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Mental Accounting Is Irrational

 Or  5 Things I Learned From ‘Dollars and Sense, How we Misthink Money and How to Spend Smarter’ by Dan Ariely and Jeff Kreisler 1. Mental Accounting Is Irrational – When we mentally categorize money into separate pots, we also separate that money from being actual money. It becomes the same as having a stack of poker chips to one casino, we feel justified in either 1) spending all that money on anything we can rationalize to fit into that category, or 2) we move it into another category when we over draw from one pot. This can lead us to mislabeling unaccounted-for-money, such as game winnings or money found on the street, as “fun money” and blow it all without thinking twice, when in fact it is still money , and we can use it for all the things we need money for on a regular basis (bills, debt, investing). Instead of relying on our internal accountant, we should lay out a physical or digital budget where we can see where our money is going and stick to it. This will help us whe
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In A Dorm Room, Far Far Away…

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       Prior to beginning my professional doctorate in TCM, I had a money-averse attitude that was borne out of a mindset centered upon not having enough and being fearful of running out of the little resources I had. When I entered graduate school, I had to take out student loans to cover the cost of school as well as the cost of living in a high cost of living area. These loans were the most money I had seen at any one time and I gladly created a simple budget so that I could stuff away as much of the loans into my savings as I could. I was unaware of the growing debt I was quickly accumulating as I had adopted the attitude towards student loans that had been modeled for me, ‘just take them and they’ll get paid back eventually.’ At first, I thought this was the only way to acquire a graduate degree. However, throughout the program I met several classmates who worked full-time and only took classes as they could afford them, thereby avoiding student loan debt. This realization immedia
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Why Acupuncture works

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Acupuncture works because the modern world has only recently recognized the need to manage the insane speed and demands of capitalist society with the all-encompassing umbrella of self-care. Acupuncture works because it is the final word in self-care. It is self-care because it is your own body doing the caring, your body knows how best to care for itself, your body mobilizes its own resources to correct imbalances. Acupuncture works because it has been utilized, developed and expanded upon since before the Romans built their Coliseum. Picture a naked silver birch tree in winter, its branches extend ever higher, separating into increasingly smaller branches until they reach the heavens with the smallest of their appendages. Now picture an anatomical drawing of the vascular system of the human body. Notice the similarities between these two pictures, the way that the arteries continuously divide in order to reach into the smallest of spaces in order to supply blood to every part of th
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The Wonders of Bone-Knitting Powder

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From: Kiiko Matsumoto's Clinical Strategies , Pg 71    In the waiting game of bone healing, weeks of hauling a useless appendage in its hard cast can cause anyone to question “Do I really need to wait this long?”. Thankfully, the masters of ancient Martial Arts Medicine discovered an answer that would make any bone-fracture patient exclaim “Yippee!”. Enter bone-knitting powder, an amazing formulation of seventeen herbs that work as a team to not only alleviate the aches and pains of healing bones, but also provides the necessary materials and directions for the bones to heal at an increased rate.             Now, how does bone-knitting powder work? From a broad viewpoint, its functions are to: 1) build the blood and qi so as to provide the necessary materials for bone-building, 2) break and move blood stasis while promoting circulation so that the healing area has a fresh supply of materials and so that all of the detritus is swept away, 3) Resupply the Kidney’s so that they may
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Managing Student Stress With TCM Formulas Part 2

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  In this second edition of Chinese Medicine formulas that can assist with your mental work, we have the legendary Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan. Again, this article is not intended to diagnose or prescribe the use of any herbs, it is only intended for educational purposes. Let’s get to the formula! Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan: The name of this formula translates to “the Emperor of Heaven’s Special Pill to Tonify the Heart”. The story of who exactly received this formula is debated, but it is still a fun story. From Bensky’s Formulas and Strategies (2015) “It is said that once, when the Buddhist monk Zhi Gong was exhausted from the chanting of scriptures, he was given this formula in a dream by the Heavenly King Deng…Although (this) account is mythological, (it) refers to this formula’s magical effect in treating exhaustion from too much thinking.” Whether or not you believe that a divine Emperor can appear and dispense herbal knowledge, the fact that this formula originated from Buddhist monk
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Managing Student Stress With TCM Formulas Part 1

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               Students everywhere are almost constantly under the stressors of making time to attend class, do their homework and study to prepare for an impending quiz or exam (Not to mention all of the other parts of life that need daily attention!). All of that stress adds up and takes a toll on your resources. Adequate food and rest, self-care time away from the books and ample physical exercise to keep your qi moving are all very important ways to keep your body healthy during school. When daily habits are not enough to replenish the qi and blood you are expending on long study sessions, Chinese herbal formulas can be the key that gets your body back to where it wants to be. Chinese herbology is very specific to every individual in regards to the exact needs of the individual consuming the herbs as well as how the individual tolerates and digests the herbs. Moreover, the environment of the individual plays a big role in the specific deficiencies that come to the forefront. For ex
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Three tips for success in Traditional Chinese Medicine School

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After three years of TCM school full of studying, connecting with classmates and professors and contemplating what I can learn from my time in school, I have arrived at three simple ways that can make a student’s journey through the rigors of Chinese Medicine school a little bit easier. So without further ado, here are my three tips for success in TCM Graduate school! 1) Study everyday!             From highschool through most of my undergraduate program, I never studied more than looking back over my notes from class or talking to a classmate about the topics the exam may cover. It was not until I encountered my favorite French professor in the latter half of my junior year of college that I began to actually study on a daily basis. I was a sociology major, a field that has more emphasis on understanding and citing previous theories without any rote memorization needed. When I started learning French, I was useless. Languages have always been a very difficult topic for me to excel
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