Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an ancient medical system that takes a deep understanding of the laws and patterns of nature and applies them to the human body. TCM is not "New Age," nor is it a patchwork of different healing modalities. TCM is a complete medical system that has been practiced for more than five thousand years.

At the heart of TCM is the tenet that the root cause of illnesses, not their symptoms, must be treated. In modern-day terms, TCM is holistic in its approach; it views every aspect of a person -- body, mind, spirit, and emotions -- as part of one complete circle rather than loosely connected pieces to be treated individually.

Qi and Meridians

The true foundation of TCM is Qi, which is loosely translated as vital energy. Qi is an animating force of the universe. Although Western science does not yet have a framework for measuring Qi, it is not merely a theoretical construct; it is an actual force, like gravity or magnetism. Through proper training, people can develop the sensitivity to feel the flow of Qi.

In the human body, Qi flows through meridians, or energy pathways. Twelve major meridians run through the body, and it is over this network that Qi travels through the body and that the body's various organs send messages to one another. For this reason, keeping the meridians clear is imperative for the body's self-regulating actions to occur.

Often, however, the Qi that is supposed to hum through these meridians becomes blocked. When this happens, Qi can stagnate, leading to minor ailments, such as aches, digestive problems, insomnia, and fatigue. It's analogous to a traffic jam: since the streets are backed up, it takes longer for information and energy to travel from one point to another, so the whole body becomes sluggish.