[Elizabeth Evans]

Thanks so much for your reply, Armin. I’m ever so grateful to you. You are always so thoughtful and I appreciate that so much.

I laugh that you say you haven’t been courageous enough to use SDS because I have been wondering to myself whether I am courageous or stupid! Time will tell. I did use the pulse (again- very new at this so not hugely confident) in deciding second confluence and also wei and mediumship mobilisation signs as per page 171 of the red book. But, in TCM, I always learned that pediatric rhinitis you look at st/sp and in adults you look to liver. This is where I get confused.

I also realised that during the weeks of treating him he stunk like crazy- very smelly sweat. I kept suggesting he take a shower and he’d say, “I did!” At one point, I wasn’t sure I wanted him lying down on my treatment table because he was going to smell up my treatment room. LOL. So now I’m wondering if that smelly sweat was a form of releasing.

He’s off camping with friends so this will be a telltale time to see if his rhinitis is there or not. He did this same trip 2 years ago and was miserable because of his allergies.

I will let you know!

[Elizabeth Evans]

I just wanted to correct some misinformation I put up previously. I put up a reference to yang ming if bearing weight on shoulder. I’ve just watched Ann’s video on sinew diagnosis and what I said is wrong. If you have shoulder pain when lying down, that is not ‘bearing weight’ so not yang ming. Sorry for any confusion!

[Elizabeth Evans]

I could be adding confusion… but… maybe asking specifically what they mean when turning in bed. Because you can turn in bed and have pain the shoulder because it is now bearing weight (yang ming??). But if it is turning pain such as pubic symphasis pain, that pain is typically because a leg is crossing toward the midline. It actually hurts when one knee crosses over the other- even just slightly. If you keep your knees together and turn, it doesn’t hurt. So I would think more information might help.

From my experience, patients will say it hurts when sitting but when you say, “so it hurts now?”, they typically will realise it’s actually on getting up or trying to sit down. And even if it does hurt now, it hurts more on getting up or sitting down. But that might not be your experience.

But I also totally understand the confusion. I’m trying to figure it out myself. 🙂

[Elizabeth Evans]

Ah… you’ve got me thinking. Kind of a dangerous situation with me as I’m still feeling very disconnected in my learning. Too much TCM in my head! Anyway, I’ll throw this out there and see what others think. So… Not sure if this relates but I was listening to Jeffrey’s lecture on the 13 Ghost Points and he was mentioning stomach 6 and what I think he said “gnashing of the teeth” which relates to Jing as teeth relate to Jing. He went on to say that the ability to gnash the teeth… memory failing here… stimulates Jing… maybe??? Teeth are an extension of Jing. But I do remember that gnashing was important. I remember that clearly because I find the word “gnashing” disturbing as it always reminds me of the zombie in World War Z. I told you it was dangerous to get me thinking! There was a connection with brain stimulation with this as well (which makes the zombie reference even more interesting! Who knew that movie was so deep! LOL.). Interestingly, people have been reporting excessive dreaming during lockdown. From a Western point of view, I know that wisdom teeth pain can come from teeth grinding or jaw clenching. So my mind is thinking– gnashing of the teeth, brain stimulation. Or in the case of tooth pain, inability to gnash the teeth. My knowledge fails me when it comes to the significance of Jing in this particular scenario. Although I could make up an awesome zombie connection.

My other thought or question actually is whether this could be looked at from a sinews perspective? If tooth pain is caused from jaw clenching… could you look at doing a sinews treatment to relax the jaw? (or am I messing stuff up by thinking too Western here?) But, if you DID look at it from sinews… would clenching the teeth be classified as pain upon weight bearing or flexing???

Anyway, these are just rambling thoughts which – as usual- may not be at all useful but may stimulate others to provide useful thoughts.

I hope you are well, Armin. Hopefully someone else will chime in with better, more insight.

Best wishes,

Liz

[Elizabeth Evans]

Hi Armin!

thanks for this- your comments are very helpful. I find it confusing when I’m seeing sinews, 8extra, and divergent possibilities all at once. Which, of course, means I need to up my pulse game and probably just breathe a bit (lol). I’m taking the Krakow pulse course in October (fingers crossed as far as the timing and the pandemic) so hopefully that will help clarify things a bit.

Thanks again for the feedback on this case. It’s very much appreciated.

All the best,

Liz

[Elizabeth Evans]

I think what I say is very very similar. I suggest they allow for space for healing and that anything is possible. I suggest they listen to their body and listen to what it is telling them because our bodies are amazing and constantly trying to help us. So if you feel the need to walk in the woods- do it; if you feel the need to sleep, do that. I also add that if they feel energetic, to be careful (I have patients who come in with fatigue, get acupuncture, feel great, then decide to do 100 tasks they’ve been meaning to get done- and exhaust themselves).

I suppose I try to create a mindset of possibilities and to try not to prescribe to thoughts (You must do this or that) but get in touch with their own instincts. I try to empower and get them to start cultivating their own sense of self care.

So… I think we are singing from the same song book. I’d love to hear others advice, too!

[Elizabeth Evans]

Hi Armin- I was also on the Divergents zoom call… we “met” there. 🙂

I’m very “beginner” so hopefully someone with more experience will offer thoughts but I thought I’d get the ball running.

I was listening to one of Jeffreys talks yesterday and your case description took me back to the theme of rigidity- both physical (which you describe as locked) and emotional (not complying). I’m wondering if a focus on emotional might be in order. From my fledgling understanding both sinews and luo are in the realm of emotional. But maybe just gently presenting the idea.

I had a tennis elbow patient who also had a similar rigidity in his ability to comply. He’d leave pain free, but continue as normal (like your paitient- quite a brutal exercise regime for “sanity” in an intense job, family life). Personally, I felt all I could do was plant the seed of change and understanding that living a less depleting lifestyle might help a condition like his. Ultimately, he needed to give the idea a chance to grow. At that time, he wanted the pain to go so he could continue with his life. Having the pain go was the only change he would engage with. It took a lot of careful wording before I even felt he left with a carefully planted seed of thought. But I had to concede that, at that time, that was the appropriate treatment. Maybe someone else could have done better. Afterall, I’m still learning. 🙂

Another thought, from Jeffreys gallbladder talk, was that there are several points on the gallbladder channel on the scalp indicated for trauma. Im also thinking how GB crisscrosses the scalp and “talks” to the brain. I’m just wondering if a it might allow access to allow the change needed. Maybe even as a “take home” for self massage??? (Thinking and typing here [???]). There was a lovely concept I heard on one of Jeffries lectures that to embrace change there is a process of grief as you need to let go of something. And, from what you described, there seems to be some letting go, or unlocking that needs to occur.

I do wonder, with her resistance to treatment of the area- how you’d know whether the nausea and shaking are a sign of “stop back up” or a sign that you should just be with that and allow for her to process it. I’d love someone’s thoughts on whether sitting with her through that discomfort would help.

Anyway, these are just ideas which I’m sure you’ve already thought of. But sometimes, even if an idea isn’t valid, it can lead to a new idea. Hopefully others with more insight will jump in.

A very interesting case- thanks for sharing!

Best wishes

Liz

[Elizabeth Evans]

I forgot to add… a lot of her pain is one sided. So as a chronic degenerative condition could divergent be considered? I know this is very basic… Being new to this, I’m over thinking everything and can justify anything and everything. Lol.

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