Nov 07 2009
Learning jing fang
Like those magic eye pictures, where when the vision is loosened just so a completely three dimension image appears. Learning to acquire an clinical gaze that is soft enough to take in the entire landscape of a patient’s presentation, and sharp enough to see clearly the shape and structure of dysfunction, is an acquired skill. Usually facilitated by guidance from an experienced teacher who has both the skill and inclination to share it. Dr. Huang is just such a teacher.
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Our class here in Nanjing uses The Ten Key Formula Families as a starting point. Unlike our last trip to Nanjing two years ago, he is not teaching the book; it is simply background for his current way of thinking and approaching clinical work. The ten constitutional types he introduced in that work have been expanded to include a number of other medicinals, and are now elements of a broader structure that helps us to better understand the predilections and disposition of our patients.
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While there is still a sharp focus on the patient’s constitution based on the herbal formula family they fall into, he also casts a broader net of discernment using the parameters of cold, heat, deficiency, excess, qi stagnation, blood stagnation, phlegm and dampness. Like the crosshatch pattern of a sieve, it gives us a finer granularity with which to shift a patient’s complaints and constitution into a formula that fits the lock of their dysfunction.
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Watch for more posts from Nanjing, as the lessons from the classes, observations from the clinic, and discussions over foot massages make their way to these pages!
One response so far
Enjoy!