“Tao” is translated as “A Face on the Road”. This means that each person has an original
face and a path to travel. One of the primary purposes of Chinese Medicine was to ensure
that people lived long enough and well enough to complete their life purpose. According to
the Ancient Taoist acupuncturists, the spirit or essence of each person was created by a
combination of Ling, particles of Cosmological Qi combined with the Qi of the Earth and the
physical endowment of the ancestors – creating Jing. Longevity is dependent on the amount
of Jing a person is born with and how it is used over a lifetime. There are techniques in
Chinese Medicine that preserve Jing and manage the usage in a measured way. The facial
map shows the amount of original jing, how much has been used and how much is left in
reserve. The face also shows reservoirs of extra jing, the Sea of Yin and Sea of Yang that
can be accessed. In addition, there are clues about the best ways of making Qi and Blood to
buffer the overuse of Jing.
As acupuncturists, prenatal preparation and postnatal care can influence the amount and
quality of jing of future generations. Signs of strong and deficient jing will be explored as well
as causes of jing overusage. Jing can be accessed and supported by working with the Eight
Extraordinary Meridians. These ancient and mysterious meridians are not well understood,
yet may hold the potential key to rejuvenation. Participants will learn the acupuncture points
that support jing, specifically on the Ren and Du channels of the face. Other corollary point
combinations of the face and body will be given that help lift Qi.
Facial rejuvenation acupuncture is about much more than looking beautiful or appearing
younger. It is about reclaiming the original face (who you really are), accessing extra jing and
restoring qi by releasing emotional trauma and criticism, which is held as internal fire and
wind, which are behavioral patterns of Shen disturbance. These pockets of trapped wind and
fire contribute to numerous health conditions and diseases, mental health problems and
dysfunctional lifestyles and can possibly be released by incorporating the use of the Ghost
Points. Ghost points were once used as a form of exorcism by disembodied spirits. However,
they can be seen instead as a way of freeing toxic emotions and thoughts that “haunt” us
through our lives. Possession then, can be seen as a function of powerful emotions unable to
be released because of societal constraints and because we just don’t recognize our own
demons or patterns. We then act out in ways through our personality, our emotions and our
behavior that overuse jing and keep us from our true path. Balanced Shen expression along
with acupuncture release techniques and lifestyle advice including herbs and food, breathing
and movement and creativity will all lead to rejuvenation, longevity and potentially immortality
- living long enough.