The Oriental Healing Arts Diploma is the most comprehensive program in Oriental healing available in Australia.

It has been developed by master educator Geoffrey Wilson to facilitate the training of students in the classical and essential teachings of the Eastern masters as applied to healthcare. The approach is unique and designed to carefully and sensitively embody the core principles relevant to the holistic integration of psychology, physiology, nutrition, spirituality and a variety of remedial therapies including acu-moxatherapy.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to demonstrate competency in the application of Mind, Body and Spirit medicine to meet the challenges of modern problems. Especially important in the training protocol, is to establish the consistent ability to respond to challenges presented by patients in a holistic manner encompassing the formulation of practical solutions to problems encountered as a result of lifestyle imbalances.

QUALIFICATIONS AWARDED

• Diploma in Oriental Healing Arts
• Advanced Certificate in Oriental Body Therapies
• Certificate in Oriental Psychology
• Certificate in Oriental Nutritional Medicine

www.artofhealth.com.au/

We’ve got 10 seminars coming up this year on the key topics related to Oriental Psychology.

These include workshops on the marvelous protocols associated with the ‘Firing Process’, the spiritual destinies associated with the ‘I-Ching’, Taoist Spiritual Practices including chants and special exercises, the Metaphysics of Zang Fu Diagnosis, deciphering the classics – Art of War, Chuang Tzu, and  Huainanzi, and of course extensive investigations of the 5 Spirits – ethereal soul, heart mind, intellect, the stone soul, and the willpower – with extensive case histories and corresponding commentaries.

Click here to view a preview of the Oriental Psychology DVD Your Mind Your Medicine

For detailed seminar information click here

About Sosan
There is little information about the life of the Third Patriarch. His birthplace and birth date are unknown. According to the Denko-roku (”The Transmission of the Lamp”), written by Keizan Zenji (1268-1325), he was a layman over forty years of age suffering from leprosy when he met the 2nd Patriarch, Hui-k’o (Japanese: Eka), for the first time in 551 AD. Being deeply impressed with this layman’s capacity for the Dharma, Hui-k’o shaved the future 3rd Patriarch’s head and named him Sengts’an (Jewel of the Community). He was gradually cured of his illness and, after they had been practicing together for two years, Hui-k’o gave him the traditional robe and bowl signifying the
transmission of the Dharma.

Note
In Module 5, students will explore the metaphysical causes of disease. Do not forget to reflect on this when contemplating Sosan’s leprosy and his cure.

It is said that during the infamous Buddhist persecution in 574, Sosan was forced to feign mental illness in order to escape execution, and that finally he went into hiding for ten years on Mount Huankung. His mere presence there is said to have pacified the wild tigers, which until that time had caused great fear among the local people. The authorship of Hsin-Hsin-Ming (Japanese – Shinjinmei) is attributed to Seng-ts’an (Sosan). It is one of the earliest Ch’an writings. It expounds on the basic principles of Chan Buddhism (Zen) in poetic form and suggests a strong Taoist influence.

The Hsin-Hsin-Ming begins with a famous sentence, which comes up again and again in Ch’an Buddhism (Zen) literature (for instance, in Pi-Yen-Lu): “The venerable way is not difficult at all; it only abhors picking and choosing.” In this early Ch’an poem, the fusion, typical for later Ch’an (Zen), of the mutually congenial teachings of Mahâyâna Buddhism and Taoism, appears for the first time (The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion, page 311).

A Few Comments on Hsin-Hsin Ming (a.k.a ‘The Book of True Faith’)
The title of the Hsin-Hsin Ming may be explained in the following way:
Hsin means “belief” or “faith.”

This is not faith in the ordinary sense. It is an understanding that comes from firsthand experience, a faith that arises out of supreme knowledge and the wisdom of enlightenment. This understanding is an affirmation that all existence or reality is essentially the Buddha mind, which is our true nature.

Hsin is also the conviction that at the root of all phenomena lies the One Mind, the Buddha Mind, which is one with our real nature, the Buddha-nature.

Hsin literally means heart.
It means Mind, not the delusional mind, but the Buddha-Mind. Hsin is the mind that merges with the all-encompassing One Mind.

Ming literally means ‘inscription’.
It also means written expression or record and infers the meaning of warnings or admonitions.

The famous Hsin Hsin Ming (Japanese: Shin Jin Mei) is known as the first Zen poem. It consists of 146 four-word lines, directly and vividly expressing the Zen spirit in a simple, compact form. An outstanding characteristic of the poem is that it is written in genuine Chinese without using any Sanskrit or Pali Buddhist terms.

The main themes expressed in the Hsin Hsin Ming derive from Two Entries and Four Acts, one of the few authentic writings of the great Zen Patriarch Bodhidharma, who brought Buddhism from India to China in the sixth century. The roots of Bodhidharma’s work can be traced to the Vimalakirtinirdesa Sutra, written sometime before the 3rd century AD in India.

Translation of the ‘Book of True Faith’ (Hsin Hsin Ming)
The following translation of Sosan’s masterpiece is by Richard B. Clarke.

The Great Way is not difficult
for those who have no preferences.
When love and hate are both absent
everything becomes clear and undisguised.
Make the smallest distinction, however
and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart.
If you wish to see the truth
then hold no opinions for or against anything.
To set up what you like against what you dislike
is the disease of the mind.
When the deep meaning of things is not understood
the mind’s essential peace is disturbed to no avail.
The Way is perfect like vast space
where nothing is lacking and nothing is in excess.
Indeed, it is due to our choosing to accept or reject
that we do not see the true nature of things.
Live neither in the entanglements of outer things,
nor in inner feelings of emptiness.
Be serene in the oneness of things
and such erroneous views will disappear by themselves.
When you try to stop activity to achieve passivity
your very effort fills you with activity.
As long as you remain in one extreme or the other
you will never know Oneness.
Those who do not live in the single Way
fail in both activity and passivity,
assertion and denial. To deny the reality of things
to assert the emptiness of things is to miss their reality.
The more you talk and think about it,
the further astray you wander from the truth.
Stop talking and thinking,
and there is nothing you will not be able to know.
To return to the root is to find the meaning,
but to pursue appearances is to miss the source.
At the moment of inner enlightenment
there is a going beyond appearance and emptiness.
The changes that appear to occur in the empty world
we call real only because of our ignorance.
Do not search for the truth;
only cease to cherish opinions.

Do not remain in the dualistic state
avoid such pursuits carefully.
If there is even a trace of this and that, of right and wrong,
the Mind-essence will be lost in confusion.
Although all dualities come from the One,
do not be attached even to this One.
When the mind exists undisturbed in the Way,
nothing in the world can offend,
and when a thing can no longer offend, it ceases to exist in the old way.
When no discriminating thoughts arise, the old mind ceases to exist.
When thought objects vanish, the thinking-subject vanishes,
as when the mind vanishes, objects vanish.
Things are objects because of the subject (mind);
the mind (subject) is such because of things (object).
Understand the relativity of these two
and the basic reality: the unity of emptiness.
In this Emptiness the two are indistinguishable
and each contains in itself the whole world.
If you do not discriminate between coarse and fine
you will not be tempted to prejudice and opinion.
To live in the Great Way
is neither easy nor difficult,
but those with limited views
and fearful and irresolute: the faster they hurry, the slower they go,
and clinging (attachment) cannot be limited;
even to be attached to the idea of enlightenment is to go astray.
Just let things be in their own way
and there will be neither coming nor going.
Obey the nature of things (your own nature),
and you will walk freely and undisturbed.
When thought is in bondage the truth is hidden,
for everything is murky and unclear,
and the burdensome practice of judging brings annoyance and weariness.
What benefit can be derived from distinctions and separations?
If you wish to move in the One Way
do not dislike even the world of senses and ideas.
Indeed, to accept them fully
is identical with true Enlightenment.
The wise man strives to no goals
but the foolish man fetters himself.
This is one Dharma, not many: distinctions arise
from the clinging needs of the ignorant.
To seek Mind with the (discriminating) mind
is the greatest of all mistakes.
Rest and unrest derive from illusion;
with enlightenment there is no liking and disliking.
All dualities come from
ignorant inference.
They are like dreams of flowers in the air:
foolish to try to grasp them.

Gain and loss, right and wrong:
such thoughts must finally be abolished at once.
If the eye never sleeps,
all dreams will naturally cease.
If the mind makes no discriminations,
the ten thousand things are as they are, of single essence.
To understand the mystery of this One-essence
is to be released from all entanglements.
When all things are seen equally
the timeless Self-essence is reached.
No comparisons or analogies are possible
in this causeless, relationless state.
Consider movement stationary and the stationary in motion,
both movement and rest disappear.
When such dualities cease to exist
Oneness itself cannot exist.
To this ultimate finality
no law or description applies.
For the unified mind in accord with the Way
all self-centered straining ceases.
Doubts and irresolution’s vanish
and life in true faith is possible.
With a single stroke we are freed from bondage;
Nothing clings to us and we hold to nothing.
All is empty , clear, self-illuminating,
with no exertion of the mind’s power.
Here thought, feeling, knowledge, and imagination
are of no value.
In this world of Suchness
there is neither self nor other-than-self
To come directly into harmony with this reality
just simply say when doubt arises, ‘Not two.’
In this ‘no two’ nothing is separate,
nothing excluded.
No matter when or where,
enlightenment means entering this truth.
And this truth is beyond extension or diminution in time or space;
in it a single thought is ten thousand years.
Emptiness here, Emptiness there,
but the infinite universe stands always before your eyes.
Infinitely large and infinitely small;
no difference, for definitions have vanished
and no boundaries are seen.
So too with Being
and non-Being.
Don’t waste time in doubts and arguments
that have nothing to do with this.
One thing, all things:
move among and intermingle, without distinction.
To live in this realization
is to be without anxiety about non-perfection.
To live in this faith is the road to non-duality,
Because the non-dual is one with the trusting mind.
Words! The Way is beyond language,
for in it there is no yesterday, no tomorrow, no today.

For more information click here!

Taoist meditation exerts a profound influence on the ‘Three Treasures’: Essence (the body), Energy (the breath), and Spirit (the Mind). Essence is associated with not only the reproductive and generative power responsible for development (the Kidneys), but also drive and determination. Energy is equivalent to the Post-Natal Qi derived from food, drink and the air that we breathe (the Spleen and the Lungs). Spirit is the Mind and though it resides in the Heart, each organ is nonetheless affiliated with its own mental-spiritual aspect. In other words, Spirit is a complex of inter-connected and interdependent relationships.

There are several simple steps to follow when embarking on the journey of discovery that is learning the art of meditation. They are easy to implement and sustain, especially with practice and dedication.

1) Adopt a comfortable posture, balance your weight evenly, straighten the spine, and pay attention to physical sensations such as heat, cold, tingling, trembling, or whatever else arises.

2) When your body is comfortable and balanced, shift attention to the second level, which is breath and energy. You may focus on the breath itself as it flows in and out of the lungs through the nostrils, or on energy streaming in and out of a particular point in harmony with the breath.

3) Focus attention on thoughts and feelings forming and dissolving in the mind, your awareness expanding and contracting with each breath, insights and inspirations arising spontaneously, visions and images appearing and disappearing.

Eventually you may come upon (and perhaps randomly discover) intuitive flashes of insight regarding the ultimate nature of the mind: that in essence it is open and empty as space; that it is clear and luminous as a cloudless sky at sunrise; that in terms of its true nature, it is infinite and fundamentally unencumbered (this is called the original mind).

There are also some more specific instructions regarding posture:

Floor Position
Sit cross-legged on the floor in ‘half-lotus’ position (the foot of one leg placed to rest on the calf of the other), with the buttocks slightly elevated on a cushion or pillow. The advantages of this method are that this position is quite stable and encourages energy to flow upwards towards the brain.

Chair Position
Sit erect on a low stool or chair, feet parallel and a shoulder width apart, knees bent at a 90 degree angle, and spine erect. The advantages of sitting on a stool are that the legs do not cramp, the soles of the feet are in direct contact with the energy of the earth, and internal energy tends to flow more freely throughout the lower as well as the upper torso.

Cautions and Warnings
Most practitioners who follow Taoist Meditation techniques use both methods, depending on conditions (such as availability of chairs). When sitting cross-legged, Western practitioners, whose legs tend to cramp more easily than Asians, are advised to sit on thick and firm cushions, perhaps with a phone book or two underneath, in order to elevate the pelvis and consequently take pressure off both the legs and the knees. This also helps to keep the spine straight, without putting any strain on the lower back.

Placement of the hands is also quite important. The most natural and comfortable position for many is to rest the palms lightly on the thighs, just above the knees, with palms facing up. However, some experienced practitioners find it more effective to use one of the traditional ‘mudras’, or hand gestures (for example, thumb and index finger touching with other fingers outstretched). Experiment with different combinations of both posture and mudra until you find a style that is most suitable.

The Medicines of Fire and Water
Taoist meditation masters teach and demonstrate three basic ways to control Fire (the mind of emotion) with Water (the mind of intent), so that the student’s goals in meditation may be cultivated, refined and ultimately realized.

Stop and Observe
The first method is called ’stop and observe’. This involves paying close attention to how thoughts both arise and fade in the mind, learning to let them pass like a freight train in the night, and certainly without clinging to any particular one. This develops awareness of the basic emptiness of all thought, as well as non-attachment to the rise and fall of emotional impulses. Gradually one learns simply to ignore the intrusion of abrasive and discursive thoughts, at which point they cease to either come and go if only for the sheer lack of attention.

Observe and Imagine
The second technique is called ‘observe and imagine’, which of course refers to the technique of visualization. Put simply, the student employs intent to visualize an image – such as a dignified and glorified spiritual giant like Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, a sacred symbol, the moon, a star, or whatever – in order to shift mental focus away from thoughts and emotions and stabilize the mind in one-pointed awareness.

You may also visualize a particular energy centre in your body, or listen to the real or imagined sound of a bell, gong, or cymbal ringing in your ears. The point of focus is not important: what counts is shifting the focus of your attention away from idle thoughts, conflicting emotions, fantasies, and other distracting antics of the ‘monkey mind’ (fire) and concentrating attention instead on a stable point of focus established by the mind of intent, or ‘wisdom mind’ (water).

Intent
The third technique in cultivating the ability to control the mind is called ‘using the mind of intent to guide energy’. When the emotional mind is calm and the breath is regulated, focus attention on the internal energy. Learn how to guide it through the meridian network in order to energize the vital organs, raise energy from the sacrum to the head in order to nourish the spirit and brain, as well as exchange stale energy for fresh energy derived from the external sources that are heaven (the yang sky) and earth (the yin ground).

Begin by focusing attention on the Lower Elixir Field (the area below the abdomen), and then moving energy from there down to the perineum, up through the coccyx, and up along the spinal centres into the head, at which point the attention shifts to the Upper Elixir Field (between the brows).

Though this may sound vague and perhaps veer on the strangely esoteric side of things (at least to the uninitiated), a few months of practice, especially in conjunction with Qi Gong exercise and balanced dietary habits, usually is sufficient to expose the subtle worlds of energy and awareness that are hidden within our physical bodies and minds. All one has to do is sit still and shut up long enough, for the mind to fall into line.

For further information on the new Oriental Psychology Certificate Course click here http://www.artofhealth.com.au/more_info2.html

We have received offical notice from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) in the USA that Art of Health Education has been approved as a PDA Provider of the following courses in Oriental Psychology:

Foundations of Oriental Psychology, Spiritual Alchemy, I-Ching Applications to Psychology, Buddhist and Taoist Spiritual Practices, Metaphysics of Diagnosis, SunTzu’s Art of War, Inner Chapters of Chuang Tzu, Leadership and Strategy of the Huiananzi, Zi Yang’s Understanding Reality, and Manifestations of Shen Disturbance.

This is a real step forward not only for overseas graduates of Oriental medicine programs, but Australians as well! In effect, the certification from NCCAOM means that graduates of Oriental medicine programs can earn continuing education points that are a necessary condition of their respective association memberships.

So check it out and click on ‘Courses’ for more information on the individual components of the Oriental Psychology program.

For those who don’t know, the mission of the NCCAOM is to establish, assess, and promote recognized standards of competence and safety in acupuncture and Oriental medicine for the protection and benefit of the public.

The Oriental Nutritional Medicine Practitioner Course is designed to extrapolate the essential concepts of Oriental Medicine and apply them to diet and health. Food Therapy (or ‘Shí liáo’) is one of the eight limbs of classical Oriental medicine and is arguably the foundation of its healing praxis. In this course, students will draw from the classics (‘Su Wen’ and ‘Pi Wei Lun’) and learn how to select and prepare medicinal food dishes, using both common and exotic ingredients (including the use of herbs) to treat specific health conditions. Included is a study of the dynamics of dietary balance and the comprehensive analysis of medicinal foods with a view to operating an Oriental nutritional medicine practice.

The course is relevant for and will provide invaluable assistance to:

• PRACTICING NATURAL THERAPISTS (e.g. Naturopaths, Homeopaths, etc)
• ACUPUNCTURISTS and REMEDIAL THERAPISTS
• CHEFS and COOKS
• HEALTH CARERS and CARE GIVERS
• INDIVIDUALS interested in optimum health for personal or business interests

OVERVIEW
The Art of Health Certificate Course in Oriental Nutritional Medicine has been specially designed to facilitate distance learning at the student’s own pace without compromising on syllabus breadth or the quality of knowledge imparted. The course in Oriental Nutritional Medicine comprises 10 modules encompassing: the basis of nourishment, medicinal foods and classification systems, the diagnosis and treatment of many common Western diseases and their corresponding Oriental medicine syndromes (including internal, external, deficiency and excess patterns), Gynaecology, Paediatrics, and holistic business practice.

Art of Health Education specialises in sharing the secrets of the Oriental healing arts, the ancient paradigm that introduced the concept of holistic healing to the world. Recognising that many enthusiasts of Oriental nutrition and medicine may not always be able to attend a classroom session due to existing commitments or constraints, we have developed our programs to facilitate step-by-step study at home. The Certificate Course gives students the ability to study and revise lessons at their own speed and time. In addition, the Art of Health Certificate Course in Oriental Nutritional Medicine and its collaborative support system ensures that students of the course will always have somewhere to turn to when questions arise.

COURSE STRUCTURE
Our courses are distance education or correspondence courses that avoid the constraints of a class room session. After registering for these courses, you will be provided with the study materials either via a download or a physical delivery to you.

STUDYING
Students are expected to undertake the courses and study the materials at their own speed. However, they must complete the course within a reasonable time frame in order not to lose the effectiveness of their efforts.

SUPPORT
Students will be able to receive assistance and guidance in their education via an on-line community created especially for this purpose. From time to time, as the course schedule or course requirements warrant, students may be invited to attend an on-line tutorial class to reinforce their learning.

MODULE 1 OVERVIEW:
Medicinal Foods and Patterns
‘Shí liáo’ is in short, the preparation of medicinal food dishes, using carefully selected food ingredients as well as superior herbs, in order to derive the necessary nutrients to treat specific health conditions. It is also the result of accumulated experience (i.e. knowledge passed down from generation to generation) and based on the strict monitoring and refinement of recipes.

The ingredients used in recipes for the correct practice of ‘Shí liáo’, can generally be classified into the following categories: health promotion; sickness prevention; disease; support; recuperation; and rejuvenation.

In terms of detail however, the classification of medicinal foods is specifically based on the identification of a broad group of unique energetic properties, functions and actions. These qualities (such as temperature and taste) are considered comprehensively in order to produce a medicinal food profile that is relevant for treatment practice.

To make sense of medicinal food classification theory, it is also necessary to become acquainted with the functions of the five fundamental substances. Students will also investigate the main principles underpinning the framework of Oriental medicine in order to diagnose and treat health problems accurately and competently.

Highlights:
• The Medicinal Properties of Foods
• Basis of Chinese Medicine: Understanding the Basics
• The Zang Fu Organ Systems
• Identifying Patterns

MODULE 2 OVERVIEW:
The Basis of Nourishment
Food Therapy (or ‘Shí liáo’) is one of the eight limbs of classical Oriental medicine and its origin can be traced back to 2,000 BC. However, The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine (written around 300 BC) established the theoretical basis of Oriental food therapy including classification of foods according to the four major food groups, the five tastes, and, their natures. Of the four pillars of health (i.e. lifestyle, nutrition, exercise and mind), diet is generally regarded as the most important and urgent because food is understood to be the primary cause of sickness, as well as the pivotal source of longevity.

Throughout the course of Chinese history, for example, healthcare has never been viewed as the responsibility of the state. Rather, it is the moral and ethical responsibility of each and every ordinary citizen. People living in a community have subsequently used and shared their own resources to find cures for sickness, implementing traditional folk wisdom, the philosophical and medical principles of Yin and Yang, and an understanding of ‘Wushen’ (the five spirits).

In this module, students will explore the basis of nourishment including a comparative analysis of the gamut of applications to dietetics today, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the holistic approach to food therapy. Students will also examine the essence of the teachings of Huang di (the Yellow Emperor) as presented in the classic ‘Su Wen’ (the Yellow Emperor’s classic of Internal Medicine) over two thousand years ago and Li Gao, the author of the classic ‘Pi Wei Lun’ (Treatise on the Stomach and Spleen) in the eleventh century, thereby establishing guidelines for best practice.

Highlights
• Advice from the Yellow Emperor and Li Gao
• The Dynamics of Balance in Food Therapy
• The Seven Levels of Eating
• Principles of Remedial Diet
• Doctrine of Signatures
• Food Classification Systems

MODULES 3-6 OVERVIEW:
The Spleen as the Palace of Thought,
The Liver as the Ethereal Soul,
The Kidney as Will-Power,
The Heart as Mind and
The Lung as Corporeal Soul

The Spleen nourishes the muscles and limbs and consequently plays a vital part in the production of Qi and Blood. The Yang component of the Spleen is responsible for activating the processes of transformation and transportation that ultimately convert the crude elements of nutrition (food and drink) into the refined essence that eventually becomes Qi and Blood, the two basic building blocks of the human body. The Spleen is also called the ‘palace of thought’ and is associated with the intellect.

The Liver sustains a ‘free-flowing’ network of Qi and Blood transmission throughout the body including the meridians, organs, and tissues. The Liver is also called the ‘blood chamber’ because it stores and releases blood. The Liver is said to store ‘the Hun’ and is associated with the movements of the Ethereal Soul.

The Kidneys store Jing (the reproductive essence), represent the source of pre-natal energies and are responsible for hereditary characteristics. Over the course of a lifetime, the Kidneys also govern the process of decay within the organs. Jing (stored in the Kidneys) produces marrow from which the brain is activated, the spinal cord is nourished and the bones are developed. The Kidney is also said to store ‘the Zhi’ and is associated with Willpower.

The Heart governs the Blood and the vessels and is considered the ‘supreme ruler’ of all the other organs. The Heart requires adequate Blood to store ‘Shen’ and therefore if Blood is deficient, the ‘Shen’ can have no residence. If the Blood is deficient, the ‘Shen’ becomes scattered, and if the ‘Shen’ is disturbed, the Mind becomes restless. The Heart stores ‘Shen’ (Mind) and this is responsible for consciousness, thinking, affections, memory and sleep.

The Lung as a distributor of Qi and Jin-ye (body fluids) around the body is strongly connected to the Kidneys in a number of ways. The Lung descends Qi to the Kidney where it is grabbed and received. The Lung is then responsible for also sending Jin-ye to the Kidney where these fluids are vaporised and sent back to the Lungs for distribution. The Lung is said to store ‘the Po’ (Corporeal Soul) and this is responsible for physiological activities, sensations, sight, hearing, smell, and taste.

In these modules students will learn to diagnose and treat common Western diseases using Oriental nutritional medicine principles and techniques including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Diarrhoea, Anaemia, Conjunctivitis, Migraine, Hyperthyroidism, Hepatitis, Hyperthyroidism, Chronic tonsillitis, Nocturia, Palpitations, Insomnia, Chronic respiratory disease and Influenza.

These Western diseases will be differentially diagnosed in relation to corresponding Oriental medicine syndromes including Spleen Qi Not Producing Blood, Damp Heat in Liver and Gallbladder, Kidney Yin Deficiency, Heart Fire Blazes, and Lung Qi Deficiency.

In this module, students will then apply specific food cures that are relevant to each syndrome, and design recipes and menus that are appropriate including a medicinal wine and congee with selected herbs.

Highlights
• Differential Diagnosis
• Recipe and Menu Design
• Medicinal Wines and Herb selection
• Congee and Herb selection

MODULES 7-8 OVERVIEW:
Resolving Phlegm and Draining Damp
Shifting Stagnation

Dampness and Phlegm are similar in nature and significantly, both can originate from the spleen’s inability to transform and transport fluids. There are significant differences between them however. Dampness mostly affects the lower part of the body, including the spleen, stomach, gallbladder, bladder and intestines – with the exception of the spleen, yang organs.

Phlegm mostly affects the middle and upper parts of the body, including the lungs, heart, kidney, and stomach – with the exception of the stomach. Dampness generally affects the internal organs, skin and joints. Phlegm on the other hand, can be retained in the channels and under the skin causing swelling and lumps.

Qi can easily fail in its effort to produce movement and subsequently stagnate. This applies mostly to the movement of Liver Qi, and to a lesser extent, the Intestines and Lungs. Qi is also the motive force for Blood. And so it is said, ‘When Qi moves, Blood follows’, and ‘If Qi stagnates, Blood congeals’. Consequently, if Qi is deficient or stagnant, it cannot push the Blood (which will also stagnate).

In this module students will learn to diagnose and treat common Western diseases using Oriental nutritional medicine principles and techniques including food poisoning, Asthma, Bronchitis, Bruxism, Gallstones, and Breast lumps.

These Western diseases will be differentially diagnosed in relation to corresponding Oriental medicine syndromes including Retention of Phlegm-Damp Congestion in Lungs, Heart Blood Congealed, and Cold Mucus Obstructs Spirit.

In this module, students will then apply specific food cures that are relevant to each syndrome, and design recipes and menus that are appropriate including a medicinal wine and congee with selected herbs.

Highlights
• Differential Diagnosis
• Recipe and Menu Design
• Medicinal Wines and Herb selection
• Congee and Herb selection

MODULE 9 OVERVIEW:
Gynaecology and Paediatrics

Diet is particularly relevant to gynaecology and paediatrics. This is because gynaecological and paediatric health depend so much on maintaining the integrity and strength of Spleen function. In the context of women’s health, the reproductive faculties are also influenced significantly by the functions performed by the Liver and Kidney. Learning how to manufacture sufficient supplies of Yin Essences and Blood, Yang, Qi, and the clearing of obstructions therefore, determines the relative quality of gynaecological patterns, rhythms and cycles.

The role performed by the Spleen in governing the digestive faculties of infants and children cannot be underestimated. Nor can the role performed by the Kidney in establishing the quality of constitutional strength. Until children reach the age of ten, their digestive systems are relatively immature and subject to malfunction.

As the manager of post-natal Qi, the Spleen regulates this process and deficiencies or weaknesses in the processing mechanism are exposed easily and readily. It should be noted also that the immune system is linked to both Spleen and Lung function. In the event that the roles performed by either become dysfunctional, adaptation to the environment is jeopardised.

In this module, students will have the opportunity to correlate Western disease states related to gynaecology and paediatrics with the identification of specific patterns of disharmony classified according to the praxis of Oriental medicine. It is crucial for students to adhere strictly to the principles of comparative analysis when applying a differential diagnosis to the identification of specific Western disease states in relation to Oriental medicine syndromes. In terms of food therapy, the differential diagnosis based on a pattern of disharmony determines appropriate dietary corrections and modifications.

In this module students will learn to diagnose and treat common Western diseases using Oriental nutritional medicine principles and techniques including Endometriosis, Amenorrhoea, Polycystic Ovarian disease (PCOS), bed wetting, febrile convulsions, and ENT disorders.

These Western diseases will be differentially diagnosed in relation to corresponding Oriental medicine syndromes including Jing deficiency, Yin deficiency and food stagnation.

In this module, students will then apply specific food cures that are relevant to each syndrome, and design recipes and menus that are appropriate including a medicinal wine and congee with selected herbs.

Highlights
• Differential Diagnosis
• Recipe and Menu Design
• Medicinal Wines and Herb selection
• Congee and Herb selection

MODULE 10 OVERVIEW:
Holistic Business Practice – Oriental Nutritional Medicine Practitioner

In this module, students will be required to investigate their relationship to setting up a business based on the skills they have cultivated over the duration of the course. It is therefore necessary to increase awareness of the marketplace in terms of Oriental nutritional medicine. This will equip students with marketing and business skills to allow them to build their client base and share their gifts with society.

There are several key tasks that must be performed in order to accomplish the goal of meeting the marketplace. Students will be taken through this step-by-step process and have plenty of opportunity to refine it.

There are also several key tasks that must be performed in order to accurately identify personal goals, construct a SWOT analysis and extrapolate personal options. Once these tasks have been completed, students will be in a position to design strategies and plans related to the selling and marketing of their products and services in the context of setting up an individual practice including the production of a brochure and business card that reflect the unique qualities of the student and practice.

Highlights
• Unique selling proposition
• The value of customers
• Customer loyalty
• Generating advertising
• Joint ventures
• Products
• Internet maximisation
• Growing your business

FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE

The Oriental Psychology Certificate Course is unique because it is as much a profound resource tool for the development of professional skills as it is a guide to dynamic personal understanding and growth. In effect, the course reveals the secrets of the Masters of the Oriental healing arts, as students are taken on a journey through the worlds of the holistic template. Along the way, students have the opportunity to cultivate profound listening and communication skills, perception and insight, refinement of attention, self-knowledge, and inner calm and stability.

As the Masters of Huainan say,

‘Therefore, those who know themselves do not resent others; those who know their destiny do not resent heaven.’

The course is relevant for and provides invaluable assistance to:

• THERAPISTS

• BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS

• EMPLOYEES

• INDIVIDUALS interested in personal growth

OVERVIEW
The Art of Health Certificate Course in Oriental Psychology has been specially designed to facilitate distance learning at the student’s own pace without compromising on syllabus breadth or the quality of knowledge imparted. The course in Oriental Psychology comprises 10 modules encompassing the techniques, practices, principles and strategies devised by the Sages of Oriental tradition and refined by the greatest thinkers of the modern era.

Art of Health Education specialises in sharing the secrets of the Oriental healing arts, the ancient paradigm that introduced the concept of holistic healing to the world. Recognising that many enthusiasts of Oriental philosophy, medicine, leadership and strategy, may not always be able to attend a classroom session due to existing commitments or constraints, we have developed our programs to facilitate step-by-step study at home. The Certificate Course gives students the ability to study and revise lessons at their own speed and time. In addition, the Art of Health Certificate Course in Oriental Psychology and its collaborative support system ensures that students of the course will always have somewhere to turn to when questions arise.

COURSE STRUCTURE
Our courses are distance education or correspondence courses that avoid the constraints of a class room session. After registering for these courses, you will be provided with the study materials either via a download or a physical delivery to you.

STUDYING
Students are expected to undertake the courses and study the materials at their own speed. However, they must complete the course within a reasonable time frame in order not to lose the effectiveness of their efforts.

SUPPORT
Students will be able to receive assistance and guidance in their education via an on-line community created especially for this purpose. From time to time, as the course schedule or course requirements warrant, students may be invited to attend an on-line tutorial class to reinforce their learning.

MODULE 1 OVERVIEW:
Foundations of Oriental Psychology
In this module we will explore the psycho-philosophical basis of holistic Oriental medicine. The psychology inherent in the philosophies of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, provide profound insight into the nature of being and the relationship between energy (Qi) and spirit (Shen).

In turn, the ability to grasp the essence of Oriental psychology provides several benefits: a map that charts the evolution of consciousness (Shen), a blueprint for living harmoniously, and, a template for the resolution of conflict in daily life. At the core of Oriental psychology is the recovery of a peaceful mind and stable emotions.

Note
There is a long tradition associated with training protocol among practitioners of the Oriental healing arts for both teachers and students. One needs to carefully observe and understand how the principles operate within oneself in order to appreciate how they might operate in another. The self-assessment review and question supplements in the course are aimed at providing the student with ample opportunity to apply these principles. The objective therefore is to truly empower the student.

Highlights:
• The Role of the Healer
• The Key Features of Oriental Psychology
• The ‘Ba Gua’ Template and the Trigrams of Fu Tse
• Your Chief Characteristics
• Oriental Psychology and the Five Elements

MODULE 2 OVERVIEW:
Spiritual Alchemy
Module 2 explores the principles of spiritual alchemy according to the inner teachings of Taoism, a synthesis of Confucian, Chan Buddhist and Taoist philosophies. These principles were established in ancient times by the sages and disseminated through the classics, one of the traditional methods of inculcation in East Asia. The origin of spiritual alchemy in China can be traced back to the development of the Complete Reality School of Taoism, a movement that flourished between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries.

The ramifications of applying this device to clinical psychology and various holistic medicine treatment protocols are immense. In effect, the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of the whole person can be addressed and in the process, negative and destructive behaviours can be eliminated. The principles of the spiritual alchemy are not difficult to learn but nonetheless, require diligent application.

Highlights:
• A Clinical Modus Operandi
• On the true nature of Yin and Yang
• On the Firing Process
• Assembly of the Five Elements
• The Process of Temporal Conditioning

MODULE 3 OVERVIEW:
I-Ching Applications to Psychology
The I-Ching is widely regarded, as a spiritual classic and there is extensive evidence to support this claim. Carl Jung, the eminent Swiss psychotherapist wrote an endearing preface to Richard Wilhelm’s translation of the Chinese text in 1950. He extolled its virtues with lyrical enthusiasm as did master novelists Aldous Huxley and Hermann Hesse in their creative and interpretive ways before him.

Indeed, the I-Ching has been applied to just about anything and everything,
so pervasive are its principles.

In this module, students will learn to interpret the hexagrams of the I-Ching and its Sixty-Four Principles. In addition, they will also learn to consult the I-Ching in a wide variety of applications including the calculation of personal Trigram and Hexagram configurations as well as the interpretation of the ‘rites of passage’ (lifetime cycles of change) that relate to spiritual lessons/challenges and the identification of the keys to self mastery.

Highlights:
• The I-Ching and the Sixty-Four Principles
• Consulting the I-Ching and Calculating Trigram Configurations
• Your Natal Number: The Nine Breaths of the Infant
• Your Control Number: The Nine Labours of the Adult
• Your Tendency Number: The Nine Habits of Mind
• Personal Hexagrams
• The Rites of Passage

MODULE 4 OVERVIEW:
Buddhist and Taoist Spiritual Practices
Module 4 explores the nature and application of Buddhist and Taoist psycho-spiritual practices. This module is a combination of theory and practice that is intended to provide students with the scope to develop and design their own spiritual practice regimen to be used personally in daily life.

Given the levels of stress most people experience whether at work or at home, the combination of applied meditation and simple exercise is particularly useful as a resource – if not, necessary.

Students will also study selected excerpts from a work called ‘Anthology on the Cultivation of Realization’ by an unknown author, discovered in manuscript form and published in 1739. According to Thomas Cleary the translator, this collection of meditations on various aspects of developing the natural, social and spiritual elements of human life are a synthesis of Taoist, Confucian and Buddhist teachings.

Meditation practices according to the Taoist paradigm are investigated thoroughly and accompanied by step-by-step instructions leading to the practice of a traditional technique used in the teachings of spiritual alchemy to cultivate and refine the psyche.

Highlights:
• Methods for cultivating a healthy mind and body
• Chants, Mantras and Special Exercises
• Developing spiritual exercise regimens

MODULE 5 OVERVIEW:
Metaphysics of Diagnosis in Oriental Medicine
The true nature of diagnostic inquiry practiced under the auspices of Oriental Medicine is metaphysical in approach and aims to explore the real causes of disease, their progressions and their harmonisations.

Perhaps the easiest way to explain the mechanism of metaphysics is to suggest that an illness manifesting in the physical body is the mirror of a dysfunction that began in Spirit. This is especially relevant in the context of psychological applications given that disease states are strongly influenced by mental processes and characterised by emotional disturbances of one kind or another.

In this module, students will learn to identify and diagnose energy leakages of the main channels according to the diagnostic protocol of Oriental Medicine especially making use of a metaphysical template that conjoins organ dysfunctions with their root cause. The application of this template facilitates a deeper appreciation of the causes of disease and their subsequent rectification.

Highlights:
• Emotional disturbances and the Organs
• The Channels
• Shen – residence of the Mind
• The five Mental-Spiritual aspects of Shen
• Basic Metaphysical Interpretations
• Metaphysical causes and cures
• Case studies

MODULE 6 OVERVIEW:
Sun Tzu’s Art of War
The Art of War has long been considered a classic, not only for the militarist but also for the layperson. Compiled by a mysterious warrior-philosopher, it is still regarded as the one of the most influential books of strategy in the world today.

When viewed in the light of the spiritual tradition of Taoism, the Art of War is a study in the psychology of conflict. By understanding conflict one develops the skills to diffuse or avoid it entirely. In this module, students will learn how to identify and evaluate the essential qualities of leadership and strategy according to the principles established by Master Sun and then apply them to daily life.

Highlights:
• Qualities of leadership
• Getting rid of trouble before it arises
• Cultivating strong alliances
• Cultivating the ability to avoid danger
• The relationship between benefit and harm
• The ‘Five Dangers’
• The challenges of leadership and patient management

MODULE 7 OVERVIEW:
Inner Chapters of Chuang Tzu
Chuang Tzu ranks as one of the most famous works of Chinese literature. Written by the sage Chuang Chou, an expositor of the teachings of Lao Tzu, the book is chiefly concerned with spiritual and social liberties that are cloaked in the fabric of symbolic stories. Chuang Chou implies that ultimately, any attempts to modify ‘the way things are’, is counter-productive in the sense that things are ‘as they are’ and should be left well alone. The concept of ‘Wu Wei’, the principle of non-interference, is ever present.

Not interfering with anything through the use of force, through indulging desires, through making others conform to a way of thinking – not interfering with how things are in the sense that interference is an outgrowth of the ego and any attempt to interfere is the urge to satisfy the ego’s desire for recognition.

In this module, students will learn to expose the root of the human condition, set aside illusions and discover something of the freedom that comes with investigating universal spiritual principles and applying them in daily life either through situational encounters (i.e. how to prepare for and manage situations) or refinement of personal conduct.

Highlights:
• ‘Lao Tan’s Funeral’
• ‘The Tigers’ Keepers
• ‘Prince Wen Hui’s Cook’
• ‘Shu the Hunchback’
• ‘The Butterfly’
• ‘Feelings’
• ‘Light and Dark’

MODULE 8 OVERVIEW:
Leadership and Strategy of the Huainanzi Masters
In this module, students will apply the teachings of the Masters of Huainan to the most essential aspects of lifestyle management with an aim to establish guidelines that can be followed simply and lead to the consolidation of personal autonomy. The teachings of the Masters of Huainan follow the ancient tradition of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu and reflect the distillation of the essence of Taoist wisdom and the arts of living using a variety of techniques.

Huainanzi is a record of sayings attributed to the Masters and these can be applied to the cultivation of personal development in order to enhance positive and constructive integration while living in the world. Written in a period of reconstruction following centuries of civil wars, the teachings emphasise the deleterious effects of habitual desires, the negative impact of greed and aggression on human psychology, and the importance of self-knowledge.

Highlights:
• Evaluating human mentalities
• Right and Wrong
• The Three Dangers
• The value of benevolence and urgency of wisdom
• The Three Passageways
• The birth of madness
• Benefits of non-contrivance

MODULE 9 OVERVIEW:
Zi Yang’s ‘Understanding Reality’

Using Zi Yang’s ‘Understanding Reality’ as a guide to penetrate the mysteries of the I-Ching in terms of the inner teachings of Taoism as well as the hidden secrets of spiritual alchemy, this module explores the various meanings attributed to the six steps of the ‘Yang Firing Process’ (the restoration of true Yang – the male principle) and the six steps of the ‘Yin Convergence’ (the restoration of true Yin – the female principle).

The Yang Firing Process is a practical vehicle used to clear the negative and destructive influences of temporal conditioning. Implementation of the ‘process’ contributes significantly to personal empowerment and increases inner strength. There is a specific order of application and a distinct protocol to be followed.

The Yin Convergence is also a practical and complementary tool that can be used to increase and enhance the experience of openness and stabilise the qualities of receptivity and flexibility. Both the Yang Firing Process and Yin Convergence are profound psychological resources that govern the recovery of wholeness within, assist in the management of daily life challenges on all levels, and define the steps to be taken by students in order to facilitate the cultivation of self-mastery.

Students will learn to identify the key principles and apply them to practical daily life challenges.

Highlights:

• The six steps of the Yang Firing Process:
‘Reordering’, ‘Walking the Talk’, ‘Living Truth’, ‘Passive Watchfulness’, ‘Selfless’, ‘Heavenly Order’.
• The six steps of the Yin Convergence:
‘Giving Instruction’, ‘Preserving Strength’, ‘Stagnation’, ‘Parenting’, ‘Giving Encouragement’, ‘Earthly Submission’.

MODULE 10 OVERVIEW:
Manifestations of Shen Disturbance

According to Giovanni Maciocia the word shen is best translated as Mind and is a complex of all five mental-spiritual aspects of a human being otherwise known as Spirit: the Ethereal Soul, the Corporeal Soul, Intellect, Will-power and Mind.

The functions of the Mind (Shen) are to facilitate consciousness, thinking, memory, insight, cognition, sleep, intelligence, wisdom, ideas, affections, feelings, and senses. Disturbances of these functions are directly related to one or more of the five Shen.

In this module, students will learn to identify the key pathologies and emotions responsible for disturbing the Shen including: disorders of Hun (Liver pathologies), Po (Lung pathologies), Yi (Spleen pathologies), Zhi (Kidney pathologies), and Shen (Heart pathologies), as well as evaluate and then apply their harmonisations.

Highlights:
• Disturbances of the Zhi, corresponding pathologies and psychological rectifications
• Disturbances of Hun, corresponding pathologies and psychological rectifications
• Disturbances of Shen, corresponding pathologies and psychological rectifications
• Disturbances of Yi, corresponding pathologies and psychological rectifications
• Disturbances of Po, corresponding pathologies and psychological rectifications

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