Xue, A Different Kind of Blood

One thing I've noticed since finishing my first semester is that the lectures don't really end when you leave the classroom.

Some concepts stay with you, quietly resurfacing weeks later.

Xue, the Chinese Medicine concept of Blood, has been one of those for me.

Before uni, blood meant one thing. I pictured red blood cells, oxygen transport and everything I'd learnt through biology back in highschool.

Chinese Medicine introduced another perspective. Honestly, a whole different world.

While Blood is recognised as a physical substance, it's also understood through its function. It's said to nourish the body, moisten the tissues and provide a stable foundation for both physical and emotional wellbeing.

One of the ideas I kept coming back to was the relationship between Qi and Blood.

A phrase that appeared throughout my notes was:

"Qi is the commander of Blood. Blood is the mother of Qi."

I loved the simplicity of it.

Rather than describing the body as separate systems working independently, Chinese Medicine sees these Vital Substances as constantly supporting one another. Qi moves Blood, while Blood nourishes Qi. Neither is complete without the other.

The more I reflected on it, the more I realised this idea extends beyond the body itself.

Relationships are everywhere.

Within nature.

Within the body.

Within health.

Looking back, that's probably what has fascinated me most during my first semester.

Chinese Medicine rarely looks at one thing in isolation.

It always asks what it's connected to, and how it’s affecting it.

Learning about Xue shifted my attention towards nourishment. I became more intentional about including whole, nutrient-dense foods in my meals and began favouring cooked food over constantly reaching for something cold or raw like tuna salads. Dinner also became smaller and earlier where possible since learning about the TCM body clock (i’ll go into depth about this later on), giving my body a little less work to do at the end of the day.

An observation I had and that you could do:

This month, notice the things that leave you feeling nourished.

Not just the meals you eat, but the conversations, places and moments that seem to restore something within you.

Sometimes nourishment is quieter than we expect. Learn how to capture this so it becomes a part of your every day life.