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Foundations of CCM Final > Vital Substances > Flashcards

Vital Substances Flashcards

(49 cards)

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1
Q

What are the three vital substances?

A

Qi (bioenergy)
Jing (Essence)
Shen (Spirit)

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2
Q

Order the vital substances from least to most dense

A

Shen, Qi, Jing (condensed Yang)

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3
Q

Jing is:

A

basic or nutritive/generative essence

related to body energy and the foundation for life/procreation

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4
Q

Qi is:

A

life force connected with air, vapor, and breath; it is impetus and movement with the ability to transform
related to mind energy and bodily animation

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5
Q

Shen is:

A

spiritual essence linked with consciousness, the soul, and supernaturalism; it contains the 5 aspects of the greater Spirit
related to spiritual energy and mirroring the state of emotion of mind/emotions/soul

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6
Q

Heavenly essence _____ form

A

precedes

This Essence may become incarnate in the forms we see on earth

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7
Q

Jing is associated with the _____ of the sun and moon

A

light

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8
Q

What types of Jing/Essence may we have?

A

Earlier Heaven/Prenatal Essence
Later Heaven/Postnatal Essence
Stored/General Essence
Middle/Gallbladder Essence*

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9
Q

Where do we get Earlier Heaven Essence? What is its purpose?

A

From our parents; it is the foundation of the body; it is the signs of aging that stem from Earlier Heaven Essence deficiencies

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10
Q

Where do we get Later Heaven Essence? What is its purpose?

A

It is generated from what we eat/drink/breathe; can make up for deficiencies in Earlier Heaven Essence, which is hard to build back up – can only be done in certain esoteric practices

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11
Q

What is General Essence? What is its purpose?

A

It is a combination of the two above Essences (EHE, LHE); it is located in the organs that store but do not drain (zang) – mainly Kidney is involved in this

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12
Q

If zang organs cannot hold their contents, they may become _____ _____, leading to a lack of _____, which ultimately leads to _____.

A

Yin deficient
Qi
death

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13
Q

Only Kidneys can have a diagnosis of both _____ and _____

A

Yin deficiency

Essence deficiency

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14
Q

What is Gallbladder Essence? What is interesting about it?

A

Gallbladder Essence may be termed Middle Essence that is stored in the Gallbladder; GB is a fu organ and an extraordinary organ (weird), so it would not normally store a vital substance… however, it does (Essence/bile)

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15
Q

Essence Functions

A 
Growth, reproduction, development
Basis of Kidney Qi
Produces Marrow
Basis of constitutional strength
Serves as the material foundation
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16
Q

Differentiate between Qi and Jing

A

Essence: many aspects resembling water; Qi: resembles energy
E: mostly residing in Kidneys; Qi: moves everywhere
E: difficult to replenish; Qi: day-to-day replenishment
E: long, 7-8 year cycles; Qi: shorter cycles influenced by natural cycles of outside environment
E: slow, gradual change; Qi: constant movement/change

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17
Q

Qi is …

A

energy, material, immaterial, single, multiple, everywhere, multifunctional; also defined as the root of a human being

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18
Q

What are the functions of Qi?

A

Transformation, movement and transport, holding, protecting, and warming

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19
Q

Describe examples of Qi transformation.

A

Spleen: food/water –> food Qi –> body
Kidney Qi: fluids
Bladder Qi: urine
Heart Qi: Food Qi –> Blood (turns food essence red while infusing it with vitality and spirit)

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20
Q

Describe Qi movement and transportation.

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A

Movement from one place to another
Movement of Qi - up, down, in, out (Qi Mechanism); brings forth a “normal” flow in order to determine what is “counterflow”

21
Q

Describe examples of Qi movement/transformation.

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A

Spleen Qi: transports Food Qi around body; move clear Yang up to head
Lung Qi: transports fluid to skin and diffusees Defensive Qi into interstitial spaces
Lung and Stomach Qi: move downward; counterflow causes issues

22
Q

Describe the holding function of Qi.

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A

Qi holds Blood in the Vessels (Spleen)

Qi holds organs in place; prolapse is deficiency

23
Q

Describe the protecting and warming functions of Qi.

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A

Defensive Qi defends the body from evil.

Qi governs warmth/warming; may also referred to as Yang deficiency

24
Q

What are the healthy types of Qi?

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A 
Original/Primal/Source Qi; alternately, True Qi
Food Qi - Nutritive and Defensive
Air Qi
Ancestral/Gathering Qi
Zheng/Upright Qi
Nutritive Qi - subdivision of Food Qi
Defensive Qi - subdivision of Food Qi
Meridian/Channel Qi - sourced from Original Qi
Organ Qi - sourced from Original Qi
25
Describe Original Qi
It is the basic vitality of the body and is spread throughout the body via the San Jiao; it relies on and is transformed out of Kidney Essence; related to Gate of Life; drives growth/development; warms and stimulates for proper vital functions
26
Describe Food Qi
Associated with Earth (planet); transformed from food and fluid we ingest by the Spleen/Stomach and separated by the SI, voided by LI
27
Describe Air Qi
Associated with Heaven; comes in with the air we breathe to combine with Food Qi in order to produce Ancestral Qi Lungs draw air in, but it is drawn deep into body via Kidneys
28
Describe Ancestral/Gathering Qi
Combination of Air and Food Qi; it is located in the chest and is the "Sea of Qi" Flows in breathing passages, related to speech, sound, strength of inhalation and exhalation; runs through Heart and Vessels to move Qi and Blood
29
Describe Upright Qi
Keeps us healthy
30
Describe Nutritive Qi
Moves inside blood vessels with Blood; Nutritive Blood/Yin are alternate names Transformed out of Essence Qi of the food/fluids we ingest Nourishing and becomes transformed to generate Blood
31
Describe Defensive Qi
Moves outside blood vessels and on surface of body to nourish, warm, and regulate opening/closing Must be in a balance with Nutritive Qi
32
What are the unhealthy types of Qi?
Pathogenic/Evil Qi - causes disease, arises outside body | Water Qi - abnormal water inside body; a disease category
33
What are the Five Spirits?
They are five aspects of the greater Spirit (Shen) Yi - intention/consciousness of potentials/mind Hun - non-corporeal soul Po - corporeal soul Zhi - will Shen - spirit
34
Describe Yi.
Housed in the Spleen Cosideration, deliberation, deciding likelihood Focusing and discerning various directions and perspectives Virtues - faithfulness, loyalty, sincerity Enables and supports new manifestations to come into being
35
If there is a problem with Yi, what may it present as?
Worry, confusion, exaggerated sympathy, stifling loyalty or self-destructive generosity
36
Describe Hun.
Housed in the Liver Considered a part of the person not attached to the physical body; will continue existing after destruction of the physical body Virtue - kindness and benevolence Blood aspect of Spirit
37
If there is a problem with Hun, what may it present as?
Unkind to self or others | Fostering of anger, envy, jealousy, hatred
38
Describe Po.
Housed in the Lung Po ceases to exist when body dies; about momentary/instinctive reactions and is tied to the here and now; the unthinking/compelling passion that propels people throughout life Virtues - being impartial, justice, deliberate/fair; precious (captures perfection and completeness of a single moment)
39
If there is a problem with Po, what may it present as?
Wild aggression, hysterical/animal-like If in regards to the precious aspect - difficulty appreciating completion and sublimity of something passed away, ceased to exist, or died. The grief will linger and never resolve.
40
Describe Zhi.
Housed in the Kidney Yin Zhi - "will that cannot be willed"; noticeable upon reflection; sense of unknown, fate, destiny, mystery Yang Zhi - manifests in resolution and basic volition/intention of someone; qualities of force, self-determination, and arduous effort Virtue - wisdom
41
If there is a problem with Zhi, what may it present as?
Yang Zhi - passivity and lack of assertiveness Yin Zhi - allowance of Yang Zhi to run rampant (age-inappropriate behavior or wanting to be something you cannot) Existential fear
42
Describe Shen.
Smaller "s" spirit housed in the Heart Connects the greater Spirit with time and space; gives consciousness and clarity of interface with the larger world around us Virtue - propriety; behavior in a socially-correct manner with a proper demeanor and style
43
If there is a problem with Shen, what may it present as?
Awkwardness in social relationships; incorrect social behavior; disorientation or delusion
44
Describe Blood as a Vital Substance
It is a very dense form of Qi Responsive, accepting, effortless, soft, nurturing complement of clinical Qi "Qi of food transformed by Spleen where it is sent to Heart to transform into Blood" Excess can be transformed into Essence and stored in Kidney (and in reverse) Nourishes the body and related to mental/emotional processing
45
Jin Fluids
Clear, light, watery; moisten and partially nourish the skin and muscles
46
Ye Fluids
Turbid, dense, heavy; moisten joints, spine, brain, marrow, and lubricate sense organ orifices
47
What is the Lower Dantian?
Below umbilicus Powerstation of the body; vitality of body is dependent upon it; roots the body in the planet; destabilizes spiritual practices if undeveloped; focus of attention in esoteric practices
48
What is the Middle Dantian?
Around solar plexus/middle of chest
49
What is the Upper Dantian?
Around third eye

Foundations of CCM Final (6 decks)

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