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quote:

Now, if we are on riddles, let me ask you one (and of course the rest
of the forum): Does Yin Qi ascend or descend in the body? We
know that by symptoms Yin is heavier and accumulates downward and
Yang, which is lighter - ascends. Yet, Yin Qi arises from below
(earth) and ascends upward, I.e.: kidney, liver, spleen meridians,
etc. How come?

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I have to admit, it has been really stimulating to read all your
comments about this (as some have mentioned) perplexing puzzler that students often raise. Yet, some of you kind of "palpated" the
answer, many of you seem to have grasped the nature of the so-to-speak contradiction in the conception of Yin and Yang movements. In
my opinion, practitioners who have spent many many yaers in the practical aspect of acupuncture/Chinese medicine, may need sometimes stimulating theoretical/philosophical riddle that will drive them back to the core of the understanding of what they are doing in
their clinics... Such was the lovely riddle of Dr. Holmes about the tears, and it seems that this riddle too raised a lively discussion.

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As I hinted in my previous post, the answer to this contradiction lies in the state of Yin and Yang when you examine their relative movements. When Yin and Yang separate, i.e. in death, Yin moves down to stillness, to the ground. Yang Qi, on the other hand, moves upward - to heaven. As you can see, they both go back to their source. When there is equilibrium between Yin and Yang, in a state of health, Yin moves upward (from earth to heaven) and Yang descends in the body (from heaven to earth). Thus, their antagonistic
movements circulate and activate one another to permit life and creation. We can see this phenomenon in physiology when K.Yin ascends to nourish the heart Yin and blood, when liver Yin ascends to nourish the eyes, when K.+Sp. Yang descend to perform the Yun-Hua task of transformation/transportation or to separate budy fluids, the turbid from the pure, etc. When dis-equilibrium commences (the starting of a separation between Yin and Yang), these movements turn over. Liver Yang rises, St. Yang rises and causes heartburn or nausea, K. Yin pours downwars and causes edema, leg Qi, etc., or H. Yang goes up to cause red face, tachycardia, or a splitting headache. This hange in the proper direction of Yin or Yang Qi in a
state of harmonious circulation is termed in T.C.M.: rebellious Qi.
To conclude, in a state of health (peace) Yin Qi goes upward in the body and in a state of illness (war) Yin Qi moves down. This separation process is the beginning of death, where Yin Qi declines and moves back to its source - to earth.

With kind regards to all of you, Shmuel.

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quote:

As could be predicted, some of the forum members find interest in
further clarifying this topic. One of you, has sent me an Email
asking a very good question concerning this subject, a question
which poses a more intricate dilema in the Yin/Yang movements issue.
I'd be vey happy to hear your opinions in resolving his question
(rephrased):
"...Despite the explanation of the Yin Yang movements in the body,
there is the topic of the ascent of the Clear Yang to the head. So,
if Yang generally descends (as we have explained) how come there is
such an important topic in T.C.M. of the ascent of the Clear Yang
Qi?"
Well, before answering him, I wonder what the forum members can
clarify on this very beautiful question.

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quote:

"Now, if we are on riddles, let me ask you one (and of course the rest
of the forum): Does Yin Qi ascend or descend in the body? We
know that by symptoms Yin is heavier and accumulates downward and
Yang, which is lighter - ascends. Yet, Yin Qi arises from below
(earth) and ascends upward, I.e.: kidney, liver, spleen meridians,
etc. How come?"

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