Shamanic Origins of Classical Chinese Medicine: Manipulating the Internal Terrain

Shamanic Origins of Classical Chinese Medicine: Manipulating the Internal Terrain

In this class, Jeffrey Yuen will explore the shamanistic techniques of internal manipulation and release of the ego. This training was done in different levels. First, the cultivator explored changing one’s ego, and this is facilitated through the use of masks, which allow us to explore taking on another persona. Once a cultivator becomes adept at engaging the personas of different masks, they move on to releasing the mask the cultivator was born with. Through this cultivation, it was believed the shaman became free and was then able to “channel” or “become” a variety of persona which, in the context of medicine, were used for gaining insights into healing and to directly facilitate healing. Once the shaman had mastered this technique, s/he could then help patients also change their own “masks”, as a disease can only exist within a specific terrain. If you change the terrain you change the disease.

Dr. Yuen will further discuss how these methodologies and tools can be applied to modern healing practices. While attendance at prior classes may be helpful, each weekend covers specific aspects of shamanic contributions to Chinese medicine and is a subject in and of itself.