This conversation with Rick Gold and Yuval Ron moves through the strange and increasingly practical territory where music, medicine, plants, and perception collide. We discuss Yuval’s early work with the pioneer of binaural beats and how psychoacoustics adds emotion to film scores. Beyond that there is an audio frontier that includes the exploration of how frequencies can shift attention, mood, and perhaps even help protect cognition.

Their current work takes medicinal herbs and records their bioelectrical activity, then turns those signals into music. Not synth magic, not a novelty trick, but a painstaking process of listening for pattern, repetition, and relationship—finding something humanly hearable inside something that is not human at all. Five years of work. A lot of editing. A lot of not giving up.

There’s something here about collaboration across species, we’ve been doing that with Chinese herbal medicine for a while now. But this new exploration using the language of music. That’s an innovative collaboration. Listen into this conversation and expand your ideas on both music and medicine.

It’s part luck, part dogged curiosity and persistence, and sometimes a bit of fate.

In this conversation with Holly Guzman, we wander through her circuitous route into the medicine—from knocking on the door of the Chinese embassy in Kabul, to hanging out at a bookstore in San Francisco, waiting to see who might pick up the one English book on acupuncture. Along the way she crossed paths with some remarkable teachers, witnessed extraordinary ways acupuncture was used in China, and learned lessons about herbs, storytelling, and clinical responsibility that shaped the practice she has today.

Listen into this discussion as we explore her early travels to China in the late 1970s, what it was like to practice before acupuncture was legal, and the powerful influence of teachers like Miriam Lee and Yat Kee Lai. Holly also reflects on herbal training that emphasized curiosity over categories, the role of storytelling in clinical work, and how imagination opens the door to new possibilities in medicine.

Holly reminds us that this medicine didn’t arrive fully formed—it grew through the curiosity, audacity, and persistence of practitioners who were willing to explore what was possible.

In this conversation with Darren Maynard, dig into the complexity and methods that fall within the world of orthopedic and musculo-skeletal medicine. We explore what it means to be bilingual in clinic, and the value of being able to hold a Chinese medicine diagnosis and a Western ortho assessment in the same set of hands. We’ll discuss why “sports” doesn’t mean “athletes only,” how palpation is a key to effective treatment, and why training means more than a few weekend courses—especially when needle depth, safety, and confidence are on the line.

Listen in as we take a look at the turf-war issues of dry needling, and what it means to have acupuncture “integrated” into the larger medical care system. And how Chinese medicine principles allow for nuance that results in better clinical outcomes.

This panel conversation is an attempt to better understand the Ming Men. Not by flattening it into one definition, but by tracking it from different angles—textual, palpatory, alchemical, ecological—and seeing what stays consistent as the perspectives change.

Anne calls it an activation power that wants to move freely, so a person can occupy their whole existence without leaving corners uninhabited. Thomas brings it straight to the table: put your hand below the navel, check the relative coldness, watch what happens to breath, warmth, and the eyes when things begin to organize. Zev keeps widening the lens—ministerial fire as warmth and life, as clinical strategy, and as a reflection of the larger world we’re burning to keep ourselves comfortable.

This is delightfully open-ended conversation on the Ming Men, one that helps to guide our focus not by providing answers, but by exploring enlivening questions.

In this conversation with Henry Tarazona, we hear about his unlikely path into Chinese medicine—his love of tuina, and how he uses it to affect organ function and biochemistry. We’ll discuss Liver/Spleen stress dynamics and the quietly radical clinical power of moderation in improving digestion, along with Henry’s thoughts on the gut–brain axis through the lens of the vagus nerve and the Chong Mai.

We also touch on what it means to learn medicine in a more traditional way, where you rely on memory, repetition, and learning to see what is in front of you.

Listen in for a conversation that mixes together old style learning with both traditional and modern ideas.

In this conversation with Haunani Chong-Drake, we explore the edges of mentorship—not as a program, credential, or transaction, but as something serendipitous and unexpectedly catalytic. The kind of connection that doesn’t give you answers, but instead changes the questions you’re asking.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the difference between teachers and mentors, why confidence is earned long after graduation, how expectation management can make or break a career, and why Chinese medicine has a way of working on the practitioner as much as the patient.

This is a conversation about the relationships that remind you to not give up on yourself. How to stay in the game when things get hard. And the unavoidable fires of development and learning as a practitioner.

In this conversation with Peter Eckman we follow him in his journey of sleuthing out where JR Worsley learned his medicine. But, it’s not just a story of where Worsley got his stuff, to set the stage we have to go back to the shaman practitioners of a time before history. Then come forward through the pantheon of Chinese doctors of the past, and then into the modern age where colonialism opens the door to acupuncture making its way into the West.

Peter’s book, In the Footsteps of the Yellow Emperor details a story that goes from East to West and back to the East with a new Chinese language edition. What better place for a discussion like this than in a History Series conversation?

We share this conversation with Gregory Done as we metamorphize from the Wood Snake to the Fire Horse. What’s in store as we enter a year of unmitigated Fire? Where is caution advised and where do you double down with the creative energy of the Horse?

Listen into this conversation as we explore time-as-qi, what a dramatic handoff between years can do to the psyche; cautions around giving free rein to the unbridled “sovereign fire” of the Heart, and how discipline shapes intensity into something useful.

If you’ve felt the past year pulling you inward, you’re not alone. In this conversation we discuss the natural inclination to come back out—into action, into contact, into the bright problem of more momentum than you’re accustomed to. Saddle up!

Vanessa Menendez-Covelo has been a guest on the podcast and recently she’s been exploring the ever changing frontier of AI, as both a former computer scientist and actively practicing acupuncturist.

Listen into this discussion as we explore how AI “hallucinations” might be creative sparks of fertile imagination; what a tongue-reading machine in a café might mean for diagnosis; the uneasy line between health equity and surveillance; and why shame, not ignorance, may be the real barrier to better care.

In this conversation with Neal Sivula we discuss the experience of failing forward—what it actually looks and feels like when you’re a practitioner, a clinic owner, and a person who cares. How to navigate the employee who doesn’t show up the way you hoped, the power outage, or the appointment someone forgets. And the uncomfortable moment when you have to hold a boundary, especially when you’d rather not be the hammer.

Neal has found a few steady anchors: the micro-business reality of “one day at a time,” and the quietly radical skill of addition by subtraction. Sometimes the way forward isn’t adding another technique. It’s stopping something. Simplifying. Doing more with lessing.

There’s also the importance of tenderness . Neal works with older animals and the humans who love them, he leans on the practice of accompaniment—staying present when things are hard, not avoiding the difficult moments, but instead inhabiting them. It makes a difference.

Listen into this conversation for how failure teaches, and what it asks of us when we’re the ones doing the learning.

In this History Series conversation on Qiological, we take a trip in the Wayback Machine with Misha Cohen to the early days, when her interest in health and wellbeing crisscrossed paths with Chinese medicine—an unconventional grandmother, a sudden onset of back pain, and the goings-on at Lincoln Hospital quietly setting the stage for her later work with AIDS and cancer patients on the other side of the country.

Misha’s curiosity has kept her at the leading edge of weaving Chinese medicine and biomedicine together—without flattening either one. In practice, that means clearer thinking, better collaboration, and a steady reminder that acupuncture and herbs often fill a hole in the modern medical system.

Listen into this conversation for a glimpse of what integrative medicine can look like when it’s practiced with an eye toward honoring the value—and the real clinical power—of Chinese medicine.

In this conversation with Mark Brinson, we explore what happens when hormone replacement therapy and Chinese medicine are used to complement one another. Mark shares both clinical and personal insight into how modern, well-monitored HRT has evolved—and why, when used thoughtfully, it doesn’t override the body so much as restore missing information. From a Chinese medicine perspective, this opens the door for acupuncture and herbs to once again regulate, refine, and integrate, rather than constantly compensate.

Listen into this discussion as we explore hormonal signaling and receptor responsiveness, why balance can sometimes reach a ceiling without additional support, how acupuncture can smooth the transition into HRT, and what it means to practice medicine that restores communication rather than chasing symptoms. This is a grounded, nuanced look at aging—not as decline, but as a shift that asks for better listening and a more open mind about how, and when, to intervene.

In this conversation, we explore palpation as a central pillar of acupuncture practice—not simply as a diagnostic tool, but as a way of relating. Drawing from diverse clinical backgrounds and decades of hands-on experience, in this panel discussion we move out of theory and into the wordless language of the body. We explore how palpation becomes a bridge between thinking and sensing, diagnosis and treatment, practitioner and patient.

Listen into this conversation as we explore how palpation provides real-time feedback in treatment, how it keeps acupuncture grounded and responsive, the ways in which touch builds trust and rapport, and why listening with the hands can reveal what words and symptoms alone cannot.

Attentive touch doesn’t just inform our treatments—it changes how we show up to the work itself.

In this expansive conversation with Daniel Schulman, we explore what happens when acupuncture is practiced not as a technical intervention, but as a relational art. Daniel reflects on a lifetime of moving between worlds—science and spirit, objectivity and intimacy—and how Chinese medicine became a place where those apparent opposites could finally speak to one another.

Listen into this discussion as we explore clinical intimacy, the difference between judgment and discernment, why knowing a patient is not the same as knowing their diagnosis, and how self-cultivation becomes an ethical foundation for practice. We wander through Saam acupuncture, Goethean science, deep time, and the quiet moments in clinic where something larger than technique makes itself known.

In this conversation with Stephen Brown we trace his unlikely path from welding in a west coast shipyard—literally working with fire and metal—to becoming one of the key bridges between Japanese acupuncture and the English-speaking world.

Along the way he unpacks how history, culture, and politics have shaped East Asian medicine in Japan, Korea, China and beyond, and why arguments about “the one true method” miss the living heart of the work. We wander through blind practitioners and palpation-rich traditions, meridian therapy, “scientific” acupuncture, dry needling, and the long-standing turf skirmishes between them.

But repeatedly Stephen brings us back to the clinician’s interior: the courage to admit “I don’t know yet,” the discipline of returning to basics, the craft of letting the body teach you through touch, timing, and attention.

Listen into this conversation on how Stephen refuses both magical thinking and rigid certainty. Instead, he points toward a grounded intuition born of repetition, body-based knowing, and genuine curiosity about the person in front of us. It’s a generous, searching exploration of what it means to practice acupuncture as a lifelong craft, in a world that keeps trying to turn it into a billable procedure.

In this conversation with Heidi Lovie, we wander into the transformation of menopause. She invites us to consider this transition not as a breakdown, but as a profound renegotiation between heart and kidney, ancestry and agency, biology and identity.

Listen into this discussion as we explore how hormones shape our sense of reality, why perimenopause can feel like the caterpillar dissolving into goo phase of becoming a butterfly, how grief and sovereignty intertwined in midlife, and ways clinicians can expand their imagination beyond the default kidney-yin story. This is about expanding language, reframing experience, and recognizing the second spring as a time of creativity, clarity, and unapologetic self-definition.

Liz Vitale didn’t simply move to the Oregon Coast. She rooted herself there among fishermen, surfers, firefighters, foresters, Latina moms, and retirees. Over time she became part of the village, not just as a practitioner, but as a neighbor, a volunteer firefighter, a customer at the grocery store and regular at the surfer pub.

In this conversation with Liz, we explore what happens when medicine is not practiced from behind clinic doors, but amidst the actual people it serves. We talk about treating fishermen underserved by mainstream care, how not to impose our “Chinese medicine stories” on patients, how community softens judgment, and how sometimes medicine works quietly—by helping people first feel seen.

Listen into this discussion as we explore how healing unfolds differently in rural places, why living joyfully may be part of the prescription, how treating everybody includes those who don’t agree with you, and how sometimes you find out how your treatments are working not from a clinic visit—but from the local pub, where someone shouts over fish and chips, “Liz, the herbs are working.”

In this conversation with Dr. Marc Grossman, optometrist, acupuncturist, and lifelong investigator of vision, we explore how eyesight is more than biology—it’s biography. He's spent decades asking not just what eye problems are, but why they appear in this person, at this moment, in this way. His work lives at the intersection of physiology, psychology, Chinese medicine, and the soul’s need to see clearly—not just out into the world, but into one’s own experience and heart.

Listen into this discussion as we explore how nearsightedness can emerge from emotional overwhelm, why some people develop tension in just one eye, how the optic nerve can reflect sensitivity and empathy, and why prescriptions sometimes don’t correct—but instead freeze—a moment in our story.

This isn’t a conversation about fixing eyes. It’s about recognizing eyesight as a living conversation between body, spirit, and the world we orient ourselves toward. It reminds us that inquiry—not protocol—is often the most powerful medicine.

In this conversation with Will Martin, we trace the path of a high-school kid who dove headfirst into Chinese medicine—ordering textbooks at sixteen, poring over ideas he could barely pronounce, and never letting that fascination go. Will brings a mix of youthful boldness and genuine reverence for the medicine. He’s thoughtful about the landscape of healthcare, clear-eyed about the challenges in our field, and articulate in how he sees acupuncture stepping more fully into the role of primary care.

Listen into this discussion as we explore why he thinks the medicine needs less defensiveness and more confidence, what it means to keep your treatments simple, how to stand in your authority as a new practitioner, and why the future of acupuncture might be brighter than we’ve been telling ourselves.

In this conversation with Tyler Phan, we explore how rebellion, identity, and power intersect in the making of American Chinese medicine. His research looks at how a healing tradition that arrived through the Chinese diaspora was caught by the imagination of white countercultural movements, shaped by state regulation, and often distanced from the very communities that carried it here.

Listen into this discussion as we unpack Foucault’s ideas of power, the counterculture’s fascination with the East, the formation of professional standards, and how the DIY ethos of punk still hums beneath it all.

Tyler’s perspective challenges us to see that medicine is never just about healing—it’s also about who gets to define what counts as knowledge, and who that power ultimately serves.

In this conversation with Fang Cai, we explore the meeting place between Saam acupuncture and dermatology. Fang brings years of clinical experience and study with Mazen Al-Khafaji, and she shares how integrating Saam principles with herbal dermatology has deepened both her diagnostic precision and her ability to communicate with patients in clear, everyday terms.

Listen into this discussion on using Saam acupuncture for troublesome skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, urticaria, rosacea, and acne. We’ll explore how the skin reveals patterns of physiology and imbalance, and why simplicity in treatment—done with discernment—can create profound change.

Fang’s reflections remind us that good medicine doesn’t always come from complexity. Sometimes it’s about listening closely, trusting what you see, and being the kind of practitioner you’d want to visit yourself.

In this conversation with Kenan Akbas, we trace the unlikely path from acupuncture to algorithms. This is a story that begins in the club scene of 1990s New York, winds its way through photography, Chinese medicine, Taiwan, and eventually the creation of platforms that help practitioners connect more fluidly with their patients. Kenan’s work sits at the intersection of tradition, innovation and inquisitiveness.

Listen into this discussion as we explore what it means to build technology rooted in care and how AI might become not a replacement for human skill, but a partner in the development of it. There are challenges in evolving with our tools as we move into a new stage of development with our exo-nervous system. There’s no going back, the question is how do you move forward into a new terrain.

In this conversation with Dan Bensky, we explore the art of noticing. What it means to let medicine be a call and response rather than a performance of knowledge. We talk about the practitioner’s stance—one that values modesty over mastery, sensation before interpretation, and the quiet skill of finding something you weren’t looking for.

Listen into this discussion as we trace ideas of Tong and connection, the dance between palpation and perception, the discipline involved with not-knowing, and how true competence might simply mean being willing to check yourself.

This is a conversation for anyone who’s ever paused mid-treatment and thought, “Huh… that’s odd.” Because sometimes, that moment—the one that unsettles what you thought you knew—is where the treatment really begins.

In this conversation with Gene Bruno, we wander through those early days of acupuncture in the United States. From campus strikes and existentialist lectures with Angela Davis to finding himself in the second class of Dr. Kim’s students, Gene’s story carries the spirit of curiosity and rebellion that shaped an era. His path was less about a plan and more about following questions—whether that meant bringing acupuncture into UCLA’s pain clinic, or rediscovering forgotten traditions with horses on California racetracks.

Listen into this discussion as we explore acupuncture’s improbable foothold in the counterculture of the 70s, the razor’s edge moment when the profession nearly became the sole territory of physicians, and how veterinary acupuncture was reborn in America before returning to the world stage.

In this conversation with Rory Hiltbrand, we wander through the field of being human—where Daoist numerics, fractals, and the golden ratio intersect with medicine and daily practice. Rory draws from both classical Daoist thought and his own clinical experience, weaving geometry, physiology, and spirit into something that feels both practical and mysterious.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the body as a field and the mind as its knower, how intention can be grounded in embodied experience rather than wishful thinking, why ministerial fire might look a lot like the nervous system, and the curious ways symmetry becomes a treatment strategy.

What I love in talking with Rory is how ideas that seem abstract at first end up grounding us in clinic. Patterns that echo through heaven and earth can also help us know when the best time to treat is simply when the patient is on the table.

In this conversation with Ethan Murchie, we explore the Nei Jing not as a theory to be memorized but as a craft to be lived. Ethan comes to this work through martial arts and manual medicine, where following the qi, unwinding entanglements, and listening through touch are daily practice.

Listen into this discussion as we consider what transmission really means, why clinical knowing often comes through the hands before the mind, and how the classics find their life not in libraries, but in the repetition of practice.

Ethan’s reflections remind us that medicine can be steady, humble, and deeply human — a craft that reveals more each time we return to it.

In this conversation with Anita Chopra, we journey through the landscapes of the face, and the unexpected twists of fate that lead us to our Ming—that essence that makes us grow. Anita’s approach is a tapestry woven from her personal journey and professional practice. She listens to the body's narrative, honors the lessons from her mentors, and uses her unique skills to help patients find their golden path.

Join us as we explore the power of being truly seen, the profound wisdom of accepting ourselves, how our life's path is found in a glimmer on the periphery, and the courage it takes to become the person you were always meant to be.

For Wei Dong Lu, medicine wasn’t foreign at all. He grew up inside it, part of a family where healing was daily life. At sixteen, during the Cultural Revolution, he was told to learn a “practical skill.” His classmates were sent to carpentry or sewing. He was handed needles. 

Listen into this discussion as we trace the path that took him from Shanghai to Nebraska, from teaching at the New England School of Acupuncture to practicing oncology acupuncture at Harvard’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

What you’ll hear isn’t just the biography of one practitioner, but a story about how medicine travels—how it bends and blends to circumstance, how it adapts to new settings, and how something essential continues to move through it all.

In this conversation with Roseline Lambert, we explore her work blending Saam acupuncture with Japanese palpation methods, and how she’s been experimenting with heating and cooling as clinical strategies. What began as curiosity has become a set of questions for her hands, and a more finely tuned sense for how temperature sketches the contours of channel health and pathology.

Listen into this discussion as we talk about how observation and palpation guide treatment, how listening closely to patient language reveals diagnosis, and why heating and cooling formulas might unlock clinical puzzles where standard approaches fall short.

Roseline brings the improvisation of a musician and the hands of a cartographer to her practice. Her story is a reminder that our medicine grows not just from what we’re taught, but from how we follow the questions that arise in clinic.

In this conversation with Felix de Haas, we meander through the tactile world of East Asian medicine—through pulse, palpation, and the subtle feedback that unfolds when you listen with your hands. Felix shares how Chinese medicine didn’t just appear in his life—it found him. And how the most meaningful parts of practice often live in the places we’re still learning to trust.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the idea of 通 tong as communication and opening, the felt shape of qi, why protocols eventually fall away, and how clinical insight often begins with not knowing.

Felix brings a lifetime of experience, sense of history, and a willingness to stay curious. This conversation is for anyone who’s ever wondered if the body might be whispering more than we’re used to hearing.

In this conversation with Erinne Adachi—acupuncturist, editor, and devoted bibliophile—we explore her lifelong love of books and how it has shaped her path, from making stapled “newspapers” as a child to editing manuscripts and guiding authors, and eventually into the world of Chinese medicine.

Listen into this discussion as we touch on the tactile joys of paper and print, the hidden labor of editing and shaping a manuscript, the vulnerability of rough drafts, and how books and medicine both serve as vessels for stories that change us. Along the way we wander into questions of authorship, ownership, and how narrative itself might be as healing as a needle.

Erinne’s reflections remind us that medicine and literature share a common thread: both require attention, presence, and the courage to trust what emerges on the page—or in the clinic.

The body speaks with a visceral language —a hint of thirst, the ache of hunger, the sudden urge for something salty. These signals can be quiet, and easily dismissed when thinking about the “common knowledge” of modern medicine. However, they carry an ancient wisdom that, if we learn to listen, can guide us back toward balance.

In this conversation with Peter Torssell, we wander through the landscapes of Chinese medicine, food traditions, and the yin–yang rhythms that shape health. Peter’s approach is simple yet layered—he looks for what unites different styles of practice, invites patients into small changes with big impact, and trusts the body’s own feedback as a compass.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the subtlety of provoking thirst to build yang, the way salt cravings reveal more than taste, how harmony is born of difference, and the art of choosing foods in dialogue with the seasons and yourself.

The body speaks with a visceral language —a hint of thirst, the ache of hunger, the sudden urge for something salty. These signals can be quiet, and easily dismissed when thinking about the “common knowledge” of modern medicine. However, they carry an ancient wisdom that, if we learn to listen, can guide us back toward balance.

In this conversation with Peter Torssell, we wander through the landscapes of Chinese medicine, food traditions, and the yin–yang rhythms that shape health. Peter’s approach is simple yet layered—he looks for what unites different styles of practice, invites patients into small changes with big impact, and trusts the body’s own feedback as a compass.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the subtlety of provoking thirst to build yang, the way salt cravings reveal more than taste, how harmony is born of difference, and the art of choosing foods in dialogue with the seasons and yourself.

In this conversation with Craig Mitchell, we trace those threads through his unexpected entry into Chinese medicine during the HIV/AIDS crisis, the formative years at ACTCM, and the serendipitous encounters that led him to Taiwan and the translation of the Shang Han Lun. His path weaves together scholarship, clinical practice, and the kinds of opportunities that appear when you’re willing to say yes.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the realities of practicing during a public health crisis, surprising opportunities that arose when pursuing medicine in Taiwan, the challenges and losses inherent in the process of translation, and why flexibility in clinical thinking is essential for treating real people in the real world.

In this conversation with Sarah Rivkin—a clinician, scholar, and longtime student of language—we talk about what it means to translate not just texts, but meaning itself. Sarah brings a thoughtful lens to the edges where language meets medicine, where history presses against the present, and where the clinical meets the poetic.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the unseen weight of choosing one word over another, the challenges of translating classical Chinese into modern context, how diagnosis itself is a kind of translation, and the subtle power of bias in everything we do—from clinic to scholarship.

In this conversation with Richard Mandell, we trace the roots of the Global Acupuncture Project, a training-based initiative that brings simple, effective acupuncture protocols to underserved communities around the world. What started as a gut feeling and an internet search has become a decades-long effort to empower local practitioners across Uganda, Mexico, and Guatemala.

Listen into this conversation as we explore the early days of the AIDS Care Project in Boston, how addiction treatment shaped a community-style model, the decision to train midwives and laypeople instead of doctors, and what it means to offer acupuncture as a “people’s medicine.”

Richard’s story is a reminder that healing doesn’t need to be complicated to be profound—and that with commitment, collaboration, and a bit of boldness, even a modest idea can ripple across the globe.

In this deliciously nourishing conversation we sit down with Andrew Sterman, a practitioner of tai qi and nutritional arts, lifelong musician, and author of Diet is Medicine for Home Cooks and Other Healers. We discuss how our health is shaped not only by what we eat—but how we live, digest, feel, and listen.

Andrew shares how a simple bowl of carrot-ginger soup can profoundly shift the nausea in early pregnancy, and how learning to say “no” to particular foods  might unlock better digestion. He takes us through the lived reality of dietary change—from resistance to revelation—and reminds us that health isn’t just delivered in the clinic; it’s built at home.

From his intertwined career as a touring musician and Chinese medicine practitioner, Andrew weaves together insights on energy, food therapy, the role of emotions in healing, and how music and medicine are both about tuning what’s gone off-key.

In this conversation with Dr. Qiang Cao and Dr. Yun Xiao, we trace the surprising journey of the Wu Zang Lun—an early text attributed to Zhang Zhongjing that was unearthed in the Dunhuang caves and made their way to London and Paris. More surprising are the texts from Korea and Japan that contain the same material. This discussion is part detective story, part historical odyssey, and a glimpse into how older medical cosmologies continue to whisper through the written perspective of doctors of the past.

Listen in as we follow the wandering path of this ancient manuscript, hear the emotional moment of seeing it in person, explore how it connects pulse and physiology, and consider its relevance for clinical practice today.

In this conversation with Eran Even, we explore Dr. Liu’s remarkable clarity and how it comes through in a slim but potent book that Eran has translated into English. Eran walks us through the experience of engaging deeply with Liu’s thinking, from the literary style of Zhang Zhong-Jing to the physiological relevance of Qi transformation.

Listen into this discussion as we trace the importance of channel theory, the overlooked presence of water pathologies in the modern clinic, the inner workings of fire and fluid dynamics, and how Liu Du-Zhou’s reflections on the six confirmations can shift the way we understand both health and disease.

In this conversation with Christine Cannon, we continue our exploration of the celestial influences that shape our lives—not just in theory, but how these influences manifest in the world around us, and in the clinic. Christine draws from the rhythms of the Five Movements and Six Qi to trace how this year’s inadequate metal has influenced the first part of the year, and what to expect as we move forward.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the implications of excess fire and runaway wood, the potential “revenge” of water, and the subtle influence of seasonal delay. We’ll also investigate the partnership between Imperial and Ministerial fire in bringing ideas from the still void of inspiration into manifest reality. The Shaoyin and Shaoyang—there’s a reason for why they’re both considered to be pivots.

In this conversation with Andreas Brüch, we explore how Saam acupuncture offers a tri-dimensional system for working with emotion, physiology, and the mind. Andreas brings a background in psychology and decades of clinical practice to this discussion on the inseparability of mental and physical experience—and how Korean Saam theory makes that relationship clinically usable.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the tri-axial framework of damp/dry, hot/cold, and inward/outward movement; how meridians can reflect patterns of hunger, power, and satisfaction; and why emotional imbalance might be best addressed through constitutional physiology.

This one’s for anyone who’s ever sensed that symptoms are also signals—that the channel system is more than flow, it’s also the message.

In this conversation with Greg Bartosiewicz, we get into a layered discussion of acupuncture, magnetism, light, and biofields. Greg’s background in proteomics and medical lab science blends with his acupuncture training to create a practice that’s both grounded and wildly exploratory. He brings insight from decades in high-end biotech and fuses that with Chinese medicine principles in a way that might have you rethinking the tools at your disposal.

Listen into this discussion as we explore how electromagnetic fields might influence healing, what red light and sound frequency can offer in a clinical setting, and why Greg uses magnetically-induced fields around needles to shift physiology and perception.

This is a conversation for those who suspect there’s more to the medicine than we can see—and who are curious about how principles from physics, biotech, and acupuncture might just be playing together more than we think.

In the USA there was no national health service, while in the UK, that was a pillar of the socio-political landscape. 

Sybil Coldham was not a practitioner of acupuncture, instead she was involved with the education of acupuncturists and found herself in the center of cultural and political forces that had and have, an influence on the profession. She's the focus of a documentary that was discussed in episode 363 Acupuncture’s  Journey to the West. 

Listen into this discussion about building standards from scratch, pushing back against guru culture, the politics of legitimacy, how Chinese medicine has both struggled with and resisted being absorbed by mainstream systems.

In this conversation with Dr. Henry McCann, we talk about what it means to engage deeply with the practice of medicine. Henry reflects on the phase of his life as a musician, how that shaped his sense of discipline, and how that along with decades of clinical work have taught him that mastery often comes through the basics—done over and over with intention.

Listen into this discussion on cultivating clinical mastery, the hidden risks of over-relying on lineage, how repetition builds intuition, and why stubborn motivation might be one of your most valuable tools.

In this conversation with Christoph Wiesendanger, a jazz pianist with an abiding interest in Chinese medicine, we explore how rhythm, resonance, and reflective awareness shape both music and healing. Christoph’s journey from childhood exposure to Daoist classics, to martial arts training, the sonic influence of Milford Graves, and years of study with Z’ev Rosenberg, offers a surprising look at the interweavings of music and medicine.

Listen into this discussion as we explore how the pulse relates to rhythm, the difference between keeping time and making it, the idea of cultivating yourself through sound, and how silence and intention shape both clinical and musical presence.

What if the body wasn’t a fixed map, but a living, improvisational landscape?

In this conversation with Lan Li, a historian, filmmaker, and rhythm-savvy thinker at the crossroads of medicine and imagination, we explore how anatomy is more than skin and sinew—it’s a set of metaphors, shaped as much by culture as by scalpels. Lan brings insight from her work in neuroscience, film, and Chinese medicine to help us consider how maps of the body aren’t just drawn—they’re felt, narrated, and revised in real time.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the improvisational nature of clinical work, the metaphoric structure of anatomy, the interplay between nerves and meridians, the persistence of imagination in medical history, and why ancient images might still be some of our most useful tools.

This episode invites a reimagining of what it means to know, feel, and practice medicine. Especially when inquiry is more like music than math.

What if the body wasn’t a fixed map, but a living, improvisational landscape?

In this conversation with Lan Li, a historian, filmmaker, and rhythm-savvy thinker at the crossroads of medicine and imagination, we explore how anatomy is more than skin and sinew—it’s a set of metaphors, shaped as much by culture as by scalpels. Lan brings insight from her work in neuroscience, film, and Chinese medicine to help us consider how maps of the body aren’t just drawn—they’re felt, narrated, and revised in real time.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the improvisational nature of clinical work, the metaphoric structure of anatomy, the interplay between nerves and meridians, the persistence of imagination in medical history, and why ancient images might still be some of our most useful tools.

This episode invites a reimagining of what it means to know, feel, and practice medicine. Especially when inquiry is more like music than math.

In this conversation with Jacques MoraMarco, we explore the shape of a career that’s spanned over five decades. From his early exposure to French-Vietnamese and Korean teachings, to his role in building acupuncture education in the U.S.—Jacques has carried multiple lineages while helping to shape what Chinese medicine looks like in the modern clinic.

Listen into this discussion as we talk about the perspective of different streams of practice, the shift from apprenticeship to formal schooling, and how European and Korean influences still echo in his work.

In this conversation with Ed Neal and Mel Hopper Koppelman, we explore the edges where medicine, ecology, and culture meet. Both are thinkers who don’t shy away from complexity. Ed draws from classical Chinese texts and ecological systems. Mel, from her knowledge of science and systems thinking.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the role of Chinese medicine in times of crisis, the importance of narrative and metaphor in clinical work, how despair and possibility coexist, and the invitation to practice medicine as an act of presence and participation.

In this conversation with Irina Cividino, we explore her unconventional path as a peripatetic acupuncturist serving remote towns in the Canadian Rockies. What started as a weekend experiment became a thriving circuit of clinics in communities with little to no access to acupuncture. Irina brings both practical wisdom and a spirit of quiet boldness to the work.

Listen into this discussion as we explore building a low-overhead mobile practice, using local Facebook groups for patient outreach, how geography shapes clinical presentations, and the surprising clarity that comes from being in motion.

This is a story about acupuncture. But more than that, it’s about trusting your instincts, listening to your patients, and crafting a life that follows your values with courage and curiosity.

In this conversation with Vanessa Menendez-Covelo, we explore the intersection of Chinese medicine and artificial intelligence. With a background in both fields, Vanessa shares thoughtful insights on how AI tools can support, challenge, and even reshape our work as practitioners.

Listen into this discussion as we talk about writing clinical notes with AI, the ethics of machine-generated empathy, what happens when AI “learns” your voice, and how these tools might influence the future of medicine.

This isn’t a conversation about hype—it’s about curiosity, discernment, and remembering that the real wisdom in healing still comes from the human side of the equation.

In this conversation with Thomas Leung, we trace the arc of a family deeply rooted in Chinese herbal medicine. From his great-grandfather’s shop in Guangdong, to navigating the upheaval of the Chinese revolution, to adapting a Manhattan herb store to changing demographics, Thomas brings both a practitioner's  and a business owner’s sensibility to the conversation.

Listen in as we talk about the evolution of Chinese medicine in America, what it means to modernize without losing tradition, the challenge of standardizing herbal language, and the precarious state of our profession in this current moment.

This conversation is  about more than herbs. It’s about responsibility, reinvention, and how the future of our medicine depends not only on practice—but on stewardship.

In this conversation with Julie Bear Don’t Walk, we explore how business and medicine aren’t separate pursuits but reflections of each other. A long-time practitioner and now coach, Julie brings both clinical experience and a fresh, grounded perspective on how your values, mindset, and systems can support a flourishing practice.

Listen into this discussion as we discuss financial trauma and healing, collaborative care models, the subtle art of patient retention, and how team dynamics reflect the qi of a clinic.

Julie reminds us that a successful practice isn’t about pushing harder—it’s about congruence. When your clinic reflects who you are and how you want to show up, the business part starts to feel a lot more like medicine.

In this conversation with Whitfield Reeves, we explore his 40+ years in practice, from his early days training in California to his work in orthopedic and sports acupuncture. He shares his reflections on what it means to transition from practitioner to mentor, the conundrum  of monetizing wisdom, and how in the end— the best work finds you.

Listen into this discussion as we talk about the weight of responsibility in clinical work, the role of legacy in acupuncture, how the empirical method shapes our medicine, and the evolving landscape of mentorship in Chinese medicine.

In this conversation with Moshe Heller, we explore the complexities of childhood development through the lens of Chinese medicine. Moshe shares his insights from years of working with children, drawing connections between physiological, emotional, and social growth, and how these elements shape both health and resilience.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the concept of the developmental spiral, how early experiences shape lifelong health, the interplay between stimulation and emotional regulation, and why creating space for boredom might just be a powerful tool for healing.

In this conversation with Elie Cole, we explore her journey from a massage therapist to a successful acupuncturist with a thriving practice built on referrals from biomedical professionals. Elie tells the story of a chance encounter at a farmer’s market that led her to develop a "lunch and learn" strategy that turned local doctors into reliable referral partners.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the art of using biomedical language to demystify acupuncture, the subtle dance of professionalism and relatability, the unexpected marketing power of a fax machine, and how to navigate the complexities of running a wellness center.

In this conversation with Dr. Steven Rosenblatt, we step back into the early days of acupuncture in the West. From his serendipitous meeting with a renowned acupuncturist in Griffith Park to becoming the first Westerner licensed to practice acupuncture in the United States, Steven's story is a rich tapestry of curiosity, perseverance, and pioneering spirit.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the underground days of acupuncture in Chinatown, the quest for legal recognition of the medicine, the challenges of integrating acupuncture into mainstream healthcare, and how becoming a doctor is as much an internal calling as it is an external practice.

Our work requires a lot of “techne’” and it should, there's a lot to know and we as professionals should know it. But clinical work is more than technical knowledge. It’s this other aspect of our work that I particularly seek to investigate on Qiological. In part because it’s not about knowledge, but instead “something else” that does not easily lend itself to teaching. It’s something vital that is learned through our experience of doing this work. 

It’s a kind of seasoning. A synthesis of what you know, who you are, and in connection with your patient— how you are.

I’m always curious to know what brought people to doing this work. And even more so— about how the work changes us. With this in mind please enjoy this 400th episode which is an Ask Me Anything conversation with members of the Qiological Community.

In this conversation with Christine Cannon, we explore the Wu Yun Liu Qi—the Five Movements and Six Qi—and how this intricate system maps out the energetic cycles that shape everything from world events to the experience of our inner psycho-emotive landscape. Christine shares her experience of working with these influences in her clinical practice and how this perspective deepens her understanding of diagnosis, treatment, and seasonal shifts.

Listen into this discussion as we explore how these ancient ideas reveal patterns in illness and healing, how they can help practitioners refine their clinical skills, why the concept of ‘host’ and ‘guest’ qi matters, and how seasonal influences show up in everything from gardens to personal health.

Christine’s insights remind us that medicine is not just about treating symptoms—it’s about understanding the larger forces at play, the cycles that shape us, and how we can work with them instead of going against them.

In this conversation with James Spears, we explore the interaction of Tung acupuncture and the fascia. James shares his path from traditional acupuncture education to integrating fascial principles, bridging Eastern and Western perspectives in a way that brings a unique integrative view to clinical practice.

Listen into this discussion as we explore how fascia and acupuncture interact, why some Tung points work better than others in certain cases, the neurological effects of hand and foot points, and the overlooked role of structural alignment in musculoskeletal issues.

This conversation is a reminder that understanding the body’s physical architecture—its connective tissues, mechanical energy, and nervous system—can deepen our ability to help patients heal.

In this conversation with historian Tamara Venit-Shelton, we explore the migration of Chinese medicine through the lens of immigration, frontier life, and evolving medical landscapes. Her research uncovers the untold stories of Chinese herbalists, the communities they served, and the challenges they faced in an unfamiliar land.

Listen into this discussion as we trace the paths of early Chinese practitioners, the role of herbal medicine in frontier healthcare, the legal and social battles they encountered, and the ways in which Chinese medicine shaped—and was shaped by—the American medical landscape.

In this conversation with Krystal Couture, we explore the relationship between the pelvis and whole-body health. With a background in physical therapy, acupuncture, and manual therapy, Krystal has spent years listening to the stories that patients tell about their  bodies —especially when it comes to pelvic health. She brings a thoughtful and integrative perspective to working with this often-overlooked area of the body.

Listen into this discussion as we explore how the pelvis serves as both a structural and energetic anchor, the interplay between breath, posture, and pelvic function, how emotions and trauma can reside in the body, and the delicate art of meeting a patient where they are—physically, emotionally, and energetically.

In this conversation with Sydney Malawer, we explore what it means to build a practice that actually works for you. From rejecting conventional business advice to embracing a model based on sufficiency instead of relentless growth, Sydney shares the mindset shifts and strategic choices that have allowed her to create a thriving, sustainable practice in one of the most competitive markets in the country.

Listen into this discussion as we discuss redefining success in practice, why charging higher rates can lead to a more sustainable clinic, navigating the tension between capitalism and integrity, and how understanding your own archetype can shape the way you run your business.

This conversation is a reminder that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to building a practice. What matters most is knowing what works for you and having the courage to bet on yourself.

In this conversation with Stephen Cowan, we explore how the art of not-knowing-yet invites discovery. Stephen shares his journey from Western medicine to the integrative, emergent practices of Chinese medicine, where curiosity and connection form the foundation of healing.

Listen into this discussion as we delve into the maps of Chinese medicine that guide us through uncertainty, the role of storytelling and connection in clinical practice, the rhythm of emotions and their impact on health, and how integrating presence and curiosity can transform both patients and practitioners.

In this conversation with Gregory Done, playfully explore the symbols and energies of the Wood Snake. We look into the qualities of this unique year and its connection to yin fire, quiet transformation, and the turn of the wheel that feels more like the stillness of the hub.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the symbolism of the wood snake, the balance between action and stillness, the transformative power of introspection, and how understanding the year’s energy can inform personal and collective growth.

Gregory’s reflections remind us of the profound lessons embedded in the natural cycles of life. It’s a timely conversation about embracing quietude, finding clarity, and aligning with the unique, and perhaps unsettling capacity to see in the emptiness of mind and social agreements in the coming year.

In this conversation with Oran Kivity and Merlin Young, we delve into the often overlooked art and science of moxa. While its roots are in traditional East Asian medicine there is some interesting research that suggests it has a role in modern health interventions in terms of treating pain. 

Listen into this discussion as we explore the surprising science behind moxa's effectiveness, the idea and use of moxa as a people's medicine, its potential for addressing chronic conditions, and the role it can play in fostering community health.

Evan Mahoney brings a rich tapestry of experience to our discussion, from his own journey of healing through meditation and acupuncture to his explorations of dream interpretation through the lens of Korean Saam acupuncture. His path has been illuminated through serendipity, necessity, and years of dedicated study with Dr. Tae Cheong Choo.

Listen in to this discussion on the three levels of human needs in Saam acupuncture, how dreams reveal our constitutional patterns, and why an acupuncturist's learning curve sometimes involves discovering what not to do.

There's something illuminating about sitting with a practitioner who's willing to share both their successes and their moments of recalibration. Often enough, it's in these honest exchanges that we find the most valuable insights.

In this conversation with Robert Hoffman, acupuncturist, educator, and administrator, we explore the crossroads our profession is facing. With experience as the president of a school, a commissioner at ACOM, and a leader in state organizations, Robert shares his insights on sustaining and growing the profession and the institutions that train future practitioners.

Listen into this discussion as we unpack the struggles facing acupuncture schools, the rise of integrative and institutional opportunities, the demographic shifts in students, and the adaptability required to navigate this ever-changing profession.

Robert’s reflections remind us that the resilience of Chinese medicine lies in its ability to evolve while honoring its roots. His perspective offers a roadmap for ensuring our medicine continues to flourish in a world that increasingly accepts acupuncture, but doesn’t always support acupuncturists.

In this conversation with Bob Felt, one of the early publishers of Chinese medicine books in English, we take a journey back to a time when books on acupuncture were scarce, but curiosity and commitment were steadily increasing. Bob shares his story that began in the counterculture movement of the 1960s and that revolutionary spirit fueled a career that helped to bring important texts from the treasury of Chinese medicine into English.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the early days of macrobiotics, the challenges of publishing groundbreaking books, the evolution of acupuncture education in the West, and the ongoing need for practitioners to connect with their communities.

In this conversation with Katie Munger, we wander through her journey of building a practice in a small town, where her work has become woven into the fabric of the community. With over 20 years of experience, Katie reflects on how her practice and the relationships she’s cultivated have shaped her as much as she has shaped them.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the unique challenges and rewards of rural practice, the importance of being fully present with patients, the power of hands-on listening, and the challenge of following your heart, even when the path isn’t clear.

Katie’s story is a reminder that healing isn’t just about techniques—it’s about connection, presence, and being a part of something larger. 

Curious that what is of essence, what is at the core of our work, is hidden from us.

It’s a journey of discovery to that which is the north star of how we work as an expression of who we are.

In this conversation with Philippe Vandenabelle we explore the “book we read again and again,” the aspects of our work that are essential to how we practice that slowly emerges over time.

Listen into this conversation on how practitioner development is a kind of ripening, the gift of being connected to people from a different time, and how the challenges in our work are exactly what we need to discover more about the essential core from which we work.

In this conversation with David White we immerse ourselves into the world of Nei Jing acupuncture. With decades of experience and a passion for classical Chinese texts, David has honed a unique approach to acupuncture, one that’s rooted in precision, intention, and an unshakeable respect for the unseen forces at play in the body.

Listen into this discussion as we explore acupuncture as a tool of communication, the hidden power of empty spaces, the art of needling with precise intention, and why sometimes the most effective treatments are the simplest. Along with how the Nei Jing can guide us, both practically and philosophically.

Sometimes, the most unassuming tools hold the greatest potential for transformation. Rope flow might look like play, but beneath the surface lies a practice that can unlock balance, coordination, and deeper mind-body connection.

In this conversation with David Weck, the Godfather of Rope Flow and a mad scientist in functional movement we’ll discuss body and movement. How simple, dynamic practices can improve not only physical performance but also neurological integration and proprioception. His approach blends creativity, science, and connects up with Chinese medicine in some surprising ways.

Listen into this discussion as we unravel the origins of rope flow, how figure 8 patterns can boost brain function, the importance of spinal mobility, and how engaging your left and right brain symmetrically can change your body awareness.

That Mind/Body thing we are always going on about— we take it to the playground.

I’d not thought about that until Volker Scheid mentioned it in this History Series conversation. Once I heard it, it rang true. and I could easily look back through the years and see so many moments of having my eyes opened to something about our healing trade that came to me through the connection of friendship.

Truth is, there is a web of connection that supports us in everything we do. We are awash streams and currents of  influence most of which out of our awareness that arise in our clinical practices  as ideas  that arise as unique treatments in a moment of time. We are connected to history, but our work unfolds in the present moment.

Listen into this conversation on the role of the German enlightenment on holistic medicine, the paths a good question will  take you down, and how a head cold can lead to an unexpected connection with Meng He doctors and their surprising influence on the medicine you learned in school.

The guest of this episode, Chris McAlister, is an acupuncturist and shiatsu practitioner who’s been exploring the art of presence and connection for years. He’s inquisitive about how the practical meets the mystical, constantly seeking ways to blend tradition with modern insight, and helping people discover parts of themselves they didn’t even know were there. From his experiences in Tibet to decades of teaching, Chris brings curiosity, exploration, and a touch of rebellion to the table.

Listen into this discussion as we unravel the power of not knowing, the healing spirals that shift our understanding of problems, and why it’s sometimes okay to let discomfort simmer. And there’s bending reality and what that means in the clinic.

In this conversation with Orit Zilberman and Hila Yaffee we consider the use of Hui Yin, Ren One.

For sure this point it’s important and there are challenges to using and learning to use this influential meeting of yin.

Listen into this discussion on both the trauma and healing that can result from working with Ren One, how our own image of what it means to be a doctor can influence how we think about working with this point, and some non-needle ways to powerfully unlock the capacity for healing at the Meeting of Yin.

In this episode, we sit down with Lindsey Wei, a practitioner deeply rooted in the world of Daoist medicine. She has spent years blending the physical practices of qigong and martial arts with the mystical art of talismans, incantations, and ritual healing. She brings a unique perspective on what it means to heal both the body and spirit.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the workings behind Daoist talismans, how the celestial realm might influence your well-being, and how movement and ritual intertwine in martial arts. 

There’s more here than meets the eye, as we explore the boundaries between science and spirit, logic and mystery—and how these might be a little more porous than you realize.

Having a business and all that goes with it, it gives you the opportunity to grow into potentials you can only dream about in the middle of a difficult night.

Our guest in this History Series conversation, Bill Egloff has been helping patients and practitioners for a long time with the products and services he’s provided over the years. He’s got a keen eye for business, regulatory details, and working with seemingly competing interests. It’s a long road from running a natural foods store to collaborating with Sloan Kettering on cancer patients.

As with the other history series pioneers, there have been some interesting forks in the road worth taking.

Listening with a mindset of noticing the small anomalies. Listening to understand someone from their own point of view. To be inquisitive about how the difficulties might hold unrevealed lessons, and how troubles are lessons in progress.

It’s more than having an unfettered sense of curiosity, there’s something else that goes into it.

In this conversation with Vance Crowe we explore the transformative potential of conversations that invite the stories that haven’t had an audience. Like many of us, Vance did not set out to do what he does. It found him.

Listen into this discussion on rapport, connection, surprise and delight. Often enough, there’s a harvest of wisdom that comes with following the threads that are usually just out of sight.

Have you ever wondered why the Classics speak to the Five Zang and Six Fu? Especially when we have an equal balance of yin and yang meridians. And what is going on with those two troublesome organs, the Triple Burner and Pericardium that have a “function” but no form? Furthermore, have ever wondered how it is that Fire gets four organs, but all the other elements only two?

Our guest in this conversation Slate Burris had those questions as well. He’s an inquisitive guy, so he went looking. What he found is surprising, and once pointed out— a bit obvious as well.

Listen into this conversation on the Sixth Element, how that can guide your clinical work, the power of palpation to track what is happening in the moment for patients, and how one needle in the right place can set off a domino effect that dramatically changes your patient’s physiology.

Both aspects need our consideration in clinical practice. 

In this conversation with Peter Eckman we discuss the differences between a person’s constitution and their condition. Both give us a handle on working with people, but these are very different aspects of our make up.

How are they different? And how to approach work with these?  Listen in, there’s a lot to discuss.

The Ba Zi is a description of the moment we enter this world, it’s the weather we carry with us from that first breath. It shows tendencies of expression, not unlike how DNA plays a familiar rhythm through us.

In this conversation with Howard Chen we explore the Ba Zi and in particular the influence of the Day Master, which is a helpful place to begin when sorting through the complex interrelationships of the phases, especially if you’re a practitioner of acupuncture.

Listen into this conversation on why we have tendencies to rely on our generation or control cycle, how our superpower is a resource and at times trouble to overcome, and how we can balance out the wobbles we all carry that make us uniquely ourselves.

Cara’s journey is a tapestry woven with threads of rebellion, discovery, and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. From the scarring moxa treatments of Dr. So, to her worldview changing with the discovery of herbs in a Beijing hospital. Cara’s story is one of exploration and deep connection to the roots of Chinese medicine practice. 

Listen in as we explore the alchemy of Cara’s life in Chinese medicine—as she reflects on  the influential figures who guided her, her insights into the community's growth and the importance of mentorship.  All with her hardscrabble wisdom, humor, and a dash of New York grit.

It has since been passed down both through the monastic tradition, and used as well by ordinary doctors. Today you’ll also find the “Saam Method” used in academic research studies and employed as a key part of their acupuncture practice by Korean practitioners.

In this conversation with Andreas Brüch we explore the more modern thinking and application of Saam as it’s used by Korean doctors today. He’s spent 20 years studying with some of those doctors and using the method in his work.

Listen in to this discussion on organ pairs, phase energetics, six qi influences, a psycho-emotive model that expands your thinking, and how the Sam Boo character of the transport points can help you to select individual points to add focused potency to your treatments.

What is even more interesting is how the mind and body interact. We are all familiar how the emotions can be the source of internally generated illness, and we are all familiar with how injury or illness can in turn have an effect on our emotional life.

Some would go so far as to say all physical illness is rooted in the emotions. To me that seems a bit simplistic. but I’d agree that our physiology and the internal “climate” generated by the emotions… they are not disconnected.

In this conversation with Joyce Vlarrkamp we discuss the inner landscape, not just of the patient, but the practitioner as well. Along with the metaphors and imagery through which patients navigate their experience. If you’re keen on investigating the inner landscape, you’ll enjoy this conversation.

Considering out Nature, it’s as old as Chinese medicine. And nourishing ourselves so as to enjoy the full measure of our days, also has a long history of inquiry and practice. 

As practitioners we need to know how to take care of ourselves as part of being able to care for others. The tenets of East Asian medicine suggest that different kinds of people need different things. Sun Xi Miao is one of the leading authorities on medicine and cultivation. 

In this conversation with Sabine Wilms and Leo Lok we discuss their perspective on what Sun Si Miao has passed down to us, and a special program they are offering for those who want to take a deep dive into the essence of “nourishing our nature.”

At SIOM, they had us in the clinic from the first week. Our patients were part of our curriculum. That fit the way I learn. The innovative program they were experimenting with back then was in part due to the efforts of Paul Karsten, who was one of the founders. Learning and instructional design was something he’d been interested in and gravitated towards.

Listen into this conversation on the early development of schools and curriculum, the challenge of teaching Chinese medicine concepts to Western students, the importance of hands-on experience,  and the role of qi transformation in learning and practice.

In this conversation with Clayton Shu we discuss how he went from a focus on orthopedic issues to being concerned with neurology and brain health. Clayton doesn’t really do things in halfway measures, so when he goes at something, he goes at it full tilt.

Listen into this discussion that connects ancient Eastern with modern Western perspectives on neurology, yang sheng, gut health, and acupuncture  in the promotion of brain health and a well functioning neurological system. 

In this conversation Brian Kirbis unveils tea's hidden depths, its ability to foster human connection, its embodiment of spiritual ecology, and its power to teach us about balance and appreciation.

Listen into this discussion that brews up insights on the spiritual ecology of tea, its role in fostering human connections and as a traveling companion  for life's journey.

Some say these are the blueprint that give structure to the embryo as they help to orient and guide development. Others say that these vessels are deeply tied into our psycho-emotive functioning.

Traditionally they were talked about as reservoirs . They helped to regulate the excess or lack in the 12 main channels.

As for me, I can’t say that I understand them all that well. And that is why I like to talk to folks who have spent time investigating the extraordinary nature of these vessels.

Which is why I’m delighted to share this conversation with Yvonne Farrel and Luke Adler

They’ve spent some time looking into  and clinically working with the 8 extras as we commonly call them.

Are they strange, or are they fundamental? Listen in and find out for yourself.

This conversation touches on deeper topics like the nature of mastery in Chinese medicine, the importance of cultivating perception and intuition, and how practitioners can be like "magicians" for their patients.

Listen into this discussion that weaves together history, philosophy, and practical wisdom about the practice of Chinese medicine. Charlie's passion for the subject and decades of experience truly shines through.

Beyond the creative and practical work Ilan has done with insurance, he’s also a student of the Balance Method and in particular looking at the yi jing and how the transformations of the gua can be stimulated within the body using particular acupuncture points.

I always hope that when I speak with people Ilan a bit of their broad perspective might wear off me. Maybe it will broaden your perspective as well…. We’ll find out right after a word from the people you can thank for making Qiological possible.

Then there are folks like John McDonald who when he first caught wind of acupuncture thought… far out man, I want to know more about that.

That enthusiasm has followed him through his time as a practitioner and even through doing a Ph.D.

In this conversation we’ll discuss trickster shamans, the ethics of using the controlling cycle of the Five Phases to influence your patients emotions, why people with stanch beliefs are most easily brainwashed, and the curiosity of how the body “makes decisions.”

For sure, it’s far out, and I think you’ll want to know more.

Figuring out how things work is fun. Even more so when you don’t take other people’s word on what is doable or not, and you go and see for yourself.

Adrian Larsen has been one of those “how’s this thing work” kind of people his whole life. That’s what led him into all kinds of interesting projects, one of which was the creation of the acugraph. It’s great when curious people push an edge and find a whole new territory to share with the rest of us.

In this conversation we’ll learn more about how the Acugraph came about, as well as how it can be used.

As you probably know, Qiological has been doing a little mini-series on acupuncture’s journey to the west as well. So I was keen to have her on to hear her perspective and what she’s discovered.

Listen in for this documentarian’s perspective on acupuncture’s Journey to the West.

Cultural norms were questioned and that included dietary practices, the healing arts and the relationship between humans and the planet. It was in this rich milieu of change that acupuncture started to take root in the imagination and then practice of those who were willing to follow a path with heart.

We are going to hear more about those early days with Randall Barolet. Some of you might recognize his name on the first Formula and Strategies book from Eastland Press. Randall did not set out to be a translator, that was something that organically showed up as he followed his interest with Chinese medicine.

In the words of Grateful Dead lyricist, Robert Hunter, what a long strange trip it’s been.

Mark Brinson wanted a liniment for patients and was not happy with what was on the market. So he thought he’d just mix up his own. That turned into a process of learning a lot about everything from the quality of the herbs, to the nature of the water, to distilling his own alcohol.

The final product is not just a quality liniment, but a point of view. When it comes to marketing and assisting practitioners not just about helping their patients, but also doing well financially so they can sustainably do their doctoring work.

Listen into this conversation on herbal alchemy, marketing with a sense of humor and how to have fun as a mad scientist.

Pain is how our nervous system lets us know there is a problem. Acupuncture has rightfully been seen and used as a way to intervene. Strangely enough the ear has a powerful influence on the brain and nervous system.

In this conversation with John Howard we take a look at  Battlefield Acupuncture, its origin, unique place in the military, and how it works with the curious organ of the brain.

Listen into this discussion on the influence of the zero point, the curious relationship between blood types and pain, sacred the geometry of 30 degree angles, importance of titration and how causing some trouble got him a job working for the Yankees.

In this conversation with Rory Hiltbrand we take a look at our peculiar situation as Beings in between the circle of heaven and square of earth. We dip into mathematics, Donghan Daoist numerology, metaphysics and others head scratching ideas about medicine that practitioners have puzzled over for centuries.  

Listen into this discussion of sacred geometry, alchemy, Quantum mechanics and perception. It gets a bit Alice in Wonderland like, but I think you’ll enjoy the trip down this rabbit hole.

Julian Scott is one of those pioneering acupuncturists whose background in theoretical physics primed him for the strangeness of the world of acupuncture.

In this conversation we explore how healing and science don’t always go together. His surprising introduction to treating children, and the weirdness that is inherent to both physics and healing.

Listen into this discussion on root causes, developmental stages, the influence of vaccines, along with the role of mind-to-mind connection and emanation in healing.

The guest of this conversation, John Rybak, has thought long and hard about this. He is keen on helping our profession bridge how we think and work with the constraints and opportunities of the conventional medicine world.

Listen into this conversation on the importance of effective communication, concerns with our scope of practice losses, need for advocacy, and how expanding our vocabulary can help us to engage the broader medical community.

Which is why I’m always questioning myself when wrestling ancient Chinese ideas. What’s more, it will seem culture itself is constantly rewriting history to fit the current zeitgeist. So words and ideas, they shape-shift through time.

In this episode we discuss 意 Yi, commonly translated as Meaning or Significance, and also as Intention.

Intention gets talked about a lot in our trade, but for me over the course of time, I feel less and less clear just what Intention is, and how it relates to my clinical work. I’ve got some questions about it, and was delighted to sit down with Stephen Boyington, Leslie de Vries and Volker Scheid to see if they could thrown some light on what for me has increasingly become a murky term.

Listen into this both scholarly and practical discussion on 意, Yi as it relations to medicine and how the doctors, poets and calligraphers over the centuries have puzzled over this as well.

In this conversation Joshua Park joins us to explore how Saam acupuncture gives us a holistic view and allows practitioners to approach diagnosis and treatment from multiple perspectives.

Listen into this discussion of how using multiple lenses gives a more dimensional understanding to your patient's condition. Along with how the Zi Wu “Chinese Clock” helps us to discern the interconnections between Heaven, Earth and Person, and how the flows of dissatisfaction and satiation are built into being human.

Peter Eckman has been a unique bridging influence. His acupuncture came from the currents of Korea, as well as Japan and Taiwan via the Worsley tradition of England.

Listen into this conversation on inquisitiveness, constitution, and how saying “yes” in pivotal moments opens up a world of possibility.

In this conversation with Keren Assouline and Guy Sedan, we hear from experienced practitioners who share with us what it's like living and working amidst the ongoing conflict in Israel. They have seen first hand how the trauma of war infiltrates the body, disorders the qi and leaves an effect on the mind, spirit and society.

Listen into this discussion that provides a window into using the tools of Chinese medicine to help a society cope with the deep impacts of living through war, fear and violence.

Beyond the East Asian medicine phrasing that makes zero sense to your average citizen. Just what is going on in the body in response to a sliver thin needle being placed in the flesh? And once you have an answer for that, explain how a “needle” that does not pierce the skin can accomplish the same thing?

It’s an annoying question isn’t it? Which makes it a very good question, and the motivation for inviting Gary Klepper, Thomas Sørensen, and Erhart Truitt to this conversation on teishin needles.

Listen into this discussion on the paradox between intention and attention,  perspectives on gently interacting with the qi, and how the teishin is a forgiving tool for beginners and an instrument of advanced technique for experienced practitioners.

Damo MItchell recently commented on social media about his concern that men, younger men in particular, are not thriving. They are depleted in Jing and Kidney qi. Which is a curious and unusual condition given their relative youth. I too have had concerns about younger men and so invited Damo to this conversation. 

Listen into this discussion on how men and women process emotion differently, why men need to feel useful, the importance of manners and why man who does not take risks will deplete his Kidneys for sure.

In this conversation with Jaguang Sunim we explore the Korean Sa Sang constitutional perspective as it relates to our physiology, along with the strengths and deficiencies that we can mitigate with the foods we choose to eat on a regular basis. Additionally we’ll explore how the influences bestowed on us as viewed through the Ba Zi chart can help us to better understand how our unique mix of the Five Phases gives us insight into our constitution.

Listen into this conversation on constitution, food as medicine and how understanding our constitution through the Sa Sang and Five Phases can quickly reveal our super powers and our kryptonite.

As with any troubled time, there is also opportunity. Because as things fall apart, they also fall together. The guest of this episode, Stuart Watts, he had a bent for spiritual practice, a curiosity about health beyond the mainstream, and an adventurous and entrepreneurial spirit. The kind of spirit that did not just see opportunities, but created them.

Listen into this conversation as we dig into the early days of how you’d go about learning acupuncture, the history of the first schools, and how troublesome ‘wu fa’ teachers can teach you a lot about what you need to know, even if the experience is unpleasant.

Daniel Atchison-Nevel used to skip school and hang out at the library where he found himself in the company of old Russian Jewish mystics, their stories and tattered copies of the Dao De Jing. Not a bad place to begin, if your destiny holds the potential to include the practice of Chinese medicine.

Listen into this discussion of how undifferentiated wholeness ratchets down into the world of yin and yang, the constant interplay of fate and destiny, the vital importance of of being able to recognize the impulse towards healing within dysfunction, and how the most profound learning he received on the Extraordinary Vessels came from a man with whom he shared no common language.

In this conversation with Leta Herman we explore the first four of the nine palaces of Alchemy. Which is to say, the nuts and bolts of working with the everyday world, because before you can work on the higher levels. You need to build your foundation and capacity by first gaining mastery with everyday life.

Listen into this discussion of spirit, matter and why matter matters.

In this conversation we have a father son team, Joe and Sam Audette. Joe is a medical doctor and has deeply studied and helps to teach the work of Kiiko Matsumoto. And in this conversation you’ll get all kinds of helpful tips on areas of the abdomen to pay attention to, along with Joe’s ability to think about and use both Eastern and Western physiology. 

Listen into this discussion on pursuing medicine across several different cultures, why it is important to be grounded in the fundamentals and how developing a sensitivity for our patients is essential in the work we do

The guest of this episode, Ted Kaptchuk, is one of those explorative pioneers that headed East because he was sure he’d find something, even though he’d no idea of how he was going to find it.

Listen into this conversation on the revolutionary spirit took Ted from New York to San Francisco to Taiwan and then Macao. The twists and turned involved learning the medicine, and how the Web That Has No Weaver came into being.

Considered to be “higher” level medicinals, these are substances considered more for promoting wellbeing, than treating illness. Which brings us to the topic of “Tonic Herbs” and Yang Sheng, the nourishment of life. 

In this conversation with Mason Taylor we discuss the differences between “Tonic Herbs” and the use of herbal medicine to treat illness. We touch on Daoist practices, the fundamental role of Jing, and the challenge and opportunity of running your own business that allows you to explore something that is of vital personal interest. 

Listen into this discussion of mushrooms, longevity and the search for authentic meaning.

In this conversation with Mazin Al-Khafaji we explore how he’s spent the past few decades using Chinese medicine to treat difficult skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. His study of Chinese medicine and unexpected collaboration with conventional doctors on eczema trials added fuel to the fire of his interest in dermatology. Since then, he’s dedicated his work to researching and treating recalcitrant skin disorders, and teaching others who have an interest in this speciality.

Listen into this discussion on approaching and working with seemingly treatment-resistant skin conditions, and learn how the power of Chinese herbal medicine helps people not only with troublesome dermatological problems, but auto-immune issues as well.

Qiological is delighted to have Gregory Done back with his perspective on the coming Wood Dragon year. This 12 year Earthly cycle of animals began anew with the Metal Rat in 2020, and we know how that shifted our world in profound ways. This past year of the Water Rabbit, as Gregory suggested, would be weird— and indeed it was.

LIsten in as we review the Rabbit and consider the energies and symbols of the coming Wood Dragon, which begins a new Heavenly Stems cycle. Get ready to ride the Dragon, and know what to pack and what to leave behind.

Suzuki Roshi is famous for saying “in the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the experts mind there are few.” Which is another way to say being young and foolish is not a bad way to get started with things, because you don’t know what you can’t not do. and exploring new territory brings its own satisfaction.

In this conversation with Peter Deadman we revisit the early days of when acupuncture was emerging into the mainstream culture of Great Britain.

Listen into this discussion of cultural change, personal exploration, the structure of TCM and how a copy of bootlegged clinical notes helped Peter to learn the medicine, and then in turn share it with the rest of us.

Touching on existential questions and potentials for healing transformation, our guest in this episode, Zac Lui, discusses the Five Phases and channel dynamics from a perspective you’ve likely not considered. And touches on the cultivation of consciousness and how it’s helpful to rid ourselves of limiting beliefs.

Listen to this conversation that offers a shamaic and esoteric perspective regarding the integration of different paradigms into your understanding and practice of medicine.

But the inward turned gaze often enough does not reveal a tranquil garden, but a junkyard. The promise of stillness and equanimity evaporates in the onslaught of our unruly human minds.

In this conversation with Leo Lok, we investigate how mediation can be a source of greater suffering  and contribute to mental illness.

Listen into this discussion of meditation as repetitive stress injury, misconceptions about self/not-self, and how some core tenants have changed their meanings in the translation from the original Poli.

Jonathan Riemer has been researching chronic pain in children and he’s found there are social, neurological and psychological aspects to pain and its treatment.

Listen into this conversation on illness and how it functions within the family systems, disconnections between the mind and body, and the importance of opening the mind to possibilities.

In this episode the guest of the podcast is me. and the host steering the boat… it’s Rick Gold. if you don’t know Rick, listen to episode 323. He’s had a hand in hundreds of people learning our medicine.

Listen in for a discussion of the influence that shop class has had on me over the years, some of the nudges that shapeshifted my life, and how a panic attack turned out to be a birthday present.

But back in the late 70’s early 80’s, the profession was still finding its footing. And if you’re like the guest of this episode, Z’ev Rosenberg, having an established professional track was less of a concern than following a hunger he had for natural methods for restoring and maintaining health.

Listen into this conversation on rock music, synchronicity, the Yi Jing, and how a feisty attitude can take you a long way.

Granted, at this moment in time there is enough material that has made its way into English that you wouldn’t be able to read all of it in one lifetime. That’s far cry from the handful of books of 40 years ago. Still, the history and perspectives that have found their way down to the present in Chinese. It’s like an alternative universe. Maybe several of them.

In this episode with Michael Brown, Will Cerveles, Eran Even, and Ivan Zalava, we have a discussion not just on translation, but more importantly the varied perspectives of practitioners whose work others thought was interesting enough to print and re-print through the decades and even centuries.

These guys are the new wave of practitioner/translators and they are fired up about what they’re discovering. And keen on sharing it with the rest of us.

Listen in for a lively discussion on the perspectives of some doctors you’ll only meet through the written word.

Not so for the guest of today’s episode who first published a Facebook video as a way to help support her students. It was a complete shock when someone from another country wrote to tell her how they appreciated the help in learning medicine.

In this conversation with Clara Cohen we reflect on how she got started with her YouTube channel, Acupro Academy. It’s been an accidental journey that’s helped her to be of assistance to so many and given her an opportunity to discover how to use social media as a force for good.

Listen into this conversation on grit, persistence, exploration and the connective power of a virtual community.

Because Chinese medicine has roots and writings that go back into misty history, it’s easy to imagine we practice much like your average Qing or Ming doctor. But the truth is, the way practitioners worked even just a hundred years ago would be quite foreign to the standards of today.

In this conversation with Eric Karchmer we explore some of the themes and historic insights from his new book Prescriptions for Virtuosity, The Post Colonial Struggle of Chinese Medicine.

I’m serious when I tell you— it’s going to blow your mind.

Listen into this discussion of how Chinese medicine became the slow medicine, the brilliant innovation of the early textbooks, and how it is that what you think is the ancient bones of our medicine, is in many ways a new innovation. One wrought not through the communists stripping out the shamanistic practices, but rather by Chinese doctors themselves figuring where they stood in relation to the potency and power of modern biomedicine as it changed the landscape of economics, power and practice.

You know how sometimes you hear something and it stops you dead in your tracks, it rings true in a way that you can feel in your bones, muscles and blood. I heard this and felt the truth of it. What’s more was his further comment that Chinese medicine; it’s good paradigm.

Listen into this conversation on the early days of Chinese medicine emerging into the mainstream in California, the way fearlessness helps to develop you as an acupuncturist and why imagination is so vitally important to the craftsperson.

I’m usually skeptical about most explanations of the “Spirit” of the five Zang viscera. Not that I don’t indulge speculation myself, I most certainly do. But given these ideas come down to us from another time, language, and culture. Given they’ve traveled through through the millennia I’m mightily reluctant to stake a claim on     what the ancients might have intended.

That said, the guest of today’s conversation Karine Kedar said the above quote towards the beginning of our discussion and it landed with an in-the-bones sense of “that’s right.” Which is an interesting place to start when the topic is polyvagal theory and East Asian medicine doesn’t even recognize a nervous system.

This conversation comes with a warning label. Probably best not listened to while driving or if your attention needs to be focused out into the world. There is a notable inward falling of attention as we traverse the landscape of the polyvagal not so much talking about it, but rather strolling through the landscape it offers.

Listen in for a felt sense of parasympathetic polyvagal tone, a possible way the Spirit of the five Zang might be involved, how the interplay of the nervous and hormonal systems helps create social bonds and the pre-heaven influence of epigenetics.

In this conversation with John Myerson, we explore acupuncture and non-ordinary states of consciousness. This was part of a PhD dissertation he did in Psychology, but what’s more interesting is how he has evolved this exploration into his clinical work. A practice which looks quite different from his original inquiry of using needles and music to induce non-ordinary states.

Listen into this discussion of trance, leaning into the yin influence that comes from power under and how getting out of the way just might be the best way to help others.

Perhaps this is possible with magic, but alchemy, that is a process of preparation, distillation and attentiveness. It’s a undertaking that requires a kind of containment and the transformative power of time is a key ingredient. Maybe not unlike the process of learning medicine by practicing medicine.

In this conversation with Leta Herman we discuss alchemy as a mindset, as a perceptual filter that allows for interacting with points in a way that allows for patients to tell and hear their story more fully.

Listen into this discussion of transformation, perspective and presence in how we engage and listen.

In this conversation with Jake Fratkin, we meander through tales of back pain, bitter herbs, beginner's luck and crooked judges. We reflect on the joys and uncertainties of following your fascination to wherever it leads, and making a go of life on the edge of the establishment. 

Listen into this discussion on blackjack statistics, monkey behavior, apprenticeships with Chicago masters and being involved with a call to standards in an emerging profession. Jake took an eccentric path to Chinese medicine in an era when it was still a fringe pursuit. It would seem you write your own destiny when following your interests and curiosity, and keep on going.

In this conversation with Maya Suzuki we discuss the dynamic of Gui Zhi Tang. How it leaves palpable traces in the body. And how to use acupuncture in a way that speaks to the action of each of the individual herbs, and the overall character of the formula.

Listen into this conversation on the character of qi, inquisitiveness in the clinic, the trouble (and benefit) of not being able to remember everything, and how using our hands and attention helps to create a stream of attention that allows us know in the moment what to do next.

I chew this over with acupuncturist and nutritionist Brenda Le and see if we can untangle  some of the noise and drama around food. 

We’ll discuss the intertwinement of food and emotion, dealing with shame, listening to your body's signals, and more. Brenda suggests just 4 key guidelines: eat close to nature, make it yourself, plan ahead, and chew well. We also get into what to avoid - like diet cults and over-researching isolated studies.

Listen into this conversation on age-old wisdom, self compassion, and making friends with food by finding your 20% for 80% success. Food should feel good!

In this conversation with John Nieters we notice how our work in time tends to simplify. That our plans and often enough lead to an unexpected potently changeable moment. We explore the East and West of blood stasis, and curiosities of the circulatory system. Along with noticing how strange it can be when you notice something everyone else seems to be missing.

Listen into this discussion of potent paired points, poker, Zhuang Zi, real estate and attending to the smooth circulation of blood.

Read those words and let the sound echo into your head, your heart and body. Ghost points. Just the words carry an energy. An energy of spirit, of embodiment, or not. The words suggest something of the spirit that can go astray. Like a decision to never let a particular bad experience ever happen again, or on the other side, the addictive desire to recreate again and again something of the sublime.

In this conversation with Ivan Zalava we consider the realm of spirit, ghosts, embodiment and psycho-emotive states that can generate a reality of their own..

Listen into this discussion of memes and slogans as modern “possession”, trance states for shifting consciousness and a Chinese medicine view of ADHD.

Not all journeys have a destination– at least, not in the beginning. In the beginning you’re opening to options, surveying the landscape, getting a feel for who you are in the territory. It's the Open part of “Open, Close, Pivot.”

Rick Gold, one of the founders of the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine did not start out to found an acupuncture school. He started out aiming at being a hermit in backwoods Kentucky. But as with most things in life, where we start and we end up– it can be surprising.

Listen into this discussion of inquisitiveness, and how following something you find interesting will take you to places you didn’t know existed. And you just might help a lot of other people along the way.

In this conversation with Peter Firebrace we explore being a Zhen Ren, a True Human, and internal alchemical practice. The journey to Emptiness through the three Dan Tian, and the process of returning to source, unity and simplicity.

Listen into this conversation on the cultivation of Authenticity that goes from simple to complex and back again to simple.

What we hold, what we discover, these are yin yang aspects of how to make sense of a medicine patinated with history and lore.

In this conversation with Volker Scheid we discuss continuity and change in Chinese medicine. And the starting point is not the deconstructivism so popular in our present moment, but rather the inquiry of Chinese poets in the 12th century.

Listen into this discussion of living and dead traditions, the influence of Tang poetry, and the position of Chinese medicine in the modern world.

Deborah Woolf has spent the past year teaching a course on basic Chinese  for East Asian medicine practitioners. And while the content of her course is of interest to me, in this conversation what I’m more focused on is what it is that she’s learned in the past year from teaching this material.

Listen into this conversation on the challenges of translation, the multidimensional nature of Chinese medicine, and key learnings and questions from the past year.

Dan Bensky has translated, written, published and taught for more years than most students entering an acupuncture school now have been alive.

He set off for Taiwan in the early 70’s to follow his interest in learning Chinese. Taiwan was still under martial law and the mainland… the mainland was going through the horrors of the Cultural Revolution. Chinese medicine, not even on the radar for him, but something happened in Taiwan.

Listen into this conversation on language, cultural, and learning medicine street smart style.

Beyond those early translations, Andy has his fingerprints on a wide swath of books on herbal medicine and acupuncture.

Andy wandered his way into most of his learning. And he’s been generous with what he’s found.

Listen into this conversation on learning, finding teachers, and how putting yourself in front of what you’re curious about will open 緣分 Yuan Fen like opportunities, you can’t get any other way.

In this conversation with Malvin Finkelstein we take a trip in the Wayback Machine to 197xx and his first encounter with acupressure, acupuncture and the potency of nutrition. We visit the early years of acupuncture education, the challenges of making a living when most states did not offer licenses to practice acupuncture, and crafting of standards and valid testing that would become the foundation for licensure.

Listen into this discussion of serendipity, passion, persistence and contribution.

In this conversation with Yvonne Lau we reflect on her experience of growing up as the daughter of immigrants from Southern China who ran an herb store in San Francisco’s Chinatown. It was a time when a few dedicated young people from the mainstream culture began to show a respectful and insatiable interest in Chinese medicine.

The interest of those young people was part of what would become a growing acceptance of Chinese medicine in the west. And the herb store; it too has grown through the years.

Listen into this conversation of playing hide and seek behind bags of uncut herbs, some of the characters who made up the Asian Chinese medicine community, how her parents herb store has become a major supplier of medicinals, and some of the challenges we face in this moment of time.

You built it yourself; with help of other spirited colleagues.

In this conversation with John Myerson we go back to the days when acupuncture was just coming into the mainstream of American life. It wasn’t there yet— but it was close enough to intuit.

John was there in the early days of the New England School of Acupuncture. And he helped to create the academic structures required to give our profession legitimacy in mainstream culture.

It was a grand experiment, gutsy when you think about it. And those early influential pioneers, they created the foundation we stand on today.

Listen into this discussion of vision, steadfastness and risk taking as we take a trip in the Wayback Machine to a moment when acupuncture and East Asian medicine was just beginning to emerge into mainstream culture.

In this conversation with Sean Tuten we investigate the capacity of the luo channels to act as a first defense against overwhelming experiences that come from the outside. How they both protect against and can storage pathogenic influences. More importantly, the kind of treatment that removes these obstructive influences.

Listen into this conversation on time streams, channel dynamics and understanding pathology as a useful response by the body.

In this conversation with Ross Rosen we explore the importance of the patient-practitioner relationship, the concept of negotiating a diagnosis and some Daoist practices in medicine.

Listen into this discussion on practical clinical strategies and how traditional medicine intertwines and overlaps with our everyday lives.

In this conversation with Edward Neal we discuss understanding nature’s patterns through East Asian medicine, the impact of technology on human consciousness, and how the Nei Jing helps us to map our way through nature and healing.

Listen into this discussion of nature based medicine, technology, consciousness and the importance of illuminative beauty and Shen based living.

In this conversation with Jason Robertson and Stephen Brown we consider the 理 Li, the patterning or connective coherence that runs through creation. As acupuncture and East Asian medicine are pattern languages, this concept touches on the core of our work.

We touch on how our methods and  ways of working come from this foundation of understanding pattern. Along with how theory is most helpful when balanced with know-how, and the importance of putting our hands on people. Perhaps our work is so not different from the blind men and the elephant.

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In this conversation with Maya Suzuki we touch on how touch is a potent aspect of treatment. How it gives us direct access to a patient’s inner terrain, and how it gives us reliable information that stands apart from theory and protocol. We also explore unique properties of moxa and how it engages the adaptive healing process.

Listen into this discussion of how Maya followed the circuitous route that landed her in exactly the right place to study the medicine she wanted to learn since she was a child. And just happened to have the language skills that would allow her to engage it with depth.

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That is the question of the day when cultures go through seatide changes. Ever since the turn into of this yin water rabbit year in February, we’ve been hearing about power, potential and perhaps peril of ChatGPT and the other Artificial Intelligences that have burst into the digital landscape.

What is in store for us as acupuncturists? That is the question I put to Heidi Lovie who has been getting her hands dirty with various kinds of silicon based intelligence for quite a few years now. You might not know this, but she can make Excel spreadsheet datasets dance and sing.

We practice old medicine and we live in the modern world. AI– it’s not going away.

Listen into this spirited conversation on data, signal, noise and in many ways, you’re already using AI

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In this conversation with Jason Brazil we discuss his voyage of discovery as he took his hand's on experience as a massage practitioner, and began to investigate the clock opposite organ pairs of the Chinese meridian flow clock. We'll touch on the importance of fostering a presence between practitioner and patient, the crucial role love and connection play in healing, the impact of self-cultivation on a healer's capacity to work and the way love creates a matrix of connection for healing and wellbeing.

Listen into this lively discussion of body constellations, qi maps, and the reminder to bring love into your practice.

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In this conversation with John Scott we take a trip in the Wayback Machine to a time when acupuncture was more of a curiosity than a career. We look at the troubles and challenges of the late 60’s and early 70’s and how the influences of those times created opportunities that would in turn lay the groundwork for the profession we enjoy today.

Listen into this discussion of flower power, entrepreneurship and good old American ingenuity and self-reliance.

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In this conversation with Chris Shelton we hear how his troublesome childhood laid the groundwork for a qi gong practice that would not only help him to heal himself, but to be of service to others as well. We’ll touch on the impact of emotions on our physiology, the central practice of accountability and the importance of being both present and non-attached in the face of difficulties. 

Listen into this discussion of troubles, trauma and transformation.

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It feels like someone cares and is trying to be helpful.

Effective and ethical marketing is about connective communication and helping your patients to solve problems. 

In this conversation with Danielle Weil we focus on the importance of understanding our patient’s needs, and developing the skill to be  able to accurately describe their problems. We also discuss some basic copywriting frameworks that will help you both connect with your patients, and to invite them to take the next step in resolving their health concerns. Additionally we explore old school advertising and how to use AI to help with your marketing research and content creation.

Listen in for a lively discussion of marketing, copywriting and the effectiveness of mental shortcuts in decision-making and how to use them ethically to better get your message across to patients.

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In this conversation with Leah Fehres we consider the relationship between acupuncture points, nerve structures, and the body's intricate nervous and fascial systems. How the bifurcation of nerves is frequently the location of an acupuncture. And how traditional diagnostic methods might not reveal for us how we can consider neurophysiology in formulating an effective acupuncture treatment.

Listen in to this conversation that invites you to question traditional practices and embrace acupuncture through another lens.

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In this conversation with Bob Quinn we explore the gentle practice of using the Teishin, and the landscape that emerges as we attend both to the quiet sensitive aspect of the nervous system as it manifests in the skin, and our rooted sense of perception and attentiveness to the space we inhabit with our patients

Listen into this discussion on the potency that can arise from stillness and gentle quiet as you traverse ordinary and sacred space while listening through the teishin.

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A successful business is founded on the principles of providing honest value. And technological advances through social media give us the possibility of connecting with people who are looking for your services. It can be an opportunity to create something that reflects who you are and to promote our medicine by facilitating learning.

In this conversation with Jimmy Yen, we dig into the intersection of running a business and leveraging social media for your practice. We discuss self-cultivation, getting our hands dirty with the business of medicine, and the need to band together as Chinese practitioners for the betterment of our medicine. Jimmy also shares his perspective on social media and some tips to make it work for you.

Listen into this discussion on the business of medicine and the role of social media as a tool to promote our profession.

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In the face of the unknown, we find the greatest opportunities for learning and healing. We are reminded to trust in the innate wisdom of the body, to be more attentive to the needs of our patients, more sensitive to the subtle cues of the body, and more attuned to our own habits of dealing with change and uncertainty.

In this conversation with Stephen Brown, we explore  different paradigms of medicine and how they impact our work. We talk about the need to embrace the unknown as a catalyst for growth, the importance of the patient's frame of mind, and how we can find meaning in our work. Stephen also shares some of Dr. Shudo Denmei’s perspectives and treatment techniques.

Listen into this discussion on navigating the fluid nature of our medicine and how the uncertainties can be learning opportunities.

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In this conversation with Dr. Shou-Chun Ma and Dan Bensky we discuss their recently published translation of the Shang Han Lun. And beyond that the importance of building a dimensional understanding between the text, your experience and clinical practice. How the essentials of the classics do not change, but the skills in applying them does. Along with a look at how different kinds of case histories can help to illuminate the text and our understanding, while others might be interesting, but ultimately not clinically helpful.

Listen into this conversation on tradition, doctor slams, how to avoid flattening your perspective on medicine and Dr. Ma’s insights into the Jueyin. 

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The medical systems may contrast, and in those differences perhaps reveal a greater whole. It could unlock a wider perspective and more capacity to help patients. 

In this conversation with Robyn Adcock, we delve into the curious (and oftentimes contentious) topic of integrative medicine. We look at navigating the barriers into the conventional medicine world by helping those working in conventional medicine ‘experience’ the value of East Asian medicine from the inside through direct experience. Along with why we may need qualitative methods in our medicine, and how we can leverage scientific improvisation in our clinical work. We also touch on the innate trustworthiness of East Asian medicine and its untapped potential.

Listen into this discussion on clinical curiosity and expanding integrative medicine through experiential learning.

And while the true power of our medicine lies in the practitioner’s ability to evoke the body’s innate capacity for balance and harmony, the tools are essential to the work. And fine tools are a joy to use.

In this conversation with Kevin Ferst, he walks us down the unexpected path that brought him to working with local artisans in the crafting or vessels for healing in the remote Appalachian mountains of New York. We explore the nuances of cup making, from the intricate art of glassblowing to how the quality of the tool makes a difference in the clinical experience of both the patient and the practitioner. 

Listen into this discussion on creating and using quality tools, and a glimpse into the complexity and challenge of designing and bringing to market handmade cups from rural USA.

In this conversation with Nigel Dawes, we take a dive into the mutability of Covid and other wind viruses, the long-term sequela of Covid, and how to be inventive with our formulas as we look to adapt to ever unfolding change in our clinical work. We also touch on the impact of political, behavioral, and psychological underpinnings of the pandemic.

Listen into this discussion on the public health and clinical implications of Covid, and how our medicine offers an opportunity to be of service when the world is coming apart.

Our experience of the past three years has revealed gaps in our knowledge, fractures in our social fabric and the influence of toxic social media. It’s been a pandemic that has not only affected our bodies, but our minds as well.  

In this conversation with Beau Anderson, we look at long Covid through the lenses of Western and East Asian medicine,  discuss the flexibility and adaptability of Chinese medicine for systemic disorders like long Covid, and the shortcomings of attempting to validate the ancient healing practice using modern scientific methodologies. We also explore possible ways of harnessing and positioning our medicine for the future.

Listen into this discussion on the state of long Covid research, including where we’ve been, what lies ahead of us, and the role of East Asian medicine in navigating the terrain.

Just as stars guide sailors on their voyage, the ancient wisdom of our medicine helps us to chart the unknown and steer our patients toward wellness and balance.  Nowhere is this more evident than in the past few years of the Covid crisis.

In this conversation with Sally Rappeport, we mull over the clinical experience of living through the pandemic, including the stigma and psychological effects of a fear mindset and addressing lingering symptoms like coughs. We also talk about some of the different herbal formulas and strategies practitioners developed in response to the Covid crisis.

Listen into this discussion on the lesson we’ve learned (and continue to learn) from our co-evolution with SARS-C0V-2. 

While our bodies may be ever-changing, our medicine offers both a rooted stability and capacity to follow change in the moment. There’s more than one helpful way to track the winds of disharmony, to follow the tides of illness and health, and invite balance into an unsettled system. 

In this conversation with Daniel Altschuler, we delve into the Covid19 pandemic's tumultuous past and the challenges of the present. We discuss its parallels to the 2003 SARS epidemic, the long-term issues with some viruses, questions surrounding the vaccine, and the multifaceted approaches of East Asian medicine in treating these wind viruses.

Listen into this discussion on the personal and clinical experience of restoring balance in the face of Covid.

The face reflects the depth of our being. It’s an invitation into a world of untold stories, capacities and potential.  Sparse eyebrows speak of emotional strain, the fullness of your lips reveals the ability to express emotions, and the ear lobes indicate prosperity. Perhaps the tales told by face could help foster greater understanding and healing for those seeking vitality and wellbeing.

In this conversation with Juli Kramer, we delve into the art of face reading and how it can serve as a valuable tool in our work. We explore the parallels between psychology and face reading—with Juli sharing some practical tips on how to decipher the narratives etched within the lines and curves of the face. We also look at the state of mental health among young people today, and why a rethinking of our attitude and healing approaches may be necessary.

Listen into this discussion on using the lens of face reading to guide and enhance clinical conversations.

Perhaps it’s time to retool our approach to how our medicine fits into the landscape of modern American.  Maybe it’s time to pause and examine how we have approached our education and business practices. This may be how we ensure a place for acupuncture in the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare.

In this conversation with Lisa Rohleder, we chew over the state of our profession, including an out-of-the-box approach to integrative medicine, the issue of student debt, changing our perspectives to thrive as small businesses, and how we fit into today’s economic and medical landscape. 

We also weigh up on the potential withering of our organizational infrastructure and possible ways forward.

Listen into this discussion on why we may need to reimagine our education model and business approach to our practice. 

Human beings have long grappled with questions surrounding our fate and destiny. And according to traditional Chinese medicine, the answer may lie in the extraordinary channels. Accessing the Chong meridian may be key to tapping a stable foundation that allows for accessing our truest nature.

In this conversation with Ann Cecil Sterman, we unravel the notion that all intention is heart-centered unless interfered with by the mind. The topic takes us down a fascinating path where we mull over the idea of accessing the Chong meridian and uncovering the blueprint of our life. We also explore what it means to be a proficient practitioner, the issue of the mind defending against destiny, and why acupuncture is all about the channels.

Listen into this discussion on mind, intention, fate, and navigating the blueprint of one’s destiny.

If you like the previous conversation, you'll likely find this one interesting as well. And perhaps, leave you too with some fruitful questions.

Attention to the body's subtle cues and responding with nourishment and care is of the utmost importance. Cultivating attention brings about a potential that allows us to discern subtle changes and fully immerse ourselves in the healing process, connecting with our patients on a deeper level— and at the same time releasing our attachment to results. 

In this conversation with Damo Mitchell, we go off the beaten path as we discuss some arguable topics revolving around the use of attention versus intention in the clinic, developing a sense of discernment for what’s valuable, the linear nature of our medicine, and how cultivation ties into all this. It’s a conversation that is bound to raise a few questions (and perhaps some eyebrows).

Listen into this discussion on the cultivation of qi and why attention should take precedence over intention in our clinical work.

Additionally, there is a “Part Two” portion to this conversation that takes us further into simplicity, attention and natural flow

Like the beating of our hearts, the strength and vitality of the Mingmen can determine the course of our lives. Its fiery heat, fueled by the blood of life that courses through us, illuminating the path to our destiny.

In this conversation with Thomas Sorensen, we seek to understand and unlock the mysteries of the Mingmen—including its significance in our clinical work and how to attend to it. Thomas talks about the need to get heat in the right place and how the heart, the kidney, the Mingmen, and the San Jiao (triple burner) tie into all this. We also fiddle with the idea of destiny, the physiological and psychological aspects of our clinical work, and the role of the small intestines.

Listen into this discussion on the relationship between the pericardium, the San Jiao, and the Mingmen.

As cherry blossoms bloom and fireworks light up the night sky, the rabbit burrows into the subterranean, only to reemerge and hop its way into the spotlight, soothing the rough shores of the past and guiding us into the unknown in a voyage of discovery. The soft thump of its heartbeat is like a soothing lullaby, reminding us to approach the new year with a kind and open heart. Its long ears, keenly attuned to the slightest sound, remind us to be open to opportunities and to listen to our intuition. 

As we welcome the new year, may the stars align. May we all find the courage to navigate through life's challenges with elegance and balance, while cherishing the precious connections we share with others.

In this conversation with Gregory Done, we delve into the mysterious realm of the water rabbit and explore how its gentle yet powerful energy can guide us through the ebbs and flows of life, helping us to make the most of opportunities and weather any storms that may come our way. We talk about the transformative power of the water rabbit as the bringer of diplomacy, close-knit relationships, and sneaky guile. Gregory also unravels what lies ahead for the 12 animals of the Chinese cosmological Zodiac.

Listen into this discussion on the symbols, energies, and cosmological influences that we may encounter this coming water rabbit year.

But like a tree rooted in ancient soil with the branches and leaves adapting to the environment as they reach towards the heavens, we need to incorporate influences of the modern world into our medicine while still maintaining a connection to fundamental principles. Seeing how the old can arise in the new offers a bridge, a way to find how the medicine arises in our lives at this time.

In this conversation with Mark Petruzzi and Jeffrey Dann, we explore how the art of Japanese acupuncture blends with the modern medical understanding of the body. We investigate the co-mingling of old and new to better understand the integrative power of this holistic treatment. We share our ideas regarding the need to preserve the flame of tradition while adapting to the needs of the present.

Listen into this discussion on what it means to be part of a tradition and how we can bring our medicine alive in this modern moment.

As herbalists and acupuncturists, the language of our medicine allows us to explore the body’s terrain. And by working with the body, we avail ourselves of the opportunity to communicate with the Spirit, the Five Phases, along with the channels and collaterals. 

And like classical Chinese language, our medicine typically leaves things open ended. It requires a fluid mind and a capacity to look both at ‘process’ and ‘thing.’

In this conversation with Stefan Grace, we touch on a number of topics—including unpacking portions of the Nei Jing, considering the meaning of the Chinese character Tong (通), the importance of Yi (intention), and the relevance of tensegrity in our work. We also talk about the influence of the Chinese language in our practice and the need to verify the teaching passed on to us.

Listen into this discussion on the lessons of the Nei Jing, cultivating Yi, and the influence of Tong in our clinical work..

But seeing clearly the underlying dynamic that gives rise to the troubles and symptoms for which patients seek us out. That is more complicated.

In this conversation with David Toone we discussion the perspectives and work of the blind Japanese acupuncturist Dr Bear, who passed away a few months ago. 

Listen into this discussion where we untangle excess and deficiency, consider the troubles that arise from having a salvational mindset, and consider the vital importance of invigorating the yin with yang.

No matter how automated, evidence-based, standardized, or computerized medical systems become, the clinical encounter boils down to a story between a patient and the practitioner. Medicine is not just about reciting a chronology of data points. A practitioner’s role is to recognize and pull meaning from a patient’s story of illness in such a way that can guide us in being helpful.

In this conversation with Sarah Rivkin, we talk about the place of East Asian medicine in a world that leans more towards a standardized approach to medicine. We noodle on the similarities between case studies and novels, and what Sarah’s research could tell us about navigating a Western world without losing sight of what makes Chinese medicine a treasure.

Listen into this discussion on narrative medicine and how to use case studies as a powerful storytelling tool.

Even after your training, you may wonder if you’re truly prepared. You may keep coming back to the question: “Do I know enough?” Probably not—and that is not necessarily a comment on your competence as a practitioner. This is because the transfer of learning is an ongoing process; it is cyclical; it is spiral. Even the most seasoned practitioners are learners to some degree—especially in our medicine. 

Understand that everything in creation is evolving. Learn to honor where you are in your journey as a practitioner. Integrate knowledge and experience in your practice until they become one. You stop growing as soon as you stop learning. 

In this conversation with Kristen Lambertin, we pore over the cyclical process of learning, the difficulties students face when transferring what they’ve learned in the classroom to the clinical workplace, how to improve the learning process in our profession, and some practical skills and mindsets that can help you adapt to the future. We also share opinions on how we can approach our patients and work by building on our strengths and leaning into our shortcomings.

Listen into this discussion on the transfer of learning and making the transition from student to practitioner

With the botanical world lending us a diverse palette of flavors to promote health and healing, the art of herbs in Chinese herbal medicine comes down to the skillful use of flavors individually and in combination to balance the phases and the corresponding channels and organs. It’s like the artful combination of textures and flavors in a kitchen—but to restore health and harmony to the body.

One of the defining strengths of our therapeutic practice is the ability to match individuals with particular botanical medicines. As such, a practitioner’s experiential understanding of an herb’s energetics via the direct perception of taste, flavor, and nature was—and still can be—a powerful tool for healing. 

Today’s conversation is one borne out of synchronicity. What was scheduled to be a 3-person panel discussion with Simon Feeney, Loren Stiteler, and Boris Bernadsky turned out to be a ‘party’ as Andy Ellis and Frank Griffo joined us. The outcome was a lively exchange that covered diverse topics around herbs. We mulled over the flavor-based nature of herbalism, the shortcomings of our education system, the variability of herbs, and the processing/preparation of Chinese herbs

Listen into this discussion on how flavor, taste, and nature can inform our understanding and clinical application of herbs.

How to get your message across in an effective way to the people who are looking for someone like you can be a challenge in the chaotic noisy world of the Internet. You have to know who it is you want to serve, and then speak to them in a way that they feel heard and understood.

The goal of marketing is to reach the right people, using a language that allows them to feel seen and understood. This might sound easy, but the reality is you need to continuously recalibrate your message and approach. 

In this conversation with Michelle Grasek, we look into the increasingly nuanced layers of marketing our medical practices and prospecting for clients. We cover some gems of marketing wisdom regarding the fundamentals you should not ignore and how to craft a compelling marketing message that resonates with patients. We also discuss the best marketing mediums to explore along with the best practices to explore them.

Listen into this discussion on the marketing strategies, dos & don’ts, channels, techniques, and tactics that can help your phone to ring with patients saying “I want to schedule an appointment.”

In this conversation with Heather Becker-Brungard, we discuss some ways of approaching our work, as well as how we interact with the body. Much like the ancient navigators who mastered navigating by listening and sensing the water, weather, tides, currents, and wind. In clinical work practice and repetition make you better at what you do. And as we learn to work and interact with nature, our senses become refined and open up opportunities for new discoveries.

Listen into this discussion on healing and why it isn’t linear. And navigating the passage of illness to heal, and how you can be a trustworthy navigator to your patients in the clinic.

Yet applying these theories in the practice of actual patient care is more complex. Learning in school or from mentors is one thing; cultivating the wisdom to apply this knowledge in the wild, it’s not always straightforward. Sometimes things don’t go how we expect. And all too often, we find ourselves in unchartered territory feeling our way through the unexpected.

The knotty question then becomes: How do you navigate an unfamiliar terrain? How do you deal with the uncertainties that accompany the practice of medicine?

In this conversation with Karina Smith, we discuss the difficulties of attending to complicated cases in our practice based on one of her student clinic experiences. We dig into the issues of competence, the role of intention, the irrationality of Chinese medicine, and concerns around overtreatment. And as both a Yin Yoga teacher and Chinese medicine practitioner, Karina also touches on how these two worlds seep into each other.

Listen into this discussion on the enduring lessons from difficult experiences in the clinic, including navigating adverse reactions and mediating a truce between warring organs.

We seek to find some sense of order in what can be a captiously unsettling and unpredictable world. We look to the heavens and seek a larger frame for our experience as we look for the patterns that connect.

In this conversation Deborah Woolf graciously entertains some questions that I had arise after her Qiological Live presentation on the Earthly branches.

Listen into this conversation on how the Earthly branches reflect back the influences of Heaven, and help us to understand where we stand in the cosmos and in relation to the seasons, cycles and tides of time.

The Heart is where the Shen (神), the spirit, resides. It’s what gives us discernment and consciousness. In a way, phrases like “follow your heart,” “home is where the heart is,” and “from the bottom of my heart” seem to pay homage to the spiritual and coherent nature of the Heart. But how does this influence our work in the clinic?

In this conversation with Josephine Spilka, we discuss the importance of being in coherence, acting from a place of presence amid impermanent stories, staying true to our capacities, and setting boundaries in the clinic. Josephine also touches on the influence of the eight extraordinary channels and their connection to the Zheng Qi. 

Listen into this discussion on coherence, and the need to honor our faculties, integrity, and capacity in any clinical encounter

Interoception turns the gaze to internal sensing—from the clenching of the stomach, to the beating of the heart, or tension in the muscles. It's tuning in to what is going on inside the body. Nurturing interoceptive awareness and honing a heightened bodily awareness helps us and our patients in our clinical work. It improves our capacity to understand, interpret, and process the world around us.

In this panel discussion with Lisa Taylor Swanson, Elizabeth Osgood-Campbell, and Nick Lowe, we explore interoceptive awareness. We unpack how mindfulness practices can help us cultivate our inner knowing and how ancient Chinese theories factor into all this. We also touch on the use of cutting-edge technologies to track our clinical outcomes and how placebo is merely stuff we don't yet understand about medicine.

Listen into this discussion on making meaning of our inner sensations and leaning on this to improve our embodied experiences and clinical outcomes.

In this second conversation with Randle Lyons we discuss the dark forest of transformation. How our wounds can be a source of healing, if properly digested and how it’s harder to surrender when you have something to lose.

Listen into this conversation on addiction and what can happen when we work with an open mind and heart when exploring story, experience and belief.

In this conversation with Ann Cecil-Sterman, Laurie Ayers and Master Wu, we bring together the perspectives of an acupuncturist, an herbalist, and a qi gong practitioner. The intention here is to see how experienced clinicians from these three  disciplines within East Asian consider the Wei and its use in clinical work. 

Listen in to this discussion of the Wei qi, its source, cultivation, and connections with the yang, zheng, fluids and Heart.

As trusted intermediaries, our role is to increase our awareness, bring our focus to the unfolding moment, listen from a place of genuine curiosity, and see the patients’ experiences from their perspective while letting go of attachments to a particular outcome. You may be an expert in your modalities, but the patient is the expert in their personal experiences. Our job is to help them discover their own inner wisdom, to help them chart and navigate their own path to wellness.

Zoe Brenner has engaged the practice of acupuncture with a renewable curiosity for the last four decades. In this conversation we explore the delicate world of subtle sensing, intention, and awareness as tools to help the patient emerge into a great state of wellbeing. We talk about the issues of looking too hard at a point, confirmation bias, over-treatment, and knowing where to bring our attention in the clinical practice.

Listen into this discussion on meeting patients where they are, engaging without imposing, and allowing them to emerge.

In this conversation with Kubota Sensei, we discuss Ishizaka-ryu, a traditional Japanese acupuncture method. Sensei focuses on stimulating qi blockages along the primary meridians surrounding the entire spinal column, so as to increase blood flow, open the central channel and utilize the body’s own healing power. His method of acupuncture includes using a spiral motion of his supporting hand, to add a vortex of qi to the needle.

Listen into this discussion and learn about the Torus, a core around which the acupuncture meridians are all connected. How acupuncture affects the electrical flows in the body. And the key importance of having an open and empty space in the great Chong vessel.

Harmony comes from living in accordance with the shifts in time; honoring and riding those waves. Leaning into the seasonal flows brings us closer to the natural rhythm of our medicine. It invites the universe to run through us as we live into greater states of coherence.

In this conversation with Sheri Lee, we explore the seasonal cycles of qi according to the Chinese Calendar and how to align ourselves with the changing tides and flow of time. We discuss the seasonal markers to keep an eye on, the earth phases, the 24 nodes, and the Japanese concept of doyo. In addition to aligning ourselves with the seasons, we talk about aligning ourselves to what our patients are showing up with.

Listen into this discussion on living right with time and being in harmony with the seasonal rhythms and tidal flows of the year in our personal lives and clinical work.

Movement is part of how our body communicates with itself and senses itself in the outside world. Proper and ease filled movement, be it with our emotions, the circulation of our blood, the way our joints through their range movement, and how we can move and be in the relationships, work and interaction with the 10000 things. All of this is tied in with our well-being and capacity to thrive.

In this conversation with Margot Rossi we explore the terrain of movement and sensing and how this fundamental capacity is the foundation of our life, and gives us the ability to live the seasons of our lives.

Listen into this conversation on the wisdom of the body, and how movement with attention is part of the language of wellbeing.

While our medicine has gained significant traction poking its way into the mainstream healthcare landscape, the journey has been non-linear and, at times, haphazard. But from our conversation with this episode's guest, perhaps trust and mutual respect are the catalysts to bridge the still-existent gap and facilitate the confluence of ancient medicine with modern culture.

In this conversation with Jenny Nieters, we discuss her clinical work as the team acupuncturist for the San Francisco 49ers, the place of East Asian Medicine in sports medicine, and her personal experience enhancing physical performance for both elite professionals and active patients looking to maintain their strength and mobility. We also touch on the need for soft skills as a practitioner, including simplifying and communicating the 'magic' of acupuncture, being present, inviting mutual respect, and creating space for trust.

Listen into this discussion on acupuncture in sports medicine, the experience, the challenges, and the opportunities it holds.

Men's health is often shrouded in invisible inequality. Some of it is cultural, men seek medical attention less frequently than women. Generally speaking, men aren’t as proactive in seeking to resolve health concerns, we pride ourselves on toughing through problems.

I would have thought that there would be more in our East Asian medicine toolkit for treating men’s reproductive or sexual issues, But if you look, you will not that much. It’s a bare storehouse compared to the treasure house of medicine and methods we have for women’s health.

In this conversation with Lisa Lapwing, we explore men’s health and see what Chinese medicine has to offer. We look at the taboos behind men's health, the emotional underpinnings of the issues, and how to hold comfortable conversations with patients for better outcomes. We also discuss the diagnosis and treatment of common problems, including prostatitis, BPH, and prostate cancer.

Listen into this discussion on common sexual/reproductive issues that trouble men and the need to address the gender gap in health outcomes.

Turns out…. Yes. As we are coming up on 300 conversations now. 

Starting today, the podcast is again freely available to all and will carry sponsorship advertising in each episode. 

I’ve got more details about the changes to the podcast in this short solo show that commemorates five years of Qiological, along with some thoughts on medicine, practice and this new Gutenberg Press we call podcasting.

Accept that comes



When I think about connecting with others, two of the most powerful ways are with non-verbal touch, and the other with the use of attentive language. It would not be a stretch to suggest that this is the yin and yang connection. One that engages the body and the other the mind. But, of course, as you already know, you can’t touch one part of a person without connecting to all of them. Should you care to take that journey.

In this last conversation of our series on Bodywork in East Asian medicine we talk with Nick Pole who brings both the honed senstivies of a Shiatsu practitioner, and the skilled verbal invitations that are so emblematic of Clean Language.

Listen into this discussion of connection, curiosity, non-doing and presence.

We speak of landscapes, flows, seasons and cycles. And yet often enough, our treatments are geared to interfere with what we find. We look to ‘re-channel’ the flow. To drain away that which we deem obstructive. To bust up qi, especially if we find the Liver to be involved. From an outsider’s perspective, we seem to have a bad attitude towards the Liver.

I often enough have asked myself the question when seeing patients, “Am I working from the perspective of Husbandry or from that of a Corps of Engineers manager?” Am I working with the environment or in some ways against it?

In this conversation with Karen Elisa we investigate what it means to attend and follow. Do we listen to what our patient needs, or our own ideas of what they should have? And short, do we trust our patient’s body and being, or not?

Listen into this conversation on using our hands and senses to attentively follow the body’s flow and get out of the way so our patients can allow themselves to bring forward a great state of wellbeing. 

Consider that as a practitioner,  your role is to inquire by touch and not impose your ideas of what is right for a patient. To touch with curiosity, listen with your hands, allow patients to express themselves in a process of self-discovery and transformation, create space for the expression of their Jing (精), and make available the quiet comfort of no expectations. For this, our guest on this Qiological episode recommends we lend our consciousness or awareness to the landscape. Hone your attention to what is there, to the present moment. 

In this conversation with Stephen Schleipfer, we explore the concepts of intention and attention, and how they impact the palpatory experience. We discuss the importance of bringing our attention to the causative space, the practice of self-cultivation, connecting our particulars to the whole, and learning to both connect and  let go as vehicles to transform our practice.

Listen into this discussion on the key role of palpation, the use of attention in the clinical encounter, and working in the causative space.

The timeless and dynamic experience of East Asian medicine teaches that well-being or healing hinges upon cultivating the uninhibited flow within the human existence—including the structural body and the energy field. And as practitioners, we should be attentive enough to induce a sense of synchrony between our rhythms and the universal pulse of qi in order to create room for healing and mediate the unification of the energy within and around.

In this conversation with Beth Hazzard, we explore sensing and perception in the clinic through the lens of Quantum Shiatsu, which blends physicality, field dynamics and mindset. We discuss our multidimensional reality, tuning into the energetic field, how to grasp and tap into the innate intelligence of qi to promote healing, and interaction with the meridian system.

Listen into this discussion on how sensing influences perception, and how to develop a capacity to gather and move forward with the information gathered in clinic.

Hands may not be represented in the Ancient Chinese symbol for listen 聽, ting. But as practitioners of East Asian medicine, we need to understand the importance of listening with our hands, of tapping into the power of intentional touch, and contacting our patients with awareness. Listening with the hands is the foundation of Sotai, Tuina, Shiatsu, and other bodywork modalities.

In this conversation with Bob Quinn, we touch on the use of Yin Sotai as a gentle method of bodywork, including its foundational principles and the implementation of the treatment in the clinic. Bob also highlights the influence of mentor Peter Thompson, the connection of Yin Sotai and Jeffrey Dann's Koshi balancing protocol, the legacy of Dr. Hashimoto, and the philosophical genius of Buckminster Fuller.

Listen into this discussion on the influences, principles, and clinical application of Yin Sotai, which is a unique contribution by Bob Quinn on the technique founded by Dr. Keizo Hashimoto.

We often think of germs, genetic abnormalities, poor lifestyle choices or plain bad luck as being the cause of illness and disease. We go looking for the “smoking gun,” for the one thing that was the source of our troubles, but often the health issues we face arise out of a much more complex stew of causes and conditions.

In this episode Greg Bantick and I discuss the various ways that both illness and health can arise, how at times the symptoms we are troubled by are helpful messengers and how the influence of the mind plays a profound role in our wellbeing.

Taiwan is famous for its high tech computer technology, bicycles, fragrant tofu, rivers of scooters, delicious street food, and of course, tea.

Today’s episode is a bit of a soundscape as we spend a portion of the afternoon drinking and discussing tea. Unlike your Western coffeeshop where you pop in for a beverage to go, or you grab a drink and sit with a couple of friends or work on your computer, a Taiwanese teashop has time unfolding at a completely different pace. And it is about dipping not only into something delicious in a cup, it’s about connecting with your community and making new friends.

Listen as my friend Pia and I imbibe tea and tea culture in a way that you only find in Taiwan.

I thought my conversation with Njemile would walk through some of the step-by-step things women could do to improve their fertility. Turns out the conversation pivoted into including a deeper investigation of living a life that is connective, generative and mindful.

Listen in as we explore the cultivation of fertility and connectedness in all the aspects of our lives. And gain some insight into what it means to live a fertile life.

Many of us fire up a meditation practice only to find ourselves sitting in an overwhelming riot of thought and agitation. Isn’t this practice supposed to calm us down, lower blood pressure, ease the migraines, and maybe give our recurring assortment of anxieties, troubles and tribulations a nudge to the curb?

Yeah, that’s a common story, but the reality of a clear mirror held up to the mind will not have you feeling like those just-so poised and apparently calm models on the Internet. You’ll probably want to get away from the noise and chaos between your ears. And that’s a good reason to learn to sit in the storm.

Our guest today has decades of experience with both meditation and acupuncture. And in this show we will get into the details of why you shouldn’t believe everything you think, and why healing often defies the logical stair-step process we think it should take.

It’s helpful to accept that there are different seasons and adapt to their ebb and flow. Tune in to the rhythm and harmony of the cycles. This is the underpinning of Chinese Polestar Astrology, which offers a symbolic lens through which we can look at our experience—leaning on the insights of the cycle of 60 and the influences that inform its unfolding.

In this conversation, we visit again with Gregory Done as we transition to the second half of the year. We spoke earlier this year in episode 249, where we discussed the interaction of character, nature, and fate—and how this informs our experiences. In this conversation, we explore the harmonizing of capacity and opportunity as the annual cycles of yin and yang change into each other, and how symbols in Chinese Astrology can help interpret the past, present, and the blurry future. We look back at the last 6 months before turning our gaze on what the rest of the year might hold for all the 12 Zodiac animals.

Listen into this discussion on the influences of the year according to Polestar Astrology, and the possibilities, opportunities and challenges for the coming 6 months.

To fully understand and interpret what is felt underneath the hands, you must learn to listen respectfully to the ebb and flow of the fundamental substances Qi, Blood, Body Fluids, which are keenly involved in supporting human life itself. For this your critical, conscious mind has to quiet enough to accept the knowing that comes from your hands. 

In this conversation with Jeffrey Dann and Mark Petruzzi, we touch on the concrete yet nuanced experience of reading the body through touch, including how to create space for a more therapeutic connection for both the patient and practitioner. We explore the need to be attentive, the value of appreciation in our clinical work, and the application of the teishin. We also talk about their fittingly titled Qi, Blood, and Fluids class. 

Listen into this discussion on palpatory findings and the refinement of touch from a Japanese acupuncture perspective.

We at times journey beyond the veils of rationality and time—navigating between the seen and unseen, ancient wisdom and modern technology, the ordinary and non-ordinary reality, the magical and scientific.

This therapeutic bridge between the irrational-mystic and rational-material may seem novel to mainstream Western thinking, but it has long been understood by indigenous people through shamanism.

In this conversation with Sean Fox, we traverse the world of shamanism and how it connects with our work in the clinic. How it can be a bridge between time and reality. We explore how we can use physical sensing and guidance from non-ordinary reality to intentionally set up spaces for healing. We also touch on the role of the fascia network in Chinese medicine, the connective threads of synchronicity, the power of voice, and cultivating trust in our practice.

Listen into this discussion on shamanism and facilitating space for the harmonious interaction of body, mind, and spirit by walking between worlds.

Our patients have a story. And so do we, except we usually call it Chinese medicine theory and we are seeing if we can take our Western minds into the world of East Asian medicine, and come back with something helpful. Our Western minds orient us towards the linear, but Chinese medicine thinking– that has us going in circles, cycles and waves.

Today’s conversation with Deborah Woolf came about because I had some questions, and more than few, about the Heavenly Stems after her recent Qiological Live presentation on the topic.

It’s not that I previously gave this topic of study a pass, I’ve talked about it with friends who have investigated this aspect of medicine in a significant way. But I wasn’t able to grasp the dynamics of the Stems in any meaningful fashion. That changed with this conversation.

Deborah has been studying and teaching this stuff for a while now. And thanks to this conversation. I think I’m starting to get it.

Good communication often hinges not on the simply on the message, but on our ability to be present; to listen mindfully with intent. This holds true both in the clinic and in creating a website which is your hub of communication in a digital world. Understanding the user's needs is the key to both effective treatment and a good website.

In this conversation with Mike Kay, we decipher websites for acupuncturists—including where to begin, the platforms to use, useful design elements and imagery, tuning up your SEO, and perhaps most importantly—creating compelling website copy. Tech-talk aside, we also touch on clinical work, discussing topics such as the need for boundaries in practice, the importance of engagement with patients, and finding value in skepticism.

Listen into this discussion on how to create a website that draws new patients into your practice, and how to go about it in a way that sets you apart.

 Defining addiction has long attracted a medley of explanations—with some leaning towards nature, some nurture, and others towards a perfect storm of both. It’s a complicated subject. Especially when our addiction fueled behavior is seen as socially acceptable, or perhaps even valued.

In this conversation with Randal Lyons, we step into the dark forest of addiction, recovery and Chinese medicine. According to Randal, we need the right language to recognize and treat each patient's different expressions of addiction. We discuss the concept of spirituality in medicine, inviting patients to participate in their healing, leaning on remembrance, and how being present goes a long way in connecting with our patients.

Listen into this discussion on understanding the complexities of addiction and recovery from a Chinese medicine perspective.

Our job is to encounter the energetic mystery of our practice with certainty. Even in the midst of complexities, we should seek to grasp the spirit of the medicine, of the moment, of the individual; to be in tune with the Dao. 

In this conversation with Anne Cecil Sterman, we explore the potency and mystery of acupuncture, how it works, the importance of  through intention, being present, and approaching the treatment with an element of  certainty. We also touch on the need to trust acupuncture, the power of the mind, and the great luo of the Stomach.

Listen into this discussion on navigating the mysterious realm of acupuncture, the need to approach patients with intention and certainty, and an interesting perspective on channels.

Our position of influence demands that we use our expertise and influence to help others—and this starts from our own mastery of yangsheng. People will willingly follow someone with virtue; de.

"Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength, mastering yourself is true power."

—Lao Tzu

In this conversation with Sabine Wilms, we explore the complex dynamics of power and the idea of a virtuous hierarchy borne out of the authority of competence. We also bat around the inadequacies of translations and the limitations of language. And as a storyteller at heart, Sabine weighs up the concept of yangsheng using some popular Chinese teaching tales.

Listen into this discussion on mastering the art of yangsheng (養生) as a practitioner, the role of virtue de (德 ), medical ethics, the dynamics of power, and stepping into your ming (命).

In this conversation with Merlin Young, we talk about the mission of Moxafrica in designing a cheap, adaptable, and safe intervention for COVID long-haulers. We explore how his non-profit is trying to replicate the positive results they saw in moxa treatment for antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis. And how the results of their research could make a difference for long-haulers and provide our East Asian medicine community with valuable research on how moxa might help with the sequela of the coronavirus.

Listen into this discussion on Moxafrica's investigation into the potential effectiveness of moxa as a treatment for Long COVID.

But what if the answers to life’s most elusive questions are written in the stars? What if we can catch a glimpse, a silhouette, or a knowing of how our stories unfold? According to Chinese Polestar Astrology life is a dance between Fate, Nature, and Character; factors that intertwine to create patterns and layers that define our existence. Understanding or deciphering their reciprocity may hold the answer to our life’s purpose—giving us a roadmap to better navigate the human realm.

In this conversation with Gregory Done, we glimpse into the experience of being human—including our sense of self, the unique gift of reflective consciousness, and the influences that impact us to shape our existence. As Gregory explains, fate is malleable. We can steer it, and it can in turn, steer us. We also explore the role of the Oracle  and how the influences of our ancestors impact us.

Listen into this discussion on how character, nature, and fate interact to shape and give meaning to our experiences through the ancient lens of Chinese Polestar Astrology.

“Let yourself be guided silently by that strange power of what you really love.”

– Rumi

In this conversation with Bess and Kyle, we explore their journey of creating a free student-run acupuncture clinic as an avenue to mature as professionals and scratch an itch for social justice-oriented and community-based work. We touch on the existing disparities in health care and their desire to change the narrative around acupuncture, its perceived accessibility, and how it is a potent medicine for healing that invites people into their own power.

Listen into this discussion on the radical nature of acupuncture, finding opportunities to further your vision of what’s possible, and creating something that aligns with your heart.

It is not so easy to navigate, especially with the shifts that herald a new season. It gets more daunting when the life transition in question is menopause—this is a moment when women are challenged in terms of identity, physicality, meaning and status. In the spirit of change and growth, we must redefine and wring new meaning from this life change, and reframe the narrative around female sexuality and health.

In this conversation with Kath Berry, we discuss women’s health, the transitionary stage of menopause, the need for self-care, and how Chinese medicine philosophies/treatments offer women a transition that includes more meaning and textured sense of self. We also talk about the value of learning how to “hold space” for our patients, reading the room, and offering the right emotional and physical support to help them navigate the tides and changes of life.

Listen into this discussion on navigating the transformative gateway of menopause, and the Yang Sheng principles of self-care.

In this conversation with Gary Klepper, we investigate the idea of perceiving the Teishin as a listening post to amplify our attention and how to interpret and utilize that sensory stream of information within clinical settings. We also explore the topic of cultivation, working from home, and how online tools help open up new lines of communication to facilitate the practitioner-patient relationship.

Listen into this discussion on cultivating a personal relationship with the Teishin along with the other tools of our clinical trade, the role of the practitioner, and changing with the times.

As Chinese medicine practitioners, facilitating balance is a central element of our trade. A question from today’s episode  is, can we master the integrity and awareness to articulate a connection between our work with our patients and the health of our planet? 

In this conversation with Nishanga Bliss, we  explore planetary health and climate change from the multiple lenses of Chinese medicine. Our medicine may be founded on the microcosm (humanity), but it is a reflection of the macrocosm (universe). We can use the useful lenses of Yin and Yang to better understand the state of planetary health and see the imbalances causing climate change, which Nishanga diagnoses as a deficiency of Yin.  She suggests that a seemingly small input can have dramatic systemic effects, like a well-placed acupuncture needle.

Listen into this discussion on the threat of climate change, electronic activism, and how Chinese medicine fits into this puzzle.

When you practice acupuncture long enough; when you start to see the world through the lenses of Chinese medicine it begins to change your instinct. Putting your skin and heart in the game, creates the conditions and circumstances that allows the fundamentals of our medicine to teach you. It will change your perception and thinking. Gazing through the tides of Yin & Yang or the interplay of the 5 phases will awaken something that will allow you to see otherwise hidden things. There seems to be a spirit in the work we do.

In this conversation with David Allen, we touch on the curious path that brought him to Chinese medicine and pediatrics. He talks about the influence of a mentor and the idea of a native intelligence that points us in the direction of our hearts’ desire. We also riff a little on the malleability of acupuncture and the importance of reading between the lines in the clinic.

Listen into this discussion on the choices we make throughout our lives, the people who intersect us on our path, and how our hunches sometimes act as a reliable form of navigation.

In your clinical work, are you orienting to a theory or idea, or toward something in the patient that is telling you in the moment what is needed? Are you working off a map, or attending to signals from the patient’s body and being?

In this conversation with Dan Bensky we investigate some listening tools that have their origin in Osteopathy, but also can be used to help us find acupuncture points and interact with them in a potent way. Furthermore, these methods can guide us in tracking the patient’s response to our interventions in real time.

Listen into this discussion on engaging our patients vitality through the use of palpation, sensing, and attention that will aid you in listening to the subtle messages from the patient’s body and qi.

In the late 60’s and early 70’s acupuncture had not made its way from the Chinese communities into the dominant culture. And the early adopters of Chinese medicine were just beginning to find their way to the East where they’d learn the language and medicine.

It was in this time that the Black Panthers and Young Lords in their work in building community resources came across acupuncture. And began to explore its use as a people’s medicine. And that connected with the groundbreaking addiction treatment work at Lincoln Hospital in The Bronx. This aspect of the history of acupuncture in the West has received little attention, but it caught the attention of Rachel Pagones, and she’s written a book about it.

Listen into this “community voices” conversation between Rachel and guest interviewer Beth Sommers on acupuncture as revolution and this grassroots effort of community organization, self-care and acupuncture.

"Listen to your elder's advice. Not because they are always right, but because they have more experience of being wrong."

Like the forces of Yin and Yang, learning in our healing enterprise is about striking a balance between confidence and doubt. It's about knowing when to double down, crack a book, or lean into the expertise patients have to offer.

In this conversation with Jessica Baer, we reflect on what she is discovering in the process of learning medicine and how all that might influence her future. We discuss the path that brought her to acupuncture school, how she's navigating the world of Chinese medicine as a student, and her future aspirations.

Listen into this discussion on the curious roads traveled that bring us to this present moment.

Producing our best work as practitioners isn’t about the tools themselves, but rather how we use them and knowing when to use a particular tool.  It's about finding what's suitable for a particular conversation – i.e., the relationship between the tool, the practitioner, and the patient.

In this conversation with Mark Parzynski, he shares the concepts and technicalities behind crafting masterful tools for acupuncturists and massage therapists—including the Teishin and Gua Sha tool. We also talk about intention, leaning on the teachings of the Ling Shu, the need to share our knowledge, the importance of simplification, and making room for new ideas in our practice. 

Listen into this discussion on tools of the trade, the artistry and technical subtleties behind crafting them, having the right tools for the job, and utilizing them in clinical settings.

Navigating the ebb and flow of a small practice demands some self-scrutiny of our most intimate selves. What are your strengths? What are your values? Do we know what we're here for, and do have the courage to grasp it? And do we know what is not for us, and let it go?

In this conversation with Sydney Malawer, we talk about monitoring the pulse of your business, whether that's paying attention to your overhead or being authentically you. We explore some intuitive approaches to running a thriving Chinese medicine practice. Including building a practice that reflects who we genuinely are. What works for you? What are your strengths? What is not working, and when should you pivot?

Listen into this discussion on what it takes to start and build a small successful practice by tapping into the magic of the authentic vision within you.

When you feel burdened by your responsibilities, it’s important to carve out space and build resilience—not necessarily to bounce back, but to grow through by adapting to the change. Learn to brake before you have a breakdown. A little time and quiet now will help you navigate the challenges and opportunities in your path more easily.

In this conversation with Celia Hildebrand, we discuss how the practice of medicine changes us along the way. We also talk about knowing when things are right for us at a certain time in our careers, identifying the red flags of burnout, finding ourselves at a time of overwhelm, and how experience helps us navigate working outside our comfort zones.

Listen into this discussion on collecting red flags, dealing with burnout, and changing in tandem with our changing practices and our stage in life.

In this conversation with Anne Shelton Crute, we touch on several topics such as how to read a Chinese Polestar Natal Chart according to the Song Dynasty system of Astrology, what the upcoming year of the Yang-Water Tiger means, and how to use the information that astrology proffers as a road map into the future.

Listen into this discussion on navigating fate and free will with Chinese Polestar astrology.

Diabetes and High Blood Pressure are two modern illnesses we frequently see. Most Americans are quite content to take medication for the rest of their lives. I’d like to get your thoughts on how we can help our patients to reverse these problems and live medication free.

Lately I’ve had a lot of patients showing up with neuropathy. It’s a tough condition to treat, and in my experience requires long term care. Which people are not keen on unless you can first get dramatic enough results that they sell themselves on Chinese medicine. How do you approach this problem?

Men’s health is as neglected in our profession as women’s is not. Most men will have some form of prostate enlargement or cancer if they live long enough. It seems to me there is an area that we should be able to do a lot of good. Your thoughts.

In this conversation with Cara Frank, we mull over the idea of evolving as a small business and as a practitioner. 

We talk about some of the life decisions we have to make along the way—and how to maneuver through the obstacles on our path. Sometimes you just have to jump into the abyss and trust that you'll figure it out.

Listen to this discussion on the kind of practice we can build and inhabit that reflects who we are, and what we have to offer

In this conversation with Annie White discuss these questions over some high mountain oolong. Along with what it means to be a doctor and a business person. We’ll also touch on the importance of using how you’d like to feel as a way of charting a course through this world, and how Anne’s research into helping her patients deal with stress turned into a process and practice that she needed for herself, and how the pandemic gave her the opportunity to turn that “passion project” into a service that helps people learn to use their brains better.

Listen into this conversation on medicine, creativity, hard knocks and the transformative power of appreciation.

because the office of medicine is but to tune the curious harp

of man's body and reduce it to harmony.”

― Francis Bacon

Music and Medicine have a lot in common. In the deepest sense, medicine is a kind of performance. Like mastering musical instruments and tones, Chinese Medicine is only effective when it moves through theoretical and experiential cycles of learning. This includes lessons from teachers, hands-on experience, reflective observation (what went wrong and what went right in treatment), and conceptualization (why things happened the way they did).

In this conversation with Etienne Simard, we noodle over the idea of finding the right instrument and tone to help people as both a teacher of Chinese Medicine and as an acupuncturist. We talk about using the needle like you would use a melody to interact with somebody’s Qi, presence in practice, and learning on the job, among other topics.

Listen into this discussion on the confluence of music and medicine. Both are different yet so alike.

We have to come to terms with the fact that change is inevitable. It is part of the natural progression of life. But managing transition with ease, that is part art, part skill and usually a good dose of new learning. As a person in transition, you must learn to let go of what you’ve built as you move on to a new phase of life.

In this conversation with Jason Luban, we talk about how we are and who we are in practice, and how to leverage proactive thinking to anticipate what might be around the bend. He narrates his personal experience selling his practice—and how that decision unknowingly set him on a new path helping other practitioners manage the transition.

Listen into this discussion that touches on buying or passing along your practice to another practitioner and the unexplored essence that goes into considering the value of that practice.

It has taken time for the Western world to familiarize itself with the modalities of Chinese Medicine. Similarly, maneuvering through large organizations like hospitals, the military, or the government can be like walking into uncharted territory. It requires an understanding of their lingo, procedures and methods of working together.

In this conversation with Megan Kingsley Gale, we discuss her efforts in creating the Hospital-Practice Handbook Project as an open sourced resource for licensed acupuncturists working in hospitals and institutional healthcare systems. At its core, this is a resource for change-makers in the integrative health field to share their ideas and wisdom. It brings Chinese medicine to places where its benefits had not been utilized – while giving Chinese practitioners who are interested in hospital-based care new opportunities.

Megan has a vision of helping us explore new frontiers as acupuncturists in the modern American healthcare system. A system of integrative medicine where acupuncturists are seen as professionals rather than technicians and ; where cooperation is embraced and the lines between the East and West are blurred for the benefit of our patients.

Listen in to this discussion on the professionalization of Chinese Medicine and how change-makers are expanding Chinese Medicine into the healthcare system

In today’s conversation with Sharon Sherman, Jeri Steele and Charles Bishop we hear about their explorations with the Saam acupuncture method, it’s curious organ pairings, and how those can be used to help our patients bring forth their own resources for healing.

Listen into this discussion of what happens when you consider both five phase energies with six qi dynamics and how having an expansive vocabulary of each organ’s character can help you in your diagnosis and treatment and open previously unseen possibilities.

In this conversation with Taran Rosenthal we investigate the process of investigation. Mull over how we bring together thoughts and experience and attend to the unfolding present moment in clinic. 

Listen into this discussion on mutable and fluxy perspectives that helps us to attend to our patients with some skill and presence in our clinical work.

In this conversation with Hannah Swift we discuss not just her love of moxa, but fascination for the plant itself. Where it grows, the soils and terrain it likes to inhabit, how it shapes the local economies in Japan famous for their moxa and the process itself of turning leaves into the medicine we like to ignite.

Listen into this discussion of leaves and smoke, and how the scent of moxa itself can be part of a connective healing process. 

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation with Thomas Sorensen we explore abdominal and pulse patterns from the Japanese acupuncture perspective and investigate how they are reliable markers for finding patterns of disharmony that help both with diagnosis and tracking the efficacy of our treatment. And beyond that, how the Saam organ pairings show up as reflections of excess and deficiency on the abdomen and in the pulse. 

Listen into the discussion of hands-on medicine, as we traverse the terrain of Japanese and Saam acupuncture.

In this discussion with Rob Helmer we explore how mastery is mastery of the basics, and how the pernicious influence of depressive heat often unlies many chronic conditions, but it’s easy to overlook it in our clinical practice. 

Listen into this conversation on the importance of the basics, why it’s vital to consider proportionality in our diagnosis and treatment, and some of the ways that you identify and treat depressive in your clinical work.

In this conversation with Paul Movsessian we touch on the sensate world of Japanese acupuncture, noodle on the innovative and imaginative work of Dr Manaka and explore how the softest of touches with a needle can bring about significant shifts in a patient’s physiology.

Listen into this discussion of palpation, five phase energetics, and the significant role of sensing in Japanese acupuncture.

In this conversation with Mark Asquith we noodle on the First Principles that apply every bit as much to the software and podcast services that he has created, as they do to creating an acupuncture practice that supports your life instead of running it.

Listen into this discussion on learning on your hidden strengths, dealing with unhappy clients, identifying bad money as a way to assess the value of a project, what community looks like in the digital age, and how the Triple I principles of Important, Interesting and Integral can help you to create a practice that you’ll enjoy working within.

Heart break expands our boundaries, the question is does it break you open or break you closed?

In this conversation with Margot Rossi we give space to how our brokenness is the source of both suffering and redemption. How our greatest troubles, self destructive tendencies and unexamined suffering are all opportunities to cultivate an open field of attention that can be shifted with our intention and spirit. 

Listen into this discussion that touches on the principles of attention, stillness and healing that she brings to life in her recently published book “To Be Like Water.” 

In this conversation with Andrea Dewhurst we take a look at Instagram and how it can be used to create a community that ties together learners of East Asian medicine. And how it can be a creative medium for promoting your practice.

Listen into this discussion of how Instagram can be used in a positive fashion to connect, along with some of the digital tools that make the process easier. And how sometimes the element of constraint gives you the freedom to engage simplicity in the curation and creation of content that is helpful in facilitating learning. 

In this discussion with Eric Grey, we get into the nitty-gritty of making practice work from a business and clinical standpoint. We discuss some of the snags to watch out for when going into business and running a practice. Additionally we focus on the importance of due diligence and conscious planning, adapting to your stage of development/business cycle, and having an exit strategy. The good news is the whole process can help season us into resilient professionals.

Listen into this conversation on running a successful practice, working through conflicts, tending to operation issues, dealing with uncertainty, and how capitalism can be a beneficial force in your practice and community.

In this conversation with Allen Tsaur, we discuss some of his translation projects of classical Chinese Medicine writing and interpreting old resources. When we borrow from ancient wisdom and Chinese Medicine ideologies it is vitally important to consider the historical context. What questions were the practitioners trying to answer in their time? What were the environmental and cultural conditions that gave rise to their perspectives?

Listen into this discussion as we mull over topics surrounding the process of translating historical messages, the issue of dogma, and learning from crisis moments.

In this discussion with William Green we talk about how top of the game investors lean on morality, responsibility, humility, intelligence and are eccentric in that they are able to face the uncertainty that goes hand in hand with investing and keep their own counsel when the rest of the world is telling them their wrong. We are talking about some high level Gong Fu here.

Listen into this conversation with William Green as we discuss his book Richer, Wiser, Happier and what he has learned about spiritually, generosity and self-cultivation from Masters of the Dow.

In this conversation with Dr. Shoubin Yu and Anthony DiSalvo, we explore some of the methods and perspective of the Yu Family Chinese medicine traditions. Anthony is an apprentice of Dr. Yu—carrying down the Yu Family methods that go back over 500 years. We talk about the history of this family lineage, its underlying theories, and why it’s important to teach people how to utilize Chinese massage (Tuina) to overcome illness and prevent the onset of acquired diseases.

Listen to this discussion on generational health, Tuina massage, and the perspectives that characterize the Yu Dayi Method.

In this conversation with Velia Wortman, we explore the importance of paying attention to what the body is saying, using our senses to best serve our patients, how to discern subtle motion from wishful thinking, along with recognizing and avoiding overtreatment.

Listen into this discussion as we engage with our patient’s vitality through palpation, osteopathic listening methods and that curious space that arises between knowing and attending.

In this conversation, with Brenda Hood we investigate the need for a distinction between East Asian medicine and Western medicine in practice, the importance of thinking about Chinese medicine in its own terms, and the failures that arise from mingling Western medical thinking into East Asian diagnostics and practice. 

Listen into this discussion on Eastern and Western philosophy and how that shapes not just our practices, but the future of East Asian medicine.

In this episode we check in and see where she's at 8 months down the road. What's working, what needs some tuning and how the "practice of practice" informs her days and decisions.

In this discussion with Diane Fabian-Smith we look into empathy, along with the filters and boundaries that allow us to connect without getting lost in the encounter.

Listen into this conversation on resonance, maintaining boundaries in our practice with patients, creating a friendly but firm relationship with our stories and egos. And respectfully engaging the inner terrain of our patients and ourselves in our clinical work.

In this conversation with Ross Rosen, we talk extensively about taking the pulse, connecting with the patient, being mindful of resources, and intervening appropriately for best outcomes. We dabble on topics surrounding implementing theories into clinical practice, Shen-Hammer pulse diagnosis, and understanding the patient’s psychology.

Listen in on this discussion on the potency of clinical intervention and the importance of building a therapeutic connection with patients while “navigating the terrain.”

In this discussion with Rodrigo Aranda, we not only discuss his backstory and the stepping stones that led him to practice Chinese Medicine—but also how Chinese Medicine got to South America. And for a practice that dates back thousands of years, it’s interesting that Chinese Medicine has only started garnering interest from an international audience in the last few decades. 

Listen in on this conversation as Rodrigo Aranda takes us down a relatable journey into Chinese Medicine experiences and how the practice is slowly taking root in different parts of the world.

In this conversation with Seanna Sifflet we discuss using our own feelings, the healing potentials in empathy and forgiveness, and the importance of overcoming our own biases.

Listen into this discussion on the importance of of managing our own nervous systems and cultivating the capacity to remain present and neutral when patients bring forth emotional material that rhythms with our own experience.

In this conversation with Bryan McMahon we explore the complex, and often contradictory dynamics, of autoimmune conditions, And how to finesse our treatments to address these challenging situations. 

Listen into this discussion to gain an appreciation for how Chinese medicine can address complex illness, and some strategies and methods you can use in clinic to address disharmonies.

In this conversation with Eric Grey with touch on how our profession is relatively new in the western world, how it is rapidly changing and growing as East Asian medicine makes its way into our culture and medical system. Now is an exciting time to be a part of this field and there are many opportunities to have an influence.

Listen into this discussion around what it means to have a successful, resonant and enjoyable professional life.

Like any skill or sense, intuition is an innate aspect of our sensorium that can be trained and developed.

In this conversation with Wendie Colter we discuss the role of the medical intuitive as in our modern world, some research on the surprising accuracy of well trained practitioners in finding primary and secondary pathologies, and how intuitive skills can help practitioners to better understand the root of a patient’s illness.

Listen into this discussion of how our human sensing system can be helpful in finding illness and restoring balance and wellbeing.

In this conversation with Shelley Ochs we discuss her Ph.D dissertation on this mythic character that adorns ancient tombs, and shows upin imagery that suggests a connection between the heavenly and earthly realms. Chinese medicine’s bird-headed healer is not the first or only image of divine presence that is associated with life, healing and death. Other cultures also have this image in their pantheon of healers and gods.

Listen into this discussion of the history and recent academic perspectives of an alternative stream of medicine that intertwined with that of the Nei Jing, but has its own unique roots.

In this discussion, we welcome back Sam MacLean to delve into the topic of knowing your path, drawing on her experiences. Sam previously worked in the corporate world helping businesses with their purpose. But following certain situations that changed the trajectory of her life, she transitioned to her passion of connecting with horses.

Listen in on this conversation with Sam—in which we discuss and share some insightful tips on self-awareness, the impact of culture, knowing who we are, and the rightness of our paths.

In this dialogue with Margot Rossi and Nick Pole we learn some key fundamentals of staying in our own experience while helping guide our patients deeper into theirs.

Seanna Sifflet and Heidi Lovie explore how our medicine and our presence can help our patients and our communities to navigate through the choppy waters of our times. 

If you did not consider marketing, you might want to think again. And give MB Huwe a listen here, because marketing is an essential aspect of your practice that you ignore at your peril, and your marketing has to resemble no one other than you. So you can’t buy a solution off the shelf, because it has to reflect your genuine character.

The flaring of heat and uprising of qi can be seen through this lens. In this case presentation with Eran Even we get a glimpse of this shaoyang dynamic and see how a clinical presentation that you might also see illuminates a line from Jin Gui Yao Lue.

This review of the Chinese Medical Characters app will give you a good overview of the app, along with some encouragement for the process of helping yourself by learning the basic characters that will help you to better understand and think about our medicine.

If you’re taking the pulse of your business, the overhead is one of the parameters you need to pay attention to. Stacey Whitcomb gets in your business on this. Listen up!

Furthermore, our modern culture disportionately values curing over healing, and sometimes there is no cure. But the whole-person aspect of our medicine gives us a unique perspective on illness, suffering and bearing witness. 

In this conversation Jonathan Bluestein and Stephen Jackowicz discuss the unique potential in our medicine, and the challenges of practice in the modern Western world. 

In this discussion with Damiana Corca we explore why some ideas make sense in theory, but don’t work so well in actual practice. And some perspectives on how the taiyin, shaoyin and jueyin are involved with sleep disturbances at different times of the night. 

Listen in to this conversation on balance, rest and restoration in the yin of the night.

We all know that word of mouth is the best form of marketing, but have you taught your patients how to talk about your practice to their family and friends?

In this conversation with Laura Christensenwe talk business, as she shares some of the insights and new processes she’s put into practice after working with a business coach who has helped her to take her successful practice and make it more productive, profitable and enjoyable. 

Listen into this discussion on how paying attention to the nuts and bolts of your business not only will allow you to better understand your business, but free you up to focus more on your clinical work.

In this conversation with Margot Rossi and Nick Pole we discuss the FBI Hostage negotiation methods of Chris Voss and how the principles he writes about are not only useful in your clinical work, but you might already be using some of his ideas. 

LIsten into this discussion of how empathy, rapport, and lack of aggression can help you bring forth hidden resources that your patients already have for healing.

In this conversation with Vitaly Napadow we discuss the Art of Medicine and how fMRI imaging from the brains of patients and practitioners with an established clinical relationship gives us a breathtaking glimpse into how our brains mutually interact with each other. And more importantly, how that can affect clinical results.

Listen into this discussion of mirroring, rapport, neuroplasticity and how human connection and therapeutic results are intimately connected. 

In this 200th episode of the Qiological Denise Hung, a student, shares her questions and thoughts about mentors and mentorship in Chinese medicine.

Listen in to this conversation on learning, expectations, and the importance of being in the room where it happens in the process of learning medicine. 

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation with Ben Hawes we discuss how the alignment of the vertebra on the spine tells a story and helps to guide an acupuncture treatment. And beyond that how we tease apart ways of knowing, and how our perception both gives us information and blinds us to where our attention does not flow.

Listen in to this discussion of perception, attention and how keeping an open and skeptical mind is essential in seeing more clearly how we can be helpful to our patients.

In this conversation with Edward Chiu we discuss writing case reports, which is a time honored process of how medicine has been preserved, passed along and learned throughout time. Not only can we learn from the past, but we can also help to educate future generations of practitioners. 

Listen into this discussion of how to write case reports that will not only help you to clarify your own clinical thinking, but also to effectively share it with others.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation with David Euler we explore his perspective on divergent channels and his process of using palpatory feedback as an aid in diagnosing and assessing the effectiveness of his treatments. 

Listen into this discussion on channel flow, the wisdom of the body, and using your sense of touch to guide your treatment.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation with Brodie Welch we look at how sometimes subtracting counterintuitive as it seems, allows our lives to be richer and fuller.

Listen in to this conversation on quietude, the curious nature of change, learning to put your voice forward,  and the importance of being clear on your “why.”

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

Here are two articles written by Dr. Jiang that Michael translated for The Lantern, that detail his thinking and formulations.

An Exploration of Allergic Rhinitis

Three Formulas for Cough

In this discussion with Sam McLean we look at some of the multifaceted aspects of using touch and presence. The importance of not having an agenda, how a sense of yielding is essential to connection and the essential role of a loosely held sense of attention can guide our mind and hands in the work we do.

Listen in to this conversation on listening, following, presence and touch. And how something luminous we see in others is a reminder of some resources we carry within ourselves.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation with John Stan we explore the backstory of the manufacturing and environmental impact of our most essential tool— needles. 

Listen in to this discussion of all that goes into those pins you use everyday and how a few changes of habit can have an impact on the waste generated by your clinic.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation with Bryan McMahon we explore the importance of congruence in health and illness, take a look at the dynamics of counterflow that will give you a new perspective on this pathomechanism. And we’ll look into how more deeply understanding physiology will help you with difficult presentations in the clinic.

Listen in to this discussion of medicine, service and the interactions of heaven and earth through the dynamics of the five phases and six qi.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation Ji Ling Lin, a fairly recent graduate, grabs the microphone and steers this conversation with podcast host Michael Max and gets his perspective and experience with having a home office. 

Listen into this discussion on the benefits and challenges of having a home office, and how our practices are an expression of our own spirit, vision and values.

This is another in a continuing series of conversations between Toby Daly along with Laura Christensen and Sharon Weizenbaum who are actively engaged in learning the Saam acupuncture method.

While we know that the practice of medicine requires of us constant study and sometimes diving into a new perspective, it is usually easier said than done.

Listen in to this conversation for some areas of uncertainty in the midst of learning a new system, and for the clinical insights that come from attentive and thoughtful practice.

In this discussion with Steve Clavey we discuss the vital role of fluids, the vast connectivity of the San Jiao, the mischief created by phlegm, and how some simple herbal formulas can make a big difference in the state of a patient’s fluids and health.

Listen into this conversation on fluid physiology and pathology and how the process of learning medicine is an ongoing investigation in proving to ourselves how this medicine works.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this discussion with Elisa Yip we look at how saying no is deeply related to our ethical and moral stances. How our “yes” is more trustworthy when we can say “no,” and that there is a lot we can find out about ourselves when we dig into the discomfort that comes with a heartfelt and unequivocal, no. 

Listen in to this conversation on the power of no, and the clarity that it can bring.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this discussion with Vanessa Menendez-Covelo we explore how the learning process itself is our teacher, that our confidence comes not from knowing but learning to work through the gaps in our knowledge, and that persistence and perseverance are required for this journey.

Listen in to this conversation on developing a sense of stability in your work, the importance of learning through challenging situations and how a background in computers can help you with learning and practicing acupuncture.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this discussion with Nigel Dawes we explore how palpation allows us an opportunity to imbibe that sensual place between being and thinking, and how that can help us with our diagnostic work. We also consider how our herbal medicine readily lends itself to the treatment of Post-Covid syndromes and how our medicine can be of great service in the aftermath of coronavirus infections. 

Listen into this conversation on cultivating that attentive perceptual space just this side of language and the maps of the mind, the opportunities for using ancient formulas for modern problems and the circuitous journey that went into the writing of Nigel’s new book.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation with Lacey Dupre we look at the yin and yang of money, consider some archetypal influences and get friendly with the transformative potential of money.

Listen into this conversation on money, value and worth.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

Any seasoned practitioner will tell you that skillful use of language and the ability to listen beyond words is an essential aspect of clinical practice. 

In this conversation with Randy Clere we explore the use of language not only so that we may better understand our patients, but so that they may better understand themselves. 

Listen in to this discussion of how the fluid medium of language facilitates connection, rapport and presence.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

David Marks set off on the path of medicine through his interest in philosophy, which in turn has guided him through a life of practice, inquiry, filmmaking and writing. 

Listen in to the conversation on how receptivity and curiosity can take you a long way.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this discussion with translator and historian Sabine Wilms we trace the footprints of the Tang Ye Jing through history and discuss its connection to the Fu Xing Jue, another text equality fascinating and problematic. 

Listen into this conversation on the mythic roots of herbal medicine, stolen treasure and principles of medicine that are timeless regardless of their source.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

It’s not surprising that Peter Deadman would be focused on Yang Sheng, the  Nourishment of Life, he’s been at it his entire adult life  in various forms and pursuits. 

Listen in to this conversation on passion, business and how our interests don’t just help us to make a living, they assist us in creating a Life.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

While electricity is often applied to needles in our work, Malvin Finkelstein has found a way of using a micro current probe along with bodywork to bring rapid and profound changes to the underlying tissues.

Listen in to this conversation on electricity, touch and how profound change can occur right under our fingers. 

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation with Kym Garrett we explore the process of building a practice around the treatment of cancer that dovetails with conventional treatment. 

Listen in for this discussion of building trust and creating a practice that helps patients to navigate between Chinese medicine and modern oncology.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

This last episode of the year is a solo show taking a look back at the year, along with a glimpse into the future, along with some thoughts of shadow side of our practices and thoughts in response to questions from students.

Listen in to Michael's thoughts over tea here in the winter of the year.

From your favorite indy coffeeshop, to the yoga studio where you love to stretch into your body, to the company that makes the winter coat you love to wear, there are people who are spending their life energy creating something in which you find value, meaning and joy. 

Why is it that so often we have such a dim view of business, when business is about creating something helps to make other people’s lives better?

Listen in to this conversation with Dave Kaster as we take a look at how running a business is part art, part science, and requires a steady  and committed heart.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation with Jason Robertson we touch on how Dr. Wang Ju-Yi would use questions like a great detective. How questions can act like the qi transformations of Open, Pivot and Close. And some questions gleaned from other practitioners  that Michael has brought into his practice.

Listen in to this discussion of how skillful questioning is an essential part of the treatment process, as we need to first know what we are seeing, and who a patient is,  before we can skillfully intervene.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

Students are expected to push the edges, and they have permission to discover.

This conversation with first year acupuncture student Megan Bulloch started as an email that said… I need to reach out and talk about business and marketing as part of my studies. Can I ask you a few questions?

You know how I love questions. 

Listen into this conversation about medicine, marketing and muse.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

His touring and recording credits include diverse artists such as: Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand, Jay-Z, Tony Bennett, Sting, Tower of Power, Queen Latifah, Eddie Palmieri, Blood, Sweat & Tears, KRS One, Branford Marsalis, Paul Simon, Tito Puente, James Taylor, Billy Joel, McCoy Tyner, Illinois Jacquet, Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin, & The Roots. 

In 2016, Barry was accepted in the MSTOM program at PCOM-NY, maintaining a 3.70 GPA while continuing a busy music career. In 2020, he was one of 3 recipients of the NuHerbs Scholarship.

Barry is also a lifelong Martial Artist, training and competing in Boxing, Muaythai and Grappling for decades. He is a certified instructor in Pekiti Tirsia Kali (Filipino Martial Arts) and Silat Kuntau Tekpi (Malaysian Martial Arts). 

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation with Genevieve Le Goff we explore the transformations of qi through the five phases and six confirmations as we discuss Fu Xing Jue and the mythic lost text, Tang Ye Jing. 

Listen in to this discussion of women’s health and some ways of thinking about our medicine from a non-modern perspective.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation with Chloe Weber we investigate CBD from the perspective of Chinese medicine practitioner. 

Listen in to this conversation CBD, cannabis medicine and how Chinese medicine practitioners can think about how to integrate this medicinal into their thinking and practices. 

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation with Tamsin Grainger we look into how death is inextricably entangled with life. How we care constantly dying to one moment as we emerge into a new one. 

Listen in to this conversation on living into the surprising unfolding of life and how the mindset of pilgrimage helps us to transition through the seasons of our lives.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

Additionally there is an excerpt from his soon to be published book String Moxa Method. Go to the show notes page to read or download it.

In this conversation with Charlie Braverman we discuss the sunset of an acupuncture practice. The opportunities that arise while you still have time to learn something new. The importance of having a kind of support when beginning that goes beyond getting the diagnosis right, and how success sometimes means it is time to move onto something else. 

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation with Peter Mole we explore the dynamics of doubt and certainty, along with the role of intuition and artistry in the development of an acupuncturist. 

Listen into this conversation on the inner journey of becoming a Chinese medicine doctor.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

In this conversation with Brenda Le we both explore how TCM is seen in our Western Chinese medicine world, and how doing this research opened her up to aspects of medicine and practice that she did not previously see. 

Listen in to this conversation on inquiry, exploration and discovery.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

Japanese rice grain moxa, that was a whole other universe. It’s not that less is more, it’s that the focused and directed aspects of Japanese moxibustion invite a completely different experience of heat and sensation. 

In this conversation with Felip Caudet we follow his path of discovery with moxibustion. 

Listen in to this discussion on mugwort, calling and surrender to the path that beckons.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

In this conversation with Heidi Lovie we look at how to handle life when things change more in four months than they used to change in four years. 

Heidi’s take no prisoners approach to Covid, social unrest, failing economies, troublesome  landlords and political monkeyshines will give you some hope for our off the rails world.

In this conversation with long time practitioner Jeffrey Dann we explore the structural powerhouse of the Koshi, the dynamic lower abdomen with all it’s energetic and physiological functions. 

Additionally we explore how to approach the body and appreciate the body and develop a sense of listening and connection that becomes the compass that guides our work.

Listen into this discussion of discovery, appreciation and medicine.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

In this conversation with Laura Christensen we explore common ethical issues that all acupuncturists are likely to run up against. And you might be surprised to hear about how when considering ethical modes of practice we not only need to consider our patients, but our selves as well. Not operating our businesses in a sustainable way can also be seen as an ethical issue, as we put a burden on our patients when we are overburdened.

Listen into this conversation on some surprising ways you might want to reconsider some of your ethical stances, and why there are situations where crossing ethical boundaries might be of benefit to the patient.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

In this conversation with Elisabeth Rochat we explore, like you’d explore bottles of fine wine, some of the meaning and nuance in the characters 意 yi， 通 tong， 命 ming，and 理 li. There are some delicious surprises in this conversation as I’m more conversant with the common meanings of these characters, and Elisabeth’s perspective gives me a whole new appreciation for Chinese language and thought. 

Listen in to this discussion of characters, medicine and what it takes to be a human being.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

In this conversation with Yair Maimon we touch on the three treasures as they relate to treating cancer with acupuncture, immunology from Chinese medicine perspective, and ways of working with research that help us to further our understanding of our medicine here in the modern day.

Listen in to this discussion that touches both on the classics and modern day perspectives in health and healing.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

And yet if we are going to practice this medicine with deep roots into a long gone time and culture, we need access to the stepping stones that have been handed down to us over centuries through books and writing.

Translating language is one thing. But translating culture, bringing something of the mind and perception from another time, that is a whole other task.

It helps if you can understand the poetry, the stories, the world view and beliefs of the time. And it helps if you can track the changes in the meaning of words and ideas across the centuries of commentary.

In this episode we are sitting down for tea with Sabine Wilms, a self described "lover of dead languages," for a discussion of Resonance from chapter five of the Simple Questions.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

Engaging with a patient free of flowcharts and diagnostic codes invites into a space free of agenda and technique. It allows for a kind of non-doing that can allow for a patient connecting with resources they did not know they had.

Listen into this Part Two conversation with with Alice Whieldon on the cost of the medical model.

Why it’s hard to become a master? Master’s are usually forged in troublesome fires. They may be living through a time of war and disease and their medicine comes through the crucible of deep suffering. Perhaps they’ve gone through a terrible illness or accident of their own. Or they are acutely sensitive in ways that make every life difficult.

The journey we take with practicing medicine is not to become like one of the masters we idolize, but to become the practitioner with our particular  slant on the medicine that is our’s to become.

This episode is a discussion of inquiry over time. The discovery's that come not from understanding a book, but rather from the drip, drip, drip of experience from our clinical work that over time teaches us to focus in a particular way. A process that does not guarantee, but rather sets us up, so that one day we read something in the old books and get it. Get it not with so much with our minds, but rather our heart and being. Because it is something that we have grown into. And so we can better understand the writing of others who have also grown into their experience.

Listen in for a discussion how to become a good journeywoman or journeyman.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

In this conversation we touch on the influence of numbers, the spiral nature of unfoldment and change, a few things about the Hun and Po that will surprise you, how time and space give us different glimpses into reality and how a sense of playfulness wtih medicine and philosophy just might be a most wise approach.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.

In this episode with Chip Chase we discuss the importance of down-regulating our nervous system. Along with the use of palpation and sensing references to anchor our ideas about what might be going on for a patient, and to track the progress of the treatment as it unfolds.

Additionally we touch in on the use the eight extraordinary vessels and their relation to internal cultivation, take a look at the relatively new emergence of using the divergent channels, and discuss the difference between intending and attending during the treatment process.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

In this conversation we consider the interplay of “wu yun, liu qi” the five movements and six climatic qi from the perspective of diagnosis and understanding not just what problem a patient has, but also its progression through time.

Listen in to this discussion on understanding the cycles and interplay of yin and yang that will help you to better understand why a patient’s illness has manifest and how to use both the movement of the phases and the influence of the conformations to treat illness and help your patients.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

I love the translations that Sabine so lovingly puts her heart and soul into. Humming with Elephants with one of my all time favorite books on our medicine. I was delighted to have this conversation with Sabine and how you enjoy it as well.

Just as many of struggle to get through the brilliance of Shakespeare, the classics of Chinese medicine require a particular kind of attention. And it doesn't hurt if you actually can understand the "gu wen" classical Chinese language. It's even more helpful if you engaged the other classic literature of China from an early age.

Our guest in this episode Leo Lok did just that, and in this conversation we see how terse lines from the classics can speak eloquently to confusing cases in the modern clinic.

Listen in and get a glimpse at how the classics can be applied to difficult clinical cases. You'll be wanting to spend more time with the Su Wen (Simple Questions) after this!

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

But what often gets left out of the conversation is the question of “what is healing?” Along with “who” is responsible for that and “what” is to be done?

Healing is a curious business. And while patient and practitioner both play a role, more often than not, it’s an inside job.

In this conversation with Alice Whieldon we explore what is helpful, the invitation that arises from dropping expectation and agenda, and the connective resonance that arises from simply seeing how it is for another.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

In this conversation with Barbara Bittinger we discuss the benefits of living and working in rural America and how community is not just an idea but an essential aspect of day to day life.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

Adolescence is a glorious and often troublesome ripening and as with so many aspects of our lives these days... it’s medicalized as pathology instead of being seen as a series of dress rehearsals for the challenges the world will ask of us in the future. 

Acupuncture can be tremendously helpful teens navigating this phase of life and for their parents and families and as well, as medicine does not see kids separate from the family in which they live. 

Listen in on this conversation with Rebecca Avern on using acupuncture to treat adolescences. 

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

But science is not a flowchart, and researcher is really another name for someone who grew into adulthood with their curiosity intact.

Listen in to this conversation on luck, intention, intuition, investigation and biofields.

Not many westerners in the 1970’s started along the road of Chinese medicine. In this long ranging conversation with Jake Fratkin we discuss his perspectives over time and his current thoughts on medicine.

Listen in for a conversation about herbs, TCM, Japanese acupuncture and the curious road of practice that unfolds when you follow your interests.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

The  trouble with learning something new is that we have let loose of our current understanding usually acquired through effort and hard work. It’s hard to release what we’ve struggled to learn. Our limited understanding of the terrain becomes our turf. It takes a certain amount of confidence in ourselves, and recognition we know we don’t know, to be able to learn something new that may contradict or call into question that which we comfortably feel like we can rely upon.

Two years ago I started learning Saam acupuncture on a hunch after reading Toby Daly’s article from the Journal of Chinese Medicine. It was at first unpleasantly mind-bending, it took me far afield of what comfortably felt like competence. It invited me into another perspective that eventually came full circle, in that it connected up some of the streams of herbal medicine that I’d been following over the years.

In this conversation, two years after my first podcast discussion with Toby, I’m able to bring a different set of questions and perspectives now that I’ve got a taste for how the Five Phases and Six Conformations connect in ways I could not previous see. 

Listen into to this conversation to get a sense of lenses and perspectives of the Buddhist monastic stream of Saam acupuncture. 

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

In this conversation with Lillian Bridges we explore our emotional makeup, how it shows on the face, and how we can use the dynamics of the five phases to better understand and sort out these deep internal influences that can so dramatically effect our physiology and relationships.

Listen into this conversation that goes into our “internal weather,” the right use of Will and how our feelings can strongly influence our perceptions and perspectives.

In this conversation with Kathy Taromina, Craig Mitchell and Dan Bensky we discuss what they have been learning about using Chinese herbal medicine in responding to the symptoms of Covid-19, as they carry out a study that is being done at the Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine.

Doctors of the past have left us a treasure trove of ideas and clinical strategies for treating epidemic illness and all of these methods are coming into play in our modern world, as we learn more about how the Coronavirus affects different people.

Listen into this conversation on how experienced herbalists are learning from the wide range of presentations that are showing up in the clinic. And how you can access the information that is being collected from this study for your own learning and use in the treatment of infectious illness.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

While we in the west have access to some of the classic materials on treating epidemics, we don’t have the same level experience. It’s not really our fault, epidemics don’t roll through here in the west as often, and even during the cold and flu season most people don’t seek us out first. So our skills are not as polished as we’ve not had the experience to hone our clinical skills.

In this speical edition conversation with Thomas Avery Garran and Shelley Ochs we discuss their new eBook on Chinese medicine and Covid-19.

Listen in to this conversation on how the Chinese are using traditional medicine at a scale we simply don’t see here in the west.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

Susan Johnson studied with Miriam Lee, who was instrumental not just in bringing Tung Style acupuncture into our western world, but helping to get acupuncture going here in the first place. In this conversation we discuss not just the points and what they do, but more importantly a way of thinking about acupuncture so that you are utilizing the healing resources of your patient without squandering or dispersing them.

Listen into this conversation that starts with Tung acupuncture, but goes into how we think about the work we do, and the kind of spirit that we bring to it.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

In this conversation with Rebecca Avern we discuss the fortitude that must be developed to sit with the difficult to answer questions that arise in clinic. And how clinical work, while it deepens and enriches the lives of our patients and ourselves, does extract kind of price.

It would not be untrue to say doing our work is a privledge, and it also brings a certain kind of shadow.

Listen into this conversation on presence, inquiry, and listening with your qi. As well as a look at the shadow side of practice.

The wonderful thing about research is that it invites delicious questions and opens avenues of inquiry that lead us beyond the borders of our maps of the world.

In this conversation with Richard Hammerschlag we hear about how his curiosity with how acupuncture was helpful lead him to a shift in career that has had him in the forefront of acupuncture research for a couple of decades now.

Listen in to this discussion on the process of inquiry, and how it’s hard to go wrong when you follow what’s interesting for you.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

There is a pervasive sense of grief at the loss of a world that just a few short months ago operated in vastly different ways. The physical and social distancing bring their own difficulties, and for anyone who’s carrying some buried away trauma it’s closer to the surface as the veneer of normality is stripped away.

In this conversation with Alaine Duncan we look at how these times more easily surface lingering trauma and perhaps can give us an opportunity to resolve some issues from the past as we work through the challenges of the present.

Listen in as we discuss the importance of attending to the the Heart/Kidney connection, and how the difficulties of this time can also be a catalyst for healing and change.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

Digital technology has been disrupting the various communications industries for a few decades now. The downside is anyone with a computer and some gumption can get their message out to the world, and that can make for some pretty lousy content. The upside is that anyone with a computer and some gumption can get their message out to the world, which means you can contribute the crowd you want to serve. But you’re going to have to learn to use the tools of digital publishing properly, and be responsible for the workflow and design. It’s not so much of a DIY, Do It Yourself project as much as it is a MIY, Manage It Yourself enterprise.

In this conversation with Oran Kivity, author of Moxa in Motion with the Ontake Method and Sean Sumner, a consultant on self-publishing, we explore the basics of the brave new world of digital on-demand publishing.

Listen in and find out why there has never been a better time to publish your own book. 

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview. 

Michael Corradino for many years now has been focused on the connection between acupuncture and neurology. And he’s developed a system of treatment that focuses on neurophysiology and how acupuncture stimulates the nervous system.

Listen in to this discussion of needles, de qi, nerve stimulation and how acupuncture does not interface with qi, but with our neural network.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.  

Much of traditional research is not that helpful in understanding Chinese medicine, as our medicine does not lend itself to the binary world of double blind studies. Our medicine requires research methodologies that can handle emergent dynamic systems. And lucky for us, those models exist and one of the researchers who is keen on these models also happens to be a Chinese medicine practitioner.

In this special podcast episode researchers Lisa Taylor-Swanson and Lisa Conboy share with us the design of a study that is currently being carried at the Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine on the treatment of symptoms that may be related to Covid19 disease using Chinese Herbal Medicine. This study is geared toward collecting data that will help to guide further research. It’s a study that considers Chinese medicine on its own terms. And this study’s design principles are not unlike the principles of our medicine.

Listen in for a look at how this study is being structured, and then check back in a few weeks as we’ll have a conversation with the practitioners at SIEAM who are treating patients and collecting the data.

Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.