Doing some research on medicinal uses of native tobacco ("sared tobacco", nicotiana rustica), I just now found the following in a scientific paper documenting tobacco curative use by an Amazonian curandero:
I found the last sentence to be particularly interesting as relates to the scratching and it's cessation after hanging the tobacco leaves. @"Guohua" may - or may not - recognize similarities between Amazon traditional medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine in the mention of "energy pathways, like nerves" within the body, which is, I think, one of the basis for acupuncture.
Link to the PDF
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Quote:The healer explains that viewed from the Amazonian medical
understanding, tobacco medicine, in addition to the plant’s
biochemical action, exerts its therapeutic effects via the
energetic and spiritual domains. These domains or aspects of
the human body are significant for pathogenesis “because
illnesses first arise in the spirit-body, then in the energy-body,
and only then manifest in the physical body,” he explains.
Aiming to further elucidate the energy aspect of the body, he
describes that like nerves, the body is permeated by energy
channels, which are in direct relationship with the structures of
body and mind. In his point of view, the key power of the tobacco
plant, thus, lies in its extraordinary capacity to tackle the
spiritual-energetic dimension: “There are many excellent
medicines, but for energetic problems, tobacco is number one.”
He describes that it removes energetic pollutants from the
system, thereby increasing the flow of energy in the body,
which in turn improves health of body and mind.
Furthermore, according to Amazonian epistemologies, there
are illnesses that are expressly related to spirits (noncorporeal
living beings, which can be health- or sickness-promoting). The
tobacco is said to be effective for such illnesses because the plant
itself is associated with a powerfully healing spirit, which
antagonizes malevolent entities: “With tobacco [these kinds of
illnesses] get cured in one go, because demons cannot live where
there is tobacco.”
I found the last sentence to be particularly interesting as relates to the scratching and it's cessation after hanging the tobacco leaves. @"Guohua" may - or may not - recognize similarities between Amazon traditional medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine in the mention of "energy pathways, like nerves" within the body, which is, I think, one of the basis for acupuncture.
Link to the PDF
.
Diogenes was eating bread and lentils for supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king.
Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’
Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’