This week, THE RAMA organized its first group in Clermont-Ferrand with a program rich and high quality speakers. Dr. Schmidt has kindly agreed to publish the text of his speech on Thursday. To discover very quickly then. Happy reading! Sandie

"Once Chuang Tzu dreamed he was a butterfly flitting and contented with his lot and he was ignoring Tzu himself. Suddenly he awoke and saw with astonishment that he was Tzu. He no longer knew whether it was Tzu dreaming that he was a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming he was Tzu. Between him and the butterfly there was a difference: this is called changing beings. Chuang Tzu

Integrates traditional Chinese thinking man in the universe completely. Whether in ancient times with shamanism or later with Confucian or Taoist thought there is a world order which governs the laws of the universe and that man suffers. Man receives the energies of heaven and earth, and transmutes. The animal takes its place in relation to the value it has for man.

Since ancient times the animal of choice for Chinese will be the horse. First wars require extensive use of the horse but also the means of locomotion it represents. Thus the horse is considered the noblest of animals. It says in the Book of Changes Yijing (I Ching is pronounced) "the buffalo is the horse is yin yang. ". Yang symbol of perfection may be, falls from the sky and many myths attached to the horse the celestial element either by its kinship with the dragon or unicorn or as an intermediary between heaven and man. The importance of the horse in everyday life can understand that the oldest veterinary books deal extensively with diseases of the horse. . Later attention will be given to diseases of cattle, sheep, poultry, but also raptors and camels. It was under the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) we find the most comprehensive veterinary work. This is the 'yuan heng liao my niu tuo ji' collection of equine care buffalo and camel written by Yuan and Heng, reprinted in People's China in 1979. Animals such as dogs and cats will be considered only recently for the Confucians, humane and civilized mode does not mix the world of wild animals. This is the contribution of Buddhism in China that gave new meaning to the sacred life of the animal with the importance of reincarnation and the passage of different states of life (cyclic existence with the underworld the world spirits, the animal world, the human world, the fashion gods and half the world of the gods). Since the Cultural Revolution with a modern china special effort was given to the development of acupuncture and acupuncture boards domestic animals have been established veterinary acupuncture has grown considerably while worldwide.

Yin and Yang

Yet in the imagination of Chinese animals will be of particular importance since ancient times. In divination shamans and Taoist priests' reading signs is paramount. For them it is on horseback appeared the magic diagram of the map of the river hetu. The animal most often used to make the King yi is the turtle. Indeed the turtle shell has features and these features are interpreted for divination. Only later will use the ready yarrow stalks. The turtle is an important symbol. The feet return to earth a symbol (the square) and the semi-circular shell a celestial symbol. In addition to its image of long life and immortality (Research of the alchemists and Taoists) the turtle symbolizes the connection between heaven and earth symbol taken over by the emperor who is himself an agent of heaven for men and that is why there is a large turtle in the Forbidden City. There's even a turtle in the tomb of Ming with a stone that stands right in the middle of the turtle to her. This rock climbing is not right without us thinking the totem of American Indians north symbol of the tree of life, the world axis.

What is more known in the West it is the Chinese bestiary with astrology. Each year is under the sign of an animal with a yin or yang energy. Cycle of animals is 12 years. Each animal will combine with one of five fundamental movements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) that makes a complete cycle of 60 years. The succession of animals has been definitively established in the Ming Dynasty but cyclogie and use of astrology was much earlier. Thus the rat begins the cycle because it is the first animal, according to legend, Buddha came to greet to be before it leaves the ground. Followed in succession by the ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, dog, pig. Every human being is under the control of an animal favored over its time his birth month and year. All this being only a symbol to try to define the cosmic energies in close relationship with man.

Chinese Astrology

For example, the "Rat" is described as ambitious, quick-tempered and passionate. », et très mal avec le « cheval ».Le Rat est passionné et souhaite accéder à un certain niveau social. It is said that Rat gets along well with the "monkey" and "dragon", and very poorly with the "horse." The Rat is passionate and wants to access a certain social level. He is intelligent and quick-witted. He is ambitious and determined, and motivated by his own interests, which often include money and power. He is persuasive, energetic and resourceful and can find its way through the obstacles and adapt to environments in a simple way. It has humor. The Rat will discuss how loyal his friends and protecting them by being generous with them. The Rat is very family. Even if he keeps his money, the rat is very generous with his family and friends. This profile summarizes the characteristics but not the trends of the Rat in general, there are huge differences between people born in a Year of the Rat according to the item or dominant movement of the moment.

The hours of the day are also in the cycle of animals (one hour west China takes 2 h) and the seasons. (3 main animals for the winter, three for the spring, three summer and three in the fall.

For those who are passionate about Feng Shui and Geobiology Chinese animal symbolism also takes strength and vigor. Qi (pronounced the t'chi) instead of a human influences plants and animals that live on this place. There are active cosmic forces and the art of Feng Shui is to restore the harmony of the place and then beings who live there. There will be a feng shui of the form and spirit. The breath of energy moving through the soil is called dragon's breath. Again the symbolism of animals will intervene to provide guidance and creative ideas. Thus the energies of the 4 four directions have a specific name:

- In the east the azure dragon

- To the north the black turtle

- To the west the white tiger

- To the south the red phoenix

These four animals are also called four powers, four figures and symbols are the guardians of four directions. The landforms of these places are treated as animals and celestial dynamics they represent. In the center is superimposed yellow unicorn. For example the black turtle can symbolize a range of hills which, to be ideally placed, should be behind the house (protection against northerly winds). The tiger in the west can be represented by low hills that must be lower than the hills of the East symbolized by the dragon. Do not wake the tiger quiet. Roads and right of the home should be calm in the serenity of the house. Before the house a small hill phoenix symbolizes the harmonious bearer of luck. All these architectural symbols must be brought to current symbols (pylon road river power lines ...).

We find this symbolism active animals in homes and temples. So this concept is found in the great temples where the main hall is flanked by two smaller rooms, the dragon on the left and right of the tiger. Traditionally, the faithful come through the door and exit through the dragon of the tiger, the sense of movement symbolizes the introduction of favorable influences and the expulsion of harmful.

Other animals like the lion protects places like the forbidden city. It stands guard and as to the right or left, yin or yang, it is not the same leg that is bent or extension. In Chinese secret societies it is not uncommon to find in initiation lodges use of animals either as tablets or by a real participation. In the cult of Hong Kong Houng two additional shelves are arranged above the table commémoratrice founders. This is the turtle, which we have seen already and the phoenix symbolism seen in Feng Shui, lucky red bird standing in the South and symbol of resurrection. Furthermore the use of certain rituals of the same sect requires that animals can be killed as a white cock a black horse or a white ox at initiation ceremonies. , l'adepte convoque les quatre animaux, dieux des quatre orients, qui viennent garder chacun à sa place l'espace de méditation. Finally in some schools of Taoist meditations such as school Shangqing, the adept summons the four animals, gods of the four directions, which are kept in their places the meditation space. We are no longer in the same dynamics as the energy of the animal is sought in prayer that becomes operative, it is reminiscent of ancient shamanic worship.

The energy of the human being will be boosted also by Taoist practices including that of gymnastics, Tai chi. There are practical techniques of Qi Cong inspired by animals. This technique is very old and is the eye of man on animals and imitating human essence strengthens the qi. Thus the game of five animals is a technique of longevity of the oldest. At the time of the Later Han the famous doctor Hua To developed the movement of five animals that bear, tiger, deer, monkey and crane. We call this sequence "the play of five animals Hua tuo."

Wuqin you (drawings of five animals) after the Wanshou xianshu written by Cao Ruoshui

Finally finally I would like to mention an anecdote, but that can take its place before this respectable assembly. The Chinese have discovered in the four-legged animal acupuncture point that does not exist in humans, it is the 2 ga which is identified with 20 vg?. on 20 vg develop one hundred meetings which binds man to heaven at the top of the skull. The two bis vg is above the lumbosacral joint. It is also called Bai Hui Point of 100 meetings. It would be one of the important issues if not the largest of the animal with its locomotor action. What appeals to me for this is that it gives a second "antenna heaven" to the animal! Thus the animal with 4 legs has two antennas heavenly. One on the head and another on the rump. Growth in humans is associated with elevation of the head. In animals it is accompanied with equal force in front and behind (hence eg young foals or calves that have the head lower than the buttocks.) With its legs forming a rectangular or square face, therefore a symbol connecting two antennas and terrestrial animals cosmic forces the animal becomes a receptacle of choice for cosmic energies and becomes a bridge between heaven and earth. The contact of a human being in resonance with the animal causes a relationship certainly exceed that of a human being with an animal for the lead in a relationship with the WORLD in a kind of magic or cosmic communion or transcendental.

Dr. Alain SCHMIDT

For more information:

Bibliography:

Despeux Catherine overview of veterinary sciences in China, journal of veterinary acupuncture 1981 15-22

Gonneau Francis Vg2bis key point of the movement later, Congress Faformec Lille 2009

Theodora Lau, The Big Book of Chinese horoscopes, Day Editor

Alain Schmidt, Schmidt Annick: lecture on the symbolism of the Forbidden City, China 1983 auvergne friendships, unedited

Chuang Tzu, opens full knowledge of the east, Gallimard

Lillian Too, the Illustrated Guide to Feng Shui Guy Trédaniel editor

Tristan Frederick, Houng, Chinese secret societies, ed Balland

DU:

University Diploma - Relationship Help with Mediation Animal and Some clarifications in response to questions about the OF RAMA

Echoes of RAMA'S # 1: Meet Eric Gobert and llamas

The echoes of THE RAMA # 2: lecture series on the helping relationship by the Mediation Animal

Bookmark on: