty (221-201 BC) laid a foundation for the cultural integration of the diverse states. Acupuncture was one of the fruits of this rich period of Chinese history.



Origin of acupuncture

Episode 2

To learn the law of creation requires great knowledge, wisdom, or even enlightenment. Such knowledge is the gate to a higher level of consciousness.

Taoism is ancient knowledge and wisdom we can trace back 5000 years throughout Chinese history. The word "Tao" (Chin. 道) has many meanings such as a road, channel, path, or principle. We can understand that Tao is the force that keeps the universe balanced and ordered.

A human’s goal is to become one with the Tao, to be synchronized with nature, and to achieve an intuitive knowing of life through life experiences. If we follow the principles of Tao in time we can achieve knowledge of effortless action - Wu Wei (Chin. 无为), and virtue - De (Chin.德). Wu Wei in fact represents knowledge doing nothing and letting things take their own course and understanding of human inner nature and compatibility to the greater universe. De is the term that means active living, or practically following the inner nature of everything in accordance with the Tao.

The Tao is eternal and infinite, without an idea of “ego” or "self". The way humans see each other in self-observation and the way we project ourselves, in Taoism is considered the main cause of pain and sadness. It is believed that during the process of self-awareness we have a tendency to isolate ourselves from others. Such experience ends up in illusions, that all organisms are individually separated and exclusive, and not part of the same world. Humans only see natural manifestations and end processes. As it is not possible to destroy the ego, our main purpose is to follow universe patterns and the main source.
Link:
https://www.meer.com/en/69681-the-tao-of-creation



The Tao of Creation

Episode 3

From the very beginning, the ancient China remained directly or closely sacrificial. It is unfortunate but ancient China was built upon sacrifice. Sacrificial elements were of utmost meaning in the ancient China. Very alike European cultures, ancient and medial China followed the evolution from blood sacrifice to non-blood, re-presented as it is believed “morally correct” sacrifice, and to the ethical systems, such as Taoism and Confucianism, that evolved from it.

The status of individuals in ancient China was determined by the perceived degree of his or her association with the supernatural. In ancient China, supernatural capabilities were common to virtually all Chinese medical doctors. They all had supernatural capabilities that were all documented in medical texts.

Shang dynasty (1766-1046 BCE), sacrifice consisted in humans and animals and, to a lesser extent, wine and food, and as practiced later in Japan, tools, weapons and clothing. There is clear evidence of a shamanic culture existing in early Asian civilization, and many shamanistic practices are believed to lie at the foundation of Chinese Medicine. By the sixth century B.C., the link between shamans and the medical practitioner was clear. Confucius is quoted as having said that “a man without persistence will never make a good shaman or a good physician”.

Shaman - wu 巫 is a person who can mediate within the powers of nature. Shamans are viewed as bridges between natural and the spiritual world. Shamanism dates back to 40-100 thousand years ago, and is considered to be the oldest spiritual and healing practice known to humankind. Virtually all cultures around the world evolved from shamanic cultures.

Most shamans begin their spiritual paths during a life-threatening illness, having started a spiritual journey and communication with the gods, spirits and ancestors which in return later become the source of their powers. After recovering from the illness, they go through a ceremonial practice of cleansing. Archaeological excavations have found records of the shamanistic use of divination dating back to Shang dynasty (c.1766 – c.1050 B.C.).

Invention of Acupuncture and moxibustion originated during clan commune period of the primitive society. The activities of human beings appeared in China about 1,700,000 years ago. It was about 100,000 years ago that China entered the clan commune period which lasted till 4,000 years ago.

Link: https://www.meer.com/en/44155-shamanism-in-chinese-medicine


Shamanism in Chinese Medicine.mp3

Anxiety is a mental illness that can impact an individuals daily life. It is the most common mental illness in the U.S, affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18% of the population. Approximately 8% of children and teenagers experience an anxiety disorder with most people developing symptoms before age 21. About 12% of people are affected by an anxiety disorder in a given year and between 5-30% are affected at some point in their life. Anxiety disorders occurs about twice as often in women than they do in men, and generally begin before the age of 25. The most common are specific phobia which affects nearly 12% and social anxiety disorder which affects 10% at some point in their life. They affect those between the ages of 15 and 35 the most and become less common after the age of 55. Rates appear to be higher in the United States and Europe. Only about one-third of those suffering from an anxiety disorder receive treatment, even though the disorders are highly treatable.

How to define anxiety? Anxiety is an overwhelming long term subjective unpleasant emotion, often accompanied by nervous behavior and symptoms of worries, phobias, physical symptoms such as muscular tension, restlessness, fatigue, etc. Anxiety however is not the same as fear, which is a our immediate response to a real life danger and threats, whereas anxiety is the expectation of future threat. Sometimes due to long term exposure to life threatening events, anxiety can be appropriate reactions, but when experienced regularly the individual may suffer from an anxiety disorders.

Acute anxiety refers to sporadic, stressful panic attacks which dramatically influence our life’s. Chronic anxiety on the other hand refers to general - long, drawn out daily symptoms that reduce quality of life of individuals. It is important to note the risk of anxiety has a tendency to transform to depression and possibly even lead to a suicide.

Anxiety causes an individual to be fearful, worried, or stressed about daily activities that we may feel are normal. For me anxiety is an interesting topic. In my 10+ years clinical practice, majority of my patients were diagnosed with anxiety disorders. The diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders has changed rapidly in the past century. Modern medicine has produced diagnostic criteria, pharmaceuticals, and different therapies, increasing public awareness of these conditions.

Link:https://www.meer.com/en/46195-anxiety

Anxiety in Evolutionary psychology

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) accounts for 8% of primary-care visits in the United States and has a lifetime prevalence of 18%. At present, 13% of the elderly population and 10% of younger adults are being treated with antidepressant medications. Lifetime prevalence for major depressive disorder is 16.5%. Other common conditions include: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with a lifetime prevalence of 6.8%; panic disorder, with a lifetime prevalence of 4.7%; bipolar disorder, with a lifetime prevalence of 3.9%; and obsessive–compulsive disorder, with a lifetime prevalence of 1.6%.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) represents complete medical practice originating from ancient China through thousand years of clinical experience. TCM has primarily independent as foundation medical health care system in China and Southeast Asian countries, and integrative medical approach, providing first choice medical therapies. TCM, and acupuncture, has wide range of clinically proved therapeutic applications and approaches to treating psychiatric disorders.

TCM searches for holism between all living things in nature. Speaking of humans, TCM considers that body, mind, and spirit are interactive and interdependent. Everything is affected by each other, and in particular the spirit substitutes the existence of body and mind. It is rather exceptional perception to view psychiatric or emotional disorders through this lens of holism rather than using a more-reductionist approach of modern medical systems.

By TCM point of view, spirit is connected with God, the Universe or with Nature, if you wish. Having such connectivity, the spirit is the source of wisdom and, ultimately, health. According to modern TCM theory, the human spirit is an energetic opening of the autonomic nervous system. It can be influenced negatively by illness, but alternatively maturation and cultivation of spirit, can lead to healing. If any of the six senses got negatively affected (sixth is intuition), spiritual cultivation may be achieved by number of activities, such as arts, meditation, yoga, etc. It means that any kind of spiritual illnesses and physical manifestations alternatively can be treated only by cultivating spirit. Treating a person with emotional disorders using TCM firstly we have to relieve physical suffering. Secondly, through the process of cultivation, spiritual energy is nourished and purified, and finally, negative energy is transformed into positive energy, thus promoting an energetic balance. Result of our action is harmonization of mind, body, and spirit. In addition to Chinese herbal medicine we use acupuncture, qigong, yoga, tai ji quan, tuina, as TCM medical disciplines for addressing the spiritual components of emotional disorders.

Main function of TCM in the global arena is for the betterment of mankind. According to TCM theory, the human body consists of five Zang and six Fu organs, which are characterized by the five elements (五行) namely Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth, in the realm of the “Five Element” theory. The Zang-Fu organs are functionally interlinked with each other by generating and restricting mode of action, resulting in an optimally functioning body by maintaining a holistic Yin-Yang balance. Disease will develop when this balance is distorted, as in the cases of over-restricting and counter-restricting. Furthermore, the Zang-Fu (i.e. all visceral organs) interplay responds to environmental conditions, and these conditions—referred to as “external evils”, can distort the Yin-Yang balance and result in disease.

Anxiety and depression in TCM

The cupping therapy has been used in China for thousands of years. The cupping therapy in its primitive form using cattle horn was used primarily to withdraw pus and blood in the treatment of boils. Cupping was then used as an auxiliary method in traditional Chinese surgery, and in time developed into a special therapeutic method.
The earliest records of cupping in ancient China was found written in Bo Shu 帛书 ancient book written on silk. The text were buried 186 BC in Ma wang dui 马王堆 tomb. Through several thousand years of accumulated clinical experience, the clinical applications of cupping have become increasingly wide. During the Qing dynasty 清代 (1644-1911), the original natural horn cup has been replaced by bamboo, ceramic or glass cups. Because cupping is traditionally used in China, the technique has been inherited by the modern Chinese TCM doctors.
The ancient Egyptians were the first to use cupping therapy systematically. Ebers Papyrus, the oldest medical textbook 1550 BC, describes bleeding by cupping in order to “remove the foreign matter from the body”. Hippocrates and Galen were also great advocates of cupping. In the early days the technique was used solely for bleeding purposes.
In the book of Galen (c. 129-200 AD) on Bloodletting, disease and health are defined in terms of nature. “Disease is an unnatural state of the body”, states Galen, “which impairs a function. Health is a state in accordance with nature, and the cause of the functions”. Here we can see the similarities to the cause of disease and the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): disease occurs as a result of imbalance between the Yin and the Yang.
Galen states that: “The nature does its best to restore unnatural states to their healthy condition. The function of the Physician is to cooperate with her. The principal indication for Bloodletting, then, is to eliminate such residues or to divert blood from one part to another by the process known as Revulsion or Derivation”.
For thousands of years all medical authors have distinguished two forms of cupping, Dry and Wet. In Dry cupping no blood is actually removed from the body. A cup is drained of air and applied to the skin, causing the skin to swell. In Wet cupping the process begins with dry cupping and is followed by several incisions being made in the skin, in order to collect blood. Among the Egyptians, who introduced bloodletting to Greece, cupping was the usual remedy for almost every disorder, and they no doubt had received it from the more ancient nations of the East, from whom they had derived their other knowledge. In many cases, topical abstraction of blood alone is indicated, and this can only be effected by using leeches or cupping. Leeches have been found so uncertain in their application that various means have been prescribed to make them more effective.
Podcast website: www.podcast.igormicunovic.com

The Art of Cupping Therapy

In its very essence, Chinese culture is strongly connected to its root and historical events. Modern Chinese culture is strongly influenced by Confucian ideals. One of the very basic foundations of the Confucian tradition is a deep respect for teachers.

China represents an ancient civilization of at least five thousand years. In ancient China, people treated etiquette as the most important part of the culture. The concept of hierarchy: monarch-subject relationship and father-son relationship are the core concept of the etiquette. Under the influence of the strict feudal hierarchy order and high ethical and moral standards, people pursuit the ethical morality of respect for seniority.

Lǎoshī is the Chinese word for “teacher.” It has two characters: 老師 and the first character lǎo 老 is a prefix which means “old.” The second character shī 師 means “teacher,” so the literal translation of lǎoshī is “old teacher.” However, 老 in this context just expressed respect and isn't related to actual age at all.

“Laoshi” is considered to have knowledgeable merit and impart knowledge to commons. It stands to reason that “laoshi” is a high-ranking role and they should be admired by others. Moreover, as the old saying goes, “a teacher of one day is a father of a lifetime”, so the address “laoshi” has an unshakable position in the traditional thought.

Most of the Chinese rulers were firstly educators – teachers. It is considered in all Chinese history lifespan for Confucius to be the greatest teacher of all. Besides morals, ethics and government leading, teacher is a central role in Chinese society.

Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.

(Confucius)

The Republic of China, Taiwan, is truthfully traditional compared to P.R. China. On September 28 is celebrated Confucius' birthday, designated Teacher's Day, which is a national holiday in Taiwan. All public institutions are closed, and from the very early morning, men gather in the Confucius Temple of every city dressed in the Chinese full dress of long gown and cardigan over-jacket. The ceremony is usually lead by the mayor or by the governor. The ceremony involves traditional musical instruments and students dance holding a pheasant's tail feather. Three slaughtered animals—a whole ox, ram and boar—are offered as sacrifices. The ritual, following details set down by Confucius himself, lasts about an hour. When it is over, the crowd that has been waiting outside swarms into the ornate palace-style building, opened only once a year for the occasion, to look at the wooden tablets, sacrificial vessel and instruments.

Lǎoshī is also used as a title. We can address an actual teacher as “lǎoshī” or we can use lǎoshī in combination with a family name when referring to a teacher. Chinese students can always call teachers "lǎoshī", including professors at university.

Until today Chinese term “laoshi”, has experienced a very long-time development. Firstly it is important to trace back the original meaning of the term “teacher”. If we compare the modern term “laoshi” with previous versions, it is easy to distinguish a huge difference in meaning and grammar.

Ancient literature uses the character lao, with its original meaning, while in modern Chinese character Lao, is only a prefix. Following the Chinese rules of connecting characters; the original word laoshi consists of two separated words “lao” and “shi”. The meaning of “lao” is seniors and “shi” referred to the people who conveyed knowledge to others. For the very first time, these two words were used together in the Mencius scripts.

In the time before 618 A.D. before the Tang and Song Dynasties, in the Confucius literature meaning of “laoshi” is the great man of learning.
WEB: www.podcast.igormicunovic.com

Meaning of a Teacher in China

Ancient culture of China has made great contributions to world culture. Book of Changes is one of the most precious contributions of Chinese culture, which has exerted a great influence on Chinese philosophy, literature, historical study, as well as natural and social sciences.

The Book of Changes is the very basis of Chinese culture, the principal source of Chinese philosophy. social sciences and natural sciences. It has greatly inﬂuenced the history of Chinese civilization. Its importance lies not only in what is covered in the Book of Changes and Commentaries on the Changes, the two Component parts of the book, but also in some 3000 related works on Yi philosophy (philosophy of Changes). Many ancient schools of thought that derived from this philosophy, and the comprehensive system of in science it nurtured. All this makes the Book of Changes an inexhaustible well and unlimited treasury of human knowledge.

The Book of Changes is a pivotal link between the past and the future. It has organically combined ancient and modem Chinese civilization, joined the lifelines of Chinese culture and vigorously promoted its development.

The Book of Changes, or its essence, has two major connotations: Yi philosophy and Xiang Shu (Divination). Xiang Shu is the basis of Yi philosophy. It is the charm and attraction of Xiang Shu has made Yi philosophy more popular than any other system of philosophy.According to Chinese legend Yi Jing originated with the mythical Fu Xi, one of the earliest legendary rulers of China (2800 BC-2737 BC), reputed to have had the 8 trigrams revealed to him supernaturally.

Fu Xi was said to have found the eight trigrams that form the sixty-four hexagrams on the shell of a tortoise. The meanings evolved from then on, but the book was used mostly for predicting natural events until King Wen wrote the first expositions on the sixty-four hexagrams about 3,000 years ago. These were the first comments that included social and political connotations.

Each inquiry to the oracle will result in a hexagram reading and possibly additional line readings. A hexagram is made up of two trigrams. There are eight possible trigrams: cosmos, thunder, water, mountain, earth, wind/wood, fire, and lake. Each trigram is made up of three lines. Each line is either broken or solid, corresponding to the complementary forces Yin (negative) and Yang (positive). Every time a coin is thrown, one line of the hexagram is determined, thus, six throws decide a hexagram.

These eight trigrams were conceived as images of all that happens in Heaven and on Earth. At the same time, they were held in a state of continual transition, one changing into another, just as transition from one phenomenon to another is continually taking place in the physical world. There are sixty-four different hexagrams, and each hexagram has six changing lines, any one of which may or may not apply for any particular reading. The hexagrams and lines in their movements and changes mysteriously reproduced the movements and changes of the macrocosm.

Yi Jing - The Book of Changes

Dr. Igor Micunovic is internationally known specialist in integrative medicine and personal transformation.

He studied at Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, P.R. China, where he obtained bachelor of medicine and doctor of medicine degree - Ph.D, minor in acupuncture & moxibustion. Afterwards he finished post-doc research in clinical acupuncture at Tianjin University of TCM First teaching hospital.

Dr. Igor Micunovic is a director board member of World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS), and member of World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS). Dr Igor Micunovic is a president of Association of Acupuncturists of Montenegro – AAM.

His main interests are diseases prevention, spirituality, body-soul-mind transformation, wellness, fitness, natural treatments and holistic medicine.

His devotion for body-soul-mind life changing transformation started since his young age after he obtained bachelor degree from University for Sports & PE in Pristina. He acquired necessary clinical skills during his studies in Serbia at Medical University in Kragujevac where he earned MMSci – Master of medical sciences, minor in sports medicine.

He practices his beliefs with intention to be a role model. He is a Qi Gong instructor, and author of several books, and articles published in several magazines, including WSI - Wall Street International.

Dr. Igor Micunovic has more than 10 years of clinical experience in traditional Chinese medicine, sports medicine and Wellness, and has spent the better part of the past 15 years in China pursuing the mastery and refinement of traditional Chinese medicine. Currently Dr Micunovic holds post as energetic doctor at Chenot Espace One&Only PortoNovi.

Personal: www.igormicunovic.com 

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Dr. Igor Micunovic

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