The Yin and Yang of Climate Crisis: Healing Personal, Cultural, and Ecological Imbalance with Chinese Medicine

by Brendan Kelly

Marrying western environmentalism with Chinese medicine, this revolutionary book illustrates the many ways that our personal well-being and climate health are vitally connected
 
Crises such as melting ice caps, dying forests, and devastating floods are symptoms of deeper issues, both within us as individuals and within our culture. Informed by author Brendan Kelly's experience as a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, The Yin and Yang of Climate Crisis reveals that the current life-threatening severity of climate change speaks to the level of imbalance that exists in the people and institutions responsible for the crisis. Considering issues such as loss of life from increasingly severe storms, stress on farmers from rapidly changing weather, and increasing rates of disease, this book goes on to present hopeful, deep-reaching personal and societal remedies to treat the underlying causes of climate change and to restore our own health.

The Yin and Yang of Climate Crisis  blends the external focus of environmentalism—western science, policy issues, regulations—with the internal focus of Chinese medicine—personal health, balancing Qi, diet—to present a holistic view of our interrelationship with the planet. Kelly provides a deeper look at how we've gotten to this place of climate destabilization and ways to treat both the symptoms and their root causes. Looking through the lens of Chinese medicine, we are better able to understand that the severity of climate destabilization speaks to deeper philosophical and spiritual issues and provides an opportunity to address our own personal and collective imbalances. With his unique perspective and far-reaching perceptions, Kelly encourages us to translate the reality of our warming planet into an opportunity to ask bigger and deeper questions, including who we are, what we're here to do, and what promotes health and healing.

248 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2015

Reviews

[Jason Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly essential reading for those people interested in ecology and the health of the planet and the human race. Brendan Kelly has opened my eyes to a more clear understanding of climate change through the knowledge and wisdom of Chinese medicine and ancient Chinese thought. This book exposes that the way we are trying to address climate change with Western science and thought is actually not addressing the fundamental problem of climate change. On the other hand, the Chinese medical view of climate change addresses the problem at its root, which is the way we as individuals conduct our lives and the choices we make. The majority of people in the world are far too yang (hot energy/active/doing) as opposed to yin (cooling energy/passive/non-doing). This yang attitude and temperament is contributing to the heat of the planet. So Brendan skilfully explains to the reader that we need to address our own internal climate crisis which will in turn effect the big picture. We need to essentially address the habits and way of life that we have become accustomed to. Though Brendan explains this with much more wisdom and at depth. I highly recommend this book.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a galley proof of this book in exchange for a review.

Three stars for the climate science part of the book, zero stars for the connection to Chinese medicine.
While I was intrigued by the idea, I'm not sure the author was able to successfully add anything to our understanding of climate change.
My suggestion: Read the science parts, no loss if you skip the Yin and Yang bits.