By Ninette Sapir
"To see a World in a grain of sand
And a Heaven in a wild flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,
And Eternity in an hour."
(William Blake)
In all ancient cultures the human concept of time was based upon the rhythm of Nature. Observations lead to the understanding that the movement of the Sun around the Earth creates the seasons, and the cycles of the Moon give rise to the lunar month. The Seven Planets have their influences too, but are less tangible in the manifested world. The early 'scientists' who observed nature, discovered that it brought them closer to the understanding of humankind. As for the 'others', who were more interested in observing human life, their understanding of Nature was expanded. The sages of all cultures came to know that nature and humans are inter-linked and dependent in their existence.
The concept of Heaven, Earth and Man is one of the fundamental principles of Chinese philosophy, art, and medicine.
"Man models himself on Earth,
Earth on Heaven,
Heaven on the Tao,
And the Tao on that which is naturally so"
(Lao Tzu-Tao Te Ching)
In this article we will focus on the picture of Man as described in 'TheYellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine'. We will concentrate on the phases or cycles through which we move, and see how they are a natural progression of life.
The starting point of life is when the Shen (spirit) and the Jing (essences) of the mother meet the Shen and the Jing of the father. The Jing form a chalice-like opening to receive the Shen. This meeting is then activated and supported by the third vital force Qi (energy). These three fundamental principles are called the Three Treasures of human life. Through the use of Acupuncture we work primarily on the Qi, but also support and balance the Jing and Shen.
The classics tell us that we are born with enough Jing to last for 100 years, but this can be diminished though 'wrong living', that is misuse and abuse of the Jing:
"In ancient times those people who understood Tao (the way of self-cultivation) patterned themselves upon the Yin and the Yang and they lived in harmony with Nature. There was temperance in eating and drinking. Their hours of rising and retiring were regular and not disorderly and wild. By these means the ancients kept their body united with their souls, so as to fulfill their allotted span completely, measuring unto a hundred and twenty years before they passed away.
"Nowadays people are not like this; they use wine as beverage and they adopt recklessness as usual behavior. They enter the chamber of love in an intoxicated condition; their passions exhaust their vital forces (Qi); their cravings dissipate their essences (Jing); they do not know how to find contentment within themselves; they are not skilled in the control of their spirits. They devote all their attention to the amusement of their minds, thus cutting themselves off from the joy of long life. Their rising and retiring is without regularity. For these reasons they reach only half of the hundred and twenty years and then they degenerate."
(Su Wen ch.1)
Another important observation made by the ancient Chinese sages, is the accurate description of the development of the physical body. In the same chapter of Su Wen we find a striking description of the development of the female and male bodies following seven and eight year cycles respectively:-
• at the age of seven her teeth are changing and hair grows longer;
• at fourteen she begins to menstruate and can bear children;
• at twenty-one she is fully grown and her physical condition is at its best;
• at twenty-eight her muscles are firm, her body is flourishing;
• at thirty-five her face begins to wrinkle and her hair begins to fall;
• at forty-two her arteries begin to harden, and her hair turns white;
• at forty-nine she ceases to menstruate and she is no longer able to bear children.
The development of the male body follows an eight year cycle:-
• at the age of eight his hair grows long and he changes his teeth;
• at sixteen he begins to secrete semen;
• at twenty-four his testicles are fully developed and he has reached his full height;
• at thirty-two his muscles are firm;
• at forty his testicles begin to weaken, he begins to lose his hair, and his teeth begin to decay;
• at forty-eight his masculine vigor is exhausted, his face becomes wrinkled and his hair turns grey;
• at fifty-six his secretions diminish and his physical strength is weakened;
• at sixty-four he loses his teeth and his hair.
Although this seems to be a rather rigid framework for the growth and decline of the body, it is interesting to note that the seven-year rhythm is recognised in the modern science of physiology; every seven years the human body is completely renewed on a cellular level. We can see how dramatic changes occurring in the first 30 years are; those regarded as the years of growth and maturity. The next 30 years are similarly dramatic with regard to the decline in physical strength and reproductive capability.
But this is by no means the end. After the age of sixty, a second sixty-year cycle begins, referred to by the Chinese as the 'second childhood'. This time however, we are free from the extreme physical / hormonal changes experienced between birth and sixty. This is the time when the first sixty years are assimilated and digested; life experience can became knowledge that has the potential to be transformed into wisdom. This process is called 'ageing and sageing'.
"The Sages attained harmony with Heaven and Earth and followed closely the laws of the eight winds. They were able to adjust their desires to worldly affairs, and within their hearts there was neither hatred nor anger. They did not wish to separate their activities from the world; they could be indifferent to custom. They did not over-exert their bodies at physical labour and they did not over-exert their minds by strenuous meditation. They were not concerned about anything, they regarded inner happiness and peace as fundamental, and contentment as highest achievement. Their bodies could not be harmed and their mental faculties never dissipated. Thus they could reach the age of one hundred and twenty years or more."
(Su Wen ch.1)
For us at the end of the 20th century, observations made by the ancient sages might seem irrelevant. However, the latest scientific investigations into the question of longevity (gerontology), have discovered that lifestyle and not genes determine how long we live. It was found that given perfect conditions, human beings are thought to be capable of living 125 years! The main factors for increasing life span have been linked to:
1. Eating the right food (low salt intake, plant-based diet, plenty of antioxidants such as apples, carrots, broccoli, brewer's yeast, grape juice and cinnamon).
2. Exercise in any form from walking to Tai-Qi, Yoga or Qi-Gong (regular exercise improves immune system function by promoting more white blood cells and increased levels of immunoglobulins).
3. Mental stimulation (interest in new things, having a sense of productivity and worth, optimism and humour seem to be important factors for a living a long life).
So, however old we are, whichever cycle we are experiencing, in order to enjoy a healthy life we must nourish our bodies and minds. We might then be blessed with a long and interesting life!
"Keep the same innocence inside as out. This is the way to wholeness. It is within you, the immortal, spiritual, subtle body. Do not mistakenly go searching outside for it. Stay whole, stay clean, stay firm, and in one moment you can experience everything of TAO and become an adored child of HEAVEN."
(Ni Hua Ching-Taoist Master)