Wk. 10: Biophysics & Oriental Medicine

According to Wikipedia, “Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physical science to study biological systems…from the molecular scale to whole organisms and ecosystems.”

TCM is similar to Biophysics in that it strives to understand the individual as the microcosm, against the background of the macrocosm of the local universe and ultimately the cosmos.  And so we have our different ‘systems’ approaches to an organism: from digestive to circulatory, respiratory to nervous…and each of these informs the others and interconnects with them, through the larger overarching discipline of TCM. 

Also, like Biophysics, TCM employs different tools and practices to inform our understanding of an organism; using underlying theories of energy flow to formulate a diagnosis, and employing the recommended therapies of acupuncture, Chinese herbs, tuina/tai chi/ gi gong, lifestyle counseling and food therapy to return balance to the system as a whole.

So, from my perspective, Biophysics and TCM are very similar, approaching the same issue of health, from the differing perspectives of East and West, and the cultural contexts from which each sprang.