Broken Sequence, Lung

Broken Sequence (lie que), Lung 7, 45x57, hand-dyed and commercial fabric, embellished with paint. Located one and one half inches proximal to the wrists, this is where the Lung channel splits off to join the Large Intestine channel at LI-4, and thus breaks the normal sequence of Qi flow to the end of the Lung channel. The character ‘lie’ means both ‘sequence’ and ‘bursting’, and describes the bursting forth of Qi flow at this point. Ma Dan Yang describes this point (one of his 12 heavenly star points) as a ‘thunderhead spitting fire,’ again describing the tumultuous nature of the flow of Qi here, and hence the Thunderbird motif in quilting on the front and in applique on the back.

Thunderbird

Broken Sequence, Reverse side with Thunderbird applique, embellished with buttons.

Camphorwood Gate

Celestial Pivot

Celestial Pivot (tian shu), 35x42 , Stomach 25, hand-dyed and commercial fabric, embellished with beads and paint. This point is located two inches lateral to the center of the navel, bilaterally. It is the place where Celestial Qi and Earthly Qi intersect, and is the origin of man's Qi and the Ten Thousand Things. In the Tao Te Ching, Verse 42 reads, 'Tao gave birth to One, One gave birth to Two, Two gave birth to Three, Three gave birth to the Ten Thousand Things. The Ten Thousand Things carry the Yin on their backs and hold the Yang in their embrace, deriving their vital harmony from the proper blending of the two vital Breaths.' Tian Shu is also the ancient name of the central star in Ursa Major, and the other six stars in that constellation rotate around it. They all rotate around Polaris, and never dip below the horizon in the Northern hemisphere. Finally, any depiction of Order in the universe would not be complete without remembering the Divine Trickster, Coyote, and his tendency to introduce some Chaos.

Dragon Bone Oracle

Dragon Bone Oracle, 32x25 , hand-dyed and computer images on fabric, embellished with paint. Tortoise carapaces and ox shoulder blades were used to perform and record divination in Shang Dynasty (pre-1122 BCE). Divination meanings were revealed by the pattern of cracks in response to applied heat. Both the questions asked and the answers given were subsequently inscribed on the cracked bone. The Wu (shaman) divined the will of the deceased spirits and carried out rituals to appease them, thus warding off misfortune.

Food Hole

Food Hole (shi dou), 57x58, Spleen 17, hand-dyed and batik fabric. The Spleen's function of ruling digestion and providing the body with nourishment is reflected by 'shi', meaning food. 'Dou' is another word for hole, so we may visualize the essence of grain qi rising to the Lung and passing through the diaphragm at this point. Food Hole is also a reference to the nipple, and is associated with the point's location near the breast. Published in "Convergences" by Ricky Tims, 2003.

Green Spirit I

Green Spirit I (qing ling), Heart 2, 30x20, hand-dyed fabric, embellished with beads and paint. The character ‘qing’ represents blue-green, the natural color of plants; ‘ling’ refers to the yin aspect of the Heart spirit. Together they suggest both physical and spiritual renewal. This point is located near the elbow. Private Collection.

Green Spirit II

Green Spirit II, aka Blue Death (qing ling), Heart 2, 30x20 , hand-dyed fabric, embellished with beads and paint. An alternate name for Green Spirit, 'qing' is used to indicate black or purple in older texts. It may be a reference to the deep red color of blood in the vessels, which are ruled by the Heart, or the color purple, associated with royalty (Heart being the Sovereign Minister). This point is located near the elbow.

Guarding White

Guarding White (xia bai), Lung 4, 39 x42, hand-dyed fabric, embellished with paint. The character 'xia' means 'to protect.' White is the color associated with the Metal element, and often represents the Lung and its emotional imbalance of melancholy. The point conveys a sense of protecting the Breath from a state of depression. This point is located five inches distal to the elbow.

Harmony Bone Hole

Harmony Bone Hole (he liao), 21x31, Triple Warmer 22, hand-dyed fabric and batiks. Used to treat deafness, this point harmonizes the Kidney, which opens into the ear. It is located in the bone hole in front of the ear at the intersection-jiaohui point of the Triple Warmer, Small Intestine, and Gallbladder channels. When the Kidney is in harmony, the ears can hear the five sounds.

Penetrating Gate

Penetrating Gate (chong men), Spleen 12, 33x32, hand-dyed and batik fabric, embellished with beads and paint. The character 'chong' refers to the fact that upsurging qi passes through this major thoroughfare of the Liver, Spleen and Penetrating Vessel meridians. This Gate is located in the Qi Corridor in the groin where qi tends to stagnate.

Sea of Qi

Sea of Qi (qi hai), Conception Vessel 6, hand-dyed fabric, embellished with beads and paint. Located beneath the navel, this point affects the Cinnabar Field where the source of qi gathers ins a sea-like reservoir. Cinnabar was considered a perfectly balanced Yin and Yang, representing a state of pure meditation. Published in "Convergences" by Ricky Tims, 2003.

Spirit Ruins

Spirit Ruins (ling xu), Kidney 24, 28x20, hand-dyed fabric, embellished with paint. This point represents the home of the yin spirit and thus is located near the heart, two inches either side of the midline of the chest. Yin qualities of mystery, obscurity and hidden elements are emphasized in this point.

Worm Spirit of Ku

Worm Spirit of Ku 42x45 , hand-dyed and commercial fabric, embellished with paint. The Ku, a worm spirit, is thought to be an ancient Chinese explanation of actual parasitic infestation. The basic concept is as follows: A human 'host' fills a container with various poisonous insects, worms, and snakes, which devour each other for 100 days. The one surviving creature contains the concentrated poison of all the dead creatures and is then allowed to mate with another in a water-containing vessel. The seed of the male floats on the surface and is the 'ku poison.' This poison is placed into the food of the human victim, and the seeds develop into worms which gnaw on the viscera of the victim, ultimately killing him. Upon his death, worms crawl out from orifices of the corpse, thus explaining parasitic disease. Private collection.