經絡歌訣 Channel Odes

These "Channel Odes" are for memorizing Acupuncture Channel lines and point names. I compiled them here, with my novice translations of the Odes themselves, with point names' translations selected from a few different sources: Deadman, Cleaver, Ellis/ Boss, and Worsley. This is an ongoing work in progress, which will evolve and improve as my understanding of the points deepens over time, with increased clinical exposure, and dialogue. I hope that this is interesting/ helpful to you, and hope to hear your input/ insights!

(Note that the Google doc has better formatting than what Blogger let's me copy and paste. It's a 17 page document, which doesn't fully paste well, and I'm loathe to carefully reformat again, on Blogger.)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwjiJzBpbLaiOG52Wm1NVkxBb3M/view?usp=sharing

~

歌訣 Channel Odes (with Odes/ Pinyin/ Translation)

Jiling Lin (12/ 2016)

地

-        Lung (Lu) 手太陰肺經

-        Large Intestine (LI) 手陽明大腸經

-        Stomach (ST) 足陽明胃經

-        Spleen (Sp) 足太陰脾經

天

-        Heart (Ht) 手少陰心經

-        Small Intestine (SI) 手太陽小腸經

-        Bladder (BL) 足太陽膀胱經

-        Kidney (Kd) 足少陰腎經

人

-        Pericardium (Pc) 手厥陰心包經

-        Triple Burner (TB) 手少陽三焦經

-        Gallbladder (GB) 足少陽膽經

-        Liver (Lr) 足厥陰肝經

Extra

-        Conception Vessel (CV) 任脈

-        Governing Vessels (GV) 督脈

~

Key

墓穴 (front Mu points) and 腧穴 (back Shu points) listed at top

五腧穴 (Five Transport Points): 木，火，土，金，水

◊ 原穴 (Yuan Source Point)

 絡穴 (Luo Connecting Point)

󠇭 郗穴 (Xi Cleft Point)

地

Lu: 手太陰肺經 (Hand Taiyin Lung/ Shǒu Tài Yīn Fèi Jīng)

(MU: Lu-1       SHU: BL-13)

手太陰肺十一穴，

Shǒu tài yīn fèi shí yī xué,

Hand Lesser Yin Lung channel has eleven points,

(中府)1 (雲門)2 (天府)3訣，

(zhōng fǔ)1 (yún mén)2 (tiān fǔ)3 jué,

(Central Treasury)1 (Cloud Gate)2 (Celestial Storehouse)3 rhyme,

(俠白)4 (尺澤)5 (孔最)6存，

(xiá bái)4 (chǐ zé)5[水]  (kǒng zuì)6󠇭󠇭 cún,

(Heroic White)4 (Cubit Marsh)5 (Great Hole)6󠇭 collect,

(列缺)7 (經渠)8 (太淵)9 涉，

(liè quē)7 (jīng qú)8[金] (tài yuan)9 [土]◊ shè,

(Broken Sequence)7 (Channel Ditch)8 (Great Abyss)9 ford,

(魚際)10 (少商)11如韮葉。

(yú jì)10 [火] (shǎo shāng)11[木] rú jiǔ yè.

(Fish Border)10 (Little Merchant)11 are a leek leaf’s distance from the nail border.

LI: 手陽明大腸經 (Hand Yangming Large Intestine/ Shǒu Yáng Míng Dà Cháng Jīng)

(MU: ST-25    SHU: BL-25)

手陽明穴起 (商陽)1，

Shǒu yáng míng xué qǐ (shāng yáng)1[金],

Hand Yangming points begins with (Metal Yang)1,

(二間)2 (三間)3 (合谷)4 藏，

(èr jiān)2[水] (sān jiān)3[木] (hé gǔ)4◊ cáng,

(Second Space)2 (Third Space)3 (Union Valley)4 stores,

(陽谿)5 (偏歷)6 (溫溜)7 長，

(yáng xī)5[火] (piān lì)6 (wēn liū)7󠇭󠇭 zhǎng,

(Yang Stream)5 (Veering Passage)6 (Warm Flow)7 grows,

(下廉)8 (上廉)9 (手三里)10，

(xià lián)8 (shàng lián)9 (shǒu sān lǐ)10,

(Lower Ridge)8 (Upper Ridge)9 (Arm Three Miles)10,

(曲池)11 (肘髎)12 (五里)13 近，

(qū chí)11[土]  (zhǒu liáo)12 (wǔ lǐ)13 jìn,

(Pond at the Crook)11 (Elbow Bone)12 (Arm Five Mile)13 [are] near,

(臂臑)14 (肩髃)15 (巨骨)16 當，

(bì nào)14 (jiān yú)15 (jù gǔ)16 dāng,

(Upper Arm)14 (Shoulder Bone)15 (Great Bone)16 serve as,

(天鼎)17 (扶突)18 (禾髎)19接，

(tiān dĭng)17 (fú tū)18 (hé liáo)19 jiē,

(Celestial Vessel)17 (Supporting Prominence)18 (Grain Bone-Hole)19 connects,

鼻旁五分號(迎香)20。

bí páng wǔ fēn hào (yíng xiāng)20.

Five fen lateral to the side of the nose is (Welcome Fragrance)20.

ST: 足陽明胃經 (Foot Yangming Stomach/ Zú Yáng Míng Wèi Jīng)

(MU: CV-12   SHU: BL-21)

四十五穴足陽明，

Sì shí wǔ xué zú yáng míng,

Forty-five points Foot Yang Ming,

(頭維)8 (下關)7 (頰車)6 停，

(tóu wéi)8 (xià guān)7 (jiá chē)6 tíng,

(Head Corner)8 (Below Joint)7 (Jaw Cart)6 stops,

(承泣)1 (四白)2 (巨髎)3 經，

(chéng qì)1 (sì bái)2 (jù liáo)3 jīng,

(Tear Container)1 (Four Whites)2 (Great Bone-Hole)3 pass through,

(地倉)4 (大迎)5 對(人迎)9，

(dì cāng)4 (dà yíng)5 duì (rén yíng)9,

(Earth Granary)4 (Great Welcome)5 faces (People Welcome)9,

(水突)10 (氣舍)11 連(缺盆)12，

(shuǐ tú)10 (qì shě)11 lián (quē pén)12,

(Water Prominence)10 (Qi Abode)11 connects with (Empty Basin)12,

(氣戶)13 (庫房)14 (屋翳)15 屯，

(qì hù)13 (kù fáng)14 (wū yì)15 tún,

(Qi Door)13 (Storeroom)14 (Roof)15 stores,

(膺窗)16 (乳中)17 延(乳根)18，

(yīng chuāng)16 (rǔ zhōng)17 yán (rǔ gēn)18,

(Breast Window)16 (Breast Center)17 prolongs (Breast Root)18,

(不容)19 (承滿)20 (梁門)21 起，

(Bù róng)19 (chéng mǎn)20 (liáng mén)21 qǐ,

(Uncontained)19 (Supporting Fullness)20 (Beam Gate)21 arise,

(關門)22 (太乙)23 (滑肉門)24，

(Guān mén)22 (tài yǐ)23 (huá ròu mén)24,

(Pass Gate)22 (Supreme Unity)23 (Slippery Flesh Gate)24,

(天樞)25 (外陵)26 (大巨)27 存，

(tiān shū)25 (wài líng)26 (dà jù)27 cún,

(Celestial Pivot)25 (Outer Mound)26 (Great Giant)27 stores,

(水道)28 (歸來)29 (氣衝)30次，

(Shuǐ dào)28 (guī lái)29 (qì chōng)30 cì,

(Waterway)28 (Return)29 (Qi Surge)30 occurs,

(髀關)31 (伏兔)32 走(陰市)33，

(bì guān)31 (fú tù)32 zǒu (yīn shì)33,

(Thigh Pass)31 (Hidden Rabbit)32 walks to (Yin Market)33,

(梁丘)34 (犢鼻)35 (足三里)36，

(liáng qiū)34󠇭󠇭 (dú bí)35 (zú sān lǐ)36[土],

(Beam Hill)34 (Calf’s Nose)35 (Leg Three Mile)36,

(上巨虛)37 連(條口)38 位，

(shàng jù xū)37 lián (tiáo kǒu)38 wèi,

(Upper Great Hollow)37 connects with (Ribbon Opening)38 position,

(下巨虛)39 跳上(豐隆)40，

(xià jù xū)39 tiào shàng (fēng lÓng)40,

(Lower Great Hollow)39 jumps onto (Bountiful Bulge)40,

(解谿)41 (衝陽)42 (陷谷)43中，

(jiě xī)41[火] (chōng yáng)42 (xiàn gǔ)43[木] zhōng,

(Separated Stream)41 (Surging Yang)42 (Sunken Valley)43 middle,

(內庭)44 (厲兌)45 經穴終。

(nèi tíng)44[水] (lì duì)45[金] jīng xué zhōng.

(Inner Courtyard)44 (Severe Mouth)45 channel points conclude.

Sp: 足太陰脾經 (Foot Taiyin Spleen/ Zú Tài Yīn Pí Jīng)

(MU: Lr-13     SHU: BL-20)

二十一穴脾中州，

Èr shí yī xué pí zhōng zhōu,

Twenty-one points comprise Spleen’s central plains,

(隱白)1 在足大趾頭，

(yǐn bái)1[木] zài zú dà zhǐ tóu,

(Hidden White)1 is at the big toe,

(大都)2 (太白)3 (公孫)4 盛，

(Dà dū)2[火] (tài bái)3[土]◊ (gong sūn)4 chéng,

(Big City)2 (Great White)3 (Grandpa Grandson)4 contain,

(商丘)5 (三陰交)6 可求，

(Shāng qiū)5[金] (sān yīn jiāo)6 kě qiú,

(Metal Note Mound)5 (Three Yin Junction)6 can request,

(漏谷)7 (地機)8 (陰陵泉)9，

(lòu gǔ)7 (dì jī)8󠇭󠇭 (yīn líng quán)9[水],

(Leaking Valley)7 (Earth Crux)8 (Yin Mound Spring)9,

(血海)10 (箕門)11 (衝門)12 開，

(xuè hǎi)10 (jī mén)11 (chōng mén)12 kāi,

(Blood Sea)10 (Winnowing Gate)11 (Surging Gate)12 open,

(府舍)13 (腹結)14 (大橫)15 排，

(fǔ shě)13 (fù jié)14 (dà héng)15 pái,

(Bowel Abode)13 (Abdominal Bind)14 (Great Horizontal)15 line up,

(腹哀)16 (食竇)17 連(天溪)18，

(fù āi)16 (shí dòu)17 lián (tiān xī)18,

(Abdominal Lament)16 (Food Hole)17 connects to (Celestial Ravine)18,

(胸鄉)19 (周榮)20 (大包)21 隨。

(xiōng xiāng)19 (zhōu róng)20 (dà bāo)21 suí.

(Chest Village)19 (Complete Nourishment)20 (Big Hug)21 follows.

天

Ht: 手少陰心經 (Hand Shaoyin Heart/ Shǒu Shǎo Yīn Xīn Jīng)

(MU: CV-14   SHU: BL-15)

九穴午時手少陰，

jiǔ xué wǔ shí shǒu shǎo yīn,

There are nine points at noon with Hand Lesser Yin,

(極泉)1 (青靈)2 (少海)3 深，

(jí quán)1 (qīng líng)2 (shǎo hǎi)3[水] shēn,

(Summit Spring)1 (Green Spirit)2 (Lesser Sea)3 deep,

(靈道)4 (通里)5 (陰郄)6 遂，

(líng dào)4[金] (tōng lǐ)5 (yīn xī)6󠇭󠇭 suí,

(Spirit Path)4 (Penetrating the Interior)5 (Yin Cleft)6 fulfill,

(神門)7 (少府)8 (少沖)9 尋。

(Shén mén)7[土]◊ (shǎo fǔ)8[水] (shǎo chōng)9[木] xún.

(Spirit Gate)7 (Lesser Storehouse)8 (Lesser Rushing)9 seek.

SI: 手太陽小腸經 (Hand Taiyang Small Intestine/ Shǒu Tài Yáng Xiǎo Cháng Jīng)

(MU: CV-4     SHU: BL-27)

手太陽穴十一九，

Shǒu tài yáng xué shí yī jiǔ,

There are nineteen points on the Hand Tai Yang channel,

(少澤)1 (前谷)2 (後谿)3 藪，

(shǎo zé)1[金] (qián gǔ)2[水] (hòu xī)3[木] sǒu,

(Lesser Marsh)1 (Front Valley)2 (Back Stream)3 gather,

(腕骨)4 (陽谷)5 (養老)6 繩，

(Wàn gǔ)4◊ (yáng gǔ)5[火] (yăng lǎo)6󠇭󠇭 shéng,

(Wrist Bone)4 (Yang Valley)5 (Nourish Elderly)6 rope,

(支正)7 (小海)8 外輔肘，

(zhī zhèng)7 (xiǎo hǎi)8[土] wài fǔ zhǒu,

(Branch Correcting)7 (Small Sea)8 are on the outer elbow,

(肩貞)9 (臑俞)10 接(天宗)11，

(jiān zhēn)9 (nào shū)10 jiē (tiān zōng)11,

(Divining Shoulder)9 (Upper Arm Shu)10 connects to (Celestial Gathering)11,

髎外(秉風)12 (曲垣)13 首，

liáo wài (bǐng fēng)12 (qū yuán)13 shǒu,

Outside of the space between the two joints (Grasping the Wind)12 and (Crooked Wall)13 are first,

(肩外俞)14 連(肩中俞)15，

(jiān wài shū)14 lián (jiān zhōng shū)15,

(Outer Shoulder Shu)14 connects to (Central Shoulder Shu)15,

(天窗)16 乃與(天容)17偶，

(Tiān chuāng)16 nǎi yǔ (tiān róng)17 ǒu,

(Celestial Window)16 then (Celestial Countenance)17 by chance,

銳骨之端上(顴髎)18，

ruì gǔ zhī duān shàng (quán liáo)18,

Sharp cheekbone’s highest point above is (Cheekbone Hole)18,

(聽宮)19 耳前珠上走。

(tīng gong)19 ěr qián zhū shàng zǒu.

(Listening Palace)19 in front of the ear’s tragus by one pearl.

BL: 足太陽膀胱經 (Foot Taiyang Urinary Bladder/ Zú Tài Yáng Páng Guāng Jīng)

(MU: CV-3     SHU: BL-28)

足太陽經六十七，

Zú tài yáng jīng liù shí qī,

Foot Great Yang channel has sixty-seven points,

(睛明)1 目內紅肉藏，

Jīng míng mù nèi hóng ròu cáng,

(Eye Bright)1 inner eye red flesh stores,

(攅竹)2 (眉衝)3 與(曲差)4，

(Zǎn zhú)2 (méi chōng)3 yǔ (qū chà)4,

(Gathering Bamboo)2 (Eyebrow Ascension)3 and (Curved Deviation)4,

(五處)5 寸半上(承光)6，

(wǔ chù)5 cùn bàn shàng (chéng guāng)6,

(Fifth Place)5 half cun above is (Supporting Light)6,

(通天)7 (絡卻)8 (玉枕)9 昂，

(Tōng tiān)7 (luò què)8 (yù zhěn)9 áng,

(Celestial Connection)7 (Declining Connection)8 (Jade Pillow)9 holds head up high,

(天柱)10 後際大筋外，

(tiān zhù)10 hòu jì dà jīn wài,

(Celestial Pillar)10 is behind the outer boundary of the large sinew,

---

(大杼)11 背部第二行，

(dà zhù)11 bèi bù dì èr háng,

(Great Shuttle)11 is above the spine’s second thoracic vertebrae [T2],

(風門)12 (肺俞)13 (厥陰俞)14，

(Fēng mén)12 (fèi shū)12 (jué yīn shū)14,

(Wind Gate)12 (Lung Shu)13 (Jue Yin Shu)14,

(心俞)15 (督俞)16 (膈俞)17 強，

(xīn shū)15 (dū shū)16 (gé shū)17 qiáng,

(Heart Shu)15 (Governing Shu)16 (Diaphragm Shu)17 strong,

肝膽脾胃(18-21)俱挨次，

Gān dǎn pí wèi (18-21) jù āi cì,

(Liver Shu)18 (Gallbladder Shu)19 (Spleen Shu)20 (Stomach Shu)21 follow each other,

(三焦)22 (腎)23 (氣海)24 (大腸)25，

(Sān jiāo)22 (shèn)23 (qì hǎi)24 (dà cháng)25,

(Triple Burner Shu)22 (Kidney Shu)23 (Sea of Qi Shu)24 (Large Intestine Shu)25,

(關元)26 (小腸)27 到(膀胱)28，

(guān yuan)26 (xiǎo cháng)27 dào (pang guāng)28,

(Fate Gate Shu)26 (Small Intestine Shu)27 to (Bladder Shu)28,

(中膐)29 (白環)30 仔細量，

(zhōng lǚ)29 (bái huán)30 zǐ xì liáng,

(Mid-Spine Shu)29 (White Ring Shu)30 carefully measure,

自從(大杼)11 到(白環)30，

Zì cóng (dà zhù)11 dào (bái huán)30,

Since the (Great Shuttle)11 goes to (White Ring Shu)30, 

---

各各節外寸半長。

gè gè jié wài cùn bàn cháng.

1.5 cun lateral to each vertebrae.

(上髎)31 (次髎)32 (中)33 復 (下)34，

(Shàng liáo)31 (cì liáo)32 (zhōng)33 fù (xià)34,

(Upper Bone-Hole)31 (Second Bone-Hole)32 (Middle Bone-Hole)33 and then (Lower Bone-Hole)34,  

一空二空腰骻當，

Yī kōng èr kōng yāo kuà dāng,

One empty two empty waist serves as,

(會陽)35 陰尾骨外取，

(huì yáng)35 yīn wěi gǔ wài qǔ,

(Yang Convergence)35 is level with the tip of the coccyx,

(附分)41 俠脊第三行，

(fù fēn)41 xiá jí dì sān xíng,

(Attached Branch)41 is superior to the third thoracic vertebrae [T3],

(魄戶)42 (膏肓)43 與(神堂)44，

(pò hù)42 (gāo huāng)43 yǔ (shén tang)44,

(Corporeal Soul Doorway)42 (Vital Region Shu)43 and (Spirit Hall)44,

(譩譆)45 (膈關)46 (魂門)47 九，

(yì xī)45 (gé guān)46 (hún mén)47 jiǔ,

(Yixi)45 (Diaphragm Pass)46 (Non-Corporeal Soul Gate)47 nine,

(陽綱)48 (意舍)49仍(胃倉)50，

(yáng gāng)48 (yì shѐ)49 réng (wèi cāng)50,

(Yang Headrope)48 (Reflection Abode)49 still (Stomach Granary)50,

(肓門)51(志室)52 (胞肓)53 續，

(huāng mén)51 (zhì shì)52 (bāo huāng)53 xù,

(Huang Gate)51 (Will Chamber)52 (Bladder Huang) continues,

二十椎下(秩邊)54 場，

Èr shí zhuī xià (zhì biān)54 chǎng,

Below twenty vertebrae (Order’s Edge)54 site,

(承扶)36 臀橫紋中央，

(chéng fú)36 tún héng wén zhōng yāng,

(Support)36 in the midpoint of the transverse gluteal fold,

(殷門)37 (浮郄)38 到(委陽)39，

(yīn mén)37 (fú xī)38 dào (wěi yáng)39,

(Abundant Gate)37 (Superficial Cleft)38 to (Bend Yang)39,

(委中)40 (合陽)55 (承筋)56 是，

(wěi zhōng)40 (hé yáng)55 (chéng jīn)56 shì,

(Bend Center)40 (Yang Union)55 (Support Sinews)56 are,

---

(承山)57 (飛揚)58 踝(跗陽)59，

(chéng shān)57 (fēi yáng)58 huái (fū yáng)59,

(Supporting Mountain)57 (Taking Flight)58 ankle (Instep Yang)59,

(崑崙)60 (僕參)61 連(申脈)62，

(Kūn lún)60[火] (pú cān)61 lián (shēn mài)62,

(Kunlun Mountains)60 (Subservient Visitor)61 connects with (Extending Vessel)62,

(金門)63 (京骨)64 (束骨)65 忙，

(Jīn mén)63󠇭󠇭 (jīng gǔ)64◊ (shù gǔ)65[木] máng,

(Metal Gate)63 (Capitol Bone)64 (Bundle Bone)65 busy,

(通谷)66 (至陰)67小指旁。

(tōng gǔ)66 [水] (zhì yīn)67[金] xiǎo zhǐ páng.

(Passage Valley)66 (Reaching Yin)67 is next to the pinky toe.

Kd: 足少陰腎經 (Foot Shaoyin Kidney/ Zú Shǎo Yīn Shèn Jīng)

(MU: GB-25   SHU: BL-23)

足少陰穴二十七，

Zú shǎo yīn xué èr shí qī,

The Foot Lesser Yin Channel has twenty-seven points,

(湧泉)1 (然谷)2 (太溪)3 溢，

(yǒng quán)1[木] (rán gǔ)2[火] (tài xī)3[土]◊ yì,

(Bubbling Spring)1 (Blazing Valley)2 (Supreme Stream)3 overflows,

(大鐘)4 (水泉)5 通(照海)6，

(Dà zhōng)4 (shuǐ quán)5󠇭󠇭 tōng (zhào hǎi)6,

(Great Bell)4 (Water Spring)5 joins (Shining Sea)6,

(復溜)7 (交信)8 (築賓)9實，

(fù liū)7[金] (jiāo xìn)8 (zhú bīn)9 shí,

(Restore Flow)7 (Faith Intersection)8 (House Guest)9 replete,

(陰谷)10 膝內跗骨後，

(yīn gǔ)10[水] xī nèi fū gǔ hòu,

(Yin Valley)10 inner knee behind the [semi-membranosus and semi-tendinosus] tendons,

以上從足走至膝，

Yǐ shàng cóng zú zǒu zhì xī,

The above went from the foot to the knee,

---

(橫骨)11 (大赫)12 聯(氣穴)13，

(héng gǔ)11 (dà hè)12 lián (qì xué)13,

(Pubic Bone)11 (Great Manifestation)12 connects to (Qi Cave)13,

(四滿)14 (中注)15 (肓俞)16 臍，

(sì mǎn)14 (zhōng zhù)15 (huāng shū)16 qí,

(Fourfold Fullness)14 (Central Flow)15 (Huang Shu)16 umbilicus,

(商曲)17 (石關)18 (陰都)19 密，

(shāng qū)17 (shí guān)18 (yīn dōu)19 mì,

(Metal Note Bend)17 (Stone Pass)18 (Yin Metropolis)19 dense,

(通谷)20 (幽門)21 寸半辟，

(tōng gǔ)20 (yōu mén)21 cùn bàn pì,

(Connecting Valley)20 (Hidden Gate)21 half a cun opens,

折量腹上分十一，

zhé liàng fù shàng fēn shí yī,

Measure and divide the abdomen into eleven sections,

---

(步廊)22 (神封)23 膺(靈墟)24，

(bù láng)22 (shén fēng)23 yīng (líng xū)24,

(Walking Corridor)22 (Spirit Seal)23 bears (Spirit Ruins)24,

(神藏)25 (彧中)26 (俞府)27 畢。

(shén cáng)25 (yù zhōng)26 (shū fŭ)27 bì.

(Spirit Storehouse)25 (Patterned Center)26 (Shu Mansion)27 complete.

人

Pc: 手厥陰心包經 (Hand Jueyin Pericardium/ Shǒu Jué Yīn Xīn Bāo Jīng)

(MU: CV-17   SHU: BL-14)

九穴心包手厥陰，

Jiǔ xué xīn bāo shǒu jué yīn,

Nine points on the Arm Jue Yin Pericardium channel,

(天池)1 (天泉)2 (曲澤)3 深，

(Tiān chí)1 (tiān quán)2 (qū zé)3[水] shēn,

(Celestial Pool)1 (Celestial Spring)2 (Marsh at the Bend)3 deep,

(郄門)4 (間使)5 (內關)6 對，

(xī mén)4󠇭󠇭 (jiān shǐ)5[金] (nèi guān)6 duì,

(Xi-Cleft Gate)4 (Between Messenger)5 (Inner Pass)6 facing,

(大陵)7 (勞宮)8 (中衝)9 侵。

(dà líng)7[土] (láo gong)8[火] (zhōng chōng)9[木] qīn.

(Great Mound)7 (Palace of Labor)8 (Central Hub)9 invade.

TB: 手少陽三焦經 (Hand Shaoyang Triple Burner/ Shǒu Shǎo Yang Sān Jiāo Jīng)

(MU: CV-5     SHU: BL-22)

二十三穴手少陽，

Èr shí sān xué shǒu shǎo yáng,

Twenty-three points on the Hand Lesser Yang Channel,

(關衝)1 ( 液門)2 (中渚)3 旁，

(guān chōng)1[金] (yè mén)2[水] (zhōng zhǔ)3[木] páng,

(Passage Hub)1 (Fluids Gate)2 (Central Islet)3 side,

(陽池)4 (外關)5 (支溝)6 正，

(yáng chí)4◊ (wài guān)5 (zhī gōu)6[火] zhèng,

(Yang Pool)4 (Outer Pass)5 (Limb Gully)6 straight,

(會宗)7 (三陽絡)8 (四瀆)9 長，

(huì zōng)7󠇭󠇭 (sān yáng luò)8[土] (sì dú)9 zhǎng,

(Ancestral Meeting)7 (Three Yang Meeting)8 (Four Rivers)9 grow,

(天井)10 (清冷淵)11 (消濼)12，

(Tiān jǐng)10 (qīng lěng yuan)11 (xiāo luò)12,

(Celestial Well)10 (Clear Cold Abyss)11 (Dispersing Riverbed)12,

(臑會)13 (肩髎)14 (天髎)15 堂，

(nào huì)13 (jiān liáo)14 (tiān liáo)15 táng,

(Upper Arm Convergence)13 (Shoulder Bone-Hole)14 (Celestial Bone-Hole)15 rooms,

(天牖)16 (翳風)17 (瘈脈)18 青，

(tiān yǒu)16 (yì fēng)17 (chì mài)18 qīng,

(Celestial Window)16 (Wind Screen)17 (Spasm Vessel)18 green,

(顱息)19 (角孫)20 (絲竹空)23，

(lú xī)19 (jiǎo sūn)20 (sī zhú kōng)23,

(Skull Rest)19 (Horn Sprout)20 (Silk Bamboo Hollow)23,

(和髎)22 (耳門)21 聽有常。

(hé liáo)22 (ěr mén)21 tīng yǒu cháng.

(Harmony Bone-Hole)22 (Ear Gate)21 listening consistently.

GB: 足少陽膽經 (Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder/ Zú Shǎo Yáng Dǎn Jīng)

(MU: GB-24   SHU: BL-19)

足少陽穴(瞳子髎)1，

Zú shǎo yáng xué (tóng zi liáo)1,

Foot Lesser Yang points (Pupil Bone-Hole)1,

四十四穴行迢迢，

Sì shí sì xué xíng tiáo tiáo,

Fourty-four points move far away,

(聽會)2 (上關)3 (頷厭)4 集，

(tīng huì)2 (shàng guān)3 (hàn yàn)4 jí,

(Auditory Convergence)2 (Upper Gate)3 (Jaw Serenity)4 collect,

(懸顱)5 (懸厘)6 (曲鬢)7 翹，

(xuán lú)5 (xuán lí)6 (qū bìn)7 qiào,

(Suspended Skull)5 (Suspended Tuft)6 (Temporal Hairline Bend)7 turns upwards,

(率谷)8 (天沖)9 (浮白)10 次，

(shuài gǔ)8 (tiān chōng)9 (fú bái)10 cì,

(Leader to the Valley)8 (Celestial Hub) 9 (Floating White) 10 next,

(竅陰)11 (完骨)12 (本神)13 邀，

(qiào yīn)11 (wán gǔ)12 (běn shén)13 yāo,

(Yin Portal)11 (Completion Bone)12 (Root Spirit)13 invites,

(陽白)14 (臨泣)15 (目窗)16 闢，

(yáng bái)14 (lín qì)15 (mù chuāng)16 pì,

(Yang White)14 (Overlooking Tears)15 (Eye Window)16 open,

(正營)17 (承靈)18 (腦空)19 搖，

(zhèng yíng)17 (chéng líng)18 (nǎo kōng)19 yáo,

(Upright Construction)17 (Supporting Spirit)18 (Brain Hollow)19 shake,

---

(風池)20 (肩井)21 (淵腋)22 部，

(fēng chí)20 (jiān jǐng)21 (yuān yè)22 bù,

(Wind Pool)20 (Shoulder Well)21 (Armpit Abyss)22 parts,

(輒筋)23 (日月)24 (京門)25 標，

(zhé jīn)23 (rì yuè)24 (jīng mén)25 biāo,

(Sinew Seat)23 (Sun Moon)24 (Capitol Gate)25 mark,

---

(帶脈)26 (五樞)27 (維道)28 續，

(dài mài)26 (wǔ shū)27 (wéi dào)28 xù,

(Girdling Vessel)26 (Fifth Pivot)27 (Connecting Path)28 continues,

(居髎)29 (環跳)30 (風市)31 招，

(jū liáo)29 (huán tiào)30 (fēng shì)31 zhāo,

(Squatting Bone-Hole)29 (Jumping Round)30 (Wind Market)31 beckon,

(中瀆)32 (陽關)33 (陽陵泉)34，

(zhōng dú)32 (yáng guān)33 (yáng líng quán)34[土],

(Central River)32 (Yang Passage)33 (Yang Mound Spring)34,

---

(陽交)35 (外丘)36 (光明)37 宵，

(yáng jiāo)35 (wài qiū)36󠇭󠇭 (guāng míng)37 xiāo,

(Yang Intersection)35 (Outer Hill)36 (Bright Light)37 night,

(陽輔)38 (懸鐘)39 (丘墟)40 外，

(Yáng fǔ)38[火] (xuán zhōng)39 (qiū xū)40◊ wài,

(Yang Assistant)38 (Suspended Bell)39 (Hill Ruins)40 outer,

---

(足臨泣)41 (地五會)42 (俠溪)43，

(zú línq qì)41[木] (dì wǔ huì)42 (xiá xī)43[水],

(Foot Overlooking Tears)41 (Earth Five Meeting)42 (Narrow Ravine)43,

第四指端(竅陰)44 畢。

dì sì zhǐ duān (qiào yīn)44[金] bì.

At the tip of the fourth toe (Yin Portal)44 ends.

Lr: 足厥陰肝經 (Foot Jueyin Liver/ Zú Jué Yīn Gān Jīng)

(MU: Lr-14     SHU: BL-18)

一十三穴足厥陰，

Yī shí sān xué zú jué yīn,

Thirteen points on the Foot Jue Yin channel,

(大敦)1 (行間)2 (太衝)3 侵，

(dà dūn)1[木] (xíng jiān)2[火] (tài chōng)3[土]◊ qīn,

(Big Pile)1 (Step Between)2 (Great Surge)3 invade,

(中封)4 (蠡溝)5 (中都)6 近，

(zhōng fēng)4[金] (lĭ gōu)5 (zhōng dū)6󠇭󠇭 jìn,

(Central Seal)4 (Worm-Eaten Groove)5 (City Center)6 near,

(膝關)7 (曲泉)8 (陰包)9 臨，

(xī guān)7 (qū quán)8[水] (yīn bāo)9 lín,

(Knee Gateway)7 (Spring at the Bend)8 (Yin Wrapping)9 overlook,

(五里)10 (陰廉)11 (急脈)12 躍，

(wǔ lǐ)10 (yīn lián)11 (jí mài)12 yuè,

(Foot Five Mile)10 (Yin Corner)11 (Urgent Pulse) 12 leap,

(章門)13 常對 (期門)14 深。

(zhāng mén)13 cháng duì (qī mén)14 shēn.

(Camphorwood Gate)13 often faces (Cycle Gate)14 deep.

CV: 任脈 (Conception Vessel/ Rén mài)

仁脈二四起(會陰)1，

Rén mài èr sì qǐ (huì yīn)1,

Conception Vessel’s twenty-four points begin at (Yin Convergence)1,

(曲骨)2 (中極)3 (關元)4 銳，

(qū gǔ)2 (zhōng jí)3 (guān yuán)4 ruì,

(Bent Bone)2 (Central Pole)3 (Origin Pass)4 sharp,

(石門)5 (氣海)6 (陰交)7 仍，

(shí mén)5 (qì hǎi)6 (yīn jiāo)7 réng,

(Stone Gate)5 (Sea of Qi)6 (Yin Junction)7 remain,

(神闕)8 (水分)9 (下脘)10 配，

(shén què)8 (shuǐ fèn)9 (xià wǎn)10 péi,

(Spirit Portal)8 (Water Divide)9 (Lower Epigastrium)10 accompanies,

(建里)11 (中(上脘))12-13 相連，

(jiàn lǐ)11 (zhōng (shàng wǎn))12-13 xiāng lián,

(Inner Health)11 (Central (Upper Epigastrium))12-13 mutually connect,

(巨闕)14 (鳩尾)15 蔽骨下，

(jù què)14 (jiū wěi)15 bì gǔ xià,

(Great Watchtower)14 (Dove Tail)15 are below the sheltering bone [xiphoid process],

(中庭)16 (壇中)17 慕(玉堂)18，

(zhōng tíng)16 (tán zhōng)17 mù (yù tang)18,

(Central Courtyard)16 (Chest Center)17 admires (Jade Hall)18,

(紫宮)19 (華蓋)20 (璇璣)21 後，

(zǐ gong)19 (huá gài)20 (xuán jī)21 hòu,

(Purple Palace)19 (Floral Canopy)20 (Jade Pivot)21 behind,

(天突)22 結喉是(廉泉)23，

(tiān tū)22 jié hóu shì (lián quán)23,

(Celestial Chimney)22 binds at the laryngeal prominence with (Ridge Spring)23,

唇下宛宛(承漿)24舍。

chún xià wǎn wǎn (chéng jiāng)24 shě.

Under the lower lip (Sauce Receptacle)24 resides.

GV- 督脈 (Governing Vessel/ Dū mài)

督脈中行二十七，

Dū mài zhōng xíng èr shí qī,

Governing Vessel takes the middle path with twenty-seven points,

(長強)1(腰俞)2 (陽關)3 密，

(cháng qiáng)1 (yāo shū)2 (yáng guān)3 mì,

(Long Strong)1 (Lumbar Shu)2 (Yang Pass)3 dense,

(命門)4 (懸樞)5 接(脊中)6，

(mìng mén)4 (xuán shū)5 jiē (jĭ zhōng)6,

(Life Gate)4 (Suspended Pivot)5 connects with (Spinal Center)6,

(筋縮)8 (至陽)9 (靈台)10 逸，

(jīn suō)8 (zhì yáng)9 (líng tái)10 yì,

(Sinew Spasm)8 (Yang Extremity) 9 (Spirit Tower)10 leisure,

(神道)11 (身柱)12 (陶道)13 長，

(shén dào)11 (shēn zhù)12 (táo dào)13 zhăng,

(Spirit Path)11 (Body Pillar)12 (Kiln Path)13 grows,

(大椎)14 平肩二十一，

(dà zhuī)14 píng jiān èr shí yī,

(Great Hammer)14 is level with the 21rst vertebrae [under C7], 

(啞門)15 (風府)16 (腦戶)17 深，

(yǎ mén)15 (fēng fǔ)16 (nǎo hù)17 shēn,

(Mute Gate)15 (Wind Palace)16 (Brain Door)17 deep,

(強間)18 (後頂)19 (百會)20 牽，

(qiáng jiān)18 (hòu dǐng)19 (bǎi huì)20 qiān,

(Strong Space)18 (Rear Crown)19 (Hundred Convergences)20 lead,

(前頂)21 (囟會)22 (上星)23 圓，

(qián dǐng)21 (xìn huì)22 (shàng xīng)23 yuán,

(Front Crown)21 (Fontanel Meeting)22 (Upper Star)23 round,

(神庭)24 (素髎)25 (水溝)26 窟，

(shén tíng)24 (sù liáo)25 (shuǐ gōu)26 kū,

(Spirit Courtyard)24 (Empty Bone-Hole)25 (Water Ditch)26 hole,

(兑端)27 開口唇中央，

(duì duān)27 kāi kǒu chún zhōng yāng,

(Mouth Extremity) 27 opens to the center of the upper lip,

(齦交)28 唇內任督畢。

(yín jiāo)28 chún nèi rèn dū bì.

(Gum Junction)28 is at the inner lip where Governing and Conception Vessels conclude. 

少陰藥方 Shaoyin Formulas

真武湯 (Zhen Wu Tang- True Warrior Decoction)

甘草湯 (Gan Cao Tang- Licorice Decoction)

黃連阿膠湯 (Huang Lian E Jiao Tang- Coptis- Gelatin Decoction)

苓桂草棗湯 (Ling Gui Cao Zao Tang- Poria, Cinnamon, Licorice, Dates Decoction)

腎氣丸 (Shen Qi Wan- Kidney Qi Pill)

太陰藥方 Taiyin Formulas

四逆湯 （Si Ni Tang- Counterflow of Four Extremities Decoction)

理中丸 (Li Zhong Wan- Rectify the Center Pill)

桂枝加大黃湯 (Guizhi Jia Dahuang Tang- Cinnamon Plus Rhubarb Decoction)

苓桂朮甘湯 (Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang- Poria, Cinnamon, Atractaloydes, Licorice Decoction)

小建中湯 (Xiao Jian Zhong Tang- Lesser Lifting the Center to Health Decoction)

陽土藥方 Yang Earth formulas

半夏厚朴湯 (Banxia Houpo Tang)

小陷胸湯 (Xiao Xian Xiong Tang)

半夏瀉心湯 (Banxia Xie Xin Tang)

麻子仁丸 (Maziren Wan)

豬苓湯 (Zhuling Tang)

太陽藥方 Taiyang formulas

桂枝湯 (Gui Zhi Tang- Cinnamon Twig Decoction)

葛根湯 (Ge Gen Tang- Pueraria Root Decoction)

小青龍湯 (Xiao Qing Long Tang- Small Blue Green Dragon Decoction) 

梔子豉湯 (Zhi Zi Chi Tang- Gardenia and Fermented Soybean Decoction) 

五苓散 (Wu Ling San- Five Ling Powder) 

NUNM year 1: a review

Starting graduate school in the winter meant taking extra classes to catch up with students who started in the fall, then spending all summer at school continuing to catch up, while missing bits here, and catching other things there. There were six of us brave (or crazy) enough to attempt this daunting mission, this past winter: two transferring from another school (including myself), four switching from the naturopathic (ND) program to the Chinese medicine (CM) program, and one dual-degree (ND and MSOM) student transitioning from the ND-emphasis part of his program into the CM-emphasis. With naught but a week’s break between winter and spring, then spring and summer quarters, I fully enjoyed my 4 week break between summer and fall quarter, wandering through the mountains, digesting the events and information of the past year.

 My grandpa Yeye was a poet, artist, and avid scholar and practitioner of ancient Chinese culture and arts. I spent the first year of my life in Taiwan with Yeye and my grandma Nainai, who planted the first seeds of my medicine journey, through simple life experience. I think of Yeye daily, with my current studies. In Chinese history class, we discussed much of what was an integral part of Yeye’s life and passions. He would have loved what I am learning now, and would have a lot to say about all of it. So instead, I converse with his son, my dad Ba, who is also a skilled and curious scholar and spiritual practitioner, and my Ma, who first taught me wildcrafting, as a way of life. My Chinese medicine studies not only draws me closer to my distant ancestors, but also deepens my connections with my immediate family. This review of my first year of school, and my journey itself, is dedicated to my family, blood and otherwise, committed to the path of healing, and living life to its juiciest potential.

I started my graduate level Chinese medicine studies last August at the Academy for Five Element Acupuncture (AFEA), in Florida. I quickly found the school disappointingly unfitting, and left after my first quarter, driving across the country from Connecticut to Oregon, to pursue my Doctor’s of Science in Oriental Medicine (DSOM) degree at the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM). I was drawn to NUNM’s holistic “classical Chinese medicine” (CCM) program, as opposed to the more biomedical “traditional Chinese medicine” (TCM) post- Communist revolution approach. One of the many beauties of Chinese medicine is its abundance of written material that remains, from thousands of years past. The classical approach emphasizes collected information from the classical texts, as directly recorded and shared from our original predecessors of this medicine. Or at least, that’s the intention.

After a year of school, I still have doubts. “Do I really want to do this?” and “Is this right for me?” are some daily existential queries. If it weren’t for the heavy financial burden, then the answer to the above would be an immediate yes. However, I haven’t yet found a better way to become a quality licensed acupuncturist (LAc) and Chinese medicine practitioner, that doesn’t involve what hopefully won’t but likely will be a lifetime of debt. For tuition alone, I will pay about $120,000 over four years. This is about $1000 a week, which is a hefty price for classes that can range in quality. But, after visiting many other schools, and chatting with students and professionals across the globe, I realize that regardless of where I am, or how I do it, what matters most is how I commit to the process, and carry it forward, afterwards. I must make the best of whatever I receive, regardless of the inevitable imperfection present in all circumstances.

I had a hard time deciding whether to study CM in the USA, or Taiwan. School’s cheaper in Taiwan, but takes longer (at least 7 years). I would experience and cross a language barrier hurdle (my written Chinese is poor, let alone medical Chinese), learn a more TCM-oriented approach to CM, treat a much wider array of people and conditions, and be immersed in the culture of this medicine’s origin. But, I chose to stay here in the USA, where I grew up and currently plan to live longterm, for a faster, less comprehensive, more expensive, more holistic education, disconnected from the landscape of its ancestry, but in a place that feels, in some ways, more like home. It’s a mixed bag. Being multicultural is a complex blessing.

I’m studying where I feel most comfortable, with teachers that I like and trust, and general school-wide philosophies, values, and integrity that I support. I could have grit my teeth and done it at a cheaper school then supplement my education after graduation, but even with all of my frugal practicality, I’ve enrolled in the most expensive CM school in the whole country. This school will not necessarily prepare me that well for the board exams, since it’s less biomedically focused, which the boards are more geared towards. But, I will get a well-rounded education in a way that I resonate more deeply with, providing a strong foundation with which to layer anything else on, later. Although I remain unhappy about the heavy burden of the high cost of education, I feel solid in my decision to continue on this path, make this investment, and tromp forward filled with purpose, high hopes and dreams, conviction, and the willingness to work hard and be even more creative with my life, to not just survive, but to thrive, thrive, thrive. ­

NUNM offers two Chinese medicine degree programs: the Master’s of Science in Oriental Medicine (MSOM), and the Doctor’s of Science in Oriental Medicine (DSOM). The MSOM is all that’s necessary to take the boards upon graduation, to become a licensed acupuncturist (LAc). The DSOM includes all of the MSOM curricula, but includes an emphasis on the classical texts. The “first professional doctorate” is a relatively new program instated at a few CM institutions across the USA, where the Master’s and Doctor’s program are taken simultaneously. Some programs, like ours, have extra Doctor’s program classes each quarter, along with the regular curricula. Others tack on an extra year at the end of the program. Most Doctor’s programs are biomedically clinically or research oriented, possibly focusing on geriatrics, women’s reproductive issues, oncology, or sports medicine. These programs better prepare students for working in integrative healthcare settings, such as hospitals. Our program is the only program in the USA that offers a classical texts oriented Doctor’s program, which deepens students’ understanding of the classics, but is more theoretical than clinical, perhaps lending itself to further teaching or translating, upon graduation. We are still waiting for accreditation to pass with the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), the accrediting board of Chinese medicine in the USA.

We have the following MSOM classes for most of our first year of school: Points lab, Points theory, Foundations, Diagnostics, Herbs Practicum, and Herbs theory. Our first year immerses us in Chinese medicine. Our second year introduces biomedicine and pathology while weaving in ever deeper strands of CM, such as the exciting adventures of clinic, herbal formulas, and cosmology. Cosmology and biomedicine continues into our third year of studies, with the focus shifting towards practical work in the clinic, which the fourth year revolves around. My first year was a tough transition from empty-pocketed free-spirited simple outdoorsy-nomadic life to focused, committed, urbanite, over-worked student-dom. I hear that my upcoming second-year student adventure will be the most difficult chapter of my time here. I plan to rise to the challenge by joyfully studying during my summer break as I hike through epic vistas and float down glacial rivers, and by adding even more to my plate this year: joining student government, continuing my three work-study jobs, teaching herbal workshops outside of school, and embarking on a leadership training program in an adjunct field. And, I still cook all of my own meals and prepare copious ferments, which usually means bringing 2-3 bento boxes of food to school each day, for breakfast, lunch, and too often, even dinner. The more I add to my life, the more both I and my life expand to encompass my needs.

Most of my classes were challenging, in different ways. Points classes were difficult, because of our two weekly quizzes with the highly skilled, precise, and demanding old sorcerer, Dr. Cleaver. Herbs theory also had weekly quizzes with another skilled, precise, and demanding instructor, Dr. Lee, but my existing relationship with herbs made it a bit easier. He’s dry though, with text-only slides and no hands-on material, so classes are difficult for my kinesthetic-learner’s needs. Herbs practicum with Eric Grey are like plant provings in western herbalism. Only one hour a week, we focused on experientially exploring one plant each week, with Eric racing through some juicy goodness at the end of each class. Foundations and Diagnostics were my most difficult classes. I could grasp the more experiential parts of Diagnostics class, such as palpating each other for pulse diagnosis, and staring at tongues for tongue diagnosis. But, the more theoretical aspects, such as discerning between different Organ pathologies, (which is a more TCM oriented approach), is more difficult, and will take more time and clinical exposure for me to truly understand.

We flew through one channel (aka. meridian) line each week for points classes, culminating in “learning,” or at least cram-memorizing, the 361 primary points of the 14 primary channels, within the first two quarters of school. “How,” I asked our points professor, Jim Cleaver, “can you remember all this stuff?” He coughed his characteristic Jim hem-haw, “Well it’s difficult to believe but...” and launched into a story about how when he was first studying this stuff (before I was even conceived, and before CM was even a “thing” in the USA) and hitchhiking around the country, he would run through the channel lines and point locations in his mind and body, while waiting for rides, and thumbing down cars. Having traveled similarly for the past decade, I could feel what he was talking about, and realized that all of my hours struggling indoors trying to cram this information into my head were basically useless. I needed to bring my studies into my life.

I started walking with flashcards in the woods. The longer the channel, the longer my walk. The more information that I needed to learn, the further I walked. I would climb trees with flashcards, and repeat information from the tree tops to the birds, tracing the information in the clouds, and watching it fall from the sky via the rain, and falling leaves. I started my first quarter of school dancing as much as possible, then almost stopped dancing during my second quarter due to lack of time management skills, then brought it back up to dancing twice a week my third quarter, as I embodied the learning more, in my life. I remember lying relaxed on the ground, my dance partner’s feet nimbly yet gently undulating my spine snake-like across the ground, as I gradually noticed, feeling and seeing, just how yin and yang fit into each other, as does the Earth-Sky-Human connection, the places where one (Dao) gives birth to two (yin yang), gives birth to three (Earth-Human-Sky), gives birth to all the infinite manifestations of life (Dao de Jing, passage 42.) There is so much to learn in Chinese medicine. How can we express and explore this, in our everyday lives?

We have weekly Jin Jing Qigong classes and a quarterly Qigong weekend retreat through our first three years of school, with a year of Taiji for our final year. I love connecting with my fellow students in a natural environment during retreats. It feels more appropriate to learn CM in the forest, rather than in the city. However, a whole weekend “off” makes it difficult to recover back in school again, the following week. We focus on learning one Qigong form each quarter, which has been somewhat frustrating this year, as my teacher leads the same sequence every week, starting the first twenty minutes of class with us lying on the floor as he lectures. But, practicing on my own, the same words that he repeated for the whole year comes back as reminders of how to flow through the form.

Chinese medicine is rooted in the natural world. As I write this, I’m wrapped in wool blankets under overhanging hemlock trees, my fire gently flickering smoke into the cloudy Oregonian skies while baking apple crisp under the coals, Zigzag Creek tumbling over rocks to unite with larger streams, eventually trickling down to reunite with the Pacific Ocean, that teems its way thousands of miles across to the other side of the globe where my family lives, and where this medicine that is now my life originated, where the bones of my ancestors sit ensconced in the mountains and caves of China, whispering their secrets back into the marrow of the Earth, which comes streaming back up into the life Essence of all of the plants that I collect and process for medicine, I whispering love and gratitude to them, them whispering the secrets of the Universe right back to me. Full circle.

We start clinical observations shifts for our second year of school, then “clinical mentorship rotations” (CMR) in our third year, and internship shifts in our fourth year. Students range from being fly-on-the-wall observers to active participants in clinic during our second year clinical observation shifts, depending on the instructor. Students conduct more intake and treatment during third year CMR rotations, where students select one teacher as a mentor for the full year, who actively leads by example. By the fourth year, student interns enact most of the practitioner roles in the treatment room, with supervising professors checking diagnostics, reviewing treatments, and sharing insights. Of all of the cool things I’m doing in school and otherwise, I am most excited about clinic, which is where everything comes together, to help individuals regain their highest expressions of health and vitality, as I too express the highest form of myself, ideally as embodied poetry in motion, with my intention placed right before the tip of the needle, my points and herbs memorized enough to jump into my body and mind when needed or called, and my entire being aligned with all of the universe, in service to the highest good.

The DSOM program at NUNM is organized so that along with the general MSOM classes, we take the following classes during our first year of school: Chinese culture and history, Chinese classical texts, and Neijing seminar. For now, we only have two instructors for the entire DSOM program: Sabine Wilms, and Joon-Hee Lee. Ru-Hui Long was part of the faculty, but just retired this year, much to my disappointment (he was my favorite). As a native speaker, I found the classical texts classes interesting, but slow. I most appreciated learning about grammar, as it’s tricky, different than modern Chinese, and nearly impossible to learn on my own. For non-native speakers though (everyone else), the class was very difficult, and deeply fulfilling. I watched many of my classmates progress from knowing nothing about Chinese to being able to read and translate simple passages from various classical texts, by the end of the year. Here, students learn to read classical Chinese, which is like Old English. It is a purely written language that is no longer in use, besides in the ancient texts. Being able to read these texts is like having a magical key to a portal to another universe. Dr. Long aptly said during our first Neijing seminar, “Even such an ancient text is still useful.” It amazes me how something that was written so long ago is still applicable in our crazy modern world. Because it is only a written language, students learn to use Wenlin and Pleco, translation softwares, to cross reference between the original Chinese text, their own character understandings, and others’ translations. I loved the example texts that we translated, which ranged from classical CM excerpts such as Neijing and Bencao Jing, to classical Chinese philosophical excerpts from such sages as Laozi, Zhuangzi, and Confucius.

All of my fellow DSOM cohort students switched to the five year track, except for myself, and one other. I’m still hanging on to my grand dream of finishing school in four years, Doctor’s program, winter admit, four jobs and all, then creating a beautiful little homestead outside of a progressive town bordering public lands, and starting my practice. We’ll see what the future brings. I’m not familiar with the five year DSOM schedule, but fellow students report that it’s much more relaxed and manageable than my wild four year scramble. As a recovering perfectionist, I am still learning how to optimize my time by finding balance between completing my assignments, passing tests, and hopefully retaining information, while also maintaining my health and quality of life. I am trying to adjust to not getting straight A’s. Understandably so, as I have a packed schedule, with over 25 credits a quarter, which is roughly 35 hours of school a week, not including ample study time, for the next three years. This summer, I took 6-9 hours of classes everyday Monday through Friday, as I was enrolled in over twenty units of classes within a 7 week span of time, and traveling on the weekends. This journey is for the courageous, for those who are willing to sacrifice and commit to the process, with Fire in their hearts. I rise dancing, with a song on my breath.

The second year of the DSOM program, we dive into the Shang Han Lun, or the Classic of Cold Damages, by Zhang Zhong Jing, a pivotal herbal text that forms the foundation of not just our herbal program, but our school at large. This is appropriate for our cold damp Pacific Northwest climate. I hope that I will be able to adapt this approach appropriately to the warm dry climate that I plan to one day live and practice in. When choosing a CM school, it’s important to note the primary approach of the school. Being such an old medicine, there are many diverse schools of thought in Chinese medicine, such as the “Warm Diseases” school (Wen Bing), Five Elements approach, Japanese style, etc. My last school, AFEA, only focused on one approach: Five Element Acupuncture, as practiced and transmitted from the students of Dr. Worsley. NUNM offers many different approaches: Japanese, Five Element, Shang Han Lun herbalism, Zang-fu, and more. I was restricted to only one approach at AFEA, but would have graduated knowing one modality very well. Here at NUNM, it is easy to become scattered by trying to learn everything, but emerge with only a superficial knowledge of many different things. “Find a professor that you resonate with as soon as possible, and stick with them,” said my herbs professor, Eric Grey. I am still exploring, but am glad to have some really stellar professors and living examples to choose from, work with, and be constantly inspired and informed by.

With my initial exposure to Five Elements acupuncture at AFEA, I am still drawn to that style, with its simplicity, elegance, and psycho-emo-spiritual orientation. The Five Elements approach draws from many disciplines, which includes Japanese style acupuncture, which has been my favorite modality as a patient in our school clinic. Japanese style is gentler than Chinese style acupuncture, with shallower needle insertions, more moxibustion, and shorter needle retention time. It tends to be a tonifying approach. I myself am terrified of being needled, and prefer a subtler (yet still powerful) treatment modality. I am excited to begin my clinical observation shifts with Dr. Quinn this quarter, a Japanese style acupuncturist who gets students actively involved doing what they do best, and then exploring their edges, from there. Having worked with herbalist 7song in wilderness first aid settings, I am also interested in CM for acute care, especially for disaster relief, and in “third world” settings. I plan to work in acute settings while traveling, and work with chronic degenerative issues and whatever else arises in my community clinic, and psycho-emotional imbalances for people who have nowhere else to turn. Another beauty of CM is its range of uses and flexibility. “If used correctly, Chinese medicine can really treat everything,” said my foundations professor, Dr. Hood, “but you need to know what you’re doing.” I am here to learn.

I struggle with the theoretical nature of the program. My year apprenticing with clinical western herbalist 7song remains the best year of my life: working closely with an amazing herbalist and human being, living in the woods, and fully embodying all the principles of my learnings in every aspect of my life. Here at NUNM, I feel disconnected from nature, like we talk more than we do. That will change when I start clinic, this fall. But for now, I am sitting indoors more than I’ve ever sat in my whole life, memorizing more than I ever thought I could, and struggling to stay healthy, do well in school, and still be joyful. I often feel like I’m fighting to stay afloat: I’m slightly behind no matter how hard I try to get ahead, constantly tired, trying to remember what we learned before, while learning the next new thing, and riding the edge between delirious joy and miserable breakdown, complete with alternating diarrhea and constipation, acne, and even insomnia. There are moments when everything clicks, and life is smooth poetry. There are other moments when all becomes dark, there is no hope in sight, and the lonely reality of my single existence as an indebted student with an unknown future in a new town full of strangers rises to the fore. There is much to celebrate, and there is much to fear. I am in a place of infinite possibilities, and complete uncertainty. Anything can happen, from here.

So, we read the Shang Han Lun with Dr. Lee during our second year of NUNM’s DSOM program, one ancient Chinese beautifully complex word after another, line by rich line, layer by delicious layer, working our way through the entire book by the end of the year, where I imagine we will look at each other, wink with the mutual respect of having done this, laugh at the ridiculousness of our undertaking, and head off on our merry ways next summer (my only real summer “off”), before embarking on the third year of our DSOM program, which returns us to Dr. Wilms and Neijing seminar style discussions. From year one all the way to our end of our time as NUNM DSOM students, we also have a small “Imaginal and Experiential Inquiries” (IEI) class, which is a well-intentioned but thus far poorly- ­executed (it often feels disjointed) class that seeks to tie together the various threads of our joint explorations as DSOM students, to effectively prepare us for the fourth and final year of our studies, where we research, write, then share our culminating “capstone projects,” which are basically 30-page dissertations. Mine will likely revolve around people, plants, and place.

Backpacking through my new home of the Pacific Northwest, I admire moss hanging off the trees and the abundance of water, a core metaphor for how Qi flows through our bodies. I reflect on the challenges and triumphs of this past year, and all that I hope to release from my past, and bring into my future, for my second of four years of DSOM studies here at NUNM. I feel older. I am physically heavier, with more ailments than when I first started school, and a deeper reverence for life, its fragile transience, and my place in it. I commit more deeply to my own health and healing, especially within the context of my current work as a still-budding herbal teacher, and humble Chinese medicine student. I feel grateful for how my family and friends continue to love and support me, even as our relationships shift, with the heights and depths of my surging emotions that pique questions more odd and colorful than ever before. With each step on this path, I feel sadness and wonder as my old self falls away, and something ever more strange, beautiful, and startlingly authentic emerges. There is great fear here, and there is great celebration. This is no easy walk. This is a long journey with a heavy pack that must be emptied and refilled and emptied yet again. It is a life journey to soaring peaks and the deepest of valleys, that goes on and on, ad infinitum. And, one step at a time, one breath after another, I am grateful to be here. 

天地人: The Microcosm- Macrocosm Correspondence between Earth- Human- Sky

In one of my classics classes this quarter, we covered 1-2 chapters each week on a selected chapter of the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine (黃帝内經素問). Our final essay involved briefly summating the experience, via discussing the ideal of harmony between Heaven, Humanity, and Earth. With thirteen classes to wrap up this quarter and limited time, I could only spend one afternoon on this essay. I would still like to share it with you. In future essays, I would like to explore more on energetics, share some school-related stories, and gossip more about the Suwen. But first, Earth, Human, and Sky. Enjoy!
~

天地人

The Microcosm- Macrocosm Correspondence between Earth- Human- Sky

Standing in Universe stance, I root my feet firmly into the Earth thru Kd-1 (湧泉), while anchoring the top of my head to the Sky via GV-20 (百會). I feel the smoothness of my breath, the stability of my bones, the supple strength of my muscles, the alignment of my spine as a lightning rod connecting me with the Universe, via Earth and Sky, electricity in the form of breath, blood and Qi coursing through my being. Blessed with this human body and life to be powerfully walking between, supported by, and supporting both Sky and Earth, I take on my life responsibilities with humanity, humility, dignity, reverence, and gratitude.

The first few chapters of the Neìjīng Sùwen (黃帝内經素問) address this Heaven-Human-Earth connection (天地人), or the microcosm-macrocosm correspondence. In this paper, I examine a few passages that explore this relationship, and how it connects with me as a human, student, and future practitioner of this medicine.

[Heaven and earth] can be father and mother of the myriad beings.
The clear yang rises towards heaven; the turbid yin returns to the earth.

(from Suwen 5, Unschuld translation)

In the Yì Jīng (易經/ Book of Changes), Sky (or Heaven) is represented by three solid lines. Earth is represented by three broken lines. Hexagram 11, or Taì (泰), shows the Sky under the Earth. Earth, representing the epitome of yin energy, wants to move downwards. Sky, representing the height of yang energy, wants to move upwards. In this arrangement, they move towards each other, in constant communication. Taì does not represent a static peace, but demonstrates instead a dynamic equilibrium between yin and yang that culminates in a peace that allows both to move as they need, each in accordance with the other, while solid within their personal power, in a state of constant transformation. Hexagram 12 on the other hand, or Pĭ (否), shows the Earth under the Sky. This seems logically correct, right? However, yin moves downwards, while yang moves upwards. In this arrangement, they keep moving away from each other, incommunicado, distant. The person thus falls apart. Illness is simply a lack of communication, stuck qi, imbalance between yin and yang, or an imbalance of our internal Earth and Sky.

If one follows yin and yang, then life results; if one opposes them, then death results.
If one follows them, then order results; if one opposes them, then disorder results.

(from Suwen 2, Unschuld translation)

In Chinese medicine’s view of life, nature revolves around the interplay between yin and yang. The ongoing courtship dance between the two constitutes health or disease. To have more of one or another would create imbalance, leading to illness. To “follow” them means to follow the flow of the energy, responding accordingly to what’s necessary in the moment to continue flowing organically. Alignment between Heaven, Humanity, and Earth means to exist with yin and yang dancing harmoniously, adjusting for seasonal and other changes with dietary, lifestyle, medicinal, and other seasonally appropriate modifications.

When a disease persists over a long time, it is transmitted [in the organism] and transformed. When [a stage is reached where] above and below have lost their union, then [even] a good physician cannot do anything about it. Hence, the sages arranged yin and yang [in such a way that their] sinews and vessels were in harmony, [their] bones and marrow were solid and firm, and [their] qi and blood both followed [their usual course]. In such a situation, inner and outer are balanced in harmony…

(from Suwen 3, Unschuld translation)

One of the strengths of Chinese medicine, particularly herbal medicine, is its ability to address each unique individual, and tonify them in tailored ways that match what they truly need. This fortifies the inner reserves, making that person more resilient against unwanted xié qì (邪氣), or pathogens. By creating a solid nourished core that roots into the Earth and connects with the Sky, a person is more steady in their center, and less likely to waver due to unwanted external or internal influences. As practitioners, we cultivate inner Taì (泰) via good food, sleep, exercise, and a fulfilling life. By nourishing and strengthening ourselves, we can approach our patients with honesty and self-knowing, fully understanding both sickness and how to recover from it, with a diversity of practices and protocols tailored to each individual that we encounter.

… if the ruler is enlightened, his subjects are in peace.
To nourish one’s life on the basis of this results in longevity.
If the ruler is not enlightened, then the twelve officials are in danger.

(from Suwen 8, Unschuld translation)

The ruler is the Heart, who is the emperor of all of the other organ systems, or twelve officials. If the Heart Emperor is in balance, then all is well in the inner kingdom of the person. If the Heart Emperor is out of balance, then this is reflected in chaos in the kingdom. Harmony here refers to the twelve officials, or different body systems, working together to create a dynamic, efficient, effective, and elegant kingdom within the person. The Heart, governing the Spirit, dynamically connects the axis between Earth and Sky, terrestrial and celestial, human and Universe, microcosm and macrocosm. We cannot just address the physical. We must also address emotional, spiritual, and environmental wellness within ourselves, and our patients and communities. When meeting a patient for the first time, we first notice their shén (神), or our immediate impression of their general energy, almost like an “aura” that they exude. Addressing the patient as a whole human being is thus addressing the person on a shén (神) level. My self cultivation practices seek to nourish myself on a shén (神) level as well, which connects me not only with the deeper layers of myself, but also with the deeper layers of nature, and the Universe itself.

The accomplished [people] … of pure virtue and… entirely in accord with the Way…
adapted themselves to [the regularity] of yin and yang and lived in harmony with the four seasons.

(from Suwen 1, Unschuld translation)

One who is truly healthy and vibrant aligns with the natural rhythms of the Universe, yin and yang’s courtship dance, reflected in the fluctuating tides of our bodies that respond to the celestial cycles, seasonal cycles, and simply growing older day by day. We can engage in self-cultivation/ nourishing life (養身) practices to restore jīng (精/ Essence) and nourish shén (神/ Spirit).

Heaven has the essence; Earth has the physical appearance.

(from Suwen 5, Unschuld translation)

Earth, or yin, forms the solid container for Sky, or yang. In cultivating health on all levels, we caretake both our Earthen physical bodies, as well our Heavenly yang Spirits. How can we be effective conduits of energy to lead the most fulfilling lives, possible? How can we best nourish ourselves, and in doing so, help restore others to health and dynamic equilibrium, as well? How does our relationship with our internal Universe, our inner ecology, connect with our relationship with our outer Universe, our outer ecology of human, animal, plant, and mineral communities?

Exhaling, I drop my hands downwards back to the Earth, then inhale them in a circle out and up to greet the Sky one more time for this practice, collecting Sky energy with my hands and exhaling it back down to connect with Earth, collecting the energy into my center by inhaling my feet together and hands to my belly, one on top of another atop my umbilicus (CV-8/ 神闕), the center of my Universe, eyes gently closing, with a smile.
~


References
Quotes from Huangdi Neijing Suwen translations by Paul Unschuld and Hermann Tessenow, from Volume 1 of their 2011 Annotated Translation of Huang Di's Inner Classic- Basic Questions

Herbal Medicine Making Overview

Click on the above so you can see my class handout in more detail. It's a broad overview of herbal medicine-making techniques. 

Then, click on these links for further information and directions to work with the menstruums delineated above: 

- Water menstrua 

- Sweet menstrua 

- Alcohol menstrua 

- Oil menstrua 

Explore making other things, too: 

- Herbalism Learning Models

- Incense, Flower Essences

- Lube

Botany Basics

Depending on where you live, the flowers are either at the height of their bloom, or they are just beginning. Regardless, it's the time of year to bust out your loupes (in other words, undust your magnifying lenses), and start keying out plants--- or at least looking at them carefully! (The better to appreciate you, my dear.) 

Besides the obvious: look carefully, and then look even more carefully, and notice and take note of what you see... 

The four basic whorls of a flower, from outside in: Sepals, Petals, Stamen, Pistil. In plural form: Calyx, Corolla, Androecium, Gynoecium. 

But wait, there's more! 

Here's a few ideas on how to start botanizing: 

- Check out my basic botany class handout that I drew for my Botany class at the 2015 Montana Herb Gathering
- Download 7song's Botanical Identification Steps handout
... and see 7song's website for more free and useful handouts
- Join the free/ by-donation "Botany Everyday" class run by Marc Williams

Happy herb-nerding! 

Welcome Spring

What kind of dreams did you nourish, cultivate, and explore through the dark winter days? Now, as the snow melts and the sun returns, what changes do you feel inside of yourself? How do you continue to take care of yourself, gently holding, nourishing, and bringing your dreams to life, as animals come out of hibernation, the rivers begin actively flowing again, and you run around the forest like a madwoman, digging up medicine roots, for the rest of the year? What went back into the Earth, through the death of winter, and what is now springing forth? What are you planting? What roots are you harvesting, these roots that sat so deeply and patiently in the Earth all winter long awaiting the lengthening days, the return of the sun, the melting of the solid Earth? How do you rest, amidst all this action, continuing to hold the parts of you which must be tended gently, and with care? How do you celebrate? 

(photo: freshly harvested Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) in Bethany, CT)