Fashion for a cause free essay sample

Having a lace on your outfit to help a reason is a thing of past. Today a brand should be all the more profoundly engaged with various social causes just as furnish us with trendy garments. In any case, what is the essential inspiration for a purchaser in this situation? Does he purchase such items since he needs to help the social reason behind it or on account of the item itself and the brand name it conveys? Is it only an onetime purchase? Is the shopper totally mindful about the social concern the item is working for? Are the Indian clients prepared to receive such brands? Targets 1. To comprehend if there is an immediate connection between the social concern factor and the brand value of the item. 2. To know the essential inspiration of the purchaser of such brands. 3. To check the brand dedication of these customers for such brands. 4. To check if the shoppers know about the social worry around which the item is being advanced. 5. To check if the buyers in India are prepared to embrace such social brands. 2 CHAPTER 2 3 Review of Literature (Fernandez, 2013) ‘It isn't the amount we give, yet how much love we put into giving,’ astute words by Mother Teresa. In today’s world that is fuelled by cash, it is charming to discover individuals who attempt to fuel the world with affection thus, it is in this nature that organizations have begun to skirt toward battles themed with increasingly ‘selfless giving‘. In the previous hardly any years there have been a pattern towards different honorable motivations: noble cause occasions, shows, and other humanitarian undertakings realized by different organizations in various enterprises. There are likewise a wide various supports that include: AIDS, HIV, disease, an unnatural weather change, gay rights, and numerous others, needing magnanimous gifts. And keeping in mind that the entire thought of design brands-going-the-extra-mile-for-a-superior reason may give us the warm inclination and a reestablished confidence in humankind, there is as yet that calm approaching update that in the realm of business, nothing comes free. (Times of India, 2013) Fashion might be utilized to advance a reason, for instance, to advance sound conduct, to fund-raise for a malignant growth fix, to fund-raise for neighborhood good cause, for instance a Juvenile Protective Association, (Martin, 2013) or to bring up gifts for a childrens medical clinics. (King, 2011) â€Å"Most individuals don't set aside the effort to give to the foundations yet a little gift can have an extremely enormous effect in another people life. The most significant part of giving to noble cause is the way that you will assist a poor individual get fundamental human necessities improving a real existence all the while. † In today’s occupied life very few individuals set aside out effort to make gifts and accomplish good cause work yet everybody has the opportunity to purchase new garments and if purchasing these garments can help somebody in need wouldn’t that be justified, despite all the trouble? (Singh, 2013) â€Å"The worldwide intrigue and magnanimous nature of stores like Being Human not just gives a remarkable shopping experience to the clients, yet additionally gives them fulfillment of doing great. † following a film star consistently requests to the majority. (Khan, 2013) â€Å"All style names are tied in with looking great, Being Human is additionally about doing great. † (Beig, 2013) â€Å"Wearing Being Human methods you ‘look great, do good’ in light of the fact that you help individuals by the straightforward demonstration of slipping on your garments each day. † (Mandhana, 2013) â€Å"The ‘Being Human’ line is intended to offer solace, quality and style while supporting an undertaking of good motivation. † (Chase, 2009) In an investigation of how an attire brands association with a social reason would influence purchasers ways of managing money the exploration group led a review of Generation Y understudies to discover how their help of a current line of clothing, 7 For All Mankind, may change should the brand start battling with, state, Breast Cancer Awareness. The investigation revealed that both school people would hold such brands to a higher regard when all is said in done, and 89% would almost certainly change from Brand A to Brand B if Brand B was related with a socially/earth centered reason (expecting cost and quality are held consistent). Furthermore, 72. 4% expressed they had purposefully bought a brand name item because of the way that the brand was subsidiary with a reason they concurred with. 4 (Markson, 2012) Purpose is being coordinated into advertising endeavors in progressively deliberate manners and with great purchaser reaction. As indicated by Markson, the showcasing scene is going to an understanding that reason must convey as much weight in making a powerful advertisement crusade as the customary Four Ps of Marketing: Price, Placement, Product and Promotion. In the United States, after quality and value, social reason (at 47 percent) positions higher as a buy help than brand unwaveringness (27 percent) and plan and advancement (26 percent). Moreover, if a brand of comparative quality backings a decent motivation, 75 percent of buyers guarantee they would get it and 76 percent guarantee they would suggest and share positive encounters about such a brand. Sixty-two percent of U. S. purchasers state they would likewise switch brands if a brand of comparable quality upheld a decent motivation. At long last, U. S. shoppers ability to really advance a brand that underpins a decent aim hopped 19 percent from 2008 (47 percent) to 2010 (66 percent). (Barkley Cause Survey, 2010) An entire 88 percent of American men state it is significant for a brand to help a reason. Such a discovering focuses to another manly perfect grabbing hold, a development past the awful kid intense person perfect. American men are alright with having a decent heart. Possibly they dont need to wear it on their sleeve. In any case, they would like to contribute through their buys, and in reality a larger part requests it, 55 percent of men said they would change brands from an organization that didn't bolster a reason to one that did. (Tempest, 2013) Fashion is fun, however once in a while it’s more than that. Certain brands answer to a higher calling than essentially making customers look breathtaking and buyers appear to pay extra for it. As indicated by Nielsen’s Global Corporate Citizenship Survey, 46 percent of customers are happy to pay more for items and administrations from organizations that offer back to society. (Nielsen, 2012) New discoveries from a Nielsen review of in excess of 28,000 online respondents from 56 nations around the globe give new experiences to assist organizations with bettering comprehend the correct crowd for cause advertisers, which projects resound most firmly with this crowd, and what promoting techniques might be best in arriving at these shoppers. In the investigation, respondents were inquired as to whether they like to purchase items and administrations from organizations that actualize programs that offer back to society. Envisioning a positive reaction inclination, respondents were additionally asked whether they would pay extra for those administrations. For the motivations behind this investigation, Nielsen characterizes the â€Å"socially cognizant consumer† as the individuals who state they would pay the extra. (66%) of shoppers around the globe state they like to purchase items and administrations from organizations that have actualized projects to offer back to society. That inclination reaches out to different issues, as well: they like to work for these organizations (62%), and put resources into these organizations (59%). A littler offer, yet at the same time almost half (46%) state they are happy to pay extra for items and administrations from these organizations. These are the â€Å"socially cognizant consumers,† as characterized by and centered upon in this report. Sixty three percent of worldwide, socially-cognizant customers are under age 40, they counsel web based life when settling on buy choices and are generally worried about ecological, instructive and hunger causes, as indicated by another examination from Nielsen, a main worldwide supplier of data and experiences into what purchasers watch and purchase. 5 6 Few of the brands I ran over during my examination: 2. 1 Sseko Designs Mission and Impact on Sseko Designs official website page: Sseko Designs utilizes style to give work and grant chances to ladies seeking after their fantasies and beating destitution. Until this point in time, theyve empowered 33 to proceed to University. They give work (alongside access to a far reaching social effect program) to their group of 45 ladies in Uganda. What's more, they do everything through a monetarily selfsustaining model. Issue 1: Female understudies, because of an absence of financial chance, can't proceed to college and seek after authority positions in the public eye. Arrangement 1: Sseko Designs gives work during the multi month hole between secondary school and college where high potential young ladies can procure and set aside enough cash to pay for school educational cost. half of their pay every month goes into an investment account that isn't open until educational cost is expected. This guarantees their pay goes towards training. This likewise shields the ladies in the program from the social weight they regularly feel from their families to part with the cash they are procuring which can propagate the pattern of destitution. Toward the finish of each term, Sseko Designs awards college grants that coordinate to 100% of the investment funds every lady has made during her multi month meeting with Sseko. Issue 2: In a man centric and male ruled society, ladies are not managed indistinguishable work and monetary open doors from their male partners. Albeit 66% of the universes work is finished by ladies, they own under 1% of the universes resources. For whatever length of time that ladies are not managed instructive and proficient balance, extraordinary destitution will keep on existing. Arrangement 2: For each dollar a ladies in a creating economy win, she will reinvest 90% of it into her family. Enable a lady and you engage a whole network. Notwithstanding giving work to ladies working their way towards college, Sseko accomplices mind

Notes on Cry Essay

The dance’s plan is to depict the battle and quality of the African American ladies who were in the slave exchange; how ladies so oppressed and caught can in any case figure out how to be so free. â€Å"I caught wind of lynching’s, Having that sort of experience as a youngster left a sentiment of anger in me that I think swarms my work† Alvin Ailey. â€Å"She rises again to wear the material as a shawl, at that point steps on its finishes as though limited by it to the ground†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"The last stance reflects the initial stance of the move, recommending a repeating unavoidable movement of dissatisfaction and despair†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ailey has preoccupied this story to depict the woman’s despair. BEEN ON A TRAIN The utilization of the percussive piano accents according to development. For instance, the dynamic accentuation of the motions Ailey employments. â€Å"The intensity of Cry radiates from its disobediently moving pictures of personality in its first segment, the unlimited void of distress drew nearer in its subsequent area and the otherworldly nature of happy confidence occupied with the third section.† â€Å" Cry got significant as a demonstration of concurrent resistance and discharge. As a portrayal of contemporary African Americanâ identity, the move freed crowd and artist in itsâ modernistic layering of development classes, particularly itsâ conspicuous utilization of neoAfrican body part isolations.† In this work there are three particular areas and for each new segment, there is another melody that is played. The melodies utilized in this work are ‘Something About John Coltrane’ by Alice Coltrane, ‘Been On A Train’ by Laura Nyro and ‘Right On. Be Free.’ by The Voices Of East Harlem. In two or three these melodies the word ‘north’ is utilized a considerable amount. My personalâ interpretation is that these slaves maybe observed opportunity and additionally shelter in North America, wished to be there however something halted them. She plainly exhibited Ailey’s mother’s battles just as some other African American woman’s battles at the time as a captive to their battle for opportunity.

Attack!

Attack! Oh hai world! Welcome to my very first official MIT blog entry! Please excuse the lolcat/EECS reference, it was a necessary evil. Surprise and happy New Year! Theres a new kid on the blogs, halfway through the year, because MIT is out there to switch things up and do things people arent expecting. I plan on doing a bit of that myself actually, so hopefully youre up for it. As you may or may not already know, its kind of cold at MIT right now (13 degrees). What does cold mean? Cold means snow! For hundreds of wide-eyed freshmen who have never seen significant amounts of snow, snow means fun! For all of the upper-classmen who see snow all the time, snow means fun! The only issue with having fun in the snow is that its really too cold to go outside and play for any significant length of time. You end up bundling up so much that you cant actually discern a human form under the down. This makes building igloos, building snow angels, and having snowball fights much more trouble than theyre worth. So, what do MIT students do when they cant properly enjoy the weather outside? They enjoy it inside. After a Burton-Conner house meeting the residents of Conner 2 (second floor of the Conner side of Burton-Conner dorm) decided it was time to declare war on Conner 4 (fourth floor). We began loading ammunition (snowballs) into our magazines (buckets) and discussed the tactical advantages to various attack strategies. We settled on Run screaming into Conner 4, run down the hall, and throw snowballs at whoever you see. Conner 2 is lucky to have a roof thats accessible from one of its kitchens so thats where we got the snow for the majority of our snowballs. After the buckets were full and Id grabbed my camera (I tried to place myself into the mindset of a war reporter, covering the battle from the front line) we began the charge. No less than 10 members of Conner 2 charged up the two flights of stairs and rammed the door into Conner 4, which was blocked. A small packet proceeded to the 5th floor to try to gain entry from above but all of a sudden the door opened and we flooded in. Some nice Conner 4-ian had opened the door for us. Think back to our attack strategy Throw snowballs at whoever you see so our nice door-opener was quickly pelted with snow as we ran down the hall where we found . . . another blocked door. After again gaining entry we were attacked maliciously by our initial foe in the brown jacket, who Laura quickly pursued. The fight then spilled into the hallway where your courageous war reporter was struck by a snowball in a rather inconvenient location, prompting not sympathy but laughter from the warring troops. I was no longer a war reporter, I was a soldier, recording my battle against the opposition! News that more Conner 4 residents were holed up in a suite reached us and we staged for another attack. After finding somebody with a key to the door I shoved it open and we breached their stronghold. Our first priority was to get out the window to replenish our ammunition. After opening the window and gaining access to the fire escape we were ambushed. I attempted to run back into the kitchen but just as I got in I was struck by a snowball from behind, finishing me off. In the end, Conner 2 was victorious. Nothing remains to remember the battle by, save for memories and my war diary. Here it is, enjoy.

A Critique - Reggio Emilia Approach a Educational Philosophy

REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH A EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY I fully support the Reggio Emilia Approach model which was found by Loris Malaguzzi. This model became associated with mainstream educational practices in 1945 when the first parent-run preschool of the common people opened in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The Reggio Emilia Approach is an educational philosophy focused on preschool and primary education. The destruction from the war, parents believed, necessitated a new, quick approach to teaching their children. I enjoy the fact that this is a child –centered educational program that features working with art. In the Reggio Emilia School, children are viewed as powerful and capable. Children are validated as unique individuals†¦show more content†¦Much of what occurs in the class reflects a constructivist approach to early education. Reggio Emilias approach does challenge some conceptions of teacher competence and developmentally appropriate practice. Teachers in Reggio Em ilia assert the importance of being confused as a contributor to learning; thus a major teaching strategy is purposely to allow mistakes to happen, or to begin a project with no clear sense of where it might end. Another characteristic that is counter to the beliefs of many Western educators is the importance of the childs ability to negotiate in the peer group. I think that one of the most challenging aspects of the Reggio Emilia approach is the solicitation of multiple points of view regarding childrens needs, interests, and abilities, and the mutual faith in parents, teachers, and children to contribute in meaningful ways to the determination of schoolShow MoreRelatedThe Bank Street Curriculum Teaching Method2882 Words   |  12 Pagespoignant kind† (p. 33). She broke this loneliness by pouring over her father’s extensive home library and recording her thoughts into a journal. At a young age she was exposed to the educational ideas of Dewey and Addams, colleagues of her father’s (2000). As a researcher and educator she embodied the ideas that educational constructivists like John Dewey and Jane Addams stood for. While volunteering in Lillian Wald’s Henry Street Settlement in San Francisco, Mitchell implemented theories made by JaneRead MoreArticle: The Aspect of Delinquency3972 Words   |  16 Pagesjuvenile delinquency, but there seems to be no clear cut answer. Delinquency prevention offers a plethora of programs which range anywhere from substance abuse education and treatment, family counseling, youth mentoring, parenting education, educational support, to youth sheltering. Many of these, if not all are helpful. The problem is: the situation of juvenile delinquency persists. Moreover, some interventions, in fact, may leave at-risk children even worse off than had there been no intervention

Listening And Instruction On Cognitive Abilities And Learning

The significance of listening to music has been acknowledged for decades due to the benefits it brings to human souls. In recent decades, endless studies conducted have further discovered the contributions that music listening and instruction have on cognitive abilities and learning. Music instruction has recently been studied under the umbrella of the Mozart effect to know the cognitive benefits of participation in musical activities. The Mozart effect originally suggested, â€Å"listening to a Mozart piano sonata produced significant short-term enhancement of spatial-temporal reasoning.† (1 Rausher) The Mozart effect has also been studied under the avenues of music listening and instruction concerning its respective impact on cognitive†¦show more content†¦Moreover, the â€Å"effects of music instruction on cognitive abilities† is critical for the future, which â€Å"deserve further consideration.† (2 Rausher) Musical lessons boost performance for children between the ages of 12 and 14-years-old in their academics and cognitive ability tests. There is a close relationship between music lessons and academic achievement for children. Using music lessons to improve the IQ tests of children between the ages of 12 and 14-years-old is a reliable method in any learning environment. The study confirmed that IQ tests for the children, improved considerably when they participated frequently in musical lessons. The performance also extended to academic lessons that play a crucial role in the lives of young children. Dege, Wehrum, Stark Schwarzer measured the IQ and academic self-concepts for children from different backgrounds, with social-economic status and the gender of the children proving not to affect the way they responded to musical lessons. (Dege) The significant contribution of musical instruction among children between the ages of 12 and 14-years-old is critical, because it can be used to improve learning in academic settings. Dege, Wehrum, Stark Schwarzer argue that academic achievement varies with the personality of each child, due to their difference in orientations to music. The noteworthy association between musical

Predominate Symbols and Their Meanings Free Essays

Predominate Symbols and Their Meanings Defined Symbolism â€Å"is the practice of representing things by symbols, or of investing things with a symbolic meaning or character. A symbol is an object, action, or idea that represents something other than itself, often of a more abstract nature. † (Wikipedia) Authors use symbolism to give their stories a deeper meaning. We will write a custom essay sample on Predominate Symbols and Their Meanings or any similar topic only for you Order Now Symbols make you look beyond the obvious and see the deeper meaning. † Symbols have emotional and intellectual power beyond their literal importance, and writers often use them to compact large ideas into simple words or phrases. (SPC Blackboard) Authors Shirley Jackson (The Lottery), Susan Glaspell (A Jury of Her Peers), and Katherine Ann Porte (The Jilting of Granny Weatherall) all effectively use symbolism is their stories to convey a deeper meaning, the symbolism in their stories help connect you on a different level. In Jackson’s The Lottery, there are many instances where symbolism is used to represent something else. The first symbol which is probably the most obvious is the title of the story. When you think of the word lottery you think of a prize of some sort, â€Å"In this story the lottery serves as an ironic symbol–something which begins in a harmless and sociable way but ends in tragedy. † (Enotes) Another symbolic reference in this story is the black box that is used to draw from. The box is dilapidated and in need of some major repair, yet it is still used year after year. ‘They base their attachment on nothing more than a story that claims that this black box was made from pieces of another, older black box. (SparkNotes) The black box symbolizes tradition; the people of the town are attached to the box just because it has been around so long they don’t know anything else. There is no reason the villagers should be so attached to the box, just as there is no reason they should continue to hold the Lottery but they do because of tradition. (SparkNotes) The third and most disturbing symbol from The Lottery is the actual stoning. â€Å"Ston ing is one of the oldest and most common forms of execution, but it is also one of the most symbolic. (Bright Hub Education) It is symbolic because in reference to the Bible stoning was the way to execute innocent people. It was also important the â€Å"winner† of the lottery be stoned so that there was not just one executioner. â€Å"This means that no single person has passed judgment or has to carry the guilt for taking a life alone†, the lottery was an institution of the society and not the individual. (Bright Hub Education) Jackson uses symbolism in this morbid story to reference the Bible and make you read between the lines, just like Glaspell does in A Jury of Her Peers. In A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell there is an abundance of symbolism. Basically every small detail in this story is symbolic of something else. The most significant symbols in this story are the bird and the birdcage. Mrs. Hale describes Minnie, before her marriage, as †real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and fluttery† (Learner) which can also describe a bird. The bird in its cage represents Minnie trapped in the relationship with John. She is also trapped because there is no lifeline or communication with the outside world, she is having the life drained from her. John figuratively strangles the life out of Minnie like he literally strangles the bird. When he kills the bird, he kills the last bit of Minnie’s spirit. Minnie â€Å"didn’t know what she was about† (Learner) anymore. Another symbolic reference is way Minnie killed her husband, Minnie strangled the life out of John like he strangled the life out of her bird. (Literature Essays) The setting in this story is also symbolic because like Minnie it was very isolated and â€Å"It had always been a lonesome-looking place. (Learner) Minnie reached a breaking point and took matters into her own hands. During this time period there was no divorce or separation, so the woman had either to suffer through it, die, or kill her husband. Her house is also very symbolic of her life, her kitchen was described as â€Å"being in disorder with unwashed pans under the sink, a dishtowel left on table, a loaf of bread outside the breadbox, and other disarray. † (Learner) Just li ke her kitchen, Minnie’s life was in complete disarray because of the abuse she endured. Like Glaspell, Katherine Ann Porte author of The Jilting of Granny Weatherall, uses symbolism to relate everyday events and objects to traumatic life events. The title itself is symbolic; to â€Å"Weather† means that someone has gone through a lot and experienced a lot of hardships during their life. Granny had â€Å"weathered† a lot during her life but had forced herself to rise above these situations. Even though she is a weak and dying she wants everyone to think she is fine and doesn’t need anyone’s help. Some f the symbolism that takes place in The Jilting of Granny Weatherall has to do with Granny’s denial. Granny Weatherall is in denial about most of the aspects of her life. She refuses to admit that she is dying, refuses to let anyone think she had her heart broken by the man who left her at the altar. Before she dies she wants to make sure everyone knows she lived a good life and did everything anyone else would do, married a good man, had kids, and lived a good life, even though her heart still pangs because she was jilted. The color blue is also symbolic throughout the story. There are many references to the color throughout the story and as Granny comes closer to dying the color slowly starts to fade. â€Å"At last, blue becomes the color of the light in Granny’s own mind, the light she snuffs out herself. ‘She stretched herself with a deep breath and blew out the light. ’ (EBookBrowse) It comes to symbolize the final stage of Granny’s life, when she is easing into death. † (SparkNotes) These symbols tug at your emotions and make you feel the pain Granny Weatherall has endured throughout her life. By using symbolism, these authors add layers to their stories. These layers make the stories more effective on an emotional level. They force you to read between the lines and force you to see the hidden importance in even the smallest of details. Works Cited Bright Hub Education. n. d. 27 October 2012. . EBookBrowse. n. d. 29 October 2012. . Enotes. n. d. 28 October 2012. . Learner. n. d. 28 October 2012. . Literature Essays. n. d. 28 October 2012. . SparkNotes. n. d. 28 October 2012. . SparkNotes. n. d. 29 October 2012. . SPC Blackboard. n. d. 27 October 2012. . Wikipedia. n. d. 26 October 2012. . How to cite Predominate Symbols and Their Meanings, Papers

The Culture and Healing of Traditional Chinese Medicine Essay Example

The Culture and Healing of Traditional Chinese Medicine Essay Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) originated in ancient China for over two thousand years (Mercati), rooting back to the philosophy of Taoism. TCM views the body overall based on its anatomic functions instead of structures. Diagnosis of illnesses includes tracing symptoms to patterns of disharmony, deviations of eating and sleeping habits, and measuring pulse. The Chinese pharmacopoeia includes a large amount of herbal formulations that are used for the treatment of a wide variety of disease and illnesses.Healing comes in the form of acupuncture, massage (Tui na), exercise (qigong), and dietary therapy. Current TCM practices is based on principles of Chinese philosophy, including holism, differentiation, yin and yang, and the five elements (Lao, et al). Maintaining a balance between these principles is the way the body achieves physical health, longevity, and qi (the vital force or energy for maintaining the activities of life) (Lao, et al), thus differentiating it as a naturalistic belief system. The Chinese medical theory views that disease does not suddenly occur.Disease is a journey from health where symptoms arise over a period of time, such as tiredness, nausea, and pain in specific areas. The disease may manifest physically, emotionally, mentally, or even spiritually. Deviating patterns and behaviors in the patient’s physical and emotional states in their living environments will indicate the type of imbalance and treatment required to heal their Qi. We will write a custom essay sample on The Culture and Healing of Traditional Chinese Medicine specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Culture and Healing of Traditional Chinese Medicine specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Culture and Healing of Traditional Chinese Medicine specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It is different from the Western medical system in that Western medicine tends to look for an agent causing a disease, such as a virus or bacterium.The cause of the disease is usually not clear and treatment is based on the symptoms that show. Western medicine is solely based on sciences of anatomy and physiology, separate from the mind (Lao, et al). Whereas in Chinese medicine, the mind, body, and spirit are intertwined and interdependent, thus treatment is aimed to restore and maintain a state of health throughout, rather than curing only the disease causing component (Mercati 14). Being one of the world’s oldest medical systems, TCM features a series of theoretical systems and medical practices.Ancient Chinese ancestors based their medical experience through continuous practice. Tools used in the New Stone Age led to the invention of acupuncture (Jingfeng). They also discovered that the movements of the body and extremities are capable of fighting fatigue and even possess limited healing powers, thus leading to qigong. China is a land rich with a wide diversity of natural medicine, including herbal plants, animals, and minerals. Beginning as an agricultural period, ancestors gained rich experience in the application of these herbal drugs.They were able to invent compounds of mixtures of herbal remedies to produce its therapeutic effect, one of the important features of TCM (Jingfeng). Principles like yin and yang’ and five elements’ solidify the view that treatment is targeted at correcting underlying imbalance in the body (Kam, et al. ). Everything in the universe The main principle is the yin and yang polarity. It is believed that the body is built upon these two opposing aspect, which are interdependent and interrelated.The yin’ is negative, dark, cold, female, earthly, inner, [and] ghostly, whereas yang’ is positive, light, heat, male, heaven, outer, and godly (Lao, et al). More words that describe yin’ are sad, plain, vegetarian, solid (organs), empty, and wet. Yang’ can be furthered described as hot, happy, colored, non-vegetarian, hollow (organs), full, and dry. Most things that exist may be characterized as either yin or yang, often representing opposite, abstract properties. The main opposition of yin and yang is the hot-cold polarity.The foods categorized as hot are commonly those that are nutritious, concentration, meaty, fatty, oily, sticky, dry, and cooked for a long time. Foods that are said to be cold are usually fruits and vegetables, eaten raw or lightly cooked, and are relatively low in calories (Gould-Martin 39). The diseases considered as hot are fever, diarrhea, and rashes. Those that suffer from wasting, shivering, and apathy are associated with cold. To prevent suffering from any type of disease, balance between both hot and cold is ideal, but many people are either too hot or too cold.People that are too hot usually breathe rapidly, have bloody noses and vivid dreams, and are constipated. In contrast, people that are too cold are underweight, cold to the touch, apathetic, and listless. The balance of both is the core power of existence. Other oppositions of yin and yang include social occasions, clothing, and diet. Social occasions are grouped as sad (sang) or happy (hsi). Sad occasions include events like funerals and happy occasions include weddings, births, and engagements. Colors for clothing are also categorized as either su or hua.Su clothes are bland, somber, or neutral: blue, black, gray, saffron yellow, bronze, white, beige, tan, and brown (Gould-Martin 40). Su-colored clothing is mainly used commonly every day like school and military uniforms. Buddhists also wear them at all times and Taoists wear black for minor rituals performed. Brightly printed clothing, including red, orange, pink, yellow, purple, and mauve, are consider hua. These clothing are used for babies, young girls, and younger women in the period between engagement and marriage.Bridal dresses were traditionally all red, but now a white dress is worn for a part of the ceremony also. The Chinese believe that red is prophylactic: it protects against pollution and danger of death (Gould-Martin 40). Red is also used for the food, decorations, and envelopes of money sent out during hsi occasions. Foods are characterized between su and hun. Su diets are vegetarian that consist of fruits and vegetables, often cold or baked and boiled. Su diets avoid meat, fish, dairy products, onions, garlic, leeks, and intoxicating beverages.The hun diet includes these items. In the first writings of Chinese medicine written in 2300 B. C. , The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, it states, when one masters the mystery of the yin yang principle, one can even enjoy life as long as nature itself. Another important principle of TCM is the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. The five-element theory describes the relationships between the human body and the external environment and the physiological and pathological interactions among the internal organs within the body (Lao 1999).Metal is associated with the color white and represents grief and sadness. The sense organ is the nose and the taste associated with metal is spicy. It represents autumn with a dry climate. Illnesses that accompany those who are at an imbalance with metal include frequent colds and flus, coughs that are dry, moist, and productive, dry mouth and throat, weight loss, breathlessness, phlegm, and hot sensations within the palms of hands and soles of feet . Earth is associated with the color yellow and represents sympathy. The sense organ is the mouth and it represents late summer with a damp climate.Fire represents the color red along with joy and love. The sense organ is the tongue that can taste bitterness. It represents summer with a hot climate. Fire is associated with the heart and small intestine. Illnesses associated with fire include tiredness, palpitations, cold extremities, sweating during the day and night, swelling in legs, anxiety, disturbed sleep, poor memory, dizziness, dry mouth and throat, and red tongue tissue. Water is associated with the color black and represents fear and phobias. The sense organ is the ear and the taste associated with it is salty.Black represents winter with a cold climate. Wood is associated with the color green and embodies the emotions of anger and irritability. The sense organs are the eyes and the taste associated with it is sour. Wood represents spring with a windy climate. Illnesses that represent imbalance in wood include problems where the liver channel passes through the body, problems in women’s breasts, the abdomen, genital area, and eyes, headache, irritability, numbness, and tremors (Benedict 56). Holism and differentiation are the other principles in TCM.The concept of holism considers the individual person as being comprised of and subject to the elements and forces of nature as a whole. Each individual is considered as an interconnected whole that embodies the mind, body, and soul as a unified piece. This will lead to TCM practitioners considering the physical, mental, and emotional state of the patient and their relativity to the environment. The principle of differentiation allows a practitioner to distinguish between signs and symptoms of specific illnesses. Different pathologic factors and their mechanisms are responsible for or contribute to disease formation.However, each illness may be unique to each individual, thus differentiation allows the practitioner to administer the appropriate treatment, be it herbs, acupuncture, dietary therapy, or massages. As a result, TCM diagnoses and treatments are much more individualized. If balanced in unity, these four principles come together to form the well being of an individual, leading to Qi. Qi is the term used to describe how human physiological functions are maintained. It is the basic unit of movement and heat in the body that is a matter without form, invisible, subtle, activating, warming, moving, and energizing (Benedict).This vital energy flows through the channels, or meridians, of the body and participates in the homeostatic regulation of bodily functions (Gould-Martin). Qi flows through 12 primary and eight additional meridians. Each 12 meridians (qing luo) are major channels that connect us to our immediate surroundings and promote the integrated function of all organ systems (Benedict 55). The extra eight channels allow for the overflow of abundant energy (Benedict 55). There are 360 points distributed along the meridians that serve as signs of both disorder and loci for acupuncture treatment (Lao et al).Qi can be accessed at any of these given points so that disturbances both within the channel and the associated internal organs can be treated; each pressure point is associated with a therapeutic action. When the normal flow of Qi through a meridian is obstructed along its pathway, symptoms occur and physiological health is put in jeopardy. In conclusion, Qi can be thought of as a circulatory system with no anatomical or physiological basis for the channels that conducts vital force throughout the body just like blood supplies oxygen and nutrients.If one is healthy, their qi pathways are not obstructed. If movement of Qi is slowed or blocked, yin or yang dominates the other. To heal obstructed pathways, acupuncture is used. Acupuncture is a form of therapy that has its origins for over 2000 years (Pearson). Whenever Qi is stuck, accumulation of heat occurs because Qi is naturally warm. Where the circulation of qi is blocked, fluids, blood, and waste can accumulate and produce swelling. The absence of qi produces the presence and dominance of yin. Acupuncture treatment aims to reopen the meridians and restore the flow of Qi.The method of acupuncture consists of inserting thin needles into one or multiple corresponding points along the meridians according to the illness. Each point along the channels corresponds to a therapeutic action. There are two purposes of acupuncture: to release tension and pressure of accumulating heat or alleviate swelling by energizing the cells to process the waste and thus get rid of it. If the individual is generally healthy overall, the insertion of acupuncture needles usually resolve symptoms quickly because the specific acupuncture points directly influence the healing of the affected organ(s).However, in some individuals, when organ systems are deprived of a strong, even flow of Qi over a long period of time, chronic health problems arise. Acupuncture therapy heals pain, nausea and vomiting, immune system response, hemodynamic functions, addiction and substance abuse, agitation and restlessness, and rheumatoid arthritis (Sutherland 41). The 12 main channels each correspond to a specific organ. The upper limb channels represented by yin include the lung, heart, and pericardium. The three represented by yang are the large intestine, small intestine, and san jiao (the thoracic and abdomino-pelvic cavities).In the lower limb, the three channels represented by yin are the spleen, liver, and kidney. The channels represented by yang are the stomach, urinary bladder, and gall bladder (Pearson). Another method of healing in TCM is by the use of medicinal herbs. Herbs are used to achieve an optimum balance of Qi. China’s first emperor, Huang Ti, and his cabinet members developed techniques to diagnose diseases at to use herbs in their treatment. Many herbal formulations, consisting of four to 12 individual herbs, have been recorded in Chinese medical literature from the earliest known Shen Nung Ben Tsao Jing (Lee 516).In another literature with an unknown author, The Herbal Classic of the Divine Plowman, contains three volumes describing 365 drugs – one for each day of the year. Among them, 252 are plant derived, 67 from animals, and 46 from minerals. The herbal components in a mixture can be ranked into four types. The first type is the imperial herb; it is the chief herb and main ingredient of a formula that serves the biggest function. The second is the ministerial herb, which augments and promotes the action of the imperial herb. The assistant herb reduces the side effects of the imperial herb and the servant herb is the last component.It harmonizes or coordinates the action of all the other herbs. The change in composition of one herb combination induces different pharmacological actions. Examples of common herbs include Echinacea, feverfew, garlic, gingko, ginseng, palmetto, and St. John’s wort. Figure 1. A traditional Chinese herbal shop in Hong Kong selling medicinal herbs. Aside from medicine, exercise is used to maintain a healthy and balanced Qi. Qigong is a form of exercise and health care practice that acts on bettering posture, breathing, and mental focus.Qigong can be categorized as martial, medical, and spiritual. Leading back into Taoist and Buddhist tradition, qigong was believed by ancient Chinese monks to be a way to bridge together the powers of the mind, body, and universe through body movements, meditation, and deep concentration. When Qi becomes blocked through emotional pain or physical illness (i. e. , stress, over-work, poor diet, lack of sleep, insufficient exercise, and excess sadness/joy/fear/anxiety/anger) qigong may heal though specific breathing patterns, movements, visualization, and meditation (Lin).The slow, rhythmic movements allow consistency and improve the vital energy life force. Tui na massage is a hands-on form of healing in TCM and has been in practice for more than four thousand years (Mercati 10). The term tui means to push and na means to grasp; together, this massage works to relieve not only muscles and joints but to penetrate each meridian that frees blocked and stagnant Qi (Mercati 10). Tui na involves active communication between the giver and the receiver. The receiver acts as the sick role, in informing the healer where to treat and the amount of pressure to use (Mercati 11).Together, this is another method in TCM of restoring Qi balance when emotional, physical, and external factors are out of balance. Acupressure is another way to balance the body’s qi by applying pressure to specific points along our body’s energy channels. However, the term pressure may be misleading because acupressure is usually given in a light touch. The effectiveness of the work does not depend on the amount of force put onto the therapy, rather the location of contact is the method of healing. A practitioner may use various tools to assess the strength of the 12 meridians.After pressing down on the point(s), a practitioner can sense a pulse caused by Qi flow. If there is no pulse, however, those are the areas that are though to have blocked meridians. There are different types of points along the channel that serve different functions. Comfort points, located along the bladder and gallbladder meridians, relieve tension, restlessness, and frustration because the gallbladder meridian is associated with relaxation. Alleviation points are on the foot and relate to the kidney and liver meridians.Jogging and walking help relax the body in that part because when those points are stimulated, it reduces pain, tension, and sleeplessness. Potent points are near the nail beds on fingers and toes. They are effective in healing weakness, fatigue, listless, and faintness because of affecting illnesses (Sutherland 41). The final way of healing in TCM is moxibustion – the application of heat on specific pressure points from the burning of a small bundle of tightly bound herbs. The herbs are bound together with a variety of dried leaves such as mugwort or wormwood plants that have been formed into a cigar-like cone, called a moxa.Direct moxibustion is burning the cone right on the acupuncture point of the skin. This method is less popular because it often produces pain and scarring. The more common method is the indirect method, which involves either burning moxa above the skin or on top of an acupuncture needle that has been left in place. Other practitioners place a layer of ginger, garlic, or salt on the patient’s skin with the burning moxa on top of it. The radiant heat produced is intended to penetrate the body, thus restoring the balance of flow of vital life energy.TCM is a naturalistic medical belief that diagnoses based on imbalance due to the environment. Ancient Chinese healing base health on the balance of Qi. Any deviation or imbalance can be cured by a variety of medical methods, diets, and exercise. ? Works Cited Au, Derrick Kit-Sing. 2011 Mix of Medicines. Visual Anthropology 24: 189-202 Benedict, Martha with Heller, Lyra. 1999 The Enduring Elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Total Health 21(2): 54-57. 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