@algancao – On Metaphorical Medicine

@bweapons One insight provided by alt.med is looking at the body (and everything else) differently, provided it is clinically relevant. Thu Jul 23 14:35:14

Docs say that “damp” or the external “evil qi” terms we use are bogus colorful speech. No reality to these perceptions at all.

We can choose to perceive the body at gross or molecular levels. Ultimately, our scientific perceptions are as questionable as CM ideas.

Looking under microscopes of increasing magnification, the lines between the discrete individual and the non-self environment are blurred.

At the atomic level, we’re mostly space with a slight electrical charge holding together a few atoms at a time. That’s it.

So perceptions of reality often comes down to how far back you’re standing when describing the reality of the human organism.

Each level of magnification has it’s benefits, but the “individual” is just another metaphor to wrap the mind around.

So, it all returns to clinical relevance. If “drying damp” didn’t remove symptoms, it would have fallen by the wayside long ago.

In my opinion, it is this flexible clinical gaze that is the larger message. How we perceive things changes our therapeutic approaches.

Chronic pain sufferers benefit from altering their internal narrative of “pain”. Can be perceived as “sensation” too.

Meditation and biofeedback are good for this alteration of one’s perception of pain. Locating that internal on-off switch is important.

Some shaman consider perception a discrete energy that we use to organize the chaos of the universe, not a passive response to a reality.

Some people’s perceptual focus are more fluid or flexible than others. There’s probably more to that than we (modern science) know.

One alt. med. talks about the heart being a dam rather than a pump. The blood naturally moves but the heart stops the flow with each beat.

A good example of insights arising from looking at things differently, though I’m unsure whether this example is clinically relevant.

@bweapons Chinese Medicine uses many metaphors – waterflow is one. Common denominator is that they’re all based on observable nature.

My point is that even the realities defined by science are still described in metaphors such as cancer being a separate thing to be killed.

Biomedicine’s war metaphors may not be unique to the medicine, but the orientation of those who they need to inform. People understand war.

Some historians believe that the “12 officials” in CM are not separate, but a convenient metaphor for bureaucrats in ancient China.

12 officials seen today as profound spiritual realities behind the spirits of the organs by some. Others think it was a convenient metaphor.

Liver is the “general” in charge of… well, yelling “CHARGE!” This general can get angry too, the emotional associated with the Liver.

Gallbladder is the judge. Weighs the decisions. GB deficiency=inability to make decisions. Judge (GB) and General (LIV) need to balance.

What I’m trying to say is that depending on where you stand, even biochemical observations are only metaphors for a deeper atomic reality.

All things being equal, I look at cancer as blood stagnation, phlegm nodule, toxicity, etc. “Treat what you see” is the underlying practice.

Of course, cancer treatments are highly regulated by law, I’m speaking of theory at this point. We can treat side-effects to treatment only.

Honestly, though. The goal is to help people and using whatever metaphor helps WM, or CM, or whatever, its all good when it works.

I try not to be attached to my metaphors or narrative. T’is the cause of suffering in people’s lives, being attached to their own narrative.

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