Poetry, Philosophy, and Herbal Medicine: Xiao Yao San
What if it is only when we forget ourselves—and all our ideas of what is important—that we can really understand what life is all about?
-Will Buckinham
Writing that draws together poetry and philosophy intrigues me. Thoughtfully selected words can build vivid imagery and evoke emotion and insight, like a magician pulling an endless chain of silk handkerchiefs from their sleeve. This style of writing and thought actually plays a role in what drew me to the study of traditional health. Ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic medical texts often describe health and balance through poetic and philosophical language. It's lovely and informative. I often say these texts go beyond clinical descriptions and ask us to close our eyes…and imagine. Luckily western scientific data is corroborating some of these poetic expressions of the past and today I will be writing about the relationship between poetry, philosophy, and health and how it is beautifully embodied in one of my favorite herbal formulas: Xiao Yao San.
A formula written during the Song Dynasty (927-1207), Xiao Yao San was inspired by the Daoist philosophical text ZuanZi, attributed to Zhuang Zhou and written roughly a thousand years earlier. Xiao Yao translates to Free and Easy Wandering and the original text explores transcending the limitations of ordinary life in order to gain new perspectives in order to find peace.
Xiao Yao San (moving forward I will be referring to Xiao Yao San the formula rather than the text, and may abbreviate to XYS) was designed to help loosen rigid patterns of thought and support emotional well-being. The authors of this formula drew from philosophy and wove it into the fabric of TCM herbal medicine. The beauty of XYS is to use herbs to facilitate new perspectives with the realization that freedom can come from wider viewpoints, less rigidity and more openness.
While the philosophy behind XYS is fascinating, its clinical application is equally elegant. To understand why, we need to look at one of the core patterns it addresses in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Liver Qi stagnation.
The Liver (with a capital L, meaning the TCM organ system not the biomedical organ that cleans and filters blood) governs and controls the smooth flow of Qi. Imagine Qi like a river of energy flowing through our body, we want it flowing…smoothly. Enough to clear the build up of stagnant water and branches flowing downstream, but not rushing continuously where flooding can occur. We don't want our Qi too slow of a trickle, too fast like a flood, or to be held behind a dam for when it eventually breaks free it leads to a path of destruction downstream. We want balance and flexibility rather than bracing. However, our society is largely a Liver Qi Stagnating machine. Traffic jam in your path? Can you feel that frustration rise to your head or constriction in your chest? To-do list growing alongside deadlines and timelines? Can you feel your perspective narrowing or you shoulders cinching toward your neck? Our relationship with constraint is deeply infused in our every day lives: constant work, caretaking, productivity, sitting for long periods, planning, being right, masking our emotions, and worry. Our Qi has its work cut out for it to find a balanced and steady flow.
Liver Qi Stagnation is a stressor on the body and can manifest as many ailments that can seem totally unrelated, but quite often are related in TCM; irritability, frustration, PMS, depression, headaches, acne, shortness of breath, neck pain, digestive issues, heartburn, IBS, etc. The goal of XYS is to free the flow of Qi in order to remedy these ailments.
Xiao Yao San masterfully coaxes the Qi from its constraints. It doesn't blast the dam of constrained Qi, unleashing the river in one blow. No, with this formula we are painting a dotted line on the side of the dam and disassembling it brick by brick. Moving Qi methodically and supporting the health of the surrounding environment while doing it.
Healthy Liver Qi is symbolized as flexible wood. A young supple tree, it can move with the winds of life, shifting directions as needed. As ZhuangZi suggests, new perspective. This is thoughtful and philosophical herbalism. Interestingly, this traditional understanding of stagnation and flow has intriguing parallels in modern research.
So how are the herbs actually moving Qi? In TCM herbalism, formulas are built with numerous herbs working synergitically together to produce a change.
Studies have found that the herbs in XYS have properties that balance the cascades of inflammation that occurs in our bodies every day. XYS helps us navigate the ebbs and flows, regulating when we need less inflammation and when we need more.
Research has increasingly suggested that inflammation may play a role in some forms of depression, so it seems important to learn how herbalism can keep such inflammation managed. We are now able to take ancient philosophy, apply herbal medicine and see how its properties and mechanisms of action can be used to treat ailments of today.
What I love most about Xiao Yao San is that it reflects a distinctly different way of thinking about health. Rather than forcing change, it encourages movement. Rather than fighting the river, it helps restore its flow. Whether we describe that process through the language of Qi, inflammation, neurotransmitters, or philosophy, the goal is remarkably similar: greater flexibility, broader perspective, and a little more ease in navigating life.