Post on 06-Apr-2018
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THE TAO OF
CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE
DAVID MAINENTI,C.A.,L.AC.,DIPL.O.M.
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2002-2008 Eco-Med LLC(Second Edition)
All rights reserved. No part of thispublication may be reproduced in any formor by any electronic or mechanical meanswithout prior written permission from eitherEco-Med LLC or the author.
All photos 1999-2007 David C. Mainenti
Published byEco-Med LLC18-16 Jordan RoadFair Lawn, NJ 07410
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Introduction
Hawaii is a land of healing for it contains so many different
p lant spec ies found in nature. Other p lac es in the world a lso
contain pristine natural specimens that can be used formedicine, but the majority of mankind has forgotten how to
forage fo r them. As a p rofessiona l herba list, one must learn to
collect primal energy from these living and breathing
botanic a l va rieties no matter where you reside. Tod ay, most
herbalists order dried herbs via mail and lack a true
understanding of the plants they prescribe to clients in a
c linic a l setting. To b ec ome a true Daoist hea ler, one m ust
connect with nature to ensure that the transfer of primal Qi
take place, resulting in powerful healing for both patient and
prac titione r alike.
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Understanding Herbal Medicine
When beginning your studies in Chinese herbal medicine, the
first area to be cultivated is ones general understanding of
principles in the field itself; the true Daoist healer must knowhow to utilize the med ic ine in a p rofessiona l manner, sinc e it is
wha t you ha ve selec ted to p ursue a s a d isc ip line a nd c a reer.
Unfortunately, herbal medicine requires great training and
skill in order to understand the nuances of its vast universe.
Sinc e so ma ny peop le in the modern world a re b rought up in
a way that is often out of touch with nature, deciding to
study herbal medicine requires the understanding that there
a re millions of p lants in the wilderness tha t you w ill not be ab le
to identify a t the onset. Every d ifferent hike in the mounta ins
has a specific Feng Shui quality or qualities, based on its
location in time and space, which results in a unique
ec osystem o f plant foliage a nd p rima l energy. Reg ard less of
how long one studies in the field, whether for one or one
hundred yea rs, it can never be c omp letely ma stered . There
are so many simultaneous changes happening within naturallife that new plants and strains are constantly being
d isc ove red . Thus, one must be c ontent w ith know ing nothing
at all, working instead towards a general understanding of
na ture a nd its basic c omp lexities.
To begin, lea rn how the ind ividua l herbs are c lassified by
taste and temperature; various combinations of these
elements produce different qualities that result in specificeffects and actions on the human body and its general
surround ings. The na tura l c olors and p arts of eac h spec ies
are also important, for they symbolize the quality and
personality of the plant, representing its individual specialty.
Preparation of herbs should be reviewed as well because of
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their impact on bodily effects; for example, one must cook
the taro root before consuming it, while a sweet potato can
be ea ten raw or c ooked . To firmly understand these basic
traditional medical concepts is the first step towards
becoming a professional herbalist, allowing one to navigatethrough the oc ea ns, mounta ins, and rivers of life.
In todays world, students are expected to know, at a
minimum: 300 herbs; 150 classical formulas; individual herbidentific a tion o f tastes and tempera ture; herba l c omb ina tion
theories; contraindications; and methods of preparation.
However, the a c c red iting b od ies fa il to c ove r the softe r, mo re
spiritual side of herbal medicine, where it becomes essential
to g o hiking often, collec ting he rbs based on w hat you know
at your partic ula r leve l.
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When walking in the mountains, the question of how to
properly c ollec t p rima l energy quic kly a rises. As an
introduction, it is important to realize that differently
present ing p lants have spec ific purposes when ana lyzed in a
med ic al c ontext:
Fragrant, Flowering Plants
Herbs that are fragrant and smell good are very effective in
treating depression and other psychological problems due to
the pharmacological content of their particular essential oils.
These p lants, suc h a s the Gardenia flower, clear away and
hea l emotiona l d isorders.
Thorny Plants
Plants that have sharp points, such as stinging nettles or
thorny sp inac h, a re a b le to t rea t p rima l and c hronic d isea ses,
often inherited from ones ancestors, parents, or through
karmic mea ns.
Hairy Plants
These p lants, suc h a s Pi Pa Ye (Loquat Leaf), connect to theLung and effec tively d ra in muc ous and phleg m. The bod y
must be trained to ingest hairy plants, for their energy is very
prima l in na ture; otherwise, a llerg ies will result. One c an use
them, with practice; just be aware of your particular space
and time a nd p roc eed a t a slow, stead y pac e.
Fragrant, Leafy Plants
Plants that possess fragrant leaves (such as big leaf
Eucalyptus) can be used to treat pain from arthritis, wind-
dampness, and b one or joint deteriora tion. Their tree stumps
can be used to increase medicinal effects, but a chipper is
needed to p roc ess such dense wood .
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Sp iritua l Plants
These p lants, suc h a s Sand a lwood (Tan Xiang ), are used to
enha nc e enlightenment. One must seek these plants out
and communicate with them to learn about their missions.
Usually you do not ingest these varieties; instead put them inimportant places, such in a waiting room, on an altar, or
within the trea tment spac e. One must lea rn how to c ollec t
p rima l energy from these p lants in o rder to perform high leve ls
of d iagnosis and hea ling , pa rticula rly of the self.
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Soft p lants
These va rieties a re often used to trea t the skin, as they are
soothing in na ture. They c an be c rushed p rior to use or
quic kly stea med and app lied d irec tly on the superfic ia l layers
of the bod y.
Milky Plants
These bota nica l spec ies, like the Penc il Plant, a re very toxic
and poisonous; if used incorrectly, their strong actions can
c ause the skin or Intestines to rot and dec ay. Be sure to o nly
use these plants topically and with extreme caution; apply a
small quantity of the remedy directly over a specific, often
vira l, a ilment (e.g., a w art). Onc e app lied , wrap or tape upthe local area to seal in the dangerous properties of the
substance.
There a re m any more c a teg ories of p lants tha t c an be
analyzed; for instance, plants that grow across large regions
of space in the forest, such as Eucalyptus, are effective in
treating problems with flexibility, as they promote movement
in the body. Overa ll, remember tha t when you beg in yourstudies, you must tread carefully, building up a knowledge
base over time until such characteristics become second
nature to you like the p a lm of your hand .
Communicating with Plants
Understanding how to communicate with plants is thesecond key aspect that must be cultivated in a professional
herba l med ic a l p rac titioner. There is a highly tec hnic a l
sp iritua l c onnec tion betw een huma n beings and p lant life, a
link tha t stems from ones own hea rt. Plants love to ta lk to
people, so long as one learns how to listen, using your heart
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as a guide. Tha t is why chanting in the mounta ins is so muc h
more effective than near town; the plants act as a choir to
support the overa ll flow o f sound waves through the a ir. Thus,
one must make contact with plants and learn how to get in
touch with them; each has its own individual nature waitingto be d isc ove red . One m ust look for the spec ific fea tures of
p lants, such as the ha ir, fac e, and tee th that c an be seen on
a c oc onut, a long with their delic a te inner c omposition o f Hun
and Po, which correspond to red and white blood cells in
human beings, respec tively. Plants c an be d ressed up , taken
out, fed , and enjoyed in wa ys tha t go b eyond nutrition. Using
a m ethod olog y that c omes from the hea rt, one c an develop
the ability to communicate with plants in a manner similar tothe Dao ist sages of long ago.
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When speaking with plants, it is important to treat them very
preciously, like newborn infants, being sure to provide them
with lots of love and c are. Yet, in the same way as c hild ren,
plants can be very active and entertaining; the idea that
must b e understood is tha t one s c onnec tion with p lants mustgo deeper than just through their physical use in a
presc rip tion. All p lants c onta in the sp irits of immorta ls and
fairies (similar to the human construct), each embodying a
particular quality of primal energy that can be used for
hea ling o r enlightenment p urposes. When herba l med ic ine is
prac tic ed in ac c ordance w ith the trad itiona l Daoist system of
natural living, the sage uses the understanding gained
through plant communication to create patient remediesthat are beyond the standard treatment strategies discussed
in med ic a l textbooks. One must rea lize tha t herba l med ic ine,
being a part of the Daoist tradition, is alive; as such, it is
natural to think that plants can almost speak to humans,
a lbeit in a way tha t transc end s ac adem ia . Thus, be sure to
remain empty inside so that the 10,000 things can grow and
take life in the bod y landsc ape.
Once you have emptied the self, it becomes natural to look
inward so that one can begin to cultivate your internal
garden; this is why the Daoist master always travels to the
mountains before they perform a healing ritual or write a
presc rip tion in the c linic . Every plant is so full of life tha t it has
a ll the same c om ponents within as peop le d o - they a re living
things in na ture, just like us.
When one learns to communicate with plant beings, they will
soon be singing to you in the forest, helping you write
prescriptions, and providing influence as to which remedies
should b e selec ted for inc lusion in a p a tient formula . It is
always important to consider that plants have individual
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personalities and qualities, often working together as teams.
Sub sta nc es rang ing from sma ll, tiny flow ers to ta ll, vast trees
are used because of their corresponding spirits and qualities.
To write a p resc rip tion, one must ha ve more tha n just a p iec e
of paper (e.g., license) herbs work differently than othermodalities in that you must feel nature to understand and
utilize their intric a te p roperties. One must lea rn to sp iritua lly
download information from the leaves and branches of
plants in order to understand and receive fresh, primal
energy. As one g row s up w ith plants, they bec ome a part of
you and your practice; in fact, they walk alongside you
because their spirits connect to places deep within ones
heart. When the a rt is mastered and one hikes in the fo rest, itis like walking with immortals because the Dao lives inside of
you. Bec ause of the hea rt s c onnec tion with god and na ture
through the sp irit o r Shen, d ifferent p a rts of the bod y deve lop
in ways that are similar to nature, ranging from the sun and
moon to oc eans, rivers, stones, etc . The points and
artic ula tions of the bod y even c orrespond to the d ays of the
year to c onnec t w ith the universe.
In the ancient times of old
Hawaii, the heiau (image,
left) represented the
healing hospital and
sacred altar; the ancient
Polynesian voyagers knew
that all under the sky was
available and willing to
engage in some type of
primal communication.
One c an follow the ad vic e
of Dao de Jing, Chapter 33, and use p lant c ommunic a tion a s
a means of self-therapy, looking inward instea d of outward to
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streng then one s c onnec tion with na ture. Onc e mastered ,
this energy c an a c t a s your inner guide through the tw ists and
turns of life here on earth. Bec ause na ture is so vast, it c an be
quite overwhelming when you realize truly how hard it is to
master herbal medicine; as such, one must take it seriouslyand understand that things go far beyond textbooks and
ac ademic pursuits. It is truly a sp iritua l p rac tic e.
Sinc e it is impossib le to c a tc h up with the eve r c hanging
qualities of nature, one must keep the self changeable and
fresh, ensuring that one remains empty, for it is through
emptiness that one can allow the 10,000 things in life to
flourish. This is espec ia lly imp orta nt when it perta ins toAmericans and other human beings from industrialized
nations, because many of these individuals have lost their
c onnec tion to na ture. How ever, by not know ing anything
about herbs when at the onset of ones studies, the mind is
empty in a wa y tha t c an a llow for a person to lea rn a grea t
dea l about p lants and p rima l energy. Even if you do no t
know the difference between a mango (big seed) and a
papaya (tiny seeds), by rema ining empty, one c an c onnec tto the primal energy of the universe by strengthening ones
persona l bond with nature. Plant com munic a tion is a vitally
important practice that links ones inner emptiness with the
emptiness of the universe, a llowing for one to see fa r in life. It
is because of this far-reaching principle that traditional
healing modalities are now resurfacing in the modern world
and may one da y bec ome everyda y med ic ine, with western
medicine being used only on an as-needed basis or in
emergenc y situa tions. Natura l trad itiona l rem ed ies c an
powerfully restore harmony and balance to a patient, similar
to the way in which the roots of large trees grow through the
earth in patterns that follow the flow of the meridians in the
human bod y.
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Onc e the bod y is empty and one has weed ed the ga rden, it
will be possible to see where your spiritual body stands in the
c onstruc t of universa l spac e and t ime. Through p lants, one
can learn about age and how old one is, for certain plants
live forever, while others have a short lifespan. Bec ause ofthe measurable lifecycles of plants, the perspective of time
and space actually revolves around the botanical and
animal kingdoms, containing the records of the many sages
who have wa lked the ea rth. One can p retend to transc end
time and space by eating the pages of an herbal textbook,
but it will not provide you with the essence of what is being
d isc ussed here. The idea to g rasp is tha t ones life, and its
position in time and spac e, is c onnec ted to he rba l med ic inebec ause p lants remember your sp irit and p ast lives. Thus,
when one walks in the mountains, sit back and think about
how long c erta in p lants have been p resent in certa in sec tions
of the forest. The anc ient sages would stay up in the
mo unta ins for so long with the p lants tha t when they returned
to their villages, no one was alive that remembered them;
how eve r, the p lants still rema ined , esc ap ing the grasp of t ime
and spa c e.
All things in life happen for a reason; it is like when one has a
difficult neighbor, such as one who has a rooster that crows
loud ly a t the crac k of da wn eac h morning. One must ask
why the universe would send such a neighbor and
contemplate the deeper meaning of the situation, using
theories developed by Sun Tzu and General Quan. This
contemplative nature of the Daoist stands in opposition to
modern warfare, where innocent states are bombed until
they surrend er or a re destroyed . General Quan, for insta nc e,
sees his enemy and himself; thus, a good battle means one
wins both wars, representing the internal and externa l na tures
of a situa tion. One must also think about wha t will happen
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a fter the war is over to ensure tha t the p eop le c an c ontinue
to go about the ir business. To conduc t suc h types of
combat, soldiers must be strong and meditate for long
periods of time to reac h enlightened sta tes. In this way,
during combat one can watch how the leaves fall in theriver, along with the density of dirt near the shores, to
c a lc ula te where the enemy is, based solely on one s ab ility to
ob serve the na tura l surround ings. In the same way, one c an
select specific days for classes or treatments as a means to
maximize ones connection with time and space and to
ac c ommod ate hea ling or lea rning. Through self-rea liza tion,
one c an truly empty the self, a llow ing for new things to c om e
in that produce positive results in ones life and internal bodylandscape.
The Path of Enlightenment
Although the discussion above has detailed a number of
areas to study, to become a professional herbalist one is still
not yet c ooked . The fina l c omponent to one s innerdevelopment as a Daoist herbal medical practitioner is to
lea rn tha t b y comb ining emptiness and awa reness, one c an
develop a symphony of understanding that transcends
physic a l life. The first leve l tha t one must a tta in is to ob ta in a
genera l wisdom about na ture, which must c onta in everything
betw een hea ven and ea rth. To deve lop inner wisdom, one
must first hone the senses of ones whiskers, which spring from
Ren Zhong (DU-26) and correspond to the expressions of theDu Mai(Governor Vessel), which represents the Dragon-like
aspec ts of a hum an be ing s interna l sp irit. One c an use these
whiskers to study herbs; be sure not to use ones horn,
because it is important to be delicate with herbs and their
p rima l energ ies, as noted above. If one does not use their
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spec ia l senses, as manifested in the whiskers, plants will laugh
at you a s you w a lk throug h the mo unta ins, swim throug h the
oc eans, and turn with the rivers of life. You see, p lants
ob serve you throughout your journey through time a nd spac e
in life; in this way, when o ne d oes not know how to use one sinnate senses, other natural beings, like plants, will tease you.
For instance, while some plants are used for healing, others
are p oisonous; the tric k is tha t many ma y look the same (e .g.,
ta ro lea f and e lep hant ea r). In orde r to d istinguish betw een
life and death, one must have wisdom to understand the
manifesta tions of nature.
In the early days of China, Qing Su Wan was able toaccomplish the extraordinary feat of uniting China;
understand that at the time, China consisted of more than
100 countries, each with a specific languages and standards
of measurement. Qing Su Wan wa nted to standard ize China,
so he entered into war and defeated his enemies by killing
everyone who stood in his way, including doctors, teachers,
and sp iritua l lea ders. All the anc ient books were burned as
well in the Great Wall, except for the Yi Jing, and a singleunified system of mea surements was adop ted . Onc e Qing Su
Wan accomplished his external desires, he looked internally
and dec ided that he wanted to live forever. In order to
accomplish this, he sent herbalists and soldiers to scour the
entire land for the precious Ling Zhi, which is the symbol for
immortality or life after death, due to its ability to grow from
dead trees in p ristine, moist c ond itions. While searc hing for
the Ling Zhi across China, Japan, and Korea, Qing Su Wan
tried to make other people, including children, eat the
foraged mushrooms first to determine their effects, for
collecting mushrooms is a very dangerous endeavor, unless
one is highly tra ined in the field . In the Tian Shih trad ition a t
Long Hu Shan, the Master is permitted to teach everything
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but mushrooms, since they killed both Qing Su Wan and
Buddha himself. When wa lking through the forests of nature,
do not mind these precious fairies and immortals simply
lea ve them a lone . In the anc ient times of mushroom
gathering, many people were killed while tasting varioustyp es of wild m ushrooms. The e ffec ts of some mushrooms do
not become active until years after eating them, developing
as la rge viruses inside the body.
Thus, the most important aspec t of deve lop ing herba l
awareness is to learn information with wisdom attained
through the use of ones whiskers; how ever, this type of inner
development should not be confused with enlightenment,which is a higher level of practice that should be pursued as
well. As one develops the sp irit, wisdom will unfo ld na turally
a long with it. Thus, wisdom is the Daoist adept who
understands that he or she will not gather celery varieties or
mushrooms in the wild, due to the potential dangers
assoc ia ted w ith these bo tanic a l va riet ies. When one has
reached enlightenment, one c an pick wild celery and
mushrooms because such a person is a sage who embodiesthe c onc ep t of Dao, living in ac c ordance w ith the laws of the
na tura l universe. These peop le know whic h va rieties a re
ed ib le and whic h ones are po isonous. The development of
ones whiskers is an important step towards enlightenment
because they represent the connection with reality,
rep resenting ones experienc e in life. When using one s
whiskers, the body often proceeds with caution, using its
sensitivity as a way to develop awareness of the universe,
creating an attentiveness and creativeness that embodies
the q ua lities of prima l energy. One c an use the w hiskers to
determine herba l toxic ity without ever ingesting the bota nic a l
species itself, using ones primal and innate abilities to
develop a w isdom that goes beyond time a nd spac e.
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Onc e the whiskers of the internal Dragon are d eve lop ed , the
inner world will experience a rebirth with life springing forth
from inside the emptiness of the bodys landscape, linking to
a d imension in whic h one c an ea sily move through time and
spac e. This phenomenon oc c urs in na ture as well; a fter an
earthquake or forest fire, over time, rain will allow for
botanical species to rise from the ashes and return to their
g lorious form. Thus, even though p lants c an be destroyed ,they c an return unsc athed . How is something like this
possib le? The ra tiona le is tha t p rima l energy exists in na ture,
connecting to the source, e,g, the Da o, which transcends
human existenc e. Thus, the textbook for Daoist herbal
medicine is nature itself, consisting of its many elements and
lifec yc les. Remember tha t there are immorta l sp irits living in
plants; such beings cannot be harmed in physical ways.
Thus, one must experienc e reb irth inside the bod y to c onnec t
with the constant rebirth of plant life in the natural
environment; its essence is contained within Chapter 25 of
the Dao De Jing:
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Something is born before Heaven and Earth,In the silence and the void,
Impenetrable and everlasting, silent and undisturbed, alone and unchanging;It moves gently and inexhaustibly in all directions.
It is the mother of the 10,000 things.
I do not know its name,So for lack of a better word I call it Dao.
I do not know what it is,So I am forced to call it Great.
Being great, it extends itself without limit.Being able to extend without limit, it is far-reaching.
Being far-reaching, it ultimately returns.Hence, Dao is great.
Heaven is great.Earth is great.All living things are great.
All living things follow Earth.Earth follows Heaven.Heaven follows Dao.
Dao follows that which is natural.
When one goes into the mountains on a routine basis and
becomes familiar with plant life, one can actually gather
prima l energy for use inside the body landsc ape. Then, one
can study the many varieties and types of plants; for
instance, some plants only live for a year, coming up each
yea r in the spring time. From a n elementa l perspec tive,
growth is induced by a combination of rain/thunder (),
wind (), and sunlight (), which coincidentally happen to
represent the first three trigrams in the cycle of elementalenergy in the post-heaven arrangement of the Ba Gua
(Wood to Fire). The q uestion thus bec om es what the human
body needs to experienc e reb irth: in layma ns terms, it mea ns
allowing things living to continue to live and removing things
that a re d ying, muc h like how one tend s a ga rden.
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It is interesting to note that as an herbalist, taking trips to the
mountain will help you achieve rebirth, even though it is not
nec essarily a relig ion. This is bec ause na ture is renewing to
the bod y for it is a way in whic h to ingest p rima l energy from
the universe. What is so wond erful is tha t the ab ility toachieve a rebirth within the self occurs regardless of ones
soc ia l sta tus, moneta ry wea lth, or deg ree o f study. One d oes
not need to have a Ph.D. to be reborn in the natural beauty
that is the integ ra tion o f heaven a nd ea rth.
The last a spec t tha t one must foc us on, as a p rofessiona l
herba list, is one s mission in life. In na ture, different p lants
have different missions; some bloom each year, while others,
like Jiang Huang/Yu Jin, sleep underneath the soil, only
c oming up oc c asiona lly, often in g rand iose fashion. These
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p lants a re very d ifferent from the p ine, whic h stays eve rgreen
and is a constant, always standing, whether you are or not.
Banyan trees have a unique mission in life; their roots travel
miles to a c c umula te energy, g row ing b ea rds that desc end to
the ground, forming yet another plant, which then sends outwhiskers, ultimate ly c rea ting a new c olony of p lants. The
Eucalyptusfamily has over 200 relatives; the Hibisc usfamily is
a lso very la rge. Thus, one c an see tha t the forest is a symbol
of many things happening simultaneously, just like life itself;
however, it represents natural existence, which is contrary to
modern living. One must d isc over his or her inner mission in
life and strive to accomplish what can be attained,
remembering that, as an herbalist, your main mission will beto hea l peop le med ic a lly. As a Daoistprac titioner, however,
one understands that plants are alive; each has a particular
mission that allows for the Dao to achieve its greatness; how
else c ould one exp la in how b oth a rabb it and c ow ea t grass,
yet one b ec omes small and the o ther very la rge? Everyone
has a mission in life; the question is, as an herbalist, do you
hike enoug h? If you go into the mounta ins many times, you
will soon und erstand tha t it is like notes to a music a l p iec e; bylearning about different ranges, one can soon create
harmonious music . However, without p rac tice, it will never
sound very good a t a ll. Like the Er Hu, a Chinese wooden
vertical fiddle, from only two strings in life (Yin and Yang), a
symphony of music can spring forth when ones innate
c rea tivity is c hanneled into a mission.
Conclusion
As a medical practitioner, one can elevate his or her status
by bec om ing not only a trad itiona l Chinese med ic a l sc hola r,
but also an individual who can transcend past, present, and
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future events, along with understanding the connection
between past, p resent, and future lives. In order to
accomplish such a subtle understanding of the nature of
human beings, one must travel into the mountains and hear
the p lants, like c elery, laughing a t you. How eve r, a fter awhile, the plants will soon respect you and hide their poisons.
This is why in China , in the ea rly morning, there a re many
people in the parks hugging trees and other plants found
naturally in their particular region; it is a method to
understand about o ne s mission in life.
To effec tively trea t d isea se, one must learn to c ollec t p lants
that enhance the body and primal energies within it; thissec ret is one of the w ond ers of na tural living. To find suc h
plants, one must be aware of nature, using its vast resources
to develop enlightenment, which will allow one to vividly see
his or her persona l mission or vision. Every hea ler c an
become a miracle worker though the use of plants via
natura l botanic a l med ic ine. When the prima l energy resides
inside you, it is sha red with the pa tient the minute you touc h
them with your pa lm. Simila r to the p lants, the p a lm c arrieswith it the prima l energy of c ommunic a tion. Thus, one must
touch trees and feel dirt in order to gather primal energy;
nature is very invasive, so, if you are empty, it is going to
invade the body (in a good way) and fill you up with primal
energy, which brings about enlightenment, wisdom,
enhanc ed menta l functioning, and emo tiona l happ iness. By
communicating with plants, one can become great at
traditional Chinese medicine, understanding that nature is
potent med ic ine so use it. One m ust study the e lements
above to go fa r in a p rofessiona l herba l med ic a l p rac tic e.
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About Us
ECO-MED LLC is a c onsulting group tha t unites med ic ine with
environmental sustainability by designing and delivering
world class integrative medical programs, products, andservices that respect the natural state of the earth and its
inhab itants. Our sta ff b rings dec ades of experienc e in na tura l
approaches to health and well-being, having successfully
designed and directed complementary and alternative
medical programs for colleges, clinics, retreats, treatment
fac ilities, and ind ividua l c lients worldwide. If you a re
interested in helping your customers or clients achieve
optimal health, peak performance levels, and an improved
quality of life, c ontac t Ec o-Med tod ay a t ec omed @lava.net.
David Mainenti, C.A. (NJ), L.Ac . (HI), Dip l. O.M. (NCCAOM),
President and CEO of Eco-Med, LLC, is a Board-Certified
Acupuncturist, Chinese Herbalist, and Oriental Medicine
practitioner who combines over 15 years experience ininterna tiona l business and integra tive hea lth. Mr. Ma inenti is
a sc hola r of Taoist p hilosophy and a highly-tra ined
practitioner in classical Chinese medical arts including
acupuncture, acupressure, herbal medicine, aromatherapy,
nutritional analysis, reflexology, massage, bodywork, Qi Gong
, meditation, Feng Shui, Yi Jing, palmistry, and medical
astrology. David ho lds a BS from Villanova University, c um
laude, and an MS from Ta i Hsuan College in Honolulu,Hawa i`i, with hono rs. The autho r would like to give spec ia l
thanks to Dr. Chang Yi Hsiang, 64th Generation Heavenly
Ma ster from the Mounta in of the Dragon and Tiger, for
passing on key elements of the Tian Shi Dao lineage.
Mahalo!