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Acupuncture

(Traditional Chinese & Western Medical)

Traditional Chinese Acupuncture is a one of the major aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM is one of the great truly holistic approaches, the basis, of which many of the holistic therapies we know today are  based on, such as, reflexology, shiatsu, acupressure, applied kiniesiology, reiki, etc. It is about encouraging the health of the person from within, rather than treating the symptoms.

This it does by balancing the energies & communicating systems within the body to assist it's own self-healing systems. Based on the principle that we are more than the just the physical body that we see, and that we have an etheric or energetic blueprint or subtle body that supports & manifests the physical body. From this you could say that the balance of energy within the subtle body is paramount to health of the physical & mental health of that person.

It is said that in China:

The doctor is paid to keep you healthy, because when you are sick, you cannot afford to pay.

This may seem alien to our culture, but it's difficult not to see the common sense in this. Often, I am asked, if I believe acupuncture works?

My reply - I know acupuncture works, but there is a small minority, for which it doesn't seem to make any difference.

or

From a scientific point of view the fact that acupuncture works for most of us is not in doubt, but there are some aspects of it that western scientists have yet to understand.

I figure if it helps, then I'm happy to wait for some of the why's & wherefores and I suspect the critics may have to broaden their view before they can gain a greater understanding. Also, I should point out that it does not contradict the very forefront of scientific thought, such as - quantum physics & theory.

There is actually a huge amount of research studies, that seem to be consistently ignored by western medicine, that suggests that it does work for a wide range of problems. As a result of one Chinese study being discredited - western medicine has chosen to tar all Chinese research with the same brush.

A cynic may say - That's because you don't make mega bucks from something you cannot copyright or patent - like a drug for example.

To add to this - most of the studies done in the West have been on Western Acupuncture (WA - see below), which is a different kettle of fish all together. This is based on 'accepted scientific findings' and/or uses prescribed formulas for specific conditions, regardless of the nature & characteristics of the person. This is a poor attempt to crowbar a holistic approach to health into a mainstream scientific research model.

To illustrate the difference between mainstream science & quantum science - imagine for a moment how Sir Isaac Newton saw the universe, then imagine how Albert Einstein saw the universe & then some. Okay, perhaps that's a stretch too far. Try this one:-

You break everything down and examine all the tiny bits & consider that they must follow strict governing rules. Except some bits seem to behave differently and you don't seem to be able to put it all back together again & make it work.  

Or you take a step back & see everything as an integrated whole, with the individual parts communicating intelligently & affecting every other part to a greater or lesser degree.  

You will find that the latter statement, not only fits with quantum science, but also the majority of indigenous cultural belief systems from all around the globe. The conspicuous exception being the modern western scientific view.

I suppose what I'm really trying to say is:-

When 'medical science' meets a living person - there's plenty of scope for it all to goes pear shaped!

Returning to Acupuncture

Whilst the Chinese have made acupuncture there own over that last 2 thousand years, through observation, practice & literature the reality is that it has been practiced in the far east by several nations, including Thailand, Tibet & Japan. Some other points of interest are that the earliest records of veterinary medicine are on acupuncture. And to really upset the apple cart the oldest known records on the subject actually hail from India. The earliest mention of using needles for healing appear in the Suchi Veda, dating back 3 thousand years & predating any Chinese records on the subject. This suggests that acupuncture was part of the ancient Indian system of Ayurveda, from which we also have the gifts of Yoga & Meditation.

It is said of China, that whilst they have modern medical hospitals, they are relatively quiet & under utilised and at the old, under funded traditional hospitals they have people queuing in the corridors.

I don't know, as I've never been to China, but I do know that it works for me, despite my Western education, training & knowledge. Also, one has to consider that it has been used for over 3 thousand years, compared to the less than a hundred years of the modern medical model.

The human being is the most complex thing in the known universe and I don't believe we can be reduced & analysed down to purely physical & chemical machines. It's not that I feel this to be a personal affront, more that, from experience, there actually does seem to be some sort of 'glue of life'. The difference between something that is dead or alive, the inanimate & the animate.  And again there is also a large body of evidence to support this. (Some pointers below if you want to follow this up).

I don't expect anyone to take my word for it -

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Andrew C. Woodhouse BSc (Hons) Ost

Some Points of Reference

The Lost Secrets of Ayurvedic Acupuncture - Dr Frank Ros, Lotus Press, USA 1994 (The ancient origins of acupuncture in India - to its current use as part of Ayurvedic medicine.)

Energy Medicine (The Scientific Basis) - James L. Oschman PhD, Churchill Livingstone/Harcourt Publishers Ltd, 2000. (An invaluable resource of research on the existence of the energetic body).  

Vibrational Medicine for the 21st Century - Richard Gerber MD, Piatkus, USA 2000. (Explains the principles of energy medicine & several of the more popular therapies that are based on it).

The Body Electric - Robert O. Becker MD & Gary Selden, Quill, USA, 1985. Especially useful for those with some medical knowledge, but not out of reach of the lay person. This is a nuts & bolts approach, (including Becker's own research) to how & why energy medicine (such as acupuncture) works.