The concept of blood (Xue) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a broader and more philososophical meaning than the understanding of blood in western medicine. In the West, blood is seen as a fluid that carries nutrients, white blood cells and other organisms to all parts of the body. While that idea is certainly found in TCM as blood carrying […]
Blood (Xue) in TCM
Knight of Wands
The Knight of Wands in the Tarot depicts a knight holds a single wand in one hand while his horse rares up on his hind legs. Red plumes of feathers adorn his armour while salamanders are emblazoned on his yellow cloak. His visor is lifted so we can see the knight’s face
Dependent on the State
One thing that caught my eye in the news recently was the recent bill by the Scottish Parliament with the warm fuzzy sounding name of “Children and Young People (Scotland) Act.”. The act is a serious extension of state power into the lives of families as it gives every child in Scotland a ‘state guardian’ or as the bill calls […]
Jing in TCM
Jing in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) is our essence and is stored in the kidneys. Without Jing, we could not be. Along with Shen and Qi it is part of the Three Treasures (mind-body-spirit balance). Jing is a type of Qi but it is the most material – it is our life energy. Jing is responsible for determining our basic […]
Page of Wands
The young page stands in a desolate landscape, mountains visible in the distance. He holds an upright wand with both hands, gazing at the top of the wand. In rich clothes, the Page of Wands wears a hat with a feather. His yellow cloak is emblazoned with salamanders. Wands are related to our creative energy and our mental ‘fire’ – […]
Ten of Wands
A young man carries ten wands. He is walking away from us, head buried in the wands as he carries them. In the distance is a village. The weather is calm. The Ten of Wands is all about successful hard work. We have toiled and laboured, had our difficulties and challenges during our path through the suit of wands but […]
Nine of Wands
A man stands leaning on a wand, eight other wands are standing upright behind him. A bandage is wrapped around his head. In the distance are mountains. Not for the first time in the suit of wands do we see an image depicting strife, resilience or determination. The Nine of Wands has all these. We have come through a battle, […]
Eight of Wands
Eight wands protrude from the left of the card. A dwelling on top of a hill is depicted to the rear, a river meandering in front of it. One of the more abstract cards of the Rider Waite Tarot is the Eight of Wands. The wands are zipping through the air, almost as if someone had thrown them.
Shen
Shen is the ”spirit” in Traditional Chinese Medicine (tcm) and is one of the three treasures that constitute life. The other two are Qi (life force) and Jing (essence). Shen in TCM takes in not just spirit but also emotions, mental health and consciousness. Shen is said to live in the heart where it retires to sleep at night.
Seven of Wands
A young man holds his wand as if fighting off six other wands protruding from the bottom of the card. He is on top of a small hill or mound and facing the other wands directly. He wears two different shoes. The Seven of Wands is all about battling onwards, perseverance, determination and an ability to fight alone. The young […]