Chinese medicine is a system that's rooted in nature. Using primary treatment tools like acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, and cupping, the practice focuses on maintaining health and preventing illness.
As a doctor of Chinese medicine for over six years, Brian Falk has nearly completed his Ph.D. in Depth Psychology with Specialization in Somatic Studies, and he has had a chance to experience a multitude of correlations between Chinese medicine and depth psychology.
Since studying depth psychology, Falk has gained a greater awareness of the power of the psyche. He was struck by the ancient Greek healing traditions and other medical and historical aspects from which western ideas originated and how similar they were to Chinese thought; specifically in relation to how the body can be healed through dreaming. Dreams help us deepen into our own human experience, and can even be helpful in dealing with death, Falk notes. He also came to see how much imagery there is in Chinese medicine, and the power of images has helped him gain a deeper appreciation for both fields.
Falk also finds that depth psychology fills some gaps that were left by his professional training in Chinese medicine. While Chinese medicine is a complete medical system focused on treating every part of the human, the idea of the personal and the collective unconscious; the shadow; and the archetypal perspectives that aid in understanding the human condition are mostly absent, he suggests.
Falk’s larger awareness has continued to expand through his research for his doctoral dissertation entitled, “Smell Your Reflections: On the Soul’s Meaningful Scent Images.” Perceiving images of smell allows us to go beyond the physical experience of smells in our environment, and reach something on a much deeper level of the psyche, he asserts.
Listen to the interview or read a detailed summary article at www.pacificapost.com/integration-chinese-medicine-somatic-studies-and-depth-psychology
