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The Journal of Shiatsu& Oriental Body Therapy

Issue 1 Summer 1994

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Editorial

CONTENTSEditorial page 3

Call For Research by Philip Harris page 4

Call for Dissertations by Mike Craske page 4

Letters page 5

The BMA Report by Philip Harris page 6

Complementary Therapy & the Lawby Bill Palmer page 8

What is a Meridian? page 9by Daverick Leggett

Meridians & Patternsby Bill Palmer page 11

Meridians , a walk through the Subway page 15by Ken Waight

Cultural Theft by Nicola Pooley page 17

Winnie the Pooh and the Five Elementsby Elizabeth Marshall page 18

This is the prototype and first edition of thenew Journal of Shiatsu and Oriental BodyTherapy. Like the Shiatsu Society News, whichcontinues in its old format, it is published anddistributed by the Shiatsu Society. But whereasthe focus of the newsletter is on internalnetworking, information and in-house debate,the Journal faces outward, hopefully makingShiatsu and its sister therapies more widelyrespected by the outer world and building bridgesbetween worldwide professions.

The concept of a Journal is not new and wasfirst suggested by Clifford Andrews in 1985. Hewas ahead of his time then but we are in debt tohis vision. I hope that now the time is ripe for the idea to bearfruit. The proposal is that the Newsletter will start toconcentrate more on internal news and will also contain theshorter, chattier articles. The Journal will provide a forumfor three things:

Firstly research. Philip Harris, a senior lecturer inPsychology and Shiatsu practitioner has volunteered tocoordinate research within the Shiatsu community. He haswritten a call for ideas in this issue. It is by formulating ourexperience in a way that is comprehensible to the rest of theworld that we will gain their respect. This is especially trueof doctors and the health service who are just starting torealise the value of complementary approaches. As yet themajority of doctors who are open to complementary therapiesare mainly aware of acupuncture, osteopathy andhomeopathy. I feel it is through some form of publishedresearch that they and other bodies, will start to respectShiatsu and other forms of oriental body therapy. There aretwo articles in this issue about the relationship ofcomplementary therapies to the establishment.

The next area which the Journal should encourage is thewriting of higher quality, well thought out articles which areof general interest to Oriental Body Therapists. Because ofthe larger format of the Journal, there is space for longer andmore elaborate discussion than was possible in the Newsletter.In this issue the question of what meridians are is exploredin three articles. This question is also one of the definingsimilarities between different forms of Oriental BodyTherapy so should be of interest to a wider audience than thecommunity of Shiatsu practitioners.

We are also encouraging practitioners to write articlesabout other forms of Oriental Bodywork such as Shen Taoand Anma. Nicola Pooley’s article on cultural theft will beinteresting to anyone practising a healing form originating inanother culture.

A third opportunity which the Journal provides is for thepublication of final year dissertations. Mike Craske, aShiatsu practitioner in the Midlands, has been energeticallyhunting for the nuggets of gold which are often hidden in theback files of Shiatsu schools. There are many examples ofcertain obscure or diffuse areas of learning being creativelypulled together in a final year project; often in a way thatwould be of great use to future students. We feel that these

should see the light of day and encourage anygraduate who is proud of their dissertation tocontact Mike. In this issue Elizabeth Marshallmakes delightful connections between theChinese Five Element theory and the world ofWinnie the Pooh.

Finally, we hope that the Journal will becomean organ of international communication. Wehave received interest from many members ofthe Association of Oriental Bodywork Therapiesin America (AOBTA), from Shiatsu practitionersin Australia and from Europe. There is a growingmovement towards inter-relationship, bothinternationally amongst the Shiatsu organisations

and between therapies based on similar principles. Theformation of the European Shiatsu Federation is a sign ofthe former connection and the birth of the AOBTA threeyears ago in America is a prime example of the latter. AJournal having a potentially international circulation wouldbe a good forum for this networking to be discussed.

The Shiatsu Society is not in a position to instantly setup an international magazine but I think that if we growaccording to demand, evolving as we get more subscribersand advertisers, then this modest beginning could grow intoa respected institution in the coming years.

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A Call for Dissertationsby Mike Craske

A lot of work is often put into final year dissertations which could be a valuable resource for future students and otherpractitioners. We have already been offered excellent pieces of work which discuss whether Shiatsu can help some of thebig health issues of our time such as AIDS and ME. Works like these that pull together the known facts about a certainsubject and add some practical experience of the application of Shiatsu, or other Oriental Body Therapies, would be of wideinterest to the practitioner community and we feel that they should have a chance of being published.

Every issue of the Journal will carry one such dissertation. It does not have to be serious in tone as Elizabeth Marshall'slinkage of Winnie the Pooh and the Five Elements demonstrates in this issue.

If you would like your hard work to be published instead of languishing in the old files of your training establishment.contact me and discuss how it could be adapted to be published in the Journal.

My address is: Mike Craske, 77 Peel St, Derby, DE22 3GJ. Telephone: 0332 349849

A Call for Research Ideasby Philip Harris

First, let me declare my intent: I am particularly interested in opening up a channel of communication aboutresearch in Shiatsu and other complementary therapies. I believe there is a need for a broad forum to explore differenttypes of research. I speak both as a Shiatsu practitioner myself of the need for confirmation that I am doing good and asa teacher and researcher of the need to provide evidence of the health benefits of complementary therapies.

Not everyone agrees about the need for research, some suggest that the benefits of Shiatsu are self-evident. On theother hand, it is arguable that all therapies require evaluation to identify the hazards as well as the benefits. It is alsosometimes said that complementary therapies cannot be evaluated by conventional methods. While I am in sympathywith the problems presented by such a task, all therapies which aim to achieve particular outcomes are testable even ifthis is easier for some than others. In negotiating the fine line between the chasms of logic and credulity, I believe thatresearch has an important part to play.

I am very keen to take a lead in supporting and co-ordinating the research section of the new Journal of Shiatsu andOriental Body Therapy. Let me emphasis that there are many types of research ranging from case studies to randomisedcontrolled trials, all of them have their uses and limitations. In my role as Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the CardiffInstitute of Higher Education, I teach mainly health psychology and research methods to a range of health care practi-tioners including nurses, dieticians, and speech and language therapists at both degree and post-graduate levels. I amfamiliar with some of the difficulties of conducting research in these areas

It is difficult, at this stage, to judge the size of the task. I think we need to start gradually and aim to develop moreambitious projects in the long term. A first step is to identify research interests. For example, I am particularly inter-ested in evaluating work with disabled people, other areas of interest may include:

* the elderly* HIV and AIDS* eating problems such as Anorexia Nervosa* chronic pain* chronic fatigue syndrome (ME)I am sure there are others. If you would like to write to me and state your interest I will try to identify themes and

on the basis of this perhaps we can set up working groups to discuss how to go about research in these areas. Anotheridea may be to include in the research section critiques of books and articles with some research content.

You may have different ideas about what the research content of the Journal should include. If so, please let meknow what they are. I find the prospects exciting and challenging and I am sure it will take time, effort and co-opera-tion to develop a strategy that is broad but also integrated and coherent.

Philip Harris , School of Human Sciences, Faculty of Community Health SciencesCardiff Institute of Higher Education, Llandaff Centre, Western Avenue, Cardiff, CF5 2YB

Fax: 0222 578084

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European ShiatsuFederation

• Promoting exchange• Harmonising standards

• Creating a European profession• Lobbying the EC

1994 Congress in GEX, France 29-31 July1995 Congress from 3rd - 6th August

within UK contact Karin Melbye81 Poppleton Rd, Leytonstone, London E11 1LF.

Tel: 081 530 2288

or: ESF, Via P.Custodi 14, 20136 Milano, Italy

International

Journal of Alternative & Complementary MedicineJACM offers a unique monthly blend and synthesis

of topics which are of particular importance to shiatsupractitioners. There are regular features and reports onaspects of Chinese Medicine - including bodywork - aswell as on Western nutrition, herbal medicine,specificclinical conditions and energy medicine.

As well as this JACM covers the news influencingcomplementary health care world-wide, and carries aunique Update section which reviews orthodox andunorthodox journals for new and important information.

All written in a style which does not seek tooverwhelm with scientific jargon, mainly bypractitioners/therapists for practitioners/therapists.

Contact: JACM, Green Library, Homewood NHSTrust(DHQ), Guildford Rd, Chertsey, Surrey KT160QA or telephone 0932 874333

LettersDear Shiatsu Pracitioners

I am an acupuncturist who also works part time inmedical education at the confederation of east LondonColleges, which comprises St Bartholemews MedicalCollege, the London Hospital Medical College and QueenMary & Westfield College.

The General Medical Council, at the present time, isencouraging medical schools to both widen the traditionalcurriculum and promote self study within the studentbody. In response to this the three colleges are planning torun four week “special study modules” for final yearmedical students on a range of topics including comple-mentary medicine and the future of medicine. I amorganising both of these courses, and the complementarymedicine module may run repeatedly as it is proving, as asubjet area, very popular with the student. I want thesecourses to give the doctors of the future both a positiveattitude towards complementary medicine and someuseful information about what we do.

I would ike to hear from members of the ShiatsuSociety about what you feel it would be appropriate toinclude in such a course and am also looking for people toteach on these modules, provide practice visits (if youpractice in London) and assistance with course materials.The Modules will run between September - December infour week blocks and are only now being planned so thereis plenty of opportunity to be able to influence and takepart in this venture in however small a way.

Please contact me about either of the above at St.Bartholemews Medical College on Mondays or Tuesdayson 071 982 6104 or write to me at: The Enterprise Team,2nd Floor, The New Science Building, St. BartholemewsMedical College, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M6BQ

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The BMA Report onComplementary Medicine

by Philip Harris

In June 1993, the BMA published its latest report oncomplementary medicine (BMA, 1993). The reportacknowledges the widespread demand for alternativetherapies and suggests a more tolerant attitude thanpreviously evinced. It is primarily concerned with princi-ples of good practice and does not attempt to assessefficacy or validity. It also examines the prevalence ofdifferent therapies and compares the situation in the UKto other EC countries.

The report clearly indicates that “the EC is unlikely toexert significant central control on the diverse practices ofdifferent countries” (BMA, 1993:3). In the main, it seemsthat the individual member countries will continue to bethe most important influence on the regulation of comple-mentary therapies, although European legislation is likelyto effect the availability of homeopathic and herbalmedicines.

Contrary to the title of the report, the BMA reject theterms ‘complementary’ and ‘alternative’ in favour of‘non-conventional therapy’. This is defined as “thoseforms of treatment which are not widely used by theorthodox health-care professions, and the skills of whichare not taught as part of the undergraduate curriculum oforthodox medical and paramedical health-care courses”(BMA, 1993:8). The report further argues that there is nocommon principle linking the different non-conventionaltherapies. In marked contrast, Fulder (1988) concludedthat complementary medicine is the most accurate andreasonable umbrella description of the therapies, whereasterms such as ‘unorthodox’ or ‘unconventional’ are basedon an out-of-date view of the therapies and place them ina rather alienated light. Furthermore, Fulder argued thatthese therapies are united by a common factor, ie they allattempt to make use of the natural healing capacity of thebody.

The use of complementary therapiesThe BMA report is enlightening regarding the widespread

use of complementary medicine and the figures, albeitimprecise, indicate a considerable and growing number ofpeople consulting non-conventional therapists. The patternsof consultation appear to differ from conventional medicine.Individuals seeking complementary therapy appear to sufferfrom chronic, mild, musculoskeletal and stress-relatedconditions rather than acute, malignant or infectious diseases.There is evidence that General Practitioners are becomingincreasingly interested especially younger and womendoctors. It seems that GP’s are delegating care to non-conventional therapists, most commonly for hypnosis,manipulation, homeopathy and acupuncture (although theextent of this is not clear). The report makes a clear distinctionbetween ‘delegation’ and ‘referral of care’ and emphasises

that doctors who delegate the care of a patient are responsiblefor ensuring that the delegee is competent in the therapypractised. This is more straightforward when the therapy issubject to statutory regulation but problems arise when thereis no central register for a particular therapy and no singleaccrediting body for training and qualification.

The BMA suggest that the crucial issue in the delega-tion of care involves establishing the competence of thetherapist. It is asserted that practitioners of non-conven-tional therapies should be trained to know the jurisdictionof their practice and its limitations. A competent therapistshould know which conditions and individuals they willbe unable to treat successfully and be able to identifywhen the patient should be directed to medically qualifiedpractitioners. The report emphasises that therapists shouldnot countermand the instructions or prescriptions given bya doctor. Furthermore, a regulatory body should provideexplicit guidance on contra-indications to a particulartherapy.

Doctors, on the other hand, would benefit from agreater awareness of the basic principles and applicationof the various therapies. They should also ask patientsabout their use of non-conventional therapies wheneverthey obtain a medical history. The report argues thatfoundation courses on the methods and principles of keycomplementary therapies should be available to medicalpractitioners. Doctors and therapists need to understandeach other and the report calls for improved communica-tion between the two spheres of influence.

The need for researchThe need for research is emphasised to enhance

communication between fellow practitioners as well as tovalidate the efficacy of therapies. The BMA refutes thetwo assertions often made about efficacy research andcomplementary therapies. The first is that they are self-evidently effective, the BMA argue that all therapiesrequire formal evaluation to identify hazards as well asbenefits. The second assertion is that non-conventionaltherapies cannot be investigated through randomizedclinical trials. It is pointed out that all therapies aim toachieve particular objectives which can be measured evenif this is easier for some than others. However, theapplicability of clinical trials for therapies in whichtreatment programmes and projected outcomes may varybetween individuals continues to be hotly debated eveneven among the more ‘conventional’ therapies (egHoward, 1986).

The report acknowledges that the question of efficacyremains a difficult one in need of properly funded re-search. Self-report health and quality-of-life measuresmay play a useful part in evaluating complementary

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recognise the limits of their competence and to identifypatients suffering from conditions not amenable totreatment . Provision for continuing education is recom-mended and professional development and research areencouraged.

At present, anybody is free to practise any non-conventional therapy (with the exception of osteopathy)regardless of their training or experience. The BMA alsorecommends that medically qualified practitionerswishing to practise any form of non-conventional therapyshould only do so after undertaking approved training andregistering with the appropriate regulatory body.

ConclusionThis is a very welcome report, it provides clear and

practical guidelines for the important issues of self-regulation and regulation by statute of complementarytherapies. The usefulness of ‘non-conventional’ as anumbrella term is, however, debatable. There are a numberof therapies currently available within the NHS which donot fit with the working definition of non-conventional,eg music therapy, art therapy. Arguably, the term ‘com-plementary’ is more widely used and has the advantage ofimplying that these therapies can work in conjunctionwith orthodox medicine.

Although the efficacy of the therapies was not a mainfocus of the report, the BMA did emphasis the need forresearch for all types of practices. The appropriateness ofrandomised clinical trials has not been demonstratedbeyond doubt. There is considerable scope for exploringthe methodology and where necessary developing newmethods of evaluation. Quality -of-life measures (Bowl-ing, 1991) may prove to be useful in this respect.

Finally, the report did not explore the theoreticalfoundations of complementary practices. There is a widevariation in the level of theory underlying individualtherapies. Some appear to have little or no theoreticalbasis whereas others are supported by well developedtheories. For example, the theory of Chinese Medicine(the foundation of acupuncture and Chinese herbalism) isvery well developed (Maciocia, 1989), and the reliabilityand validity of the diagnostic procedures identifiedprovide a further opportunity for future research.

ReferencesBowling A (1991) Measuring Health: a review of quality of

life measurement scales. Milton Keynes: Open University Press

British Medical Association (1993) ComplementaryMedicine: new approaches to good practice. Oxford: OxfordUniversity Press

Fulder S (1988) The Handbook of ComplementaryMedicine (2nd edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press

Howard D (1986) Beyond randomised controlled trails: thecase for effective case studies of the effects of treatment inaphasia, British Journal of Disorders of Communication, 21, 89-102

Maciocia G (1989) The Foundations of Chinese Medicine:a comprehensive text for acupunturists and herbalists. Edinbugh:Churchill Livingstone

therapies. Another important area of research concerns theeffect of combining different therapeutic treatments on apatient. Organisations such as the Research Council forComplementary Medicine will continue to provide adviceon research methodology.

The regulation debateCentral to the report is the regulation debate. It is

argued that the value of any treatment depends on thebalance between benefit and harmful effects. Even themost innocuous of practices may be harmful if theyprevent the patient from seeking other, more appropriatetreatment. It is evident that no single method of controlwill be suitable for all forms of therapy. Main attention isgiven to therapies which pose a relatively higher risk orpotential harm to the patient.

Osteopathy, acupuncture, herbalism and chiropracticare classified as discrete clinical disciplines and make upthe most common therapies used in the UK. They areidentified as the more established therapies with the mostpotential for use in conjunction with orthodox health care.The report also suggests that these therapies have thegreatest potential to do harm. Osteopathy has been thefirst of these therapies to come under statutory regulation.The BMA suggest that the regulation of osteopathy maywell provide a useful model for other therapies whichreach a similar stage of development.

Not all non-conventional therapies require regulationby statute. For the majority, the adoption of a code ofpractice, training structures and voluntary registrationwould be sufficient. Currently there is very little informa-tion on the practice and control of non-conventionaltherapies in the UK.

Good practiceThe report recommends that a single registering body

is established for all non-conventional therapies. Thera-pies involving invasive or potentially harmful techniquesshould be subject to a statutory register of members. Eachbody, statutory of voluntary, should determine theappropriate educational and training needs of members asconditions of registration. The register should be open topublic scrutiny.

The registering body should be responsible forestablishing levels of competence, including limits ofcompetence and contra-indications to treatment. Abinding code of ethics is recommended, linked to aneffective disciplinary procedure. As well as an accessiblemechanism for patient complaints.

It is recommended that all non-conventional therapieshave appropriate training structures. The regulatory bodyfor a given therapy should assume responsibility for theaccreditation of training establishments and a rigourousassessment programme should ensure that each trainingestablishment is externally monitored. All trainingcourses should include a foundation in the basic medicalsciences. The training should also enable therapists to

THE BMA REPORT

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Complementary Therapy & the Lawby Bill Palmer

Back in the eighties we started to worry about 1992. Thiswas the year of European ‘harmonization’; at that time, therumour went, all countries would be forced to adopt astandard set of laws regulating alternative therapies. Acu-puncturists and osteopaths would probably be respected bythese laws because of their high academic standing but whatabout Shiatsu and the other more intuitive therapies?

Much of the “professionalisation” of the complemen-tary therapies has been driven by this worry. The idea beingthat if our houses were in order by 1992 then governmentwould give us a smile of approval and not legislate us out ofexistence. As I approve of the sense of self value and theclarity that has resulted from this process I won’t complaintoo loudly; but I would like to dispel some of the fearsurrounding the future of Complementary Therapies. Therumours are not true!

A few months ago I was able to read the relevantEuropean Council Directives. These are clear that MemberStates have the option to regulate any particular professionor not, regardless of the actions of other countries. They arerequired to take foreign qualifying procedures into accountonly if they decide to regulate a profession through law.

So what about the British Government, what are theirpolicies and plans? On November 11th 1988 the House ofLords held an unusual debate. It was remarkable becauseso many of the speakers actively supported ComplementaryTherapies and was also an occasion for the Government , toformally declare its policies. In short, this was to encouragethe therapies’ professional bodies to get their own houses inorder and not to legislate on a particular therapy untilrequested to by the individual therapy concerned. This wasan important statement since one of the fears surround-ing regulation has always been that a blanket law wouldbe made, regulating all complementary therapies.

In 1991 another law was passed onto the Statute books,the Local Government Act. Buried in this vast piece oflegislation were procedures by which Local Governmentcould define those Complementary Therapies which couldbe considered as “respectable professions” and powers tolicense practitioners not governed by a proper ‘profession’.In practice the license costs quite a lot, £250 a year, so thisis a clear monetary encouragement for therapies to organizethemselves into professions.

The definition of a profession is quite reasonable, forinstance the Shiatsu Society is accepted as one. There has tobe a register, an assessment procedure, a Code of Conductand a disciplinary procedure for registered practitioners.

In spite of this open house policy, a few professionswould prefer to be regulated by law. Why is this? It is notclear that they will become more employable than unregis-tered therapists within the NHS. Maybe it is the undoubteddesire for professionals to feel respected by society. Aprofession which is regulated by law has certainly reachedthe big time.

However, there is no policy within the NHS to only

employ state registered therapists. The reforms that thegovernment has been delineating for the Health Serviceshave one big advantage for Complementary Therapists.Any GP can now employ any Complementary Therapist tooffer NHS treatment within his practice so long as the GPremains clinically responsible for the patient. The Depart-ment of Health puts the responsibility on the GP to judgewhether the therapy is likely to be helpful and whether theparticular therapist is competent. State registered physi-otherapists can practice within the NHS in their own rightand this status might become applicable to registered osteo-paths and acupuncturists but for the vast majority of comple-mentary therapies, making good contact with the local GPwill be more valuable than a host of unrecognized qualifi-cations.

Becoming regulated by law is a very expensive process.The Acupuncturists’ register pays a lobbyist £10,000 a yearto work towards getting an acupuncture act through parlia-ment. This is only the tip of an iceberg which is filled withlawyers time (for writing the act), and the development ofhundreds of pages of regulations, procedures and defini-tions. For Shiatsu and for most other Oriental Body Thera-pies, this option is beyond our pocket and so our route intoofficial respectability must lie through GPs.

Dr Craig Brown, writing in Open Channels, describesthe way this can be best achieved through the newly intro-duced Health Promotion Clinics. These are set up by the GP,usually with a specific aim such as Stop Smoking Clinics,Menopause Clinics, Dietary Advice Clinics. We are pres-ently talking to local GPs about setting up preventativeclinics such as Back Clinics and Arthritis Clinics usingMovement Shiatsu to help people prevent injury or to movein a way that harmonizes intention and action.

Not only are many GPs interested in seeing how holistictherapies could help intractable chronic conditions but, ifthe therapy is introduced into a Health Promotion Clinic thenthe GP gets paid £45 for each clinic held and can pass onsome of this to the practitioner while keeping some to covercosts.

SUMMARYThe European Community does not require any country

to legislate about complementary therapies. Great Britain, inparticular, is not going to make laws for any therapy until aprofessional body asks to be State Registered. The Govern-ment is, instead, encouraging the growth of proper profes-sional bodies to self-regulate the therapies. Local Govern-ment has the job of licensing the practice of therapies notregulated by a professional body. Therapists registered witha professional body such as the Shiatsu Society do not needto be licensed. In any case, all complementary therapistscan equally be employed within the NHS by GPs. The bestway of doing this is through Health Promotion Clinics. Acopy of Dr Brown’s article on starting Clinics is availablefrom BHMA Office, 179 Gloucester Place, London NW16DX. Price 50p including postage.

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What is a Meridian?by Daverick Leggett

fascia. The perineural cells are sometimes postulated as thevehicles of transmission. Nagahama, a Japaneseacupuncturist, has coined the term ‘connective tissue therapy’to describe acupuncture.2

The following extract from Deane Juhan‘s book ‘Job’sBody’ describes the fascia. Try reading it as a definition ofthe meridian network and draw your own conclusions. Thefascia “binds specific cells into tissues, tissues into organs,organs into systems, cements muscle to bones, ties bonesinto joints, wraps every nerve and every vessel, laces allinternal structures firmly into place, and envelops the bodyas a whole. In all of these wrappings, cables and moorings itis a continuous substance, and every single part of the bodyis connected to every other part by virtue of its network.”3

Another Japanese acupuncturist, Motoyama, suggeststhat the flow of Qi in the meridians is best described at thephysical level by the flow of electrons. The interstitial fluidsof the fascia, which feed in and out of the lymph and capillarysystems, may also be seen as part of the flow of Qi throughthe body. Motoyama suggests that the movement of interstitialfluids is what the medical texts mean by ‘Luo’, the myriadsmall vessels that branch from the main meridians.

Meridian EvolutionSo how do meridians evolve? One answer lies in

embryology. In the early stages of embryonic developmentthe ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm take different routesof development. Masunaga saw these as ‘structuralspecializations of three basic modes of function which existin most primitive single-celled organisms’4. He elaboratesthese functions into the six meridian pairs in his book ‘ZenShiatsu‘. The meridians become structural expressions ofbasic life functions e.g. the ectoderm takes on responsibilityfor exchange, elimination, circulation and protection and isexpressed by the Lung, Colon, Heart Protector and TripleHeater respectively.

Another view lies in field theory. Geomagnetic fieldshave been shown to profoundly influence the developingembryo. As magnetic fields will induce electrical currents,it has been suggested that the meridian network evolved inthe womb as a response to the earth’s magnetic field,creating a primitive electrical ordering of the body thatpredates the nervous system. If we view meridians aselectromagnetic in nature, then we can imagine that theircircuitry will interact with surrounding fields. This isexpressed in the Ling Shu which states that the meridiansinteract with forces exerted by the earth, stars and planets.

In biology, the information which governs our growthand development is contained within the DNA, themacrocosm within the microcosm. In field theory it’s theother way round. This information is held within the field.The biologist Rupert Sheldrake5 suggests that we growwithin a morphogenetic field, an organising principle thatprovides a kind of template for our growth. The field existsbefore ‘we’ do. In oriental philosophy Qi is the organizingprinciple behind form: “The Great Void consists of Qi. Qicondenses to become the myriad things.” The meridiansmay thus be viewed as being part of the template aroundwhich our form develops.

When I was four years old I took a tape-measure to thechimney, measured its width, turned to my parents anddeclared that I no longer believed in Father Christmas. WhenI was thirty-four I tested my belief in meridians in a similarway and came to the opposite conclusion. This articleexplores the nature of meridians with a variety of tape-measures. My intention is both to inform and to encourageyou to ask questions. I begin with a look at recent scientificresearch.

Meridians Under the MicroscopeAmongst the usual array of arms dealers, crooks and

spies that President Nixon took to China were a group ofdoctors. They were impressed enough by what they saw inthe Chinese hospitals to arrange an exchange visit. As aresult, the first demonstration of acupuncture anaesthesia inthe West took place in California and the western scientistsscurried off to their laboratories.

The first wave of experiments sought understandably toexplain, or explain away, acupuncture in terms of otherknown systems. So the needle was at first deemed to workvia the nervous system by jamming the action of nervebundles, or the hormonal system by stimulating the releaseof endorphins. Meanwhile, the Chinese sought anatomicalevidence for meridians. The skin layers were found to bethinner along meridians and the end part of nerves that occuralong the route were found to be expanded and connected toa mast cell. Further research showed that meridians havelowered resistance to both electric current and infrasound.

But the search for a definitive structure remained elusiveand no new bits of tubing appeared beneath the microscope.A path, however, need not be a structure and meridians havesuccessfully been described as a set of observable andmeasurable characteristics. Some of the most interestingresearch comes from China where the phenomenon of PSC( Propagated Sensation in Channels), the feeling induced ina meridian by the application of electrical stimulus to anacupoint, has been investigated on a huge scale. These are afew of their findings:

- The average speed of PSC is around 20 cm/sec but mayvary from a few seconds to an hour to experience the wholecourse of a meridian. The variation may depend uponobstruction by Phlegm, Cold or tension.

- PSC can be blocked by the application of perpendicularpressure. This suggests a cellular mechanism for transmittingthe action of an acupoint and reminds me of Masunaga’ssuggestion that meridians are routes for the movement ofprotoplasm through the body.

- PSC in the arms and legs corresponds well to theclassical maps but there are considerable variations in thetrunk and head, suggesting a need for partial redrawing ofthe map.

-PSC proceeds with natural smooth curves rather thanabrupt twists, confirming the experience of Shiatsupractitioners.1

As to where the meridians are, most current researchpoints to the meridians being located in the superficial fasciaof the connective tissues. The connective tissues are able toconduct electricity and all parts of the body are connected by

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Matsumoto and Birch see meridians as essentially amedium of adaptation to all environmental changes. Theenvironment may be seen to include the emotional andspiritual dimension. The meridians receive information fromthe environment ( I suggest that this includes emotionalinput from relationships as well as the whole range of inputto the senses), close it out if harmful and incorporate it ifuseful. The Su Wen describes this at the physical level: ‘Evilalways attacks first at at the skin and hair and then comes intothe area between the skin and the flesh. It comes in and staysat the Luo vessels. If it doesn’t leave it transmits to and entersthe meridians.’. The Ling Shu quoted earlier widens this toinclude more subtle environmental stimuli. The meridiansthus tune us into and help us adapt to the immediate andcosmic environment. They have further functions ofdistribution, maintenance and repair.

Esoteric systems recognize the existence of our ethericbody which both surrounds and inhabits the physical body.We may equate this with the Po of Chinese medicine. Theetheric body is indissolubly linked to the physical body,dissolving with it at death. From this perspective we maydefine meridians as part of the structure of the etheric body,a link with the higher bodies which govern our karma and lifepurpose. Spiritual dis-ease can be said to ‘transmit to andenter’ the etheric/meridian structure before lodging in thebody.

Meridian as MetaphorIt is the idea of the meridian as living metaphor, however,

which excites me most. Masunaga attempted to explainmeridian location as related to function e.g. the Stomach andSpleen are located on the front as they express our ability togo forward to meet our needs. He correlated each meridianwith a set of emotional characteristics. This work has beenpicked up by kineisiologists such as John Diamond,acupuncturists such as Mark Seem and in the Shiatsu worldby Bill Palmer. We see the origin of these ideas in Masunaga’sdoodle shown here.

Mark Seem sees meridian inbalanceas related to patterns of muscular holding in the body knownas ‘Kori’, a result of the body armouringprocess that is our reaction tounresolved stress6. Similarly, BillPalmer’s work explores theinhibition of meridiandevelopment as thepersonality develops inearly childhood,leading to the chronicpatterns of meridianimbalance of adulthood.When we hold this visionwe are better able to seeour clients as whole peopleand to see treatment asresonating through the whole oftheir lives.

So we have explored views of the meridians as merelyanalagous to familiar systems such as the nerve network orfascia. We have considered them as part of the structure ofthe field, whether geomagnetic, morphogenetic or auric. Wehave looked at them too as developing in response to thepatterning of the self, and as metaphors of our biological and

psychological functioning. We can look at them from severalplaces, but what are they and does it matter anyway?

So What is a Meridian?How we see the meridians reflects both the strengths and

limitations of our practice. The plumber, seeing the meridiansas pipes, will better be able to understand the distributivefunction of the meridians as they carry nutritive Qi to feedthe body. The electrician, seeing the meridians as wires, willbetter understand their communicative function as theycarry impulses. The engineer, seeing the meridians asframework, will understand their role in supporting thebodystructure.

The plumber is skilled with clients whose pipes arefurred or leaking, the electrician with those whose wires arecrossed and so on. But if I’ve got bad air blowing through mymeridians I’m going to the ventilation expert, and if mymeridians just aren’t picking up my higher frequencies wellenough then I’m off to the radio whizzkid. Anyway, you getthe picture. Our perspective will determine the kind ofclients we can work with and who is drawn to work with us.

To grow in our work we can choose either to specialize(plumbers go on advanced plumbing courses) or to expand(electricians learn plumbing too). What image do you havefor the meridian network? And does it help or limit yourpractice? I will finish with my own view that has evolvedand will continue to evolve through my own practice.

First, a distinction. We may consider the associatedphysical organ to be part of the meridian. The meridian/organ is an aspect of Organ, which in Chinese medicine is aset of related functions. So the meridian may be defined asa structural aspect of Organ function. It exists to integrate thefunction of the Organ with the physical body and is themeans by which the Organ is made flesh and translated intomovement. I see the meridian network as the primal, originalcarrier of intention, of the core impulses of our being, as themeans by which impulse becomes action, idea becomesmanifestation. It could be described as the pathway for Mind

in the body.I think we can neveroverestimate the depth of subtle

anatomy work. The journeywe go on in Shiatsu is ajourney into our originalnature, into a deeper levelof our being. To work withthe meridians is to openthe way to rediscovery ofour original nature andthrough that perhaps to our

relationship with the cosmos.

Notes1) National Symposium of

Acupuncture and Moxibustion and AcupunctureAnaesthesia, Beijing 1979.

2) Hara Diagnosis - Reflections on the Sea, Kiiko Matsumoto and Stephen Birch, Paradigm Press 1988.3) Life Energy, John Diamond, Paragon House 19854) Zen Imagery, Shizuto Masunaga, Japan Publications Inc..5) A New Science of Life, Rupert Sheldrake6) Acupuncture Imaging, Mark Seem, Healing Arts Press 1990

What is a meridian

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to re-introduce people to a missing stage of infantdevelopment.

This concept has roots in the work of Dr and MrsBobarth with children with brain damage and has beendeveloped much further by Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen andothers such as Colwyn Trevarthen.

Bonnie Cohen’s view of the first year of life is:“This is when the relation of the perceptual process (the

way one sees) and the motor process (the way one acts in theworld) is established. This is the baseline for how you willbe processing activity, either in receiving or expressing,throughout your life.”

In her view, uncomfortable patterns do not only arisethrough reaction to trauma. They may simply arise as acompensation for movement faculties that the infant doesnot discover. Since movement is the medium though whichinfants make sense of the world and their bodies, this canhave repercussions for the mental and physical health of theadult.

In this article we discuss how an understanding of therole of meridians in child development can provide methodsfor helping adults to access the faculties that they missed outon as an infant. Before exploring an example of this in detail,it is necessary to look more closely at how the process ofinfant movement development is linked to their growth aspeople.

The basic process by which intention and attention areprogressively linked to physical action in the baby is uniqueto humans. A horse is born knowing how to walk. We haveto learn how to move and in the process can make mistakes.On the other hand we can also be more creative and havemore choice than a horse!

Throughout the first year of life, certain specialmovements appear called the primitive reflexes. These arenot under the control of the baby’s growing consciousnessbut provide ready made components to be used in consciousmovement. For instance, the Rooting Reflex is present inthe newborn and is stimulated by a touch on the face. Thebaby’s mouth automatically moves towards the touch whichallows her to find the nipple with her mouth. However, themuscle groups activated by this reflex are the same used toturn the head. Later, when the baby’s interest is attracted tosomething that moves, her nervous system can use theexperience of the rooting reflex to turn the head with theintent to track the object. If the reflex did not appear, thebaby would have no body memory of how to turn the headand learning to do this movement would be very difficult.

Bonnie Cohen calls the primitive reflexes the “Alphabetof Movement”. This graphically describes how they arecomponents which combine into more sophisticatedmovements in the process of learning to inhabit the body.She also shows the reflexes to be the basis for life skillswhich would normally be seen as unrelated to movement.

For instance, the Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex isstimulated by the semi-circular canals in the inner ear and

Meridians & Patternsby Bill Palmer

The Jesuits used to say “Give us the child for seven yearsand we will give you the man”. By this they recognised thatour patterns are probably fixed by early training and aredifficult to change once we grow up.

Freud’s great contribution was to emphasise theimportance of very early stages of development. The waywe learn certain basic skills in early childhood predisposesthe way in which later traits develop. Erik Erikson evolvedthese ideas further in his work on the socialisation ofchildren.

Melanie Klein also expanded Freud’s ideas to includethe effect of emotional experience in infancy and FrankLake went one stage further to include the experience of thefoetus. Many physical patterns as well as psychological onesare rooted in this early period. However, it seems that manytherapies find it difficult to influence patterns originating ininfancy.

The difficulty is that the experience of the infant is ofsuch a radically different nature to that of the adult that it isvery difficult for an adult to remember and reprocess thatearly era. In particular, experiences recalled through wordswill inevitably be only an approximation to direct recallsince the infant has no words in her world.

Janov’s primal therapy and accessed infantile experiencebut had no systemised way of dealing with what arose. Theearly primal therapists such as Janov and Lake reliedprincipally on the belief that by stimulating a physical recallof infancy one could trigger a cathartic release which wouldallow any traumas suppressed at the time to release andresolve. The basic idea has an ancient lineage stretchingback to Shamanic Healing and refined into healing systemsthroughout the world such as Seitai in Japan and Shaktipatin India.

All of the cathartic systems, however, start from thepremise that the neurotic or uncomfortable patterns ofadulthood are ways of suppressing energy which needs tobe released and brought into the present to be liberated. Inthe language of Oriental Medicine these systems are focusedon releasing the excess. This is valuable but, as OrientalPhilosophy would certainly suggest, for real transformationto take place, this process should be combined withcomplementary work which fills in a deficiency .

In this view the signs of excess energy are apparentbecause there is a lack of support or containment and, unlessyou address the lack of support, the imbalance still remains.

Therapies which focus on building up missing facultiesas well as stimulating release have an oriental flavour evenif they are not from the east. Body Mind Centering is a wellknown example. They usually are also effective for patternsthat are not caused by trauma. Trauma usually makes usmiss out a stage of development because it is associated withpain. However, there are other reasons for missing out astage which we will discuss later.

Most of an infant’s way of integrating her experience isthrough movement and most of these therapies use movement

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increases the tone of the muscles on the underside of thebody. This causes the body to curl into the ground and inBonnie Cohen's words “Through this reflex we embraceMother Earth.” It is through this reflex that we learn to relateto the ground, to learn trust, to cuddle and to relate to otherpeople.

The activity of relating is also founded on a more generalneo-natal pattern called Physiological Flexion. In this patternthe baby learns to actively cuddle into something and togather-in through total body flexion. Without this, the bodyis collapsed and cannot relate to the ground or anything else.This in turn means that the baby cannot receive support andeither collapses into the ground or extends away from it ina compensatory reaction.

To Oriental Medicine this language sounds very familiar.It recalls the contribution of the Earth Elementto our energy. The ability to gather in, to begrounded, to receive support and to trust areall included in the Earth Element. Even theprocess of physical digestion, another role ofthe Earth in Oriental Medicine, is linked toPhysiological Flexion. To quote BonnieCohen again “Physiological Flexion appearsto be an outer manifestation of digestiveorgan activity”. That is, if one is faulty, so isthe other. Babies with low flexion tone tendto have more immature digestive tracts.

This correspondence made me wonderhow the meridians are linked to infantdevelopment and whether I could discover away of working with them to accessdevelopmental stages that have been missed.My students and I have been engaged in thisparticular research for the last eight yearswith the result that we can understand 10 outof the 12 organ meridians in terms of theirfunction in movement development. TheLarge and Small Intestine meridians have so far eluded ourunderstanding.

One view is that meridians already exist at birth andsimply orchestrate and provide a focus for the integration ofthe reflexes. Another is that they are actually formed by theprocess of movement development. In this view they tracein the body, maybe within the fascia, the pathways ofconnection involved in a particular developmental theme. Iprefer the second view since it can explain why meridiansrun where tradition says, but I cannot produce experimentalevidence to support my preference.

The rest of this article is devoted to explaining theStomach Meridian in these terms and presenting someclinical experience of how this research has been used tointroduce missing developmental stages in babies and inadults.

Our research suggests that the Stomach meridian isdivided into four parts which orchestrate the development ofdifferent aspects of movement. Each of these themesinfluences how the baby relates to the ground, receivesnourishment and support and learns the foundations of trustand relaxation.

Bonnie-B

ainbridge Cohen

Low postural tone

Balanced postural tone

Grounding & the Push Patterns: St13 - St34This section of the meridian traces exactly the locus of

maximal muscular tone in an infant pushing into the groundin order to progressively lift the head (ST13-ST20), thethorax and upper abdomen (St21 - St30) and the lowerabdomen and pelvis (St31 - St34). This process develops inthe first three months of life.

One can experimentally confirm this by lying prone and,only using the hands to balance, increase the flexor toneuntil a clear push into the ground is experienced. Slowlypush into the ground with the chest to raise the head, with theabdomen to raise the thorax and with the pelvis and upperlegs to raise the abdomen (in this last stage make sure thebuttocks are relaxed). The line of strongest sensation of

contact with the ground usually follows theStomach Meridian.

The increased flexor tone originates in theTonic Labyrinthine Reflex and prepares theskeleto-muscular system for the action ofpushing down. If it is missing then the action ofraising the head and body has to be accomplishedby the extensor muscles alone or else the bodycollapses. The reach into space is unsupportedby a push into the ground. This results in patternsof hyperextension and high back tension or,conversly, patterns of collapse.

I believe this deficiency also contributestowards a way of experiencing the outerworld as unsupportive; in which all activityhas to be done by the self. No-one else canhelp.

We would expect that it would be possible towork with this section of the meridian to help aperson access their ability to push into theground and, due to the support received fromthe ground, be able to let go of the high extensortone. However, working with the meridian in

the usual supine position does not seem to specifically effectthis pattern. We have found that if one works with themeridian from underneath, while the body is in prone positionthen this awakens the Tonic Labyrinthine reflex and initiatesrepatterning of the extensor muscles. I have used thistechnique with success in both adults and babies.

Standing on the Ground: St35 - St45In terms of movement, this section of the meridian does

not seem to do much for the first five months of life anddoesn't reach its full potential until the baby starts to walk.

Essentially, its role in movement is to focus the flow ofweight down through the knee, through the tibia, down thecurve of the talus and into the ball of the foot. Babies (andadults) who have the hyper extensive patterns tend to standand walk on their heels, leaning slightly backwards. Thislocks the muscles in the back and back of legs, makingmovement stiff and ungainly and putting strain on the sacraljoints. This results in excess tone along this section of theStomach meridian and forward motion is inhibited.

If a person with this posture is taught to bring their weightforward then naturally the knees tend to unlock, the backmuscles relax and the body is poised for forward movement.One can experimentally confirm this by experiencing the

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result of leaning slowly backwards from the ankles and thenleaning forwards again.

This backward leaning posture is especially apparent inbabies who learn to walk too fast, before they have developedthe ability to let go of their weight into the ground discussedin the last section. This may be because parents push thechild to develop too fast, or maybe the child has to developfast because she does not get her needs met. More simply,it can be caused by the baby simply not discovering the pushpatterns through not spending enough time on her front. Ihave noticed that in the last two years many babies have beenplaced on their backs most of the time due to medical adviceabout avoiding cot death. Anything unknown is oftenfrightening and a newborn who only experiences the supineposition will often grow into an infant who dislikes the proneposition and so does not easily learn the push and groundingpatterns.

The key features of this pattern are stiffness and instabilitydue to the back muscles being tense and the longitudinal archof the foot not being efficiently involved in weight bearing.

We have found that two techniques originating fromBody Mind Centering are helpful in facilitating the flow ofweight down the front of the legs and into the ball of the foot.One is to harmonize the movement of the menisci with thefemur by flexing and extending the knee holding both "Eyesof the Knee" (St35). This allows the weight to flow efficientlythrough the knee even when it is slightly flexed. The othertechnique is to articulate the talus on the calcaneus and to useSt41 to help the talus slip under the tibia during dorsiflexion.

As the illustration shows, the foot is divided into twoparts. Developmentally, the one connectedto the calcaneus (shaded) is mainly involvedin initiating rotation. The other, connectedto the talus, is mainly involved in weightbearing and pushing into the ground. If theposture is rigid, it is common for bothhalves of the foot be locked together and fortheir functions to be confused. Articulatingthe talus on the calcaneus helps the neuro-muscular system to proprioceptivelyperceive movement choices in which thetwo parts of the foot can function separately

In energy terms, the ' talus foot' isconnected to the Earth Element, to the

Stomach and Spleen meridians and to the front of the body.If weight flows down the Stomach meridian into this part ofthe foot then the body feels grounded, one can relax. The'calcaneus foot' on the other hand, is related to the BladderMeridian, to the back of the body and to transmittingimpulses into movements of the whole body. Patterns whichconfuse these two parts relate to a deeper functional confusionbetween the front and the back of the body. The third sectionof the Stomach Meridian gives more insight into the natureof this confusion and a complementary way to work with it.

Organ Support & Muscular Tension: St5 - St12This section of the Stomach meridian seems to be

associated with patterns of jaw movement. As we will see,these effect the movement of the atlanto-occipital joint atthe top of the neck. They also relate to the relaxation of themuscles attached to the hyoid bone which, in turn, facilitatethe flow of energy into the internal organ system. Before

describing how the jaw patterns influence the hyoid andwhat this has to do with the stomach meridian, let me firstexplain the last statement.

Bonnie Cohen, John Upledger and Patricia Bardi alldescribe how the tone of internal organ system provides aninternal support for the body structure. If this tone is low orif the organ system is pulled upwards then the weight cannotflow through the soft tissues. Effectively the body has to actas though it was an empty shell rather than solid. This meansthat the muscular system has to spend a lot of extra energyin holding the skeleton up and the blood flow is directed tothe skeletal muscles rather than to the organs. The physicalpattern associated with this state is the flight and fightmobilisation coordinated by the sympathetic nervous system- the muscles are in continual high tone and adrenaline iskeeping the heart rate up and the brain in high (beta wave)activity.

If, however, the organ system has good tone and theinternal tissues are being allowed to settle earthwards thenthe body can sense internal support and the muscles canrelax. This is associated with activation of theParasympathetic Nervous System.

Relaxation is not collapsing but resting on internalsupport. Consciously one feels that one can just BE, onedoesn’t have to DO all the time.

If you examine the illustration of the musculature attachedto the hyoid you will see that if the muscles attaching thehyoid to the skull are tense then the hyoid is pulled up andthat this pulls up thepharynx. This has theeffect of pulling up onboth the whole digestivetract and the lungs,decreasing theireffectiveness as internalsupports.

How is the stomachmeridian related tothese patterns?

The key point tounderstand is that the masseterand temporalis muscles act as antagonists for twototally different actions and thus provide a bridge betweenthe front and the back of the body across which cooperationor conflict can flow.

One of these is the opening of the jaw; these two muscleshave to yield before the jaw can open. The other action is themovement of the head on the atlanto-occipital joint. If themasseter/temporalis pair are tense then backward movementof the skull on the neck pulls up on the hyoid and the throat.The preceding discussion shows that this means that themoveement of theneck is pulling up the weight of the organsystem. This means that, instead of the small sub-occipitalmuscles being sufficient to subtly balance the head, the bigmuscles such as the trapezius need to be engaged throwingthe front and back of the neck into conflict.

This pattern is the principal one that the AlexanderTechnique aims to re-educate by encouraging the neck tolengthen and the head to move forward and up.

According to our analysis, however, this will only beeffective if the masseter/temporalis pair can yield easily.

Talus

Calcaneus

David G

orman

14

This is where we have found the Stomach meridian to help.St 8, 7 and 6 are located close to the origins and insertionsof this muscle group. One can stimulate the proprioceptivefibres in the muscles (thus helping them to yield) byconnecting ST8, 7, 6 and 5. This suggests that the energyflow within the meridian orchestrates the part these muscleshave to play in allowing the weight to flow into the organsystem. The flow can be helped further through the hyoidand into the organs by connecting through ST9, 10, 11, 12.

The Reach Patterns: St1-St4This last branch of the stomach meridian seems to be

related developmentally to the transition from the orallycentred state of the newborn to the visually centred state ofthe 6 month infant. This transition is co-dependent on thedevelopment of consciousness of the outer world and to thedevelopment of reach patterns which move outside thebaby's kinesphere (the space around that you can touchwithout moving the whole body through space). Oral reachpatterns are still contained within the kinesphere.

If this connection is not made then the person is either toointernally centred or continually reaching outside themselves.In babies we have facilitated this connection by initiallystimulating the rooting reflex and then stroking up thestomach meridian leading the reach into the eyes. Continuingthe movement away from the baby with a visually interestingobject (preferably shiny and moving) transfers the oralreaching into the visual consciousness and leads the baby toreach outside their kinesphere.

Most babies are only too eager to reach into the outerworld and don't need help to do it. However, some peoplehaven't developed this skill. Two extreme examples areautistic people and blind people, but, to a lesser extent, thesame pattern can be observed in many others. The sametheme of stimulating oral reaching and using the stomachmeridian to help that energy transfer into outer reaching canbe used even if the eyes are not engaged.

As long as there is an inner experience of REACH,that naturally moves outwards and the energy can thenmore easily grasp a stimulus from the outer world.

These reach patterns are dependent on the priordevelopment of push patterns and start developing later. Thevisual reflexes coordinated by the superior colliculi in themid-brain do not fully appear until the third to sixth month.

When both push and reach patterns have developed theinfant enters a new phase of moving about in the world -combining the energy reach towards an outer object with theability to move the body in the direction of the reach throughpushing. This development is coordinated by the BladderMeridian which will be the subject of a future article.

ConclusionAlthough some of the preceding discussion is quite

technical the essential points are simple. The energeticfunction manifested in the Stomach meridian coordinatesdownward flow, gathering in, digestion and grounding. Thisis similar to the functioning of the parasympathetic nervoussystem (PNS) , which takes blood away from the skeletalmuscles and sends it to the organs, helping digestion andrelaxation.

Patterns of hyperextension and rigid posture can be seenas an excess of muscular tone and Sympathetic Nervous

System activity. They can equally be seen as originating ina deficiency of organ tone and low parasympathetic activity.

Whereas cathartic systems aim at releasing the muscles,this approach aims at building up grounding and innersupport by re-contacting the stages of development in whichthese faculties are learnt. Both approaches are valuable.

Our work pulls together the various components of thisdevelopmental theme and sees them as orchestrated by theStomach Meridian.

We have described how working with the this meridianin certain ways can re-stimulate these developmental stagesto build up the missing faculties of reaching out, gatheringin, grounding and relaxation.

Future ResearchThere are two groups of people that I feel could particularly

benefit from this approach to working with the Earth Element.One group are autistic children and the other group arebabies with cerebral palsy.

Autistic children find it difficult to reach out. Thisdoesn't define autism and is only one of the features of theircondition but I feel that it is a fundamental body-mind skillthat can be introduced through the body when the mind ishard to contact. I have only a little experience of workingwith autistic people but Linda Hartley has worked withsome success using the similar approach of Body MindCentering.

I have more experience of working with cerebral palsy(CP), often characterised by spastic hyper-extension patternsgrowing more fixed during childhood. The spastic patternsappear because some of the primitive reflexes are missing,through brain damage, which would otherwise modulate theextension.

One problem is that cerebral palsy is often not diagnoseduntil the patterns become obvious, by which time they arewell established. At this stage I find that the work helpsrelaxation but the progress towards greater mobility is stilldifficult.

I feel that parents of children who were anoxic at birthcould be taught how to observe their baby's development andhow to encourage organ support if they observe that theflexion reflexes and push patterns are not appearing.

Possibly the spastic patterns could be avoided by thiseducation of parents whose child might have CP. Myexperience suggests that a young enough baby, with the aidof frequent parental patterning, can find other ways ofdeveloping flexion and pushing without access to thereflexes which normal induce them.

Abbreviated Bibliographic notes:Sigmund Freud: Collected WorksErik Erikson: Childhood and SocietyMelanie Klein: Envy & Gratitude + other writingsArthur Janov: The Primal ScreamFrank Lake: Birth Trauma, Claustrophobia and LSD TherapyDavid Boadella: Lifestreams, an introduction to biosynthesisBonnie Bainbridge Cohen: Sensing, Feeling and ActionColwyn Trevarthen: Various writings and demonstrations.Dr J. Upledger & Others: Visceral ManipulationLinda Hartley: Dancing with the autistic child. DevelopmentalMovement Therapy with Autistic Children. Human Potential 9/85David Gorman: The Body Moveable

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Meridians & aWalk Through the Subway

by Ken Waight

symbiotic functions all work to create a flexible system thatis constantly responding, learning and changing. It is opento fluctuations moving towards dynamic disequilibrium,amplifying what often at first seem extreme changes in orderto leap and grow.

We are a record of these leaps in an ever increasinglycomplex formation of universal energies. This naturalability to be open to the changing environment, to the fluxand flow of life ensured our survival. It is this evolution anddevelopment of human life that formed what we callmeridians.

I see the meridians as kind of primary hues emergingfrom the complexity of our essential body schema. Accessto meridian energy is one way to initiate change although Ithink that the shift in energy needs to be integrated with ourexperiences for that change to take place deeply. I believethat meridians are intrinsically complex yet simple functionsthat form the interface of our inner and outer lives. Our ownperceptions, constructed reality, illusions all project out intothe world through the meridians, which energetically giveshape to them. They do not exist separately but are allinterdependent. Perhaps any meridian can be seen as ahologram of the others and working with ki allows us accessthe whole being through them.

Ki and Body ImagesThis way of seeing meridians can be compared with body

image. Our body image arises directly out of our contact andexperiences with the world. This image is developed at anearly age, being deeply influenced by our early experiencesand development. It becomes a kind of screen on which areprojected our disturbed emotions, fears, anxieties, as well aspositive experiences of ourselves. The disturbed bodyimage disconnects us from feeling integrated, we shut offand dissociate parts. Our inner and outer boundaries are lost.

In energetic terms the field of Ki, its flow, connection,direction is disrupted, distorted, particularly the internalexternal flow. Disturbed images create tension anddistortionin our musculature and of course our Ki.

The Yin Yang of PostureOur body works through yin yang patterns, for example

in the muscles one set relaxes whilst another contracts, heldtension, bound energy, obstructs flow of Ki, denying deepnatural movement to us. The interplay of yin and yang isdirectly affects our posture. Posture is one primary sourceof body image. A dynamic changing posture with deepcentre of gravity is the pivot through which core movementand our expression outward into the world takes place. It isthe way in which we orientate ourselves in the world, theway we adjust to space and gravity.

Ken Waight is the principal of the British School ofOriental Therpay and Movement and a leading teacher ofKitaiso

The world of energy, movement and form as it is expressedthrough the human body embodies the paradoxes of life.This evolving, moving, changing life power that we aregives us the potential to create, to give shape or form, to bringa meaning into our own life. Healing, Shiatsu, movementmeditation, dance and art are some of the ways we seek tomaterialise this urge. In another sense they become ritualsthrough which we rediscover the universal, the unformed,the hidden world of energy. That deep urge is often lost sightof through lack of inner connections. Disrupted by theconstant surface flow of distracting noise and externalimages that has become part of our body mind, the windowwhich was once ours becomes a wall. Dogmatic systems offixed explanations have often grown up in place of theoriginal spontaneous insights.

It seems that trying fix and capture that which is ever-changing causes so much sadness and suffering for us.Thinking about this my thoughts returned to the way Ki,energy, was explained at the acupuncture or herb coursesthat I attended. Those nice neat diagrams with arrowspointing in various directions, the lines that ran over thebody in an orderly fashion reminded me of the plans ofelectrical circuits. In some books the syndrome diagramslooked even more elaborate than the maps of the LondonUnderground. I wondered how we had arrived at this way ofviewing energy. Living systems were now presented in neatorderly parcels of information. In itself very fine for learningand rather good for answers in future exams. But it allseemed quite remote from the world of movement, breathand energy.

A lot of this way of learning originates in our ownmodern systems of education, but there seems also to be afashionable desire to put things into neat parcels ofinformation for convenience. So that we can get the feelingof understanding something quickly and easily withouthaving gone through the personal work involved indeveloping understanding through experience. At theseminars it was interesting to note the lack of certitude whenI asked, for example, “can you show the Yuan Qi. What doesit feel like when this energy is intact, streaming, alive”?Information and body experience seemed far apart.

Perhaps the teachers of old were wise in expressing theirunderstanding through sacred rituals, poems and such like.These metaphors required another way to access them. Theyknew very well the tendency of the mind to pigeon hole andcreate an intellectual understaning in place of knowledge.

The Evolving BodyThe body has evolved through its natural ability to

change and adapt. As modern systems science has shown itsinherent self-organising capacity, interdependence and

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Inflexible, held muscles will create limited posturaladaptability. We lose our flexibility in life and our choicesbecome limited. Disturbed body image and posture canproduce a kind of flickering, psychosomatic, ill-at-easestate with disconnected body parts, unintegrated breathing,loss of internal balance and flow.

Internal-External Musubi (Connected Flow)The way in which we conceive space like ki also has

great influence on how we integrate and use our body. Spaceseems an abstract quality about us, yet something which wereally make empty and full. Empty in the sense that throughdual perception we see ourselves as separate from space, theuniverse. There is the world space and there is ourself. Fullin the context of it being frozen, filled up with our projections,concepts and ideas of what should and should not be.

I see this empty but full space that surrounds us actingas a filter, a block to any real deep universal exchange. Thiscan be likened to the distorting effect on out consciousnessof unbalanced meridians. In this sense the energy of themeridians is projected into the space about us. It leads us topredestined avenues of life patterns.

When we become preoccupied with connecting the flowof ki within the body without developing the externalconnection we lose sight of this essential dynamic whichallows us to reconnect with space and the universal withinus.

In Kitaiso we call this the great cycle connection: SeitenO Idaku. When the internal-external connection is made,reorchestration and flow become greatly enhanced. Whatwe call meridians, open up, allowing interplay to happen, aclearer pathway is created. It is this interplay that is oftenmentioned in oriental philosophy. In fact I believe thatunless the Great Universal Cycle is completed deep internalconnection is not possible. It is through this process that wecan constantly enrich our whole body energy. We reconnectwith the deep impulse from within and to the unboundedself. When this movement of energy is working well we feelmore transparent, lighter, clearer, we feel at ease.

Mushin of the bodyThe above state might be described as the mushin of the

body. A state of no accumulation or congestion of energy,neither attracted to nor stuck to any condition. Mushin hasoften been given as an example of one of the states that apractitioner should try to attain, which in itself is a paradox,however, The way mushin is often described is misleading.If we say mushin is “empty mind” it would lead people intoseeking empty space in their minds. It is not the naturalcondition for the mind to be empty. Mushin includeseverything but does not hold on to anything, abundancewithin emptyness.

This I feel is the same state the body arrives at when thatdeep external internal connection of ki is attained, meridianscleared with a deep sense of one's own centre connected tothe universal. In the movement system I practice we call itShinjitsunintai, true universal whole body.

Whatever system we do wish to utilise to open thisexchange, the appropriate depth of breathing with movement,spontaneity, rhythm and form will help us glimpse into this

world. Our bodies act as a window through which changeenters. Reorchestration of energy and structure will naturallyfollow.

From my own experience it is interesting to see thatparticular movements lend themselves to open whole areasof the body, meridians, in one gesture. In this sense I thinkmovement does offer great potential for releasing and clearingmeridians in an active, self motivated context without gettingstuck within definition.

ConnectionsMovement, therapy, Tao, all overlap and yet have different

directions or purposes. The old texts of the philosophy ofTaoism refer to the formation of substance or mass throughthe condensation and interplay of Ten Ki . This may be apoetic metaphor but within its expression lie universals thatare not perhaps understandable using logic or reason. Forme this is where the realm of the body lies in revealing thesemysterious truths. As practitioners of shiatsu and body workwe all come to accept universal meridians but what about theuniversal body that we live through? It is the universal bodyso often alluded to in the teachings of the Tao that gives usthe space and vision to transcend conceptual barriers thatblock direct experience of something whole.

Disease of SelfThinking about this has led me to wonder if perhaps the

source of disease is conditioned by the concepts and habitsprevalent at that time. The problems we have created areconditioned by the way we relate to and see the world. Forexample, in a self obsessed age, an indication of neuroticdomination, we have created many diseases purely becausewe have become too occupied with ourselves. There areplenty of examples between pre and post industrialisedsocieties to indicate that the diseases prevalent in one erahave changed their nature in another.

I remember many years ago when I was in Tokyo one ofthe disciples of Haruchika Noguchi the founder of Seitei saidto me. “What effects us so much is the lack of expression inlife, this unexpressed energy turns in on us”. Not livingfully, too much preoccupied with ourselves, stagnatedinternalised energy turns into obsessive thoughts, fearsworries.This affects our health, our spirit.

I think this all erodes the Yuan Qi. We lose sight and faithin the transcendental vision that belongs to us in our primaryconnections to the the Universal Self. We create a world oflittle faith with much presentation. The internal power thatwe could build is never realised. In Japan it is said that thisinternal power, joriki , leads to external power or faith,kariki. In the Huan Nan zi there are several phrases thatcome to mind to illustrate the relaxed movement, free ofobsessive tendencies. “It is because the vital spirit is notkeeping watch. If it is carried away by small things it is notpresent for the Great thing. If it is inside it is absent from theoutside, if above it cannot be below”. “Pass through withoutdisturbance”.

A walk throughthe subway

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convenient systems in order to cope with the upturn indemand for structure. In order to educate growing numbersof students, streamlined efficient packages are needed tokeep a level and effective method of ensuring repeatablequality. But something can be lost with these conditions.

What might have been convenient pathways can becomefixed landmarks which eventually become permanenthorizons, just like the meridian diagrams. What can be lostis the original gaze that lead people to look beyond to newhorizons. Our fixing becomes much stronger than ourfinding, the outcome over a period of time is the evolution ofinstitutionalised systems. It happened with Zen in Japan!

It is an exciting age for development in the body mindtherapies, which I believe will find new dimensions releventto our modern cross-cultural world. I hope this developmentwill allow for upheavals and not become too fixed as wellas forming flexible systems of understanding which can bepassed on to other people.

Cultural Theftby Nicola Pooley

did steal their land. But does this mean I am being a racistwhen I do yoga? I doubt it. Though maybe the issue shouldbe if the people of that subcontinent themselves feel belittledby the way we do yoga in the west. I know that when I didyoga with Indar-Sri, he was proud to be teaching us partof hisreligion and culture.

One of the factors is that we did have an energetic systemof medicine which can be gleaned from some of the oldherbals such as the Leech book of Bald. All this knowledgewas lost with the with-hunts in the dark ages. Maybe usingour cultural imports is a way for us to regain some of our lostpast.

I believe that knowledge of information should be freelyavailable and that such knowledge can’t be stolen. So I don’tfeel guilty smudging, doing yoga or giving Shiatsu.

Though I’ve been tempted to be “Japanese” and dress upand bow to my clients, I feel that I loose some of my integrity.I am not Japanese. Others can do this with respect. There aremany martial artists who wear their Gi and bow as they enetrthe Dojo. If I wore a Gi to practice aikido. My teacher worea hakama and they didn’t fall over. They had been awardedtheirs.

So another issue is the one of respect and this is also whatrespect is given to the original country. Japan is a rich andpowerful country. Native Americans don’t have a countryany more so it is very important that whatever is taken istaken with respect and without further belittling of thepeople from whom the knowledge came.

So where does that leave me? I believe that if I act withrespect for the wishes of the people who gave me theinformation and with integrity then I can practise my foreignShiatsu without feeling like a cultural thief.

Nicola Pooley is a Shiatsu Teacher living in Bristol andis Chiar of the Shiatsu Society.

Just lately I’ve been aware of a lot about cultural theft inthe ‘new age’ media. This is something that has bothered mesince I fell over and landed on my bum when I waspretentiously wearing a Hakama. It has also bothered mewhen friends of mine go on courses to become NativeAmerican Adepts.

Yet there are aspects of Native American healing whichI use. I ‘smudge’ my room when I feel that it needs cleaningafter a difficult day’s work. I’ve since discovered usingsmoke to cleanse people and things is also a tradition,admittedly a lost tradition, here in Europe. Part of my worryis when is it cultural theft and when is it legitimate culturalimport? As usual the extremes are clear to see. For me, someof the recent fashion for Native American culture, particularlywhen taught by people who have little knowledge of NativeAmericans, is one extreme while acupuncture is at the other.

I doubt if anyone would accuse an acupuncturist of beinga cultural thief. The meridian system, the herbs and themedicine are part of an unbroken system of knowledgewhich is well respected. It doesn’t seem as if it can be stolen,only learnt. So am I a cultural thief as a Shiatsu Practitioner?I don’t feel like one and part of that is I’m sure myknowledge and my work does nothing to belittle the peoplein Japan and some of the people who taught me Shiatsu.

The meridian system was, in turn, imported by theJapanese from China. I wonder if they were consideredcultural thieves? A similar case is the chakra system whichwas developed from Ayuvedic Medicine. Now this, to me,is getting into less certain ground. People from the Indiansubcontinent are often subject to racism. The British Empire

Zen ShiatsuPerhaps when Masunaga gave the name “Zen Shiatsu”

to his system he was referring to some of these conditions.In his writings he often mentions loss of self, not doing,oneness with practice. Maybe it was another ideal that wasset up, however, he did seem to hold these qualities veryhigh.

Shiatsu, certainly gives those that want to go into it achance to work directly with energy, to feel and to expressthrough the body what we understand. Yet also it is vulnerableto being converted into another system of organised materialwith locked in structures. Like qi and meridians we cannotseparate a thread from the fabric whilst feeling the breadthand width.

Which way is it?As some body therapies have become rapidly popular

they have necessarily needed to formulate coherent,

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One regular feature in Journal, we hope, will be athird year dissertation from a recent graduate. If youhave a dissertation that you think might be of generalinterest or amusement, please write to Mike Craskethrough the Journal.

INTRODUCTIONYou see the main point here is THE TITLE;

“Winnie the Pooh and the Five Elements” not‘The Five Elements and Winnie the Pooh’, orany other variation that you may care to thinkof. There is a wide range of books availablefor those interested in the Five Elements andthe characteristics associated with them.However, to my knowledge there is not onediscussing Pooh Bear. I would like, not to re–iterate the correspondences of the Five Elements but touse the theory as a model and explore the ways that it canbe applied to Winnie the Pooh and his friends.

I chose Pooh Bear because he is an old friend, butI’ve been surprised at how wide a circle of friends he hasbesides me. Chatting to people I discover that familiesused the names to denote characteristics; Grandpa wasEeyore, Mum was Kanga and Dad was ChristopherRobin; within a circle of friends too – the round easygoing one was Pooh, the one who wouldn’t sit still wasTigger and so on.

Everyone has a point of reference that they employto a greater or lesser extent when meeting people for thefirst time, not as a judgement but a starting point. Theadvertising men use class and money to define whichgroup (they consider) we belong to. In this way the rightgoods can be targeted at the right class of people.Personally I find their approach insulting, try watchingthe advertisements in the afternoon to see what I mean.

Another framework for identifying a category ofperson is the Five Element or Five Phase Theory whichis used by Acupuncturists and Shiatsu Therapists. ChrisJarmey explains that the Five Elements can be used to“enhance accurate physical diagnosis; provide a com-prehensive model for understanding and treating thepatient on an emotional level; and deepen philosophicalinsight”.

The more I thought of the Five Element cycle themore I considered one of my occasional points ofreference, Pooh Bear. I don’t upon meeting someonethink, aha! there is a real Owl type or there goessomeone with Eeoyre tendencies but these occasionaljudgements do creep in.

It is not possible to attribute all the correspond-ences of the Five Elements to Pooh (Earth), Eeyore(Metal), Tigger (Fire), Rabbit (Wood) and Piglet (Wa-ter), besides which as I have already said there arenumerous books which set out a full list. Instead I wouldlike to highlight certain ideas and examine the differentrelationships and possible parallels that can be drawnand hopefully provide a different point of view.

Winnie the Pooh & the Five Elementsby Elizabeth Marshall

INTERLUDEI’ve just put the kettle on and looking at my watch

it shouldn’t be long before – ah yes here he is windinghis way up the garden path now. I swear you could setyour watch by Pooh Bear’s Stomach clock. Its 5minutes to 11 now and time for a smackerel of some-

thing.“I wouldn’t put that honey pot there

Pooh – its just that, well yes, these areimportant notes, they’re for my disserta-tion” “Is it catching?” asked Pooh retriev-ing his honey pot. “No not catching in thatsense” I reply, “but I hope it might catch on”.There was a pause while Pooh digested thisand began balancing on the chair to get at his

honey. “So if its not catching, what does it do?”Now it was my turn to pause while I searched for aresponse; “I was looking at an idea Pooh and trying tofit it into a theory”.

“Sounds painful to me” said Pooh from the depthsof his honey pot, and actually I am inclined to agree withhim. The idea won’t fit into the theory or vice versa,something has to give – all one can do is look for anotherangle, a bit more light.

Pooh has re–arranged my papers with his stickypaws and wants to know what the Five Elements are somaybe a little background is in order here then we allknow where we’re starting from.

“It’s like this Pooh” I say. “You’re very you – thatis to say Winnie the Pooh, but you also have somecharacteristics of your friends for instance like Rabbityou’re sometimes good at organising – you did itbeautifully on Eeyore’s birthday and like Piglet you canbe frightened sometimes – such as when you werelooking for Woozles and Heffalumps. But you do thesethings such as organising, in a very Poohish way not aRabbit sort of way at all which is what makes you, you”Pooh is beginning to look confused, “we’ll come backto this later Pooh”.

BACKGROUNDThe Five Element cycle or Phases can be used to

describe many things: The passage of time through theday marked by the hours, dawn (wood), midday (fire),afternoon (earth), evening (metal) and nighttime (wa-ter); The passage of time through the year marked byseasons, Winter (water), Spring (wood), Summer (Fire),Late Summer (Earth) and Autumn (metal); Our passagethrough life marked by the years, birth to teenage years(wood), 20s and 30s (fire), middle age (earth), old age(metal) and death (water); The growth of a tree, stemsand leaves (wood), flowers (fire), berries (earth), seeds(metal) and roots (water); and they also represent thebalance and movement between Yin and Yang.

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“Though Yin and Yang gives us a facility forworking and thinking about vital Chi’i Energy, it is theFive Elements which give us a framework more closelyconnected with daily life”. (Connelly)

When looking at the symptoms that a client bringsthey fall, not only within different elements but also intocategories of excess and deficiency, Yin and Yang. Ifsomeone is manifesting symptoms of deficiency thenyou would look at the relationships of the elementswithin the Shen cycle – the cycle of nourishment andsupport. Wood burns to create Fire, the ashes of Firedecompose to create Earth, the Earth contains the oresto make metal, metal can change to a liquid state, andWater nourishes Wood.

In the same way if a client is manifesting symptomsof excess then you would look at the possible relation-ships in the Ko cycle, that of control and restraint.Wood is cut by Metal, Fire is extinguished by Water,Earth is penetrated by Wood, Metal is melted by Fireand Water is channelled by Earth.

The cycle is yet more detailed still as each elementcomprises specific organ networks eg. Liver and Gall-bladder are the organs associated with Wood, and theyhave their own particular characteristics. If we were tolook at Rabbit we would see that he has a tendency to bemore Liverish. The Nei Ching describes Liver ashaving “the functions of a military leader who excels inhis strategic planning”.

A. A. Milne describes the beginning of one ofRabbit’s days thus; “It was going to be one of Rabbit’sbusy days .... It was just the day for Organising Some-thing, or for Writing a Notice Signed Rabbit, or forSeeing What Everybody Else thought about it”.

However, for the purposes of this essay I shall besticking to generalisations about the Elements as op-posed to specific diagnoses based on the Organ net-works.

SOME FIVE ELEMENTCHARACTERISTICS

WOOD – RABBITRabbit is rarely still and his energy is

very upright and thrusting. He can usuallybe found making decisions, organisingsomeone else and looking generally busy.

“Anyhow”, he went on importantly,“I promised Christopher Robin I’dOrganise a Search.Emotion – Frustration

I have a feeling that he often finds himself frus-trated by the inaction and lethargy of those around him,Power – capacity for control

Rabbit definitely likes to be in control!“Ah! said Rabbit, who never let things come to him

but always went and fetched them.”Organs associated with Wood

See quote above

Sound of Voice – ShoutingI can’t recall any specific incidents when Rabbit

shouts, but I’m left with the feeling that he has atendency to shout when speaking to others and explain-ing things to persons with little or no Brain.Colour

Rabbit’s are particularly fond of green stems andleaves so I am presuming this to be Rabbit’s favouritecolour.

One of the major problems of Wood is gettingstuck, Ki stagnation. Whilst talking to Owl one dayRabbit is unable explain himself in more than one way,perhaps indicating a tendency towards Liver Ki stagna-tion;

“Owl looked at him, and wondered whether to pushhim off the tree; but, feeling that he could always do itafterwards, he tried once more to find out what theywere talking about”.

FIRE – TIGGERI always think of Tigger as loud and bouncy in a

joyous and fiery sort of way. Someone who is slightlyout of control with a tendency towards irrationality.

“Tigger who had been hiding behind trees andjumping out on Pooh’s shadow when it wasn’t looking,said that Tigger’s were only bouncy before breakfast”.He is a very flighty character and usually does some-thing else best, actually usually anything better thanwhatever it is that he is doing at the moment ie. eatinghaycorns or climbing trees which might indicate a lackof concentration or a disturbance of Shen.Emotion – JoySense Organ – Tongue

“Tigger came closer, and he leant over the back ofRoo’s chair, and suddenly he put out his tongue, andtook one large golollop”

EARTH – WINNIE THE POOHOf all the animals in the 100 Acre Wood I think

Pooh best represents his element. The others containmore of a mixture of each other – which is more true toreal life.

Time of Day – 9.00 – 11.00 is Stomach time and11.00 – 1300 Spleen

Pooh ..... “was beginning to feel a little eleveno’clockish. And he found a small tin of condensed milk,and something seemed to tell him that Tiggers didn’tlike this, so he took it into a corner by itself, and wentwith it to see that nobody interrupted it”.Sound of Voice – Singing

Pooh is always making up songs, poems and humsto sing to himself. “he had made up a little hum thatmorning as he was doing his stoutness exercises in frontof the glass”.Shape – Roundness

The previous quote indicates two other Earth char-acteristics – stoutness and general roundness indicatethe Earth element, as does a problem with exercising.

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CONCLUSION“WHY?”... I kept quiet hoping I hadn’t heard that

noise. “I said WHY, quite distinctly, and you saidnothing”.

“Yes well, quite Pooh, but WHY what?”.Pooh extracted himself from the cupboard where

he had been supervising the honey pots and sat downcarefully at the table. He began licking the odd bit ofhoney from between his paws where it had attacheditself from where he had been counting. “WHY all thesequestions and quotes from people and lists?”

“Well”, I said, lets take you Pooh as you are sittinghere. Suppose you’re not very well and you go toChristopher Robin for a little something, “you meanhoney”, “no, I mean to make you better”. Pooh lookedas if he was about to say something but sat on it instead.“Yes well, if you went to Christopher Robin with a soretummy he would ask you questions about how you werefeeling, what sort of sore tummy and what had youeaten, apart from honey and things like that. Well ifChristopher Robin knew about Traditional ChineseMedicine, he would ask those questions and more, hewould ask you how you felt today, he would listen to thesound of your voice, he might look at your tongue, inother words he would look at the whole of you, not justthe symptom ie. your tummy, so that he can make adiagnosis and decide how he is going to treat you.

“Ask me something then” asked Pooh lookingimportant. “OK, what’s your favourite colour?” “Yel-low, the colour of honey”. What’s your favouritetime?” “Oh, about now, five to eleven ish”. “OK andyour favourite time of the year” “easy, September,when the bees are busiest”.

“So Pooh, this tells me that Earth is your strongestelement, and if I was going to treat you for Stomach

problems knowing this would help me to decide how Iwas going to approach it or to look at the Shen and Kocycle and decide what else to work on to harmonise yourenergy”.

“Is harmonising energy the same as harmonisingsongs? Because Piglet and I are going to be singing anew hum together this afternoon”. “Well, I guess it isPooh, I never thought of that, and here is Piglet now.Well, its been nice talking with you I’ll see you after yourwalk with Piglet”.

The window was open and I sat there thinkingabout models and theories and how well they can beapplied. If a model is universal it should be possible toapply it to any situation. It may not be quite perfect – theballoon may have to be burst in order to fit it into the jar– but in essence its the same balloon just a differentshape. Anyway, while I was wondering all this I couldhear Pooh and Piglet talking as they wandered down thegarden path, and their conversation (as always) seemedto put things into perspective;

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh”, saidPiglet ......, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”“What’s for breakfast said Pooh. “What do you sayPiglet?” “I say, I wonder what’s going to happenexciting to–day” said Piglet. Pooh nodded thought-fully. “It’s the same thing”, he said.

BIBLIOGRAPHY“Between Heaven and Earth” Harriet Beinfield

and Effrem Korngold”“Traditional Acupuncture: The Law of the Five

Elements” Diane Connelly“The Tao of Pooh” Benjamin Hoff“Shiatsu – The Complete Guide” Chris Jarmey

and Gabriel Mojay“The House at Pooh Corner” & “Winnie The

Pooh” A. A. Milne

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The Journal of Shiatsu &Oriental Body Therapy