The Cult of Crunch: Breaking Down the Good, the Bad, and the Bibilical (or not) of Natural Living Part 7: Traditional Chinese Medicine

I stepped up to the sink for me daily “me time” which involves a podcast and doing dishes by hand. Being all caught up on my favorites, I thought it would be a good time to listen to one that became one of the driving forces behind this series. Listening to Culture Apothecary helps me keep tabs on what is concerning the crunchy, probably Christian woman in America. Plus, as a crunchy Christian woman myself, I often enjoy some of her episodes even if there are others I disagree with. Going about my mundane task of scrubbing breakfast dishes, my interest peaked as the guest began talking about “blockages” causing illness or autoimmune. I hung on every word until I head it: “I really like Chinese Medicine.” From then on, I knew what he was getting at. Similar to Reiki, there was more to this “frequency healing” than just what he said.

Before we move on from this into the meat of this blog, I urge my fellow podcast listeners to “be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16) in what we are consuming. I don’t fully blame Culture Apothecary for not correcting bad ideology and theology as it is not a theological podcast, but in not saying anything against some of the ideologies, they almost are standing with them. I know should Alex Clark happen to read my tiny little blog, she’d take the stance she usually does in that people are too hyper critical. But I am more concerned for the souls of my fellow crunchy Christians than I am about the wellness of their physical bodies. Yes, as a farmer and someone who cares about natural living, I do care about physical health, but I know that it’s my soul and others that is of utmost importance. While we should steward our bodies well, we can do so without diving into practices that are antithetical to Christianity. Just because a podcast host says they’re Christian, it does not mean that we should take their word as gospel. Use discernment whether your favorite podcaster is telling you about health or conspiracy theories or politics. Don’t shut your brain off. Think and pray through what you’re being told and take everything back to scripture.

What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TMC) is an ancient healing system and ideology. Some put it as old as 5,000 years old, but earliest documented evidence for it comes from the Zhou Dynasty thus being about 2,000-3,000 years old. Instead of looking at individual parts of the body or diseases as their own system as we do in Western medicine, TCM looks at the whole person.

The foundation of TCM is Qi (pronounced chee). It is the vital energy in the universe much like the Japanese ideology of “Ki” as in Reiki. This Qi circulates through the body providing health and vitality. Also like in Reiki, this energy flows through meridians in the body. There are 12 primary meridians in the body which connect with different organ systems. The Qi flows through the meridians to power all of the body’s systems.

And equally important ideology in TCM is balance. It is referred to as Yin and Yang. The Qi needs to flow well and be balanced. Yin and Yang represent equal but opposite complementary forces Yang represents things like warmth and energy while Yin represents things like coolness and rest. You need harmony in these forces for wellness.

The last main ideology of TCM is the Five Elements (Wu Xing). Each element has an organ associated with it as well as certain traits, colors, seasons, tastes, and emotions.

·       Wood – liver and gallbladder, pioneer (competitive, likes challenges), green, spring, sour, anger

·       Fire – heart and small intestine, wizard (lives in the moment, loves intimacy), red, summer, bitter, joy

·       Earth – spleen and stomach, Peacemaker (community, loyalty), yellow, late summer, sweet, worry

·       Metal – lung and large intestine, Alchemist (organization, analysis), white, autumn, pungent, grief

·       Water – kidney and urinary system, Philosopher (truth, knowledge), black, winter, salty, fear

The Five Elements are the framework for understanding the body’s relationship with its organs, emotions, and nature. The elements interact with each other through cycles: wood fuels fire, fire creates earth, earth bears metal, metal collects water, water nourishes wood. It goes back to balance as well because wood stabilizes earth, earth absorbs water, water extinguishes fire, fire melts metal and metal cuts wood.

For diagnosing in TCM, practitioners look at one’s pulse and one’s tongue as well as observing and asking questions. The pulse looks at the balance of Qi and organ health. Similarly, the tongue diagnosis looks for internal imbalances by observing the color, coating, shape, and cracks. The observation looks at sleep, digestion, emotions, temperature preferences and more. Practitioners are looking for more than just disease; they are looking for imbalance.

Treatments in TCM include many different things to help restore balance. Acupuncture and Acupressure is said to help the flow of Qi as well as reduce pain. Herbal medicine is tailored to the individual to aid in healing and balance. Moxibustion is burning of mugwort near acupuncture points to warm the meridians and stimulate circulation. Tai Chi and Qigong are movement types that are used in TCM as the combine meditation, breathing, and slow intentional movement to regulate Qi. TCM also uses food as medicine to create balance in the body using warming, cooling, and neutral foods. All the different treatments are used to restore harmony to the body instead of just suppressing symptoms.

What is the history of Traditional Chinese Medicine?

As mentioned above, it is a very old system of healing. Though, like most ancient healing traditions, it started out as less medical and more spiritual. In ancient China, most all Chinese medical doctors had supernatural abilities. While shamans are often associated with Native American culture and healing, that is a bit of a misnomer as a Shamanism is in essence any “pagan religion in which it is believed that all illnesses are caused by spiritual events.” (Quote from Alternative Medicine by Donal O’Mathurna PhD and Walt Larimore MD) The shaman was said to bridge between the spiritual and natural world to cure all illnesses. Virtually all cultures had shamans for spiritual and physical healing. China was no exception. Their shamans were called wu. In ancient literature there were legends on how Fu Xi (god of humankind) gave the healing power of acupuncture and moxibustion to people. Through archaeology, we see that “oracle bones” were used for spiritual guidance. A question was carved into the bone then heated metal rods were inserted into the bones. The wu would read the cracks in the bones to answer the question. Theses were used to determine the outcome of illnesses as well as find the location of the body to treat and what sacrifices to make. Often issues were because of a “curse of the ancestors.” Acupuncture partially originated out of exorcist practices of early shamans.

Traditional Chinese Medicine did become more systematized over time and in that systemization, it took on the ideology of Daoism (Taoism) and Confucious.

Daoism is an ancient Far Eastern religion that is still in practice today. It is not a formally unified religion, but it mostly deals with the Qi or energy flow of the universe that keeps all things balanced. It sees the universe as an interconnected system. We are not separate from nature, but part of the same system. It is generally polytheistic (worshiping many gods) or ancestor worship. Dao means “way” and it is believed to be the flow of energy that orders the universe. Its influence cannot be understated. The Qi and yin and yang are essential to both Daoism and TCM. Illness arises when we fall out of alignment with the Dao.

Confucius greatly influenced TCM as well. Dao influences the energetic and technical aspect of TCM, but Confucianism provides a social and ethical structure in which medicine is to be practiced. It is the driving force behind proper social relations, work and rest balance, disciplined living, and patient-family dynamic. His ideology made TCM a medicine practice of benevolence.

Westerners were first introduced to TCM thanks to missionaries, traders, and scholars working and traveling in China. It was first documented around the 1700-1800s, but was largely dismissed because of the concepts of Qi and Yin and Yang.

In 1972, President Nixon visited China which opened up TCM to the west. Reporters shared on people having surgery only using acupuncture for pain relief. Soon after acupuncture clinics popped up throughout the US.

In the 1990s, the National Institutes of Health started funding research into TCM therapies which led to more formal integration. The western wellness culture adopted many of the practices like acupuncture, herbal medicine, and tai chi. With the rise of the modern crunchy movement, the influence has only grown. Balance in the body, energy healing, seasonal living, and food energetics are common place in the natural living sphere in the West.

Is Traditional Chinese Medicine effective?

I may get burned at the stake for this answer.

Looking at the research, which may not be much but there is some thanks to it starting in the 90s, it’s a little murky. Some say yes, some say no.

For acupuncture, there may be moderated benefit for pain, headaches, or nausea. Scientist say this could be due to stimulation of nerves, release of endorphins, and/or the brain changing how it processes the pain. Though, in randomized control trials, some sham acupuncture produces nearly the same results. Placebo effect may have a role in the “effectiveness” of acupuncture.

For herbal remedies, there is promising evidence. There is an overwhelming amount of herbs so not all are studies. The issue is that since it is unregulated, the quality may be extremely poor. Some have shown to have high levels of heavy metals and/or pesticides in them. Or not even have what is stated to be in the herbal supplementation. When getting herbal remedies, one needs to be extremely cautious and know that there is good sourcing.  Not all things natural are good for us. We should also use caution if we are mixing herbal remedies with pharmaceuticals as they may not work well together and could be dangerous.

The movement aspect of TCM like Tai Chi and Qigong have been studied to show benefit for balance in older adults which can aid in fall prevention. It can help stress and mental health as well per the studies.

Modern science evaluates TCM by testing specific practices and herbs, but it doesn’t have a good way to test it as a whole system and philosophy. That skews the ability to properly analyze it as it was meant to be practiced. But, in essence, some parts of it show promising positive effects while others could be detrimental to people. Other parts like Qi and Yin and Yang are not easily studied.

I will say the same about this that I said about Reiki: I think it can work. Not because I think it’s actually an effective form of medicine, but rather because I think there’s bigger powers at play.

How should we view Chinese Medicine through a biblical worldview?

I think at this point you should likely know what the answer is here, but let’s get into it.

The basis of Daoism obviously conflicts with Christianity. As mentioned above, “Dao” translates to “way” or “path.” In John 14:6, Jesus states, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” In Daoism, you can have multiple gods or worship your ancestors. This goes directly against the words of Christ. Only through faith in Christ are we saved. Ephesians 2:8-9 states “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast.”

You could argue that you don’t have to be a Daoist to practice TCM, which I would argue back that it so permeates the practice that it is difficult if not impossible to separate. But, the ideology of Qi which you cannot separate from TCM comes with its own problems. Qi can be defined as “the energy force that gives life to all things.” We do not believe that as Christians. We believe that God through Jesus created and sustains all things.

Tying the ideology of Daoism and Qi together (they refer to it as Taoism and chi which is the same as Daoism and Qi), Got Questions has this to say about how this life energy does not align with Christianity:

“Some may argue that chi is just a different term for the “life” that God breathed into Adam (Genesis 2:6). But we can’t transplant the term chi into the Christian faith because the philosophy behind chi (Taoism) is also incompatible with Christianity. For example, the Taoist view of “God” is that each person has his or her own definition of what “god” is, and each definition is perfectly acceptable—neither right nor wrong. In the Christian faith, God is not defined by people’s perceptions. Rather, He reveals who He is to us (see Jeremiah 29:13-14). While God is infinite and beyond full human understanding, He has revealed certain things about Himself and is able to be known personally. In Christianity, Jesus Christ is the only way to a real relationship with God (see John 14:5-7).

“The idea of chi cannot be separated from the spiritual realm. When one engages with the spiritual realm, he or she will either encounter God or the demonic. In the Old Testament, God forbade Israel to engage in certain occult practices. This was for their own protection; the forbidden practices would have put them in contact with demonic forces (see Deuteronomy 18:9-13).

“Seemingly innocent practices, like trying to balance or strengthen one’s chi, may in fact produce some perceived benefits—or at least no “bad” effects—but if those practices are not in line with a biblical worldview, then they are to be avoided. Chi is a counterfeit of the kind of life offered by Christ (see John 10:10).”

The concepts of yin and yang also come with problems for the Christian. It sounds beautiful and desirable if we simply frame it as balance. Shouldn’t we want more balance? But as with many things we see in the crunchy movement, the ideology behind it goes deeper than that. The concept of it is deep and complex, but to simplify it, yin and yang exposits that opposite forces are interconnected and interdependent on each other. Most everyone has seen the yin and yang or Tai Chi symbol which is a circle with an S shape in it dividing the black and the white with each having a dot of the other color in it. The swirl indicates that nothing is absolute. Inside the dark yin is a light spot of yang and inside the white yang is a black spot of yin. This shows that nothing is absolute. You must have evil to have good and vice versa. There is a little bit of good and bad in everything to have harmony and balance. How opposite this is to the Christian worldview! Yes, evil exists, but there is no evil in God as He is holy. God existed before the fall and he will continue to exist after evil and the devil is done away with. There is no spot of darkness in his light. We do not need a balance of good and bad to be well. We need God and his holiness for all healing power. Though we live in a fallen world and we will be marked by the fall in this life, we do not need a certain balance of darkness in us to align ourselves for healing. This ideology in TCM is opposite to the truth we are told in the bible.

The Five Elements in TCM show our interconnectedness in our bodies and with nature. Within the Five Elements there are two relationships which are generation and support. These are said to need to be in balance to assure health and healing. In addition to the Five Elements being formulated out of Chinese cosmology, the underlying idea is that nature and the Qi in the world is what brings growth, support, and healing. Once again, this ideology is opposite to Christianity as we see that only God gives life, healing, and substance.

In my research, I’ve come across “Christian” article stating that we can divorce the ideologies of TCM from the healing practice. But is this really so?

The ideologies of Qi, yin and yang, and the Five Elements are core to TMC. Can you get healing from their therapies if you don’t believe that you need to balance the life force energy flowing through the meridians in your body? Who brings you healing, balance with nature or Christ?

Do I think we could probably use more work/life balance? Probably for a lot of us. Can we use herbs as medicine. Sure! But let’s make sure the sourcing and product is good. What about acupuncture? Well, it gets a little murky here. What is the point of it? Are you trying to free up blockages and restore balance? Then it’s a no go for the Christian. Are you seeking healing from it outside of Christ and His will? Also no. Is the practitioner giving it to you a Daoist or believing that they are working with meridians instead of the CNS? Then no. We need to be cautious that we are not participating in anything that will lead us into another religion. I also would proceed with caution as it does have shamanistic roots. Unpopular, but I likely would not recommend it at all unless you’ve done much study and seeking after God in His Word about it. Until I research more and know a solid practitioner, I would find other methods of pain or stress relief that would not be potentially spiritually dangerous. What about Tai Chi or Qigong? From my studies on it, it is on the same level as yoga so I would say it is spiritually dangerous for the Christian and one should not participate in it. To see my full view on these energy movements, read my blog on yoga.

In essence, my take is one can use herbal remedies or seek out a better and biblical balance without using TCM. The ideologies backing Traditional Chinese Medicine are opposed to God and the gospel. Christians should have no part in energy healing or balance or seeking wholeness outside of the one true God who makes us whole through Christ.