Primordial Qi And The Return To Self

We are all continually embraced by the truth. Sometimes we know it, sometimes we don’t. -Leonard Cohen

People generally seek acupuncture to deal with a particular ailment such as musculoskeletal pain, digestive problems, or hormonal imbalances, especially when other forms of medicine have not been able to provide solutions. So why does acupuncture help? What is the mechanism that makes it effective? Also, why is it that often when someone gets acupuncture treatment for one thing, they find that other issues that weren’t mentioned to the practitioner start to resolve?

I’d like to unravel some of the mystery (while, of course, always honoring the greater mystery of it all). Exploring the roots of the medicine will reveal its power, allowing us to see the enormous capacity of Chinese Medicine and how it can not only give us relief from discomfort, but can also bring us back to ourselves, leading us to a fuller and clearer expression of who we are. 

Chinese Medicine, of which acupuncture is one branch, is based on Taoism. Taoism is a philosophical system that originated in China over 2000 years ago, codified in the primary text called the Tao Te Ching. Tao translates as “the Way” which extends from the notion that the universe has a particular inherent orientation. Each part of the universe, down to the smallest particle, is a microcosm of the whole universe. So, the human body is seen as a microcosm of the universe and each person is a unique manifestation of the universe. 

A fundamental concept in taoism that serves as a description of the Way is the classification of all things into yin and yang. It is from this yin and yang concept that Chinese Medicine arises as it provides a way to talk about the shifts and processes that happen in the body. Yin describes that which is dark, passive, feminine, cold, etc., while yang describes that which is bright, active, masculine, warm, and so on. The two forces of yin and yang are in a constant state of motion, moving and balancing one another.  The balance of yin and yang occurs effortlessly unless it becomes interrupted by some kind of excess or deficiency. The excess or deficiency could come in the form of overwork, overthinking, undernourishment, too much heat, too much cold, too much of a repetitive motion, or anything else that is just too much or too little. 

We use the term qi to describe the energetic property of all things. So we have the qi of the stomach, of the liver, the qi of a gesture, the qi of an interaction between two people, and even the qi of a piece of fruit. All things have qi, and the qi of each thing has one quality or another which can be described in terms of yin and yang and then further broken down into other quality descriptors from there. 

Humans have several different types of qi in the body, and the deepest, most fundamental is the primordial qi. Primordial qi is the qi we are born with, it is inherited from our parents, and contains our DNA, our mandate from heaven. It resides in the kidneys. The kidneys are the only organ which has both a yin and a yang (we have 2 kidneys). This suggests the fundamental nature of this qi, as well as the importance of its function. The primordial qi, which contains our potential, is unique to each person, and the expression of that potential is carried out via the connection to the heart. So we have our potential that resides in the kidneys, then it is the heart that brings expression to that potential in the form of the choices we make, the things we are drawn to, generally what our lives look like. The other organs serve the functions of all that happens between the heart and the kidneys. 

Pathology can occur in any of the organs. We use the diagnostic tools of Chinese Medicine to decipher where the imbalance is occurring. With acupuncture we then choose points on the appropriate channel(s) that will shift the qi in order to facilitate balance. In other words, we are bringing the body back to the Tao. If we look at point names, which suggest their function, so many of them imply movement, travel and transformation of spirit— all means for passing through or moving obstruction and returning to a deep connection with our true nature. Veering Passage (LI6), Stone Pass (Ki 18), Winnowing Gate (Sp 11), and Spirit Storehouse (Ki 25) are just a few examples. 

So, with acupuncture, not only are we dealing with symptoms and shifting them by hopefully getting to the root imbalance, but more importantly, we are bringing the individual back into integrity with their authentic self. At times these shifts are subtle and other times quite dramatic, like the person who suddenly gets clarity on their career choice while getting help with hip or neck pain (think pivots). The idea is that the symptoms arise as guideposts to lead you back to your self. The process of working with any issue can be a deeply transformational process if done consciously. Our truth is always there inside us, it’s just a matter of whether we are willing to open up to it. 

One thing I would also like to add is that acupuncture is just one tool to help us access integrity of body, mind, and spirit. Yes, it’s certainly helpful to have an acupuncturist move a major obstruction with a tiny needle, but at the same time, some of the most valuable work is the ways in which we develop consciousness and sensitivity for ourselves through things like spiritual practice, journaling, and physical practices. If done with intent, our efforts will lead to real transformation and coming into alignment with our Tao.