17/07/2018

Sleeplessness 不寐 (bu mei)

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28 New Living Translation

‘Sleeping Disorder,’ and ‘Insomnia’ are interchangeably used to depict how people having the problem to sleep at night. We also have the terms of 不寐 (bu mei), in TCM  two thousand years ago.  The condition is definitely not pleasant and varies a lot, from person to person. According to the publicly available information, it has become an epidemic that has affected millions upon millions of people globally. It is estimated that more than 100 million Americans have occasional sleep problems and some of them are chronic insomnia.

Research has been continually trying to look for the pathogenesis of it. Whether it is recurrent or chronic or acute sleeping disorder, people seem to accept it without reservation that the negative emotions such as anxiety, stress, fear, or worry.. are the contributing factor to it. Personally, I never believe it as coincidental that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has viewed that emotional (情志- Qíng zhì) elements play a significant role in line with the cause/Effects of the sleeping disorder.

The latest medical equipment still wouldn’t able to scan the movement of our Mind (Y-). If we brought in the etymology of the two Chinese words Chinese phrase of 休息 Xiūxí which means ‘rest, repose or break.’ The first character 休 (Xiū) means to stop or to cease of. The formation of the 息 (Xi) comes with two independent characters, it has the self (自) on the top and the word of the heart (心) at the bottom. Evidently, we would be very restless in our spirit if we put ‘self’ on top of our mind, instead of faith, hope and love. 

Now we know that Yin/Yang is the guiding principle for TCM in diagnostic and treatments. In fact, TCM is all about how each individual can be in perfect harmony with nature; so the most descriptive Diagnosis in Differentiation (辨证– Biànzhèng) of ‘Sleeplessness’ must be as what says of 阳不入阴 (Yángbù rùyīn). The Google translation of 阳不入阴 (Yángbùrùyīn) would say that ‘Nothing Yin or Yang.’

However, it literally means Yang Qi (阳气 = Y+) couldn’t find pathways entering into Yin Qi(阴气 = Y-), as for how the day (Y+) into the night (Y -). If I added some wit to it, I would say that Yang Qi doesn’t have the Yin Qi to tangle together with. Without having any medical or TCM training, the Chinese have always held on to the belief that any form of imbalance of Yin/Yang would be detrimental to the body, mind and the spirit.

The Sound Asleep is a cycle of two opposite states from the technical terms of REM (rapid eye movement) stage that is (Y+), which most dreaming befalls. And the NREM (Non-REM) stage that is (Y-), which is when people gradually pass from tossing (Y+) and turning to deep sleep (Y-). During the day (Y+) our entire being is in sync with the Yang Qi (Y+) in the air, and we become Active (Y+) and Charge up (Y+). As Night (Y-) befalls that Yang Qi (Y+ >Y-) starts diminishing out while Yin Qi (Y-) circulating in (Y ->), and our body should be in sync with the Yin Qi (Y-) and grow into the need for a Retiring from the day mode.

Even if people didn’t have any medical or TCM training background, as long as they can have a good grip of the idea of Yin/Yang, and sensitive to the inner voice of their body, and never miss the window of the time for retreatment, everything shall be fine. Finally, in the line of the complexity of the condition/disorder, many questions are still pending for answers. Such as ‘Is Insomnia Curable?’ Is it Hereditary? ‘Is Sleeping disorder a part of Mental Disorder?’ ‘Is a Disability?’ Or ‘is it part of PMS Syndromes or Post Menopause Syndrome?’

Scientists wouldn’t be able to tell us what causes insomnia. But most sleep disorder clinic would engage in proper scientific,  procedures (Y+) to test the hypothesis (the unproven idea Y-) to see if it is what might be causing insomnia. The most common one is to keep a Sleep Logbook for many weeks, in which patients set up a Sleep Log to record down how well they sleep at night and a Day Log of how they did and how they felt the next day. Keeping a Sleep Logbook can be time-consuming, but it helps to understand the patient’s sleep pattern, before treating it.

In tune with the above passage of scripture, it says it loud about the spiritual root cause of our restlessness and Jesus’ promise of rest. In the beginning, in God’s creation, we learn in the book of Genesis, that God has to cause Adam, the man, to sleep before HE created the woman. So all born-again Christians can conclude that God is also in the business of our sleep at night. Further, in HIS hesed wisdom,  it says in the book of Proverbs 14:40 ‘It is healthy to be content, but envy can eat you up.’ – Christian Standard Bible. That’s why it has been said that ‘envy’ is the worst form of torment to our soul.

Finally, what comes to my mind is the paraphyses of what I read from “The Overshadowing of God’s Personal Deliverance” by Oswald Chambers from his devotional book, ‘My Utmost of His Highest“(1). It reads that ‘we need to shield our minds from emotional invasion; we shall replace our common sense with God’s; we shall hold on to our worldly possessions loosely; we shall never look for justice, but never cease to give it, and we shall love our God wholeheartedly.’ It is not easy to be content, we all need to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to rejoice with those who rejoice.

1. Posted on 27/06/2013, 6:28:43 PM by Vision

 

 

10/07/2018 –

rework 25/04/2013

Androgyny – ‘Boy Oh Boy ‘Smoking’ Again!

The steps of a man are established by the LORD when he delights in his way; Psalms 37:23 ESV

Both Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent have held my highest regard as two of the most influential, gifted French designers. It’s with their brilliant gender blending (Y-/Y+), sophistication, and their relinquishment (Y-) of the traditional French stylistic, they have upended (Y+) the entire apparel industries around the world for many decades.

All my life I have had a great interest in fashion and I wouldn’t defend myself if people whom I know labelled me as a shallow fashionista. Now as I grow older, without being wiser, I would still keep myself well abreast with the latest trends through flipping the fashion magazines without my own subscription.

Recently, I was intrigued by the supposed to be the most covetable item for women all over that is the ‘Boy Bag (Y-/Y+ women handbag),’which launched in September 2011 by the House of Chanel, with a various usage of the materials, colour stories, sizes and definitely the different suggested retail prices.

‘ To be irreplaceable one must always be different.

 ~ Coco Chanel (19 August 1883 – 10 January 1971)~

From high fashion, handbags, jewellery and even perfume are all iconic products of the house of Chanel. And by the grace of Google, and Wikipedia people would be able to know more about the spirit of Chanel far beyond the price tags that adhesive to all of her lines of products.

I didn’t know that she was the only fashion designer to occur on the ‘Time’ magazines list of the 100 most influential individual of the 20^thcentury. She was inspired to liberate women from the constraints of the “corseted silhouette” by creating the clear-cut luxury ‘black dress.’

Karl Lagerfeld, the current head designer in the house of Chanel, once said: “ One is never over-dressed (Y+) or under-dressed(Y-) with a little black dress.“ Many women would believe that it is essential to own one to complete their wardrobe. And that is simply referred to as the “LBD (1).”

Suddenly Julia Roberts’ black cocktail dress in the movie of “Pretty Woman” comes to my mind. That black dress was the final touch to bring out a total transformation of her movie character, from a street girl (Y-) on Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles, into the ‘Pretty Woman (Y+) that fits into the Beverly Hills 

It has been said that the true spirit of the house of Chanel in Couture high fashion has always been the wit combination of both feminine and boyish deluding (Y-/Y+). Personally, I felt that her androgynous dynamism has either directly or indirectly impacted many other fashion houses around the world.

“Fashions fade, style is eternal.”

~ Yves Saint Laurent (August 1, 1936 – June 1, 2008)~

One generation later, we had Yves Saint Laurent (YSL), another ingenious, gifted French fashion designer. He was the head designer of the House of Christian Dior at age 21. When the House of Dior faced financial difficulties, it was YSL’s 1958 Spring collections (2) that kept the house from financial embracement.

Dresses with a narrow shoulder (narrow is Y-/ shoulder is Y+)and with gently flared at the bottom (Y-/Y+) were part of his 1958 collection (2). And later it was known as the “trapeze dress. ”And Fifty (50) years later, we found ‘Silk (Y-) and Wool (Y+)– blend trapeze dress in 2011 AW(Autumn/Winter)-  Victoria Beckham collection

“Chanel freed women, and I empowered them!”– Yves Saint Laurent

In tune with Coco Chanel’s androgynous spirit (Y-/Y+), YSL further proclaimed,  ‘I created the wardrobe for the contemporary woman.’In the 1960s and 70s, YSL tip over the entire fashion world with his mixture of the feminine/masculine, high/low, and the classic/avant-garde in most of his collections.

In the 80’s, I was so fascinated with YSL and did a term paper for my Sociology class on his life and his works. It’s almost impossible to fusion the ‘brainy and sexiness or ‘respectability’and ‘sexuality’in high fashion for women. But YSL was able to glamorise detailing taken from the men’s suit for women at the end.

His most famous classic well-tailored evening tuxedo suit, the ‘Le Smoking’(3)  woman brilliantly showed case his androgyny dynamic in his Fall 1965 collection. Yves once said, “If I had to choose one design out of everything I’ve done, it would undoubtedly be le smoking”.

It is revolutionary to use well-tailored suits, which raised significant controversy and even scandalous (Y-) at first, and later became a feasible and fashionable alternative to traditional evening gowns (Y+). Modern Saint Laurent collections regularly include a reincarnation of the tuxedo suit for women.

It seems most high fashion houses have never taken this Yin/Yang dynamism out of their design rooms ever since.  A few decades later, we have had Giorgio Armani. Reading from the ‘Weekend Edition of Financial Times, men’s suit for women is much in vogue again for Winter/Spring of 2012-2013.

‘Phathom Thread, ‘a 2017 movie that earned six Oscar nominations and won for Best Costume Design is the validation for me to rework on this piece, dated 24/04/2013. The topic of fashion has been very close to my heart, and without fail, I can talk about fashion and appreciate it from the perspective of Yin/Yang. Thus, please allow me to encourage to hit the following link for your own enjoyment.

1. Coco Chanel biggest invention The little black dress” by vict0ria.
   https://goo.gl/images/ouYgXn
2. https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&q=ysl+1958+collection&backchip=online_chips:laurent+trapeze&chips=q:ysl+1958+collection&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwidsLO1s-fbAhVWWisKHY3yBeYQ3VYIIygA&biw=1024&bih=672&dpr=
3. https://www.whowhatwear.com/yves-saint-laurent-le-smoking-suit

4. Phathom Thread – Jump to navigationJump to search

03/07/2018

 Yin /Yang In Architecture Adventure

I couldn’t believe that I was able to hold on to a job in an architectural firm for more than 5-years when I was in my 20’s. With gracious colleagues and my deep curiosity, I am thankful to have excellent exposures both in the artistic and practical areas of architecture, God has also blessed me with a few dear friends who are architects with prominent standings in the society. And my cousin, Archie is an architect who is based in San Francisco.

However, without formal training in architecture, it would be too presumptuous to make any attempt to elaborate on anything that is remotely about the adventure in architecture. One evening, like many other evenings, after dinner as I was aimlessly flipping the remote control, and finally stopped at BBC, on FlameKylin Dan Cruickshank’s ‘ the Architecture Adventure,’ he is a British art historian and BBC TV presenter, with a particular interest in the history of architecture.

What my intuitive insight was not on all the dramatic Architectural features, but was on how I could be able to perceive the idea of Yin/Yang that popped up in the feature story. The documentary was about the structure of ‘an Igloo. It is of how people use the blocks of ice to build a structure and how people are able to keep warm inside, while outside the weather condition is freezing cold.

An Igloo is literally a dome-shaped house that people live in Greenland, the North Pole and frozen ice were used as the construction material. It is counterintuitive to use the hard block of Ice ( Ice is Yang Y+) to keep people warm ( Warm is Yin, Y-) and comfortable inside (is Yin, Y-) even when the outside (is Yang, Y+) temperatures dip to minus 50 degrees F.

I have to skip the technical building process and architectural feature of an Igloo but look into the critical function of the heat conductivity, in the filter of the idea of Yin/Yang. The principle lies merely on either the body heat, stove or campfire that radiates the warmth that rises up (Y+) and then melts the ice to fill up all the ice holes that are inside (Y-) of the Igloo.

Then the ice refreezes and tightly seals up the Igloo, so it becomes an airtight doom. And we all know that the property of ice does not conduct heat well; thus any heat generated within the Igloo would remain, and with the airtight snow blocks serving as an insulator.

So people are Warm (Y-) within (Y-) the entire structure that built with Iced bricks (Y+).  I could see the perfect pictogram an Igloo, in the mirror of the concept of Yin/Yang; with Cold(Y+) is opposite to Warmth (Y-). But the ‘intertwined duality’of the heat conductivity could generate warmth (Y-) for people inside (Y-) of the structure while outside (Y+) the weather is icy cold (Y+).

‘雪屋–Xuě wū’is the Chinese translation of an Igloo, it simply means a ‘snow house,’ a type of housing built of snow. More features on an Igloo would be just a Google away. And I could only talk about this ‘Architecture Adventure’ without talking about Architecture by God’s Grace (hesed wisdom) and in the lens of the idea of  Yin/Yang. Just as we use Taijitu to tell what’s Yin/Yang to people even if they were illiterate if what a simple chart can do the work, written words are redundant.

Very often my dear God would answer prayers even before I actually my request before HIM. Personally, my simple heart’s desire is to see more things or more extraordinary use Yin/Yang eyes. I knew nothing at all about an Igloo until I watched the program of ‘BBC Tonight.’ I was surprised to find out that one of my architect friend who had never heard of  ‘an Igloo.’ 

 Isaiah 65:24– ESV  

Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking, I will hear.