Difference between divergent using blood to hold PF versus Luo becoming full

[Frederic Leclair]

What is difference between the divergent mrd using blood to hold pathology versus luos becoming full and holding pathology in blood ?

[Armin]

One difference is that Lou pathologies do not involve the Yaun level like divergent pathologies do. Lous would be more emotional toxins or other blood related pathologies (Ying level) whereas, the second confluence would have a wider application involving the Yuan and the Wei levels.

Clinically though, I should think that the two would affect each other, that is boosting blood though divergents would enhance the capacity for the Lous to hold pathology. And, doing Lou treatments would enhance the quality of blood as a medium for latency.

Hope this helps.

[Amy Matthews]

I love this question – how to think of the Blood storing pathology at the yuan level versus the Luo level. And it’s nice to be able to SEE the Luo vessels as places where the Blood is storing emotional pathology. As for how to distinguish Blood that is storing pathology at the yuan level, especially the divergents…I’ve been wondering how to think about this myself, since ostensibly when pathology is stored at the divergent levels, it’s stored in joints. So how does Blood, or thin fluids, get involved there? All I can think of is that these fluids are the ones that are pulled on to support the storage in the joints (which is easier to consider, since Chinese medicine is SO full of relationships).

Anyone have any clearer and more discerning view than my clumsy one?

[Mònica Martín]

Dear colleagues,

To my understanding the Blood is not storing pathology within the Divergent scenario, rather the Blood is being used to support the Jing in its attempt to hold pathology in latency because Jing is weakened (naturally with age and also induced by unhealthy habits) and that is why Divergent are often associated to chronic degenerative and autoimmune conditions. What this entails is that some of the functions of the body sustained by Blood will be weakened as the Blood is diverted to support Jing so you will get Blood deficiency signs and symptoms. The Luo scenario is a different one, here Blood is used as a vehicle to hold emotions that have become pathological and a Luo channel is created to that effect. In broad terms, the Luo scenario is based on the paradigm of Blood stasis whereas the Divergent scenario is based on the paradigm of Yin, Yang and Qi deficiency as the root cause of disease.

There are philosophical implications related to this. Blood contains the Shen and so the pathology stored in the Blood can be related to beliefs, ideas, memories about the self that limit the expression and excitement by the Heart at the unfolding of endless possibilities promoted by the Kidneys (unfolding of potential). The Heart moves Blood and the physical manifestation of the emotional pathology contained in the Blood eventually creating a burden for the Heart is Blood stasis. Primary channels, Luo channels and Sinew channels can be channels of intervention in this scenario. The Divergent channels might operate at the unconscious level by virtue of their connection, on the one hand to the Wei level, the Sinew channels and Wei Qi that do not have access to the conscious realm. Here we are talking about autonomous responses, and possible reactions that occur beyond our will without the intervention of Blood (consciousness). On the other hand, Divergent channels also connect to the Yuan level and Jing as the vehicle for the reservoir of pathology and trauma held at the deep unconscious layers, hence the connection of different confluences to various 8-Extra channels (1st confluence: Du mai and Dai mai, 3rd confluence: Chong mai..). As the body ages the body draws from other Yin resources to support the Jing in its function of holding pathology in latency and in doing so signs and symptoms will appear that are the reflection of deficiency of that resource that the body is drawing from. Even if there is a second confluence in the Divergent scenario that operates at the Blood level, this is Blood that is supporting Jing (Yuan level) not dealing directly with pathology itself.

Having said that, I agree with Armin that in broad terms treating a second confluence might boost the capacity of the body to sustain pathology at the Luo level and treating the Luos might release the burden of pathology held in latency at the Yuan level. Yet it is important to make a detailed and correct diagnosis to ascertain where the original problem lies in order to find the right scenario and so you can fine-tune your treatments.

I hope to have answered your questions.

Monica

[Frederic Leclair]

Thank you all for exchange of answers and ideas!

What would you think that could be theoretical scenarios of original problems in which you would clear luo first and then boost blood with second confluence in second, or vice versa ?

[Armin]

If there are a lot of emotional issues or you see a lot of spider veins and varicosity, best to work with the Lou’s first. If you suspect that the deficiency in the mediumship of blood is predominant and clearly the root of other issues, you would start with the 2nd confluence.

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