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Styles of Acupuncture

annmongeau's picture
Posted February 2nd, 2008 by annmongeau

Here's an interesting article by Jake Fratkin on the different styles of acupuncture. Interestingly, after more than 25 years of practice, he favors the methods practiced by Dr. Tan and others who use the Taiji Yin Yang methods originating in Taiwan. :)

http://www.acupuncture.com/newsletters/m_feb08/Acupuncture%20Styles.htm

‹ Had to share this one... Coming out! ›

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Re: Styles of Acupuncture

On February 2nd, 2008 Skip said:

Interesting. After reading it my first thoughts are that I sure don't fit into any style that he talks about. I then think that many acupunks that I know who've been practicing for awhile, even if they say they follow a certain style or school, they in reality are idiosyncratic, unique in their needling.

In the long run (past our lifetimes) I think this is important. With communication being so much easier and faster now than anytime in history, acupunks have access to more and more information on how to needle resulting in mass blurring of differences. It will be interesting to see how this might all pan out.

PS- I hate it when someone-anyone- asks if I practice Japanese or Chinese acupuncture.

Re: Styles of Acupuncture

On February 3rd, 2008 Guest said:

I also have to admit to getting bristled a bit when the same question is asked of me too, Skip - but I usually end up chalking it up to an example of 'a little knowledge being dangerous/annoying' type situation...

==

I think Fratkin does a nice job neatly outlining these unique wrinkles in technique and theory...I could see this being helpful as a primer for the uninitiated, for sure.

...amazing to begin to understand all these permutations of acupuncture are like fruit on the trees; the question for me is which of these do I seem to cultivate most naturally/effectively?

Thanks Ann.

Re: Styles of Acupuncture

On February 3rd, 2008 annmongeau said:

I sent it to my e list of patients as so many of them comment that I've changed a point or two or gone from a Jingei tx to a Dr Tan balance. I tell them there are many, many ways of doing acupuncture and all of them work, and of the ways I know, I'm trying to find the way that works the best for them.

I told them I use Taiji yin yang, Japanese and Chinese methods. In clinic I often tell them about the tradition in China of passing the knowledge down in the family. I find it so humbling and yet thrilling to be a miniscule part of this vast energy/knowledge/healing that is our medicine.

Re: Styles of Acupuncture

On February 7th, 2008 Ben said:

"Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the Gods."
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)