Pathogenesis is the study of the development of disease. In Biocharacteristics, pathogenesis refers to the way one imbalanced biocharacteristic in a location causes another biocharacteristic in another location.

The ongoing study and contemplation of pathogenesis is the most important aspect of biocharacteristics medicine. Once the clinician can demonstrate the chain of cause and effect, each step in the flowchart will reveal an opportunity for intervention. Accurate formulation of pathogenesis helps the herbalist pinpoint the one herb among many that has the correct energetics.

Disease begins in a site of origin where biocharacteristics accumulate due to exogenous factors (diet, lifestyle, environment, events). The disordered biocharacteristics then travel through various channels or pathways, and cause other biocharacteristics to become imbalanced. If these biocharacteristics overwhelm the body defenses in a particular location, the disordered biocharacteristics will become manifest and symptoms will appear.

A pathogenesis flowchart allows you to trace current disorders back to their root cause, so you can find the site of origin. In biocharacteristics every client's pathogenesis is unique, even those who have the same symptoms.

In formulating a pathogenesis, Biocharacteristics medicine links one biocharacter-instance to another in a progression. Each biocharacter-instance is a statement in the form Biocharacteristic in Location (Evidence1, Evidence 2, Evidence 3, ...).

• 1st progression: Instance 1 => Instance 2 => Instance 3 => etc.
• 2nd progression: Instance 1 => Instance 2 => Instance 3 => etc.
• 3rd progression: Instance 1 => Instance 2 => Instance 3 => etc.

Here is an example:

• Dense in Rasa (thick mucus, high blood pressure) => Stagnant in rasa (Puffy skin) => Wet/Damp in Mind (feeling stuck / overwhelmed easily, panic attacks)
• Wet/Damp in Mind => Heavy in Mind (Depression) => Scattered Mind (Seeking relief from depression) => Wet/Damp Diet (Emotional eating)
• Wet/Damp Diet => Sugary food choices => Thickness in Blood Plasma
• Wet/Damp in Diet => Toxins in Plasma (Coated Tongue) => Stimulation in Nervous System (Anxiety) => Panic attacks
• Summary: Wet/Damp => Toxins => Hyperactivity of Nervous System

The in location part of the instance can also refer to other circumstances. For example, instead of dryness in the skin, one could add dryness moving upwards in the skin, etc. Each biocharacteristic can also be a taste, element, or constitution.