Discover Metal as a Deep Hidden Treasure

Unique amongst philosophical systems the world over, only the Chinese have metal as an element. Why? Born from deep in the earth, metal is hard and durable, yet it can be softened by fire and easily reshaped into new forms and it can be sharpened to a cutting edge. Where would Butcher Ding be without his ox-dismembering knife or Zhong Kui the exorcist without his demon-expelling sword? Where would we be without our fine qi-conducting needles to heal or the sea captain without his delicate compass needle to guide him? Where would Daoist temples be without their bronze cauldrons for offerings to the ancestors or the internal alchemist without the transformative cauldrons of the three dan tian in the belly, chest and head? Our associations with metal are often utilitarian and mundane, lacking the sense of richness, preciousness, gold and perfection that is an intrinsic part of the Chinese. With its hallmarks of precision and control, metal brings focus to the limitations of time and concentration to the restrictions of space. From breath control to PO control, the lungs regulate our qi in one of the most fundamental body rhythms, that of respiration, from the first breath that sees us into the last breath that takes us out. Blending the practicality of Chinese medicine with the wisdom of internal alchemy, we will explore metal as a deep, hidden treasure. What better time to do so than in this year of the metal ox, following hard on the dramas of the metal rat year of 2020!