Index

Acknowledgements IX

Foreword by Volker Scheid X
Introduction XIII
Text structure XV
Questions on terminology and nosography XVII

SECTION I - CLINICAL FOUNDATIONS OF SHEN 1

1. Following the dao and nourishing life 5
Emotions and classical thought 6
Non-activity and the way 6
Without memory and desire 9
Internal practice 11
Medical tradition 12
Qigong 14
Main texts on the issues of meditation, nutrition, life and internal alchemy 16

2. Emotions and movement of qi 19
Terminology 19
Emotions and classical thought 21
Emotions caused by illness 23
Emotions, movements of qi and organs 25
Chapter "Benshen" of the Lingshu 28
Pathogenic processes 30
Relationship between emotions and the five elements-wuxing 31
Clinical notes 33
Notes on gallbladder and decision making 41
Case 0 - Hiccup 44
Case 1 - Improving the mood by moving qi 46

3. Psychic souls - shen, hun, po, yi, zhi 49
Shen 49
Hun and po 54
Yi and zhi 65

SECTION II - CLASSICAL ASPECTS OF PATHOGENS, SIMPTOMS AND
SYNDROMES 73

4. Constraint-yu 75
The character yu 76
Dispersing/Dredging and draining - the shuxie function of the liver 77
Emotions and yu 78
Internal and external factors 80
Yu syndrome, phlegm and blood stasis 82
Case 2 - The body feels the weight of life 83

5. Emotions and heat 87
Liu Wansu and the heat theory 87
Li Dongyuan and the yin-fire 88
Zhu Danxi and the minister fire 90
Zhang Jiebin, production and waste of yin 92
Case 3 - The dark tongue 94

6. Irritability and restlessness - fanzao 99
Aetiology and pathogenesis 100
Case 4 - Fire and agitation 103

7. Insomnia 105
Description 106
Aetiology and pathogenesis according to the classical texts 107
Evaluation according to the methods of representing insomnia 109
Notes on treatment 111
Treatment according to a few contemporary authors 113
Case 5 - Insomnia as a consequence/aftermath of old anguish 119
Case 6 - Difficult sleep 122
Case 7 - Eyes can't close 125

8. Mania and withdrawal - diankuang 127
Description 129
Aetiology and pathogenesis 131
Treatment 136
Case 8 - The lady struck by waves 140

9. Classical syndromes - zangzao, bentunqi, baihebing, meiheqi, 143
Zangzao 144
Bentunqi 147
Baihebing 152
Meiheqi 155
Case 9 - Distraught appearance 157
Case 10 - A lost young woman 159
Case 11 - Another pain, another loss 162
Case 12 - If the throat closes up 165

SECTION III - THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES

10. Main patterns of excess-shi 171
Liver-qi stagnation 171
Heart-fire 178
Liver-fire and stomach-fire 182
Obstruction due to phlegm-tan 184
Blood-xue stasis 187
Case 13 - Obstructions 191
Case 14 - The lady with pink skin and blue hair 194
Case 15 - The extremely agitated friend 197
Case 16 - Weakness of prognosis 200
Case 17 - The Queen of hearts 203

11. Main patterns of deficiency-xu 207
Heart and spleen deficiency 208
Heart-yin deficiency, with empty-fire 218
Case 18 - Pain and ghosts 224
Case 19 - When eating is too difficult 227
Case 20 - The man who could not work any longer 230
Case 21 - The frightened lady 233

12. Stimulation methods 237
Acupuncture 237
Collateral techniques 239
Case 22 - Aperitifs and depression 249

13. Notes on the transversal use of a few points 251
Main points on the renmai and dumai in relation to shen disturbances 251
Back shu-points and their correspondent points on the outer bladder meridian 258
Heart and pericardium points 258

14. Treatment of emotions in classical texts 263
The doctor as a guide 264
"To change emotions and to change nature" 265
Going round the obstacle 266
Controlling emotions with the emotions 268
Obsessive thoughts and anger 270

15. The space that is shared by the patient and the acupuncturist 273
To regulate shen 274
Blocks, traps and spider webs 276
This strange object: the needle 278
Therapy's space and time 280
Relation dynamics 284
Abstaining/restraint, empathy and neutrality 286
The patient within me 289
Case 23 - Like the buoys on the sea
Case 24 - The little girl who does not eat and cannot keep still 293

16. Notes on events related to acupuncture 295
Immediate events 295
Unexpected events 296
Questions about psychological conditions and chronic illnesses 299
Case 25 - To be able to say "no" 301
Case 26 - Chronic disease 303

SECTION IV - CONTEMPORARY CONTRIBUTIONS 307

17. Tongue and shen 309
by Barbara Kirchbaum
Presentation 309
Tongue diagnosis and shen 310
Summary of the main signs that concern shen 311

18. The pulse of feelings 315
by Giulio Picozzi
Presentation 315
Pulse and emotions 315

19. Introduction to the natural functions and disharmony states of the five element system 321
by Leon Hammer
Presentation 321
Developmental stages in the "evolution of being" 322
Bonds, rhythms, identity, mind, spirit 323
Early Heaven and Later Heaven 324
Element within an element 325
An amended system of correspondences 325
Personality attributes 327
Yin and Yang 328
Balance 329
Deficiency and excess 330
Compensatory attributes 332

20. Stress-related conditions: considerations/reflections and clinical notes 335
by Qiao Wenlei
Presentation 335
Stress syndrome 336
Clinical manifestations 337
Objective examination 340
Treatment 341
Clinical cases 344
Whiplash 348

21. Points used in serious psychiatric pathology 353
from Zhang Mingjiu
Presentation 353
Serious shen disturbances and choice of acupoints 354
Po 360
Hun 362
Yi 365
Zhi 366
Commentary notes 367
Syndromes 368

22. Mental diseases clinical aspects 373
from Jin Shubai
Presentation 373
Diankuang 374
Yuzheng 384

23. Qi alterations and somatic manifestations 393
from Zhang Shijie
Presentation 393
Analysis and synthesis in the diagnostic process 395
Channels importance in the interpretation of pathology 397

24. Hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders in children 405
by Julian Scott
Presentation 393
Diagnosing children 405
Treatment 410
Case 27 - When things become simpler also at school 413
Case 28 - A small help 415

25. Anxiety states: protocol applied in a special psychiatric hospital department 419
Presentation 419y
Traditional Chinese acupuncture used to treat general anxiety 420
Collection of initial data 423

26. Acupuncture detoxification: ear-acupuncture protocol in drugs addiction and dependency 429
by Grazia Rotolo
Presentation 429
Acudetox method 430
Acudetox and public structures in Italy 431
Publications review 433

SEZIONE V - APPENDICES 439
A. The pulse 441
B. Diagnostic indications in conventional psychiatry 457
C. TCM in the internet 465
D. Basic chronology 469
E. Glossary 471
F. Bibliography and notes on classical texts 475
Described points list 487