Page 27 - Sphere No.15 (Nov 2005)

like needles, the popularity of acupunc-
ture is perhaps a little surprising and
shows how much TCM has moved into
the mainstream of healthcare. As Mr
Tung explained: “In my experience, there
has been very little resistance to acupunc-
ture. Perhaps it is because there has been
a lot of publicity about it. I’ve come
across a patient. He is the foreman work-
ing at our new store in London and is a
tough sort of guy in his fifties. He told me
he had used acupuncture for pain in his
neck and back. It shows the levels of
awareness are very high.”
Indeed they are. Sen opened its doors
in January, 2003, and has not looked
back. Today, about 4,000 customers
come through the store every month
and it is no surprise to hear that Sen is
expanding. A second store has just
opened near Spitalfields Market in the
heart of London’s financial district.
“The area is full of international banks
and legal firms,” said Mr Tung. “It’s per-
fect – hundreds, perhaps thousands, of
stressed out bankers and lawyers in
need of a soothing massage or a calming
herbal tea!” A third outlet will open in
early 2006 across the road from
Harrods, perhaps the most famous
department store in Europe. It will be
part of “Harrods 102,” an extension of
the main department store that will
provide upscale convenience shopping
for a sophisticated, primarily local
clientele. Sen also has a concession at
Fenwick, a leading department store on
Bond Street in London’s West End, and
is planning to open soon in Chelsea’s
trendy King’s Road. Sen’s future, just
like that of TCM in the West, looks very
bright indeed.
S PHERE 25
“Our little oasis of calm to escape the bustle of London.”
Deborah and Rebecca from Little Kingshill
THE NAME SEN means “forest” in Chinese – the per-
fect metaphor for the human body. It is an ecosystem
that is in constant flux and needs to maintain a healthy
balance through different seasons and physical conditions.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can be used to treat
almost all health problems, from minor
imbalances to chronic disease. The basic
concepts are quite simple. TCM holds
that the human body must remain in
equilibrium with both the external and
internal factors that influence it. These
factors include climate (eg, wind, cold,
heat and damp) and emotional state (eg,
grief, anger, fright). TCM uses herbs,
reflexology and acupuncture to help
counteract these forces. Without treat-
ment, minor ailments can become
chronic illnesses that affect the internal organs and lead to a
serious decline in health. Achieving a physical, mental and
spiritual balance is the Chinese ideal.
“Yin” and “yang” symbolise the essential Chinese ideal of
perfect balance. Literally, they represent the sunny (yang)
and the dark (yin) sides of a mountain. They are two
opposing forces contained within the circle of life.
According to Chinese philosophy, the world and all life
within it contains this pair of mutually dependent opposites
and only when they are in equal balance is life itself in har-
mony. TCM attempts to harmonise the opposing forces of
your mind, body and spirit. Only when your yin and yang
are balanced will you feel 100 per cent.
TCM often refers to the “four pillars”- observing (the
patient’s facial, skin and tongue colour); smelling (the breath,
body odour) and listening (to the tone of
the voice or the sound of a cough); ask-
ing (symptoms and past treatment) and
palpitation (for example, feeling the
pulse). These methods enable a practi-
tioner to assess the physical and psycho-
logical state of the patient.
The idea of “organ networks” is anoth-
er central concept and was developed in
ancient China to explain the relationship
between a healthy body and a healthy
mind. According to the theory, five main
and six subsidiary organs regulate the correct functioning of
body and mind. For example, the liver stores blood, ensures
a smooth flow of energy around the body but also “opens”
into the eyes, “manifests” in the nails and plays a vital role in
social interactions, creativity and a good night’s sleep.
Over the centuries Chinese doctors charted the com-
mon ways in which these networks could break down and
result in illness. At the same time they developed methods
of restoring the networks back to a state of health and har-
mony by administering herbs and acupuncture.
HOW TCM WORKS
Apricot
Seed
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Centipeda
White
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