I look at being healthy is more than being able to run a marathon, accomplish triathlon or having a toned body. Healthy is a state encompassing the body , the mind and then spirit.
It’s common to hear “your body is your temple.” “Mind-body connection is the keystone of health.” Nowadays, health is a very trendy word , but only limited to the physical state.
“Toxin” is also a term in TCM , referring to a hyperactivity of certain function. One can have toxin in Lung, Spleen, Liver Stomach, Gallbladder and Large intestine, whether its’ in the meridian or Zhang Fu . The toxin can cause an imbalance like a seesaw tipping away over to the other side.
“Detox” is a term in Chinese referring to restoring back to the normal function.In a case of infection, detox is to eliminate the excess of pathogen such as phlegm , heat , cold or stagnation. Once the balance is restored , the course of treatment is complete and no need to continue the detox.
In the course of illness, it’s the balance between pathogenic Qi and Righteous Qi. When the Pathogenic Qi gathers , the Righteous Qi is weaken. The pathogenic Qi can be visible or invisible.
The visible pathogenic Qi is closer to the modern term of “toxin” which can include chemicals, bacteria and viruses or excessive amount of sugar,etc.
How about the invisible pathogenic Qi?
The invisible pathogenic Qi in TCM is from internal origin, meaning that the person’s lifestyle or constitution is out of balance resulting int the internal stagnation and accumulation of essence and nutrients.
Therefore detox should also include detoxing the internal/invisible pathogenic. In modern days , we are constantly “ingesting” information, relationship interaction, work and recreation. These are good. But “too much” can lead to an imbalance.
When we detox our body , we also need to think about elimination of toxic information, toxic relationship and toxic work. This is also a practice of letting go.
“Let go” is a work of art that needs to be mindfully practiced.
In the process of letting go, we might feel weaken ,confused and helpless. It’s all part of the process. To be the master of our own body, it’s necessary. And practice “letting go ” mindfully is to clear our mind and free our body.
Healthy is definitely more than physical state. When both the physical and spirit are freed , we can truly feel “healthy”.
