Biophysics Week Twelve (July 23rd): Life and Living Systems
“I know I’m a living system because...”
I know I’m a living system because in regards to autopoietic organization, I am a self-producing system that can produce itself in a “ceaseless way.” Also, we are made up of an infinite possibility of combinations of organic molecules. The diversity of our molecules help us to evolve and transform according to the changes in our environment. This evolution has allowed us to survive for so long. As a collective system of humans, we are also seen as a living system according to certain necessary conditions: a three dimensional space, time, a sun, a steady axis of rotation, magnetic field, a protective atmosphere, water, and lastly carbon. These components allow humans to survive and create a self-producing system as well.
Biophysics and TCM
In regards to systems, TCM also looks at the body as a self-regulating system. Western medicine focuses on the physical layers of the body, but TCM also focuses on addressing the less material parts of a person. We have different energetic layers of the body and we help to bring balance by manipulating qi flow in certain ways such as if a pathway is blocked, or there are areas of deficiency and excess that need attention. Essentially, we are using our needles and herbs to help maintain homeostasis. Our bodies already naturally have everything it needs to survive. Just as in TCM, we can look at the body in relation to the five elements and our innate connection to nature. Fire, earth, metal, water, and wood are key elements that each have a connection to a specific organ pair in the body. We are like a microcosm that reflects the macrocosm of the world around us. We are each a small component of the larger system so the interconnected nature of our beings is undeniable. In TCM, we have to address not just the physical body of a person, but also their emotional and spiritual body, and lifestyle, diet, and their relation to the world around them.
I know I’m a living system because in regards to autopoietic organization, I am a self-producing system that can produce itself in a “ceaseless way.” Also, we are made up of an infinite possibility of combinations of organic molecules. The diversity of our molecules help us to evolve and transform according to the changes in our environment. This evolution has allowed us to survive for so long. As a collective system of humans, we are also seen as a living system according to certain necessary conditions: a three dimensional space, time, a sun, a steady axis of rotation, magnetic field, a protective atmosphere, water, and lastly carbon. These components allow humans to survive and create a self-producing system as well.
Biophysics and TCM
In regards to systems, TCM also looks at the body as a self-regulating system. Western medicine focuses on the physical layers of the body, but TCM also focuses on addressing the less material parts of a person. We have different energetic layers of the body and we help to bring balance by manipulating qi flow in certain ways such as if a pathway is blocked, or there are areas of deficiency and excess that need attention. Essentially, we are using our needles and herbs to help maintain homeostasis. Our bodies already naturally have everything it needs to survive. Just as in TCM, we can look at the body in relation to the five elements and our innate connection to nature. Fire, earth, metal, water, and wood are key elements that each have a connection to a specific organ pair in the body. We are like a microcosm that reflects the macrocosm of the world around us. We are each a small component of the larger system so the interconnected nature of our beings is undeniable. In TCM, we have to address not just the physical body of a person, but also their emotional and spiritual body, and lifestyle, diet, and their relation to the world around them.
I like your take on TCM focusing on the "lesser parts of a person" as it is definitely a component where many doctors and healers forget to poke at! Using microcosms and macrocosms are a very good way to visualize the biophysics of the body and how it is stimulated by TCM.
ReplyDelete