I continue to grow and learn in my practice. I am grateful to receive Five Element mentorship from Elizabeth Garber and Thomas Jamieson in Belfast, Maine, and was fortunate to experience the transcendent potency of bad jokes and master
pulse-reading, while interning with Robert Levine in Albany, California.
I received my Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine from
Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College, in Berkeley, CA, &
attended the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in
San Francisco, CA, where I helped to maintain the Chinese Medicinal Herb Garden.
Natalie Purkey, LAc
“Gōng Sūn”
“Grandparent Grandchild”
Gōng Sūn is the Chinese (pinyin) name of the acupuncture point “Spleen 4”. It was the first acupuncture point I encountered in my studies that I received a more complex symbolic impression from. It is most often translated as “Grandparent Grandchild”. It suggests a connection to our ancestors - how we bring forth something into the world as a unique expression, while retaining the legacy of those who came before us.
The foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine are rooted within the Five Elements of the natural world. The meridian (energetic line) that this point resides on represents the energetics of the Earth element, which we associate with transformation, assimilation, and nurturance. It is upon the backdrop of the Earth that we witness the shifting seasons. It is the Earth element that enables us to move through these transitional times well-equipped.
The point provides a sense of harvest, and available abundance to carry us into the unfolding future. It helps us to remain receptive, and to effectively integrate what we are taking in. Each element within nature has Yin and Yang qualities in varying proportions. This point connects the Yin (substance) and the Yang (activity) of the two Earth meridians of the body. It links and harmonizes these entwined twin aspects of manifestation, and acts as a kind of conductive force between them.
In simple terms, this point may be selected when there is recurrent fatigue and/or weakened, problematic digestion. It is used to help counter feelings of overwhelm, calm the mind and spirit, and reorient us to the potential of the future. It is often used for women's health, & the regulation of menstruation, and can have a beneficial effect on our circulation. It can help to remind us of how well-resourced we really are.
The names of many of the acupuncture points contain poetics that hint at their deeper significance. In referencing the name of this point, I hope to strengthen my connection to the ancestors (both my own, and the prior holders of this medicine tradition) in a beneficial way. I also hope to support others in the process of bringing forth their own essential being from the foundation of what all they have inherited.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That is how the light gets in
- Leonard Cohen by way of Hugh Milne