Attaining Radiant Health
by
Ron Teeguarden
One
of the great secrets of a long, satisfying, and happy life,
according to Eastern wisdom, is to focus on health instead of
disease. This is the psychological basis of the art of radiant
health. Develop the attitude of radiant health, and radiant health
can be attained surprisingly easily. Once we have trained ourselves
to focus on the attainment and maintenance of radiant health, and
have acquired the tools for accomplishing our goal, the functions of
the mind, body, and spirit can flourish. Once we have achieved a
state of radiant health, the bodily functions cannot easily fall
into disharmony, disease cannot readily arise, and, from the
perspective of our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual
health, we are beyond most dangers.
Radiant health is attainable by most people who have not
already severely damaged themselves through abuse and wrong living.
It is also attainable by many who have severely damaged themselves
but have the will to regain true health. In life, it is sometimes
necessary to hit a low point before we discover the motivation to
work at attaining radiant health. Complete success takes
determination, knowledge, discipline, and skill.
But we cannot do it by ourselves. We need help. Nature can
provide that help. One of the ultimate sources of help from nature
lies in the nutritional resources. The tonic herbs, being one of the
richest sources of bionutrients, are used to promote overall
well-being, to enhance the body's energy, and to regulate bodily and
psychic functioning, resulting in radiant health.
HEALTH BEYOND DANGER
Radiant health, the highest level of health a person can attain,
is defined as "health beyond danger." In other words, the person is
so internally strong and adaptive as to be able to adapt to
virtually all normal stresses, as well as many extreme stresses, and
is thus capable of overcoming most serious dangers. My teacher, Sung
Jin Park, emphasized that protection is one of the primary
characteristics of health, and the higher the level of protection
the better. When one's protection has reached the stage of "health
beyond danger," then one has achieved radiant health.
There are many
Chinese tonic herbs that strengthen the body's resistance. Thousands
of active components in the various herbs influence the human immune
system. In particular, the tonics are rich in substances that
"modulate," or regulate, the immune system. Regular consumption of a
major immune-modulating herb, or a collection of herbs with
modulating capacity, gradually builds up a person's resistance. I
have seen hundreds of people who were immune deficient and thus
prone to chronic colds and other infections. After taking the tonics
for several months, their immune systems showed tremendous
improvement. After taking the herbs for a year or so, they became
highly resistant to common colds and flus.
People find it amazing. It's this kind of response to the
herbs that makes me think that the tonics are really foods that the
body requires. It seems that without the herbs, the immune system is
underfed. With the herbs in the diet, the immune system flourishes.
The combination of factors found in the tonic herbs makes them an
indispensable nutritional requirement. They replenish Primal
Essence, they provide the energy to adapt to the stresses in our
environment, and they protect us. They can even strengthen our
willpower. Radiant health is much more easily attainable if we are
truly nourished, and these great tonic herbs provide a form of
nourishment found only rarely in nature.
ATTAINING LONGEVITY
In Asia, longevity is universally regarded as one of life's
primary goals. People do many things to assure their longevity. They
work at an even pace, they eat three meals a day at very regular
times, they exercise in a way that is believed to promote longevity,
and so on. One of the measurements most often cited in determining
the advanced state of a country is the average longevity of its
citizens. The average life expectancy of a Japanese woman, for
example, is eighty-six years. This is an astounding and wonderful
achievement. It would do all of us well to start thinking about
longevity as a virtue rather than an inevitable catastrophe. It is
possible to live long and to live well.
If youthfulness is so important (which it is to me), then we
should attempt to maintain our youthful condition into old age. By
watching our health and promoting our well-being on a steady basis,
we can reach old age without undue suffering. This does not in any
way have to mitigate the excitement of life. On the contrary, with
energy, protection, and intelligence, our lives will ultimately turn
out to be richer and more exciting. And then the latter years of our
lives can be truly great if we are not suffering from various
ailments. While we are still young, it is wise to seek radiant
health so that we can live a long, healthy, exciting, and happy
life.
Wisdom is something that can grow as we grow older, so we should
seek to learn the underlying truths of life as we proceed through
life. We in the West would do well to respect the wisdom of older
souls who have seen and done more than we have and who have the
wisdom to understand what has happened.
My wife, who is Chinese, was very surprised when she first came
to America to find out that there is not a single real, universally
recognized symbol for longevity in our culture. Our Western culture
seems to downplay the beauty of achieving great longevity. Youth
seems to be king here. Yet we all eventually come to realize that
life is finite and that growing old in a state of radiant health is
far superior to living fast, hard, and foolishly while we are young
and then suffering intolerable illnesses when we reach middle age
and beyond.
In China and other Eastern societies, there are many symbols of
longevity. You find them everywhere in China, Japan, Korea, and
Southeast Asia, and they are used in a multitude of settings.
Interestingly, an herb now commonly used in Chinese tonic herbalism
is the most widely used symbol of longevity -- the Reishi mushroom.
This mushroom is used in all Asian societies as a symbol of health,
happiness, wisdom, and long life. It is a common symbol in the art
of China and Korea.
The Reishi is in fact a true longevity herb. Though historically
it has been a rare herb, it has in recent years become much more
commonly available, thanks to modern horticultural technology.
Hundreds of scientific studies have confirmed that Reishi can be
used to build physical resistance to disease and to treat a wide
range of ailments. Reishi has many benefits, including protection of
the cardiovascular system and prevention and treatment of liver
diseases and even certain forms of cancer. No wonder it became a
symbol of longevity.
We are fortunate today to have herbs like the Reishi mushroom
accessible to us. There are many other similarly beneficial herbs
that were once rare but are now easily obtainable. It is unfortunate
that most people in the West do not even know that these herbs
exist. When consumed over a period of time, these herbs can
profoundly enhance the performance of our bodies and minds and can
help us attain both radiant health and longevity. When used
properly, they are completely safe and have no side effects at all.
They are far less expensive than modern medical procedures used to
cure illnesses and can be obtained at a local herb shop or health
food store or by mail order.
HUMAN POTENTIAL POTENTIATORS
The Chinese call these tonic herbs "mild" because they are so
safe and because they are not "druglike." They are not bolts of
lightning, nor are they mind-altering in the same sense as we have
come to think of drugs. But they are extremely powerful. When taken
regularly for a period of time, we change. A whole host of functions
tends to improve, we feel better and stronger, and we become more
capable: more capable at work, more capable at home, more capable at
play, more capable in bed, more capable in our art, more capable in
every aspect of our lives. Our minds become clearer. We get more
work done, and at a higher level. We look better and become more
attractive.
The Chinese tonic herbs are so right for the age we live in. They
are natural, they are effective, they are legal, and they are
readily available. They can help us achieve what we want out of
life. If we want energy, they can provide it. If we want willpower,
they can help. If we need to relax, they can help us to calm down
and loosen up. If we require endurance, they are truly effective. If
we seek wisdom, they are a godsend. And if we want it all, why not?
The Chinese tonic herbs are truly that good. Three thousand years of
experience has proved that the Chinese tonic herbs are the virtual
fountain of life.
The tonic herbs were considered by Daoist (Taoist) and Chan (Zen) Buddhist
masters, who contributed heavily to the development of the art of
tonic herbalism and to the art of radiant health, to be "spiritual
growth herbs." The tonic herbs have been used for thousands of years
by wise men and women and spiritual seekers to aid in their
spiritual development. The herbs are not psychoactive substances
like drugs. They are beyond that. Because they have profound
regulatory functions that help the body-mind maintain its
equilibrium even under extremely stressful circumstances, they are
enormously useful in supporting our ability to overcome intense
challenges and to learn from our experiences and thus to attain
wisdom that might elude those less fortunate.
The spiritual path is
arduous and fraught with traps. And one of the biggest problems is
that you may not even know when you are caught in a trap. The
illusory nature of traps is legendary. Many spiritual seekers have
used the superior herbs to clarify their awareness and put things in
perspective. Ginseng, Reishi, and other similar herbs have played an
enormous role in the spiritual world of Asia.
ADAPTABILITY: THE MEASURE OF LIFE
The psychic power bestowed upon us by taking these herbs need
not be the exclusive possession of the spiritually minded. The
adaptive energy provided by the tonic herbs helps those who are not
specifically on a "spiritual path" in a similar way. For one thing,
the tonics help people handle stress much more easily. Success in
the modern world can often be measured by how well we can handle
stress. Those who handle stress well generally move up in the world
much more quickly, taking on greater challenges, heavier workloads,
and more confrontation, and in general getting more done.
Successfully overcoming obstacles is the truest way to grow in
experience, knowledge, and wisdom -- all very good things. It could
easily be said that the motto of our age is: "He or she who can
handle more stress most successfully wins!"
Resilience is a significant aspect of radiant health. It results
from adaptability, and thus the concept of adaptability is central
to the concept of radiant health.
The ability to adapt to the stresses of life is fundamental to
life itself. Adaptability is the root of evolution and the secret to
biological success. The more adaptable one is, the more flexibility
and resiliency one will be capable of showing in one's life.
Adaptability is inherent in all living creatures, and human beings
are inherently one of the most adaptable creatures on earth. They
have been able to adapt to virtually every climate. There are humans
living in the most inhospitable climates: the hottest, driest
desert; the hottest, dampest jungle; the coldest, most barren
tundra. But humans are now creating a new, often artificial world
that is in many ways a new challenge to their adaptive nature. Not
only is the well-being of every individual now at stake, but the
very survival of Homo sapiens and the majority of other species is
at risk because of extreme changes in the ecosystem resulting from
aggressive technological "advancement."
It is not quite clear whether or not people are under more or
less stress than they were in the past. Poverty, seasonal weather
changes (without heating, insulation, or air conditioners), the hard
work of acquiring food, war, pestilence, and so forth have always
been stressful. Many of the stresses that our forefathers had to
bear have been lessened by modern invention. What would we do
without electricity, the modern toilet, the automobile, the
telephone, the modern printing press, refrigeration, heating oil,
grocery stores? On the other hand, life is so full of trivial
pursuits and is so fast-paced that new stresses have arisen and we
are being forced to adapt in new ways. Will we be able to adapt to
the widening holes in the stratosphere? Will we be able to adapt to
the carcinogens in our water, food, and air? Will we be able to
adapt to artificial food? Will we be able to adapt to the constant
bombardment of various forms of radiation?
A healthy person adapts easily to a wide range of "normal" stress
factors, such as changes in the weather. But if for some reason we
lose some of our ability to adapt, we can easily become imbalanced,
and this often results in illness. And it is important to remember
that an overreaction is just as dangerous as an underreaction. To be
considered optimally adaptive, one must adapt precisely according to
the degree of change.
If for some reason we lose the ability to adjust appropriately,
sooner or later we fall prey to the forces of nature. In a desperate
attempt to regain homeostasis, our bodies rely on backup methods of
regaining balance. If these, too, are insufficient, severe symptoms
arise, followed by death.
As the great endocrinologist Hans Selye has pointed out in his
classic biomedical text,
Stress: "Adaptability is probably the most
distinctive characteristic of life. In maintaining the independence
and individuality of natural units, none of the great forces on
inanimate matter are as successful as that alertness and
adaptability to change which we designate as life -- and the loss of
which is death. Indeed there is perhaps even a certain parallelism
between the degree of aliveness and the extent of adaptability in
every animal-and man."
Selye postulated that there is some sort of
intrinsic energy with which a person is born. He presented
compelling evidence that it can be used slowly or quickly, but when
it is all gone, we die. Adaptability is the very measure by which an
Oriental master would judge the true health of an individual. The
more adaptive an individual, and the more vigor with which one can
meet the challenges of life, the greater that person's degree of
health. The Daoist sages of China have taught that each of us is
born with an intrinsic energy that determines our fundamental,
constitutional strength. It is called Primal Essence, or jing. Jing
is said to determine our potential life expectancy as well as the
vitality of our life while we are living it.
Oriental sages say that it is easy to abuse and thus dissipate
this jing with which we are born. As we lose this fundamental
energy, we stiffen and lose our ability to change. We cannot adapt
easily or appropriately, on either the microscopic or the
macroscopic level. Therefore, we easily become imbalanced, toxic,
and stagnant, dangerously susceptible to attack by microbial
invaders. Selye has supported this principle of an original,
apparently limited energy by demonstrating scientifically that
stress of any sort can be adjusted to for a while, but that finally
the stress-response mechanism exhausts itself and death ensues
prematurely.
Long ago, Chinese sages knew this. They investigated the natural
world, and over many centuries they discovered and developed means
of enhancing this Primal Essence by working with the natural laws
rather than against them. The oldest philosophical teaching of
China, Daoism, is a philosophy of flowing with nature's changes,
constantly harmonizing, always maintaining balance so as to avoid
the stress of extremes. Nature itself presents enough difficulties.
Why add more stress by bringing it upon ourselves? By knowing when
you have gone far enough and by knowing when you have had enough,
you will lead a less stressed, less draining life. Additionally, by
living close to nature and by changing gracefully with the changes
in the environment, you can avoid calamity and slow down aging.
Aside from simply avoiding stress, the ancient masters found it
possible to replenish our reserves of jing. It is obviously
impossible to avoid stress entirely. Anything that taxes our system
drains us of some of our jing. Thus, to promote our health, we must
nurture our jing -- that is, our primal energy. Techniques were
established to do exactly this, and have been passed along from one
generation to the next for three millennia. These health arts for
replacing spent jing -- or beyond that, building reserves -- are the
greatest health secrets of the East.
Chinese tonic herbalism is a primary means in the Orient for
replenishing and enhancing energy and for preserving harmonious
balance in the human body. It is the primary tool for attaining
radiant health.
Copyright 1998 by Ron Teeguarden
This
article is excerpted from the book:
 Radiant
Health: The Ancient Wisdom of the Chinese
Tonic Herbs
by Ron Teeguarden.
All rights reserved. ©1998. Reprinted with
permission from
Time Warner Bookmark.
About The
Author
RON
TEEGUARDEN is a Chinese herbalist, herbal product manufacturer, and
proprietor of Ron Teeguarden's Herbarium in Brentwood, California. He
has been researching the properties of Chinese tonic herbs and other
aspects of the Asian art of radiant health for over twenty years. Visit
www.dragonherbs.com for more information on Ron and his
programs.
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