What is the Origin of Acupuncture?

This system of healing and medicine was first practiced by Chinese Taoist monks and physicians over 5,000 years ago. In their observation of Nature's processes, they noticed that the constant changes in wind and weather, rain and sunshine as well as life in field and forest -- the elemental changes through the seasons -- followed predictable patterns. They found that the interaction between all the elements always created a new harmony and balance. When the Chinese naturalists made these observations, which really were the beginning of a form of Nature science, they discovered certain natural laws and principles that explained this system of an interdependent ecology. One particular set of these principles, the Law of the Five Elements, became the foundation for this system of acupuncture.

What is the Significance of the Five Elements?

The Chinese divided the year into five seasons: Spring, Summer, Late Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Each of them they described with the attributes of one of the Five Elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. When looking at these Five Elements -- or Five Forces -- all around us in Nature, we can also discern that these qualities of energy have a matching counterpart inside every living being. These forces are the elemental building blocks of our inner nature. Their essences were recognized not only in the outer environment as trees, sunshine, soil, minerals, and lakes, but also as external images of certain energetic qualities such as growth, vitality, groundedness, richness, and resource.

By studying and understanding how these Elements affected and controlled the internal organs, the Chinese discovered a "physiology of energy." By learning how to direct the vital energy to restore the natural functioning of the organs, these early physicians found they were able to correct the imbalance that had caused disease. They restored balance to the inner ecosystem, so to speak. This was possible because the laws that are true for Nature-at-large correspond to laws of Nature-in-the-small. The "Energy" of Nature follows the same pattern on every level. In their discovery of this concept the early Chinese physicians founded a truly holistic system of Energy Medicine.

The Power of Treating the Cause of the Disease, Not Just the Symptoms

Wu Hsing Acupuncture differs from other types of acupuncture in that it focuses on treating the cause of the symptoms. When the energy breaks down in one organ system sometime early in life, a weak link in the system develops, leaving a predisposition for other illnesses later on in life. The treatment of this original cause, the Causative Factor or CF, is the key to treating you successfully. It is important to note that the CF is different for every person, even those with the same condition. Like a weak link, the CF causes an energy drain on the whole system. In treatment, we assist Nature in righting the malfunctioning organ and its energy system. This allows for all functions of body/mind/spirit to become equally strong again. By eliminating the energy drain, the natural balance of the vital energy is reestablished and health in body/mind/spirit is restored. Because the Causative Factor can be related to causes at any level of body/ mind/spirit, treating the CF with this system of medicine is especially relevant to our times, where problems very often have their origin in traumas, disappointments, or disillusionments about our lives, rather than simply arising from physical conditions, as was (and is) more common in preindustrial societies.

The science of Wu Hsing that is the foundation to this system of acupuncture brings forth a type of psychology based on the Tao-philosophy of body, mind, spirit, soul. We find that it meets the needs of life in our society and the unique stresses of the twenty-first century.