Happy Rosh Hashanah to all my Jewish readers out there!! The year is now 5718. Wow, it seems that the events foretold in the Bible are coming into fruition. This is a topic for another blog and time. The year according to the Chinese calendar is 4718, the year of the Rat.

I bring this topic up because we, in the US, are accustomed to just function according to our very simple Gregorian calendar, with the usual holidays and associated customs. Most Americans don’t value the contributions and knowledge of the ancient cultures like the Chinese, Indians and Hebrews.

In fact, the major reason I pursued my studies in TCM was to tap into the knowledge base of the ancient healers and scholars. Again, I have tapped into 5 thousand years of recorded studies and opinions. I am still fascinated when I read the reasoning a healer/scholar created a certain Herbal formula or Acupuncture point.

I am also struck by the very different perspective the ancient Chinese healers had with regards to the human body its constituents, like blood and energy. I believe the views of those who say that general understandings change from Age to Age. Some say that the current West is symbolic of the Industrial Age which is now in a rapid decline. The next Age will be dominated by Artificial Intelligence(AI).

I can even see how healthcare is changing from a physician-focused form to a technological driven industry. The ancients call it living in a cyclical reality. That is, according to their calendar or time frame, certain events are likely to take place. There are sects within Judaism that believe a new Age is coming soon that will be dominated by the aforementioned AI.

If nothing else, TCM shows how our Gregorian calendar is just a microcosm of a much bigger Cycle and our understandings, in fields like healthcare, will be forever changing.