I have had so many students over the years tell me that they ran out of time trying to squeeze one more local treatment into a session that I am going to go on record stating Zach’s First Law of Local Treatment. It says: “Any local treatment you do in a clinical setting is most likely going to take you 15 minutes. If you think you can fit two local treatments into 15 minutes of clinic time, you are probably wrong.” (And yes, this is all meant tongue-in-cheek, but there is some good advice to follow).
I should define here what I mean by “local treatment.” I am using the term to mean any group of needles that you add after your core, root, or systemic treatment is in with the goal of focusing the treatment effect on a specific area of the body; and also any adjunct technique other than needles, such as moxabustion, gua sha, massage, cupping, etc.
This Law is meant as a guide for students and new practitioners. If you are planning on doing two local treatments and you only have 15 minutes planned, do not be surprised if you run 15 minutes over. Getting around this Law usually requires that you be well practiced at a local treatment. By “well practiced,” I mean that you do the specific technique many times a day for several years until you get your time down to 10 minutes or, if you work very hard on a few forgiving techniques, 5 mintues.
So when you are in the clinic, and are faced with only 15 minutes of time left and you want to address your client’s arthritic thumb AND treat a scar on her abdomen AND burn some moxa, my advice is to take a breath, pick the local treatment that you think is most important for today, and do only that one treatment. If you only have 5 minutes of time left, skip the local treatment for today or make peace with the fact that you are going to run late. If you find that you are running late often, I would suggest three possible remedies…
One: change your schedule so you have the time you need at this point in your career to do your best work. If you need an extra 15 minutes to get your best treatment in, take it! And don’t just sneak it in. Book your clients so you have that 15 minutes for every client. Structure your practice so you can more easily do your best work. When you have enough time, you will not be stressed or rushing, your clients will get better faster, and your practice will flourish.
Two: practice! If you enjoy using moxa in the clinic, for example, make time to improve your speed and technique. If you have a cancellation or an empty slot (which has been known to happen from time to time in a new practice), use the time to make cones and burn them so you train your hands and get more efficient. Figure out what you will need to work more quickly, where you need water placed in each of your rooms, which incense or lighter works best for you, how much moxa you want on hand and how it can be most easily accessible, and so on. Be sure to always set out your moxa equipment at the start of each clinic shift, so you don’t have to waste treatment time setting it up. As I said before, with a lot of practice over several years you can really cut down on the time you need to perform specific local treatments. Being able to shave 5 minutes off your average treatment time is a big deal! So if you have one local treatment you like and want to use more often, start practicing now.
Three: consider streamlining your systemic treatment. There are several ways this can be done, and I have touched on a few of them here. If you get faster and more efficient at balancing the organ-meridian system as a whole, you will have more time to add in whatever local treatment you wish. Again, every 5 mintues you can take off your treatment time while still doing your best work is something to be celebrated.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Hello Again!
Hello, everyone! I have been away for the past few months teaching, writing, and most of all getting ready for the birth of my son. It seems that while I have been busy elsewhere, the good people at Blogger have also been busy. When I logged on today to the blog, I discovered a host of lovely new tools for making the blog tres chic. I hope you all like the new look as much as I do. I will be tweaking things in the weeks to come, as I have a slew of new things I want to put up here.
Let me know what you all think of the changes as they happen. I am setting a schedule now for more regular posts. I have had requests for more information about energy/Ki/Qi dynamics in the clinic, and also requests for more information about the I Ching. I will be adding these topics more regularly into the posts. If there are any other things you would like to hear more about, bop me an e-mail and let me know.
Also, if you enjoy the blog, please join the community to follow it. It takes a second for you, has no nefarious strings attached, and helps me a lot in becoming more visible on the internet. The number of followers I have for this blog affects the ease with which I show up on search engines.
Cheers! See you all again soon.
Hello, everyone! I have been away for the past few months teaching, writing, and most of all getting ready for the birth of my son. It seems that while I have been busy elsewhere, the good people at Blogger have also been busy. When I logged on today to the blog, I discovered a host of lovely new tools for making the blog tres chic. I hope you all like the new look as much as I do. I will be tweaking things in the weeks to come, as I have a slew of new things I want to put up here.
Let me know what you all think of the changes as they happen. I am setting a schedule now for more regular posts. I have had requests for more information about energy/Ki/Qi dynamics in the clinic, and also requests for more information about the I Ching. I will be adding these topics more regularly into the posts. If there are any other things you would like to hear more about, bop me an e-mail and let me know.
Also, if you enjoy the blog, please join the community to follow it. It takes a second for you, has no nefarious strings attached, and helps me a lot in becoming more visible on the internet. The number of followers I have for this blog affects the ease with which I show up on search engines.
Cheers! See you all again soon.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
What is Open Hand Acupuncture?
July 10-11, 2010
Over the past 10 years, I have been working with different styles of Acupuncture and Craniosacral Therapy in my clinic. Along the way, I stopped seeing a great difference between open handed work and needle work except, of course, the presence of the needle as a treatment focus. Open Hand Acupuncture is the result of this evolving work, and focuses on the central concepts of Qi flow that are equally applicable with open hand work or needle work.
The Theory and Basic Rhythms class will present these different central concepts of Qi flow and how they apply specifically to open hand treatments. We will draw on elements of more orthodox Craniosacral Therapy and Acupuncture models to delve deeply into improving your direct connection to your client’s Qi with your bare hands. The goal of this work is to help you move further in your own work and develop a more individual treatment style that is authentic to you and the unique ways you naturally understand and relate to Qi. You will leave this class with skills and treatment protocols that you will be able to put to use immediately, and which you will be able to adapt to fit the specific needs of your clients.
Acupuncturists and body-workers of any style and level of experience are welcome.
Over the past 10 years, I have been working with different styles of Acupuncture and Craniosacral Therapy in my clinic. Along the way, I stopped seeing a great difference between open handed work and needle work except, of course, the presence of the needle as a treatment focus. Open Hand Acupuncture is the result of this evolving work, and focuses on the central concepts of Qi flow that are equally applicable with open hand work or needle work.
The Theory and Basic Rhythms class will present these different central concepts of Qi flow and how they apply specifically to open hand treatments. We will draw on elements of more orthodox Craniosacral Therapy and Acupuncture models to delve deeply into improving your direct connection to your client’s Qi with your bare hands. The goal of this work is to help you move further in your own work and develop a more individual treatment style that is authentic to you and the unique ways you naturally understand and relate to Qi. You will leave this class with skills and treatment protocols that you will be able to put to use immediately, and which you will be able to adapt to fit the specific needs of your clients.
Acupuncturists and body-workers of any style and level of experience are welcome.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Tell Me Another Story! Tell Me Another Story!
Many of us have stories – great, terrible stories that we use to impress others, about how we used to do this or that, and then we suffered such an injury, and we still feel it today. These stories come into our lives after we get hurt in a way that does not heal quickly. Chronic ailments can seem to become lifelong companions. And after a time, our impressive stories begin to define us, so that we cannot imagine walking through this life without our pains. When we get to a point where we no longer seek out help to get rid of a pain, but only to manage it, we have stopped (at least temporarily) seeking to heal.
I mean no judgment in saying this. I have had such a companion of pain myself for the past two decades. A back injury I sustained earlier in life became my defining “war story.” On the positive side, it pushed me to study back pain and the structure of the body to the point where that became my specialty in the clinic. This drive has helped me do a lot of good for people. But on the negative side, I have been increasingly aware that my back pain and the story of my injury are getting a little too comfortable on the sofa, if you know what I mean. Having guests that overstay their welcome is SO tiresome!
So how to we get rid of these bad houseguests? If you hear the right story, it is as easy as pie. Most injury stories have the same basic structure – they are essentially saying, “I used to be great and strong and fearless, and I got this bad injury which continues to plague me.” A story like this is saying two things. First, it is telling the listener that the person was once great and strong and fearless. Second, it is telling the listener that the injury is the reason why the person is no longer these things. The injury becomes an affirmation of the existence of traits that the speaker wishes to see in himself or herself, but also lets him or her ‘off the hook’ if those traits cannot be seen right now, because, really, how could they with such an injury?
For the remedy , I follow the advice of my beloved niece who, after hearing a good story exclaims, “tell me another story!” And that is just what you do. You tell another story. The difference is that in the new story you do not mention the injury and the heroic manner in which it was received. You focus, instead, on how great and strong and fearless you are. Period. By shifting the focus to the good things that you want out of the story, and away from the bad things that are holding you back, you rewrite your life as it unfolds. When the treatment takes care of the injury, and as your pain lessens, you keep telling stories that nourish and support you. After a while, your stories become grander and grander, and you forget about the injury altogether.
So honor the story you have been telling up to this point. Tell it one more time if you need to, or if you are talking with a client, ask them to tell you the story one last time in detail. Then let it go. Let it go and tell a new story in which you are not injured, but getting stronger and stronger. If you are not already in treatment, go get treatment to support the new you. In a short period of time, you will have left your injury companion behind and moved into a far greater way of living. From time to time, if you find that you wake up expecting pain or come across some other reminder of how things used to be, recognize the event as similar to an old sock left behind by an untidy houseguest. And it may be that there are a lot of socks that you find left behind in this way. But for each one, smile, take a breath, change your energy around it, and let it go – just like throwing an old sock into the garbage.
I mean no judgment in saying this. I have had such a companion of pain myself for the past two decades. A back injury I sustained earlier in life became my defining “war story.” On the positive side, it pushed me to study back pain and the structure of the body to the point where that became my specialty in the clinic. This drive has helped me do a lot of good for people. But on the negative side, I have been increasingly aware that my back pain and the story of my injury are getting a little too comfortable on the sofa, if you know what I mean. Having guests that overstay their welcome is SO tiresome!
So how to we get rid of these bad houseguests? If you hear the right story, it is as easy as pie. Most injury stories have the same basic structure – they are essentially saying, “I used to be great and strong and fearless, and I got this bad injury which continues to plague me.” A story like this is saying two things. First, it is telling the listener that the person was once great and strong and fearless. Second, it is telling the listener that the injury is the reason why the person is no longer these things. The injury becomes an affirmation of the existence of traits that the speaker wishes to see in himself or herself, but also lets him or her ‘off the hook’ if those traits cannot be seen right now, because, really, how could they with such an injury?
For the remedy , I follow the advice of my beloved niece who, after hearing a good story exclaims, “tell me another story!” And that is just what you do. You tell another story. The difference is that in the new story you do not mention the injury and the heroic manner in which it was received. You focus, instead, on how great and strong and fearless you are. Period. By shifting the focus to the good things that you want out of the story, and away from the bad things that are holding you back, you rewrite your life as it unfolds. When the treatment takes care of the injury, and as your pain lessens, you keep telling stories that nourish and support you. After a while, your stories become grander and grander, and you forget about the injury altogether.
So honor the story you have been telling up to this point. Tell it one more time if you need to, or if you are talking with a client, ask them to tell you the story one last time in detail. Then let it go. Let it go and tell a new story in which you are not injured, but getting stronger and stronger. If you are not already in treatment, go get treatment to support the new you. In a short period of time, you will have left your injury companion behind and moved into a far greater way of living. From time to time, if you find that you wake up expecting pain or come across some other reminder of how things used to be, recognize the event as similar to an old sock left behind by an untidy houseguest. And it may be that there are a lot of socks that you find left behind in this way. But for each one, smile, take a breath, change your energy around it, and let it go – just like throwing an old sock into the garbage.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Heisenberg or Hindenburg?
Picture this: you are at a party, and have become the center of a conversation. Why wouldn’t you? Acupuncturists are fascinating! You are chatting with a mixed group, including some trained scientists. You decide to sound like a champ by mentioning something along the lines of how acupuncture research may be limited because of Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle (which you heard somewhere). Suddenly, the scientists’ eyebrows furrow, they look down and smile, and excuse themselves. You have just inadvertently confirmed your listener’s assumption that acupuncture is pseudo-science. Why? What is it about mentioning Heisenberg that makes a perfectly nice conversation go down in flames like a giant flaming hydrogen-filled dirigible from the late 1930’s?
There is a risk involved when you start to explain your work using terms that come from other disciplines. If you are going to reference concepts from physics, it is always a good idea to look them up beforehand. In the case of Heisenberg and his popularly referenced principle, there is a widespread misunderstanding among the general public about what it is and what it says.
Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle states that one cannot measure the position and the momentum of a particle to the same degree of precision, and that when one is measured more accurately, the measurement of the other becomes less accurate. The Principle discusses the measurement of two physical properties that are understood and can be quantified on their own, but not together. Most of us do not reference Heisenberg to say that science cannot measure two physical properties of acupuncture at once (what does that even mean? Hence, the furrowed brow at the cocktail party…).
What we are trying to say when we bring up Heisenberg is something along the lines of how the very act of trying to measure the flow of energy in acupuncture introduces an outside energy that changes the whole system. That is to say, that one cannot measure the flow of energy without changing it by the act of measurement itself. This is correctly called the Observer Effect in physics, and it is a valid consideration when talking about the potential limits of acupuncture research with the tools and methods we have available to try to understand and quantify Qi.
This may seem like a small thing, but as long as acupuncturists are going to try to validate and explain what they do with words borrowed from other disciplines, in behooves us to be as accurate as possible. The conflation of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle and the Observer Effect has been around for a long time in popular usage. And while we as a profession were certainly not the cause of the confusion, we look good if we demonstrate that we are educated about the difference.
There is a risk involved when you start to explain your work using terms that come from other disciplines. If you are going to reference concepts from physics, it is always a good idea to look them up beforehand. In the case of Heisenberg and his popularly referenced principle, there is a widespread misunderstanding among the general public about what it is and what it says.
Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle states that one cannot measure the position and the momentum of a particle to the same degree of precision, and that when one is measured more accurately, the measurement of the other becomes less accurate. The Principle discusses the measurement of two physical properties that are understood and can be quantified on their own, but not together. Most of us do not reference Heisenberg to say that science cannot measure two physical properties of acupuncture at once (what does that even mean? Hence, the furrowed brow at the cocktail party…).
What we are trying to say when we bring up Heisenberg is something along the lines of how the very act of trying to measure the flow of energy in acupuncture introduces an outside energy that changes the whole system. That is to say, that one cannot measure the flow of energy without changing it by the act of measurement itself. This is correctly called the Observer Effect in physics, and it is a valid consideration when talking about the potential limits of acupuncture research with the tools and methods we have available to try to understand and quantify Qi.
This may seem like a small thing, but as long as acupuncturists are going to try to validate and explain what they do with words borrowed from other disciplines, in behooves us to be as accurate as possible. The conflation of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle and the Observer Effect has been around for a long time in popular usage. And while we as a profession were certainly not the cause of the confusion, we look good if we demonstrate that we are educated about the difference.
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Gift That Keeps Giving
My birthday was last month, and my wife and I went out for a lovely brunch and a movie. It was a splendid day, which sadly ended with me contracting food poisoning at the restaurant (we are pretty sure it was the hollandaise sauce). This led to a… shall we say, “eventful” evening and night for me. I have been jokingly referring to it as ‘the birthday gift that kept on giving.’
And yet, there is some truth in this title. On a deeper level, getting sick can be a wonderful and informative experience for a practitioner, and one that should be, dare I say, relished. It is one thing to read about symptoms in a book. It is quite another to feel them firsthand. Besides the increased compassion gained for what a client is going through, being “sick” is an opportunity to pay attention to subtle changes going on in one’s own body during the progression of the “illness.”
The food poisoning also gave me a fascinating look into the mechanism involved in Dramamine. At about 3am, when the food was completely gone from my system and yet I was still vomiting, we decided that it was time to take an anti-emetic. I am not a huge fan of taking strong medications, but as the prospect of visiting the ER for a fluid IV appeared before me, I decided to take the pill. Almost immediately, I felt a line across my abdomen, around the level of Ren 12. Below this line, there was a sensation of downward pressure – the potency of the drug yielded a heightened feeling of the body’s action of separating the pure and impure and moving the impure Qi down as waste. This was extremely interesting, and has given me a visceral understanding of this function of Qi, and also a new appreciation for the mechanism at work in anti-emetic herbs and drugs.
So what to do with this? Well, I have no plans to start tasting all the medicines I can get my hands on and finding out what they do to my body. I tell you this story as advice to stay present as much as possible, and to get as much personal experience about how your Qi moves in all stages of health. Your own difficulties in life will be invaluable in helping you understand the problems faced by your clients.
And yet, there is some truth in this title. On a deeper level, getting sick can be a wonderful and informative experience for a practitioner, and one that should be, dare I say, relished. It is one thing to read about symptoms in a book. It is quite another to feel them firsthand. Besides the increased compassion gained for what a client is going through, being “sick” is an opportunity to pay attention to subtle changes going on in one’s own body during the progression of the “illness.”
The food poisoning also gave me a fascinating look into the mechanism involved in Dramamine. At about 3am, when the food was completely gone from my system and yet I was still vomiting, we decided that it was time to take an anti-emetic. I am not a huge fan of taking strong medications, but as the prospect of visiting the ER for a fluid IV appeared before me, I decided to take the pill. Almost immediately, I felt a line across my abdomen, around the level of Ren 12. Below this line, there was a sensation of downward pressure – the potency of the drug yielded a heightened feeling of the body’s action of separating the pure and impure and moving the impure Qi down as waste. This was extremely interesting, and has given me a visceral understanding of this function of Qi, and also a new appreciation for the mechanism at work in anti-emetic herbs and drugs.
So what to do with this? Well, I have no plans to start tasting all the medicines I can get my hands on and finding out what they do to my body. I tell you this story as advice to stay present as much as possible, and to get as much personal experience about how your Qi moves in all stages of health. Your own difficulties in life will be invaluable in helping you understand the problems faced by your clients.
Writer's Strike?
February turned into the Lost Month for me for a variety of reasons, many of which I will be posting about in the near future. For those of you wondering where the Monday Missions have been, they will return shortly. Let's chalk it up to the Olympics and the Oscars disrupting regular television...
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Treating Fibromyalgia
As I promised in my response to this facebook post by the good people over at Crane Herbs, here are my thoughts on treating fibromyalgia with acupuncture:
In almost every case of fibromyalgia that I have treated, I have found strong lines of tension and a number of active points at the base of the occiput and along the midline over the cervical vertebrae. I recommend you examine this area carefully. When you are palpating, allow your search area to extend to the Gallbladder lines along the occiput, and to the HuaTuo lines along the neck.
Palpate very gently, using light short strokes with the pad of your finger. You are feeling for active points that feel like small depressions. At first, do not actively try to find the points, just try to feel the differences in the skin quality. If you palpate with this mindset and keep your finger relaxed, you will not have trouble finding the active points. If you stiffen your finger and palpate with the mindset of seeking out the points on the neck, you will feel very little. Once you have found the points, change your palpation method and make small circles to define more precisely the characteristics of the points. Often they will feel soft, “empty” and slightly spongy, and will have a light buzzing sensation that you will feel when you rest your fingertip lightly in the center of the depression. Keep your pressure very gentle while you are doing this. If you press deeply or cause any pain, you will cause the area to tense up. This will activate the Wei Qi in the area and make the active points will become more difficult to find and treat.
Insertion into these points has to be very shallow. If you are skilled at using a Teishin or Enshin, these tools are excellent for treating the active points you find. If you are using an inserted needle, use the highest quality and thinnest needle you can. A Seirin #00 would be the lowest quality needle I would recommend for this purpose. Those of you who have studied needle technique with me, I recommend Call and Response in the direction of the dominant Vector, with a target depth of about 1 mm. Those of you who have not studied with me, I recommend you learn and use Shudo Denmei’s wonderful Super-Superficial Technique. It is not the technique I use, but it is lovely, I think it should work quite well with the treatment points I have described, and a description is available on the web. You can read about it here: http://www.najom.org/essays/Shudo_Tx_of_Depression.doc
The local treatment of the area works well when combined with a root or constitutional treatment. I suggest that you keep your root treatment as simple as you can. A minimalist approach in this case helps your client focus more on the work being done on the neck. I have found that too many body needles can distract from the benefits of the local in this case. Do not rush working with the local area – the changes you make at the neck points will provide the bulk of the relief for the client.
I have found that how you position your client is also important in this treatment. What is most important is to keep the back and neck totally relaxed. If your client is uncomfortable and feels the need to lift his or her head up or tense the back and neck, it will make things difficult. Prone works well if the face-rest is comfortable. A massage chair is often a better choice for some clients. If neither is possible, try positioning the client sitting comfortably at the side of the table and leaning forward, resting on several pillows and the top of the table. Before you start examining the neck, gently feel the muscle tension in the neck and back. If the muscles are loose and the client feels relaxed, it will probably be fine.
If client position is difficult, and if you are skilled in Open Hand Acupuncture, Craniosacral Therapy, or another form of hands-on work that allows you to treat meridian and point disharmonies with your hands alone, here is another way I treat fibromyalgia: Place your client supine, and apply a simple root treatment with your needles. Seat yourself at the head of your client, and do whatever you need to do to ease into your treatment connection. Once you are “in,” use your hands to examine and release along the bones and muscles, and at the acupuncture points in the above-mentioned areas. Work lightly and take as much time as you need within your style of work to release the neck well. As with the needle technique, deep pressure into the neck or head will make treatment more difficult and will most likely not produce the desired results.
If you have any questions about what I have written here, please feel free to e-mail me, or to post comments below. I have treated many clients over the years with these methods, and have found the results to be excellent.
In almost every case of fibromyalgia that I have treated, I have found strong lines of tension and a number of active points at the base of the occiput and along the midline over the cervical vertebrae. I recommend you examine this area carefully. When you are palpating, allow your search area to extend to the Gallbladder lines along the occiput, and to the HuaTuo lines along the neck.
Palpate very gently, using light short strokes with the pad of your finger. You are feeling for active points that feel like small depressions. At first, do not actively try to find the points, just try to feel the differences in the skin quality. If you palpate with this mindset and keep your finger relaxed, you will not have trouble finding the active points. If you stiffen your finger and palpate with the mindset of seeking out the points on the neck, you will feel very little. Once you have found the points, change your palpation method and make small circles to define more precisely the characteristics of the points. Often they will feel soft, “empty” and slightly spongy, and will have a light buzzing sensation that you will feel when you rest your fingertip lightly in the center of the depression. Keep your pressure very gentle while you are doing this. If you press deeply or cause any pain, you will cause the area to tense up. This will activate the Wei Qi in the area and make the active points will become more difficult to find and treat.
Insertion into these points has to be very shallow. If you are skilled at using a Teishin or Enshin, these tools are excellent for treating the active points you find. If you are using an inserted needle, use the highest quality and thinnest needle you can. A Seirin #00 would be the lowest quality needle I would recommend for this purpose. Those of you who have studied needle technique with me, I recommend Call and Response in the direction of the dominant Vector, with a target depth of about 1 mm. Those of you who have not studied with me, I recommend you learn and use Shudo Denmei’s wonderful Super-Superficial Technique. It is not the technique I use, but it is lovely, I think it should work quite well with the treatment points I have described, and a description is available on the web. You can read about it here: http://www.najom.org/essays/Shudo_Tx_of_Depression.doc
The local treatment of the area works well when combined with a root or constitutional treatment. I suggest that you keep your root treatment as simple as you can. A minimalist approach in this case helps your client focus more on the work being done on the neck. I have found that too many body needles can distract from the benefits of the local in this case. Do not rush working with the local area – the changes you make at the neck points will provide the bulk of the relief for the client.
I have found that how you position your client is also important in this treatment. What is most important is to keep the back and neck totally relaxed. If your client is uncomfortable and feels the need to lift his or her head up or tense the back and neck, it will make things difficult. Prone works well if the face-rest is comfortable. A massage chair is often a better choice for some clients. If neither is possible, try positioning the client sitting comfortably at the side of the table and leaning forward, resting on several pillows and the top of the table. Before you start examining the neck, gently feel the muscle tension in the neck and back. If the muscles are loose and the client feels relaxed, it will probably be fine.
If client position is difficult, and if you are skilled in Open Hand Acupuncture, Craniosacral Therapy, or another form of hands-on work that allows you to treat meridian and point disharmonies with your hands alone, here is another way I treat fibromyalgia: Place your client supine, and apply a simple root treatment with your needles. Seat yourself at the head of your client, and do whatever you need to do to ease into your treatment connection. Once you are “in,” use your hands to examine and release along the bones and muscles, and at the acupuncture points in the above-mentioned areas. Work lightly and take as much time as you need within your style of work to release the neck well. As with the needle technique, deep pressure into the neck or head will make treatment more difficult and will most likely not produce the desired results.
If you have any questions about what I have written here, please feel free to e-mail me, or to post comments below. I have treated many clients over the years with these methods, and have found the results to be excellent.
Friday, January 29, 2010
I Ching in a Nutshell
I received a request for more information about the upcoming I Ching classes. Here are my thoughts on the I Ching in nutshell. Feel free to contact me if you have specific questions.
The I Ching is THE book on Yin and Yang, and a vital textbook for acupuncturists who wish to better understand exactly how Yin and Yang work beyond the basic correspondences, at very complex levels of organization. The first class in February will focus on a small group of Hexagrams, which we will cover in detail. Participants will receive the tools they need for continuous, meaningful study of the I Ching. At the second class in March we will build upon what we learned in the first class, and discuss the remaining Hexagrams.
Why is studying the I Ching important for acupuncturists? In the treatment room, this information can be used to improve diagnostic understanding, to appreciate the choices your clients make within a larger framework of the changes going on in their lives, and to clarify the healing arc that will best serve your client.
The Yin and Yang balance of any situation can be interpreted meaningfully in several different ways. The empahsis of this class series is practical applications of the I Ching. Participants will be shown not just one way to work with the I Ching, but ways to understand it on a deeper level, so they will be able to easily develop their skills and find their own connection to the movements of change. At the end of these classes, participants will have a very firm understanding of the different ways that Yin and Yang are interpreted and used, and will be able to analyze any event they encounter into complex patterns of Yin and Yang (Hexagrams).
The I Ching is THE book on Yin and Yang, and a vital textbook for acupuncturists who wish to better understand exactly how Yin and Yang work beyond the basic correspondences, at very complex levels of organization. The first class in February will focus on a small group of Hexagrams, which we will cover in detail. Participants will receive the tools they need for continuous, meaningful study of the I Ching. At the second class in March we will build upon what we learned in the first class, and discuss the remaining Hexagrams.
Why is studying the I Ching important for acupuncturists? In the treatment room, this information can be used to improve diagnostic understanding, to appreciate the choices your clients make within a larger framework of the changes going on in their lives, and to clarify the healing arc that will best serve your client.
The Yin and Yang balance of any situation can be interpreted meaningfully in several different ways. The empahsis of this class series is practical applications of the I Ching. Participants will be shown not just one way to work with the I Ching, but ways to understand it on a deeper level, so they will be able to easily develop their skills and find their own connection to the movements of change. At the end of these classes, participants will have a very firm understanding of the different ways that Yin and Yang are interpreted and used, and will be able to analyze any event they encounter into complex patterns of Yin and Yang (Hexagrams).
Monday, January 25, 2010
Monday Mission: Season 1, Episode 4
Your Monday Mission for this week, should you choose to accept it, is to pay attention to your Breathing with every needle you insert this week. Breath is often ignored during actual practice. However, it is a vital part of the needling process and, if used well, will make your needles and therefore your treatments more effective.
There are many diferent ways to use Breath in acupuncture. But the most important thing to remember for most people is TO breathe! It is all too common that we lock our legs, lean forward from the waist, and hold our Breath while we quickly insert the needle before moving on. For this week there are two parts to the exercise:
First, check in and make sure that you are breathing the entire time you are working. If you catch yourself holding your Breath, STOP, take a moment to focus, relax, and Breathe deeply at the tableside in a comfortable position. When you are able to Breathe freely again, and only when you are able, proceed with your insertion and technique. Take as long as you need with each client to do this. One needle inserted with good Breath is worth at least three that are just tapped in, so you will not be losing any time with this important exercise. Over the week, you will find that you will be better able to maintain a nice, slow, deep Breath with every insertion.
Second, and only if you can do the first part above, try to make your Breath a little deeper and fuller with each insertion. Explore how luxurious one single Breath can be, and how long it can seem to last. Savor each Breath as much as possible, spending an eternity in a moment with each point. Do this second part only when you can maintain even and full Breathing throughout each treatment. There is no sense rushing ahead - you will only be cheating yourself out of the benefits of the exercise.
In your journal, keep track of what comes up, and when you have difficulty Breathing in your clinic. Sometimes stopping your Breath is a sign that you are not valuing yourself and your work as fully as you deserve. Sometimes it happens only in the presence of certain clients, or when needling certain points. If it happens repeatedly with some clients, think about what is similar among all the clients and how you feel when they are with you in the treatment room (notice I did not say "when you are with them in the treatment room" - own your space!). If it happens with specific points, see if you are contorting your body to reach those points and whether a shift in your stance might open up your Breathing more.
Again, stay with this one as long as you feel you need. Working well with the Breath is one of the most under-appreciated and under-used methods of dramatically improving your treatment results. Remember that this Mission is not a race. It is better to finish the Mission well than finish it quickly. If you go into next week with this one, or even into the week after, you can pick up the next exercise when you are ready.
There are many diferent ways to use Breath in acupuncture. But the most important thing to remember for most people is TO breathe! It is all too common that we lock our legs, lean forward from the waist, and hold our Breath while we quickly insert the needle before moving on. For this week there are two parts to the exercise:
First, check in and make sure that you are breathing the entire time you are working. If you catch yourself holding your Breath, STOP, take a moment to focus, relax, and Breathe deeply at the tableside in a comfortable position. When you are able to Breathe freely again, and only when you are able, proceed with your insertion and technique. Take as long as you need with each client to do this. One needle inserted with good Breath is worth at least three that are just tapped in, so you will not be losing any time with this important exercise. Over the week, you will find that you will be better able to maintain a nice, slow, deep Breath with every insertion.
Second, and only if you can do the first part above, try to make your Breath a little deeper and fuller with each insertion. Explore how luxurious one single Breath can be, and how long it can seem to last. Savor each Breath as much as possible, spending an eternity in a moment with each point. Do this second part only when you can maintain even and full Breathing throughout each treatment. There is no sense rushing ahead - you will only be cheating yourself out of the benefits of the exercise.
In your journal, keep track of what comes up, and when you have difficulty Breathing in your clinic. Sometimes stopping your Breath is a sign that you are not valuing yourself and your work as fully as you deserve. Sometimes it happens only in the presence of certain clients, or when needling certain points. If it happens repeatedly with some clients, think about what is similar among all the clients and how you feel when they are with you in the treatment room (notice I did not say "when you are with them in the treatment room" - own your space!). If it happens with specific points, see if you are contorting your body to reach those points and whether a shift in your stance might open up your Breathing more.
Again, stay with this one as long as you feel you need. Working well with the Breath is one of the most under-appreciated and under-used methods of dramatically improving your treatment results. Remember that this Mission is not a race. It is better to finish the Mission well than finish it quickly. If you go into next week with this one, or even into the week after, you can pick up the next exercise when you are ready.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Monday Mission: Season 1, Episode 3
Your Monday Mission for this week, should you choose to accept it, is to continue working at paring down the number of points you needle in each session. For this week, pay attention to your techniques - whatever techniques you use in your treatments with the style you practice. The focus of this week will be on the physical movements of the hands. Try to take a fresh look at the way you needle, and make every movement as strong, agile, and eficient as you can make it.
An easy way to pare down the number of points you use, for most people, is to pay better attention and make better use of your technique. As technique improves, you will often not need as many points to get the results you want.
In addition, this is an excellent week to PRACTICE your needle skills when you are not treating clients. Adding fifteen minutes a day of practice to really hone your form will pay off by next Monday. If you are working through these exercises with a Mission Buddy, set a time to get together and critique each other's physical technique. Look for places where your parter is holding tension in his or her body, or where the movements seem sluggish or the focus begins to wane. Having another set of eyes and honest feedback can be a big help. If you are working through the exercises alone, write down what you find when you look closely at your needlework. Are your fingers at the most efficient angle with the needle handle? Do you feel in control the whole time? If not, at what point in the technique do you lose control of the needle? Where do you feel tension in your body? Keep track also of any emotional responses that come up, directions that your Mind wanders, lack of clarity in your Intention, and so forth.
If you were not able to use your average number of needles on the bulk of your clients last week, see if you can get a little closer this week. If you were able to do so, try to shave off one more needle on average this week.
An easy way to pare down the number of points you use, for most people, is to pay better attention and make better use of your technique. As technique improves, you will often not need as many points to get the results you want.
In addition, this is an excellent week to PRACTICE your needle skills when you are not treating clients. Adding fifteen minutes a day of practice to really hone your form will pay off by next Monday. If you are working through these exercises with a Mission Buddy, set a time to get together and critique each other's physical technique. Look for places where your parter is holding tension in his or her body, or where the movements seem sluggish or the focus begins to wane. Having another set of eyes and honest feedback can be a big help. If you are working through the exercises alone, write down what you find when you look closely at your needlework. Are your fingers at the most efficient angle with the needle handle? Do you feel in control the whole time? If not, at what point in the technique do you lose control of the needle? Where do you feel tension in your body? Keep track also of any emotional responses that come up, directions that your Mind wanders, lack of clarity in your Intention, and so forth.
If you were not able to use your average number of needles on the bulk of your clients last week, see if you can get a little closer this week. If you were able to do so, try to shave off one more needle on average this week.
Friday, January 15, 2010
I Ching: Understanding Yin and Yang
February 6-7, 2010
Come and spend a weekend developing a well-structured, personal connection with the I Ching, or Book of Changes. We will explore the role of the I Ching as the catalog of possible combinations of Yin and Yang in all phenomena. You will leave this class with a sound understanding of the foundations of the I Ching and clear guidelines for ways to deepen your knowledge of this classic.
We will review the rules that govern Yin and Yang, and show how these rules apply to increasingly complex patterns. The Ba Gua, or Eight Trigrams, will be explored in great detail. We will also look closely at on 16 Hexagrams that allow you to unlock the meaning of all the others, and practice methods of using the I Ching that enable you to directly analyze your own choices and gain insight into your own personal connection with the movements of Yin and Yang all around you.
This class is open to anyone interested in a deeper understanding of the I Ching. No prior training or experience is required.
12 CEU/PDA points
Class held from 9:00-4:30pm at Sage Acupuncture, 62 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420
Your tax-deductable investment: $295 ($250 for students)
Class size is limited to ensure individual attention and plenty of Q&A, so don’t delay, register today!
Come and spend a weekend developing a well-structured, personal connection with the I Ching, or Book of Changes. We will explore the role of the I Ching as the catalog of possible combinations of Yin and Yang in all phenomena. You will leave this class with a sound understanding of the foundations of the I Ching and clear guidelines for ways to deepen your knowledge of this classic.
We will review the rules that govern Yin and Yang, and show how these rules apply to increasingly complex patterns. The Ba Gua, or Eight Trigrams, will be explored in great detail. We will also look closely at on 16 Hexagrams that allow you to unlock the meaning of all the others, and practice methods of using the I Ching that enable you to directly analyze your own choices and gain insight into your own personal connection with the movements of Yin and Yang all around you.
This class is open to anyone interested in a deeper understanding of the I Ching. No prior training or experience is required.
12 CEU/PDA points
Class held from 9:00-4:30pm at Sage Acupuncture, 62 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420
Your tax-deductable investment: $295 ($250 for students)
Class size is limited to ensure individual attention and plenty of Q&A, so don’t delay, register today!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Change in Format
I have changed the format of the Monday Missions. Instead of putting the dates in the titles, I will be heading them with "Season" and "Episode." Each Season will encompass a different larger topic, with the Episodes offering suggested exercises that build on each other. This will make it easier for people who arrive later to this part of the blog, allowing them to join in with Mission Buddies at the start of the most recent Season, rather than having to all the way back to the beginning and catch up.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Monday Mission: Season 1, Episode 2
Your Monday Mission for this week, should you choose to accept it, is to try to use your average number of points in more of your treatments, and force yourself to be more efficient in your point selection based on Actions and Effects. For this week, try to make your average number the maximum number of needles you insert. So if you found that 13 was your average number of needles, for example, try not to use more than that for any treatment this week. If you need to insert more, that is fine – the needs of your client will, of course, take precedence over the Monday Mission. So if you put your 13 in and decide that you have to put 4 more in the ears, or 3 more for the local treatment, or 20 more because it is appropriate for the treatment, go ahead and do so.
What I recommend you pay close attention to this week is the situations where you want to put in only a few more points than your calculated average. Such cases happen all the time, and are excellent ones to look at more closely after hours. Take home the files for the clients you wanted to add only a couple more points. Grab your copy of Deadman’s, or whatever other point book you prefer, and spend some time trying to see if you can make the point combination you selected for treatment a little tighter. Perhaps you are using two points to do the job that one could? Spending 15 minutes going over one case in this way can give you a tremendous amount of insight into old habits you may still be holding onto in how you choose points, but which no longer serve you. Be creative, think outside the box, and find a way to shave off those last few points from your treatment. Write the adjusted prescription in the client file (or use one of those 3M sticky notes). The next time you see that client, try the new prescription instead.
And when you try the new prescription, don’t check your critical thinking at the door! Check in with the pulse, the abdomen, or palpating the Meridians to get a sense of how well the adjusted point list is working. You may decide that some more points are, in fact, necessary. More often than not, though, you are likely to find that the new prescription works better. We all hold onto certain ideas about what points are “supposed” to do that do not actually hold up in the application of our own clinical style. This is an opportunity to say, “Hmmm… Large Intestine 4 and 20 are supposed to be good for sinus congestion, but I find that Large Intestine 6 alone does a better job!” And when you find such things out, congratulations! You have just used your Monday Mission to make your practice a little more effective, and a little more in-sync with who you really are as a practitioner and the unique gifts you bring to your treatments!
Try to do this practice every day this week. If you cannot do every day, go to the book twice this week. Every little bit helps, as long as it fits into your lifestyle. Keep notes of what you find. Talk it over with a Mission Buddy. Or post a comment below! This is an individual process for everyone, but we all learn from each other.
What I recommend you pay close attention to this week is the situations where you want to put in only a few more points than your calculated average. Such cases happen all the time, and are excellent ones to look at more closely after hours. Take home the files for the clients you wanted to add only a couple more points. Grab your copy of Deadman’s, or whatever other point book you prefer, and spend some time trying to see if you can make the point combination you selected for treatment a little tighter. Perhaps you are using two points to do the job that one could? Spending 15 minutes going over one case in this way can give you a tremendous amount of insight into old habits you may still be holding onto in how you choose points, but which no longer serve you. Be creative, think outside the box, and find a way to shave off those last few points from your treatment. Write the adjusted prescription in the client file (or use one of those 3M sticky notes). The next time you see that client, try the new prescription instead.
And when you try the new prescription, don’t check your critical thinking at the door! Check in with the pulse, the abdomen, or palpating the Meridians to get a sense of how well the adjusted point list is working. You may decide that some more points are, in fact, necessary. More often than not, though, you are likely to find that the new prescription works better. We all hold onto certain ideas about what points are “supposed” to do that do not actually hold up in the application of our own clinical style. This is an opportunity to say, “Hmmm… Large Intestine 4 and 20 are supposed to be good for sinus congestion, but I find that Large Intestine 6 alone does a better job!” And when you find such things out, congratulations! You have just used your Monday Mission to make your practice a little more effective, and a little more in-sync with who you really are as a practitioner and the unique gifts you bring to your treatments!
Try to do this practice every day this week. If you cannot do every day, go to the book twice this week. Every little bit helps, as long as it fits into your lifestyle. Keep notes of what you find. Talk it over with a Mission Buddy. Or post a comment below! This is an individual process for everyone, but we all learn from each other.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Monday Mission: Season 1, Episode 1
Your Monday Mission for this week, should you choose to accept it, is to discover the true average number of points you needle in your clients this week, and also the maximum number of points you needle. How to do this? Keep a piece of paper on hand with the date written at the top. Every time you treat a client, take a moment to count the needles you have put in, and write that number down. Also write down your client’s initials, in case you want to check something about that specific case later. At the end of the week, add the number of needles up, and divide by the number of treatments. That is your average. Then note the top three numbers of needles you inserted during the week. That gives you an idea of your maximum.
This week we are just gathering information that you will need to go forward. Next Monday we will build on this week’s work, and we will begin exploring how very useful it can be to know your average and maximum needle use for each client. When the week is over, if someone asks you, “How many needles do you use during a treatment?” You should be able to say with confidence, “About ___ on average, and usually no more than ___.”
This week we are just gathering information that you will need to go forward. Next Monday we will build on this week’s work, and we will begin exploring how very useful it can be to know your average and maximum needle use for each client. When the week is over, if someone asks you, “How many needles do you use during a treatment?” You should be able to say with confidence, “About ___ on average, and usually no more than ___.”
Mission Possible
This blog post will self-destruct in 5 minutes… bum bum Bum Bum bum bum Bum Bum BA DA BUM… BA DA BUM…
Starting in 2010, I will be starting a new feature on the blog: the weekly Monday Mission. Everyone works with different styles and has a different flow in the clinic, and the goal here is to help you develop confidence in your unique gifts and skills so you can become the best acupuncturist you can be. In essence, you will become just like those super agents from Mission Impossible. As we say in our clinic, “Healing is possible,” so every Monday we will have a Mission Possible. And, no, we will not need the Master of Disguise for these missions.
Each Mission is a suggestion for you to follow in your practice, which will hopefully give you some new insights into how you work, and increase your awareness of little details in your practice that you can modify to make your treatments more efficient and effective. The Monday Missions will build on each other over time, so if you are new to the blog, I recommend you start at the beginning and take your time going through the various exercises. Do not be in any hurry to get through the Missions. Go at your own pace, even if it means you spend longer than a week on each one. Over time, you will notice that you will be happier in your work, and your clinical efforts will feel more authentic and more “You.”
For best results, I also recommend you find a way to record, review, and share what you notice in terms of clinical results, any personal resistance that comes up, and any new ideas that are sparked by these exercises. One approach is to get a journal and keep notes. Another idea is to find a Mission buddy – a co-agent if you will – with whom you can work through the weekly entries and discuss what comes up for each of you. You can also feel free to post your experiences on the blog. There is a lot of room here for comments, and I would love to hear from you.
VIEW THE MONDAY MISSIONS
Starting in 2010, I will be starting a new feature on the blog: the weekly Monday Mission. Everyone works with different styles and has a different flow in the clinic, and the goal here is to help you develop confidence in your unique gifts and skills so you can become the best acupuncturist you can be. In essence, you will become just like those super agents from Mission Impossible. As we say in our clinic, “Healing is possible,” so every Monday we will have a Mission Possible. And, no, we will not need the Master of Disguise for these missions.
Each Mission is a suggestion for you to follow in your practice, which will hopefully give you some new insights into how you work, and increase your awareness of little details in your practice that you can modify to make your treatments more efficient and effective. The Monday Missions will build on each other over time, so if you are new to the blog, I recommend you start at the beginning and take your time going through the various exercises. Do not be in any hurry to get through the Missions. Go at your own pace, even if it means you spend longer than a week on each one. Over time, you will notice that you will be happier in your work, and your clinical efforts will feel more authentic and more “You.”
For best results, I also recommend you find a way to record, review, and share what you notice in terms of clinical results, any personal resistance that comes up, and any new ideas that are sparked by these exercises. One approach is to get a journal and keep notes. Another idea is to find a Mission buddy – a co-agent if you will – with whom you can work through the weekly entries and discuss what comes up for each of you. You can also feel free to post your experiences on the blog. There is a lot of room here for comments, and I would love to hear from you.
VIEW THE MONDAY MISSIONS
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