We visited the Medicines of Asia exhibition at the Guimet museum, of which Top Santé is a partner. And we came out as amazed as we were cultivated in the matter! Without revealing everything, to let you discover it, here is a small summary of what we have learned.
Asian medicine is preventive medicine. The doctor does not serve to treat but to keep his patient in good health. If a patient goes to see his doctor for an illness, it means that the latter has not been good!
Asian medicine is also the medicine of spirituality. According to her, the body is crossed by Qi, the energy of life in 12 meridian channels. And it is on the good circulation of Qi that the health of the individual depends.
The chakras are represented as discs, they are gates allowing bodily fluids to flow through the body. There are seven main ones in different parts of the body (throat, heart, forehead, perineum…). Hence the phrase “open your chakras which means “letting your energies circulate” to access salvation, spirituality, as Thierry Zéphir, research engineer at the Guimet Museum, teaches us.
The most important treatment methods in Asian medicine are acupuncture, moxibustion (a method that consists of stimulating the acupuncture points with heat using sticks) as well as the ingestion of sometimes surprising natural medicinal preparations (we have seen dried snakes for example!).
Asian medicine relies on massage to better circulate the Qi, but nothing to do with a relaxing treatment as we can know in institute, a curative massage must hurt!
In addition to massages, the practice of physical exercises also helps to maintain good health. as well as Qi gong, tai chi, as well as yoga, which is considered an “autonomous massage”.
Further proof that Asian medicine is spiritual medicine, shamanism and exorcism are practiced to ward off evil, because illness can be perceived as the action of a demon or the effect of bad luck. To guard against infant mortality, children wear many amulets and talismans.
Our special mention: we had a crush on the meditation room which offers to sit, surrounded by Buddha statues, and to engage in a meditation exercise.
Useful information :
Asian Medicines Exhibition, The Art of Balance
From May 17 to September 18, 2023
National Museum of Asian Arts – Guimet, 6 place d’Iéna, 75019 Paris
Prices: 11.50 euros (full), 8.50 euros (reduced)