Written by: Khor Sea Moon (President of APAM)
Translated by: Kathryn Wong (EXCO Member of APAM)
The doctrine of Yin and Yang is not only applied in TCM, but also applied in Fengshui, geography, astronomy, and the Eight Trigrams to help us understand the attribute of everything exists in the universe. In TCM diagnosis, signs and symptoms observed on a person are categorised into Yin or Yang, deficiency or excess, cold or heat, exterior or interior, which is known as the Eight Principles of TCM Diagnosis. Applying the Eight Principles helps to improve the accuracy of essential oils application and prescription to relieve discomforts. Understanding the Yin and Yang characteristics of essential oil energy helps to improve the effectiveness of essential oil application based on the categorisation of various signs and symptoms.
Each essential oil extracted from natural plants has its own characteristics. In clinical practice, the concept of TCM Yin and Yang can also be applied on the essential oil characteristics to relieve discomforts. The Yin and Yang of essential oils are natural, which will not be altered by the extraction process. Yin essential oils are generally characterised as “cold”, which is good for reducing inflammatory and acute signs and symptoms such as high fever, wound inflammation, nose bleeding, sore throat, constipation, muscle pain, gout and others. On the other hand, Yang essential oils have the effect of increasing body energy, warming, and restoring deficiency for signs and symptoms such as chills, fatigue, shortness of breath, bloating, diarrhea, vomiting and others. The polarised syndrome of cold and hot should be targeted with the relevant essential oils—”Treat cold with heat, and treat heat with cold”, as commonly cited by TCM practitioners.
For instance, applying the Eight Principles of TCM Diagnosis in a case of knee pain:
- Yin and Yang. Yin syndrome is indicated by the feeling of cold when we touch the knee. Yang syndrome is indicated by the redness, swelling, warmth and pain of the knee.
- Deficiency and excess. Deficiency syndrome is indicated if the atrophy of knee is observed, or the body size is small. Excess syndrome is indicated by redness and swelling of the knee.
- Cold and heat. Cold syndrome is indicated by the feeling of cold when we touch the knee. Heat syndrome is indicated by the warmth of the knee as well as low fever.
- Exterior and interior. Exterior syndrome is indicated by the temporary signs of redness, swelling, warmth, and inflammation. Interior is indicated by the fatigue conditions of the person.
From this example, we understand that essential oils with the characteristics of warming and restoring deficiency—such as cinnamon, ginger, fennel, black pepper, clove, and frankincense—can be considered for the purpose to relieve the knee pain associated with the syndrome of Yin, deficiency, cold, and interior. These Yang essential oils help to warm up the meridian energy, expel cold, restore the Qi, and keep the body warm. Consequently, the issue with chronic pain caused by degeneration—which is very common among elderly—could be resolved.
In contrast, if the knee pain is categorised as syndrome of Yang, excess, heat, and exterior, it is considered a temporary inflammation. We can consider applying essential oils that can expel heat and reduce inflammation—such as peppermint, eucalyptus, chamomile, lavender, and tea tree—to reduce swelling, stimulate blood circulation to relax the muscle and joints, and relieve the fever caused by the inflammation.
The doctrine of Yin and Yang is a primitive notion of substances in the universe. Every substance can be categorised into Yin and Yang by its nature, including human, organs in the human body, and living matters (essence, Qi, blood, body fluids, and liquids). Each substance has a Yin and a Yang element. The Yin and the Yang elements are naturally co-creations; and yet, they restrict each other in order to maintain a constant balance.