starting TCM

[Guest guest]

My name is Michael and I will eventually be studying TCM. I was a

nuero-tech for 3 years with 12 years of personal training experience

with specialities in Cardio and ortho rehab. Given my small

background- what is the best thing I can do to help me get started? I

know there is a school in Tucson, where I live, but right now time

and money prevent me from attending classes. Any suggestions?

 

Respectfully,

Mkeschinger

[Guest guest]

Hi Michael,

 

Welcome to Chinese Traditional Medicine.

 

Learn all you can from this group, other groups, and books. Ask plenty

of questions. Chances are any questions you have are the same

questions that others have.

 

The earliest posts in the message base are designed to walk those new

to TCM through the basics. Some of the TCM students use them for

review.

 

The book The Web That Has No Weaver is an excellent intro to TCM. It's

written in such a way that people who know nothing about TCM get a lot

from it, but it's got enough in it that many TCM schools used it as an

intro text.

 

Get a list of required books from the local TCM school, and start

reading on your own. Don't worry about buying the books. The Tucson

Public library is part of the interlibrary loan system. If they can't

locate a copy of a book you want in one of the city or county branch

libraries, they will send all over the US until they find a copy. (If

one is available in any library in the system.) In some areas this is

a completely free service, in others you pay the book postage to and

from where you are. I use the service to check out TCM books to make

sure they're what I need and want. If they are, I buy my own copy

later.

 

The more you know about TCM before starting school, the easier things

will go for you. (This is true of any subject.)

 

Take advantage of free articles on the Internet. The acupuncture.com

site has a lot of free articles. So does the Blue Poppy (Bob Flaws)

website. (Thought not as many as they used to have.) I believe the Qi

Journal website has an interactive acupuncture model. (Someone please

correcct me if I have the wrong site for the interactive model.)

 

I am particularly fond of Giovanni Maciocia's textbook The Foundations

of . I quote from it a lot on here. It's a well

written basic text. Maciocia also has a website with a lot of good

info. One of the things on his website is a " tongue " gallery " to give

viewers an idea of what TCM healers look for when they do a tongue

diagnosis.

 

BTW, Qi Gong exercises are especially good for getting Qi and Blood

moving. There are some Qi Gong exercises that can be done by bed-

ridden people. Most of the exercises aren't that hard to do, but they

have a powerful effect. Many Westerners wonder at first how something

so non-taxing could be doing anything. They are use to the no-pain, no-

gain model of exercise. Sometimes people can feel things " loosening "

up on the inside as they do the exercises.

 

Local YMCAs, park departments, and the continuing ed department of

community colleges sometimes will offer Qi Gong classes. There also

are numerous tapes available.

[Guest guest]

> My name is Michael and I will eventually be studying TCM. I was a

> nuero-tech for 3 years with 12 years of personal training experience

> with specialities in Cardio and ortho rehab. Given my small

> background- what is the best thing I can do to help me get started? I

> know there is a school in Tucson, where I live, but right now time

> and money prevent me from attending classes. Any suggestions?

> > Respectfully, Mkeschinger

 

 

MT: start getting good at memorization.

mercurius trismegistus

[Guest guest]

I am thinking of studying TCM as well. Sounds like you have a great

background for it, if not in TCM specifically. From my research, I

think mercurius is absolutely right.

 

Here in Houston, a TCM education is within reach for me, at least

financed with student loans.

 

The open house at the TCM school has done research on their graduates

who are 3-5 years out.

 

Most of them are in private practice where they tend to see 20-25

clients. I estimated this brings in 1200-1500 per week once they

develop the client base assuming they charge the avg rate of $60 per

session.

 

Once you factor overhead . . . well, let's say they aren't doing it

for the money. Especially with loans.

 

But there are other (non-monetary) rewards to be sure. So I am still

deciding on it myself.

 

Zenisis

 

 

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " Mercurius Trismegistus "

<magisterium_magnum@c...> wrote:

>

> > My name is Michael and I will eventually be studying TCM. I was a

> > nuero-tech for 3 years with 12 years of personal training experience

> > with specialities in Cardio and ortho rehab. Given my small

> > background- what is the best thing I can do to help me get

started? I

> > know there is a school in Tucson, where I live, but right now time

> > and money prevent me from attending classes. Any suggestions?

> > > Respectfully, Mkeschinger

>

>

> MT: start getting good at memorization.

> mercurius trismegistus

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you, that info is VERY helpful. I have been in martial arts for

22 years now, with my current study in Kenpo- Chuan Fa gung Shou. I

have researched and found that alot of the qi-gung(sp-preference)

exercises are in my forms. They are very beneficial. I will

occasionally change my focus to promote more chi flow.

 

I will also start looking at the older articles/posts as suggested.

Thank you also for the other sites to look at.

 

I hope there aren't any stupid questions?

 

Mk

[Guest guest]

Memorization....

Hmmmmm

Repetition is the mother or proficency(sp?)

Any suggestions on acronyms(sp?) ?

 

Mk

[Guest guest]

Money? Nah, I'm a karate teacher. wink- for those who also teach.

Actually, my interest is from what I can see, a natural path to my life

and life-style.

 

What is your interest in it?

 

Mk

[Guest guest]

I would say my interest is the same as yours. In my own words,

balancing my life, lifestyle and livelihood. It also seems like a

path in which I would have more control over my destiny as well. I

have worked in social services--battered women, rape crisis, suicide

crisis. Very fulfilling except that agencies are often an obstruction

to one's efforts rather being a facilitator.

 

In fact, I have been thinking that I could focus on psychological

disorders. More specifically anxiety and depression which I have seen

much of. If I were to do this with TCM, I would have to focus on

finding customers who can afford to pay.

 

One thing that was good about working in a nonprofit agency was that

you could draw a salary and help whoever happened to need your assistance.

 

Being in Texas, nonprofits are conservative and it will be some time,

I believe, before I could convince a funder to support an integrated

approach to social issues like the ones I have been attracted to.

 

You might be wondering though, with my background, that it should be

easy for me to make a decision about this based on its nonmaterial

rewards. But there is another side of me, that looks at practical

matters, wants to me to write a business plan and come up with some

kind of cost-benefit ratio. Yang, perhaps? But ultimately my heart

usually takes the lead. Yin, maybe?

 

Anyway, keep us posted on your progress and I will do the same.

 

Zenisis

 

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " Michael " <mkeschinger> wrote:

>

> Money? Nah, I'm a karate teacher. wink- for those who also teach.

> Actually, my interest is from what I can see, a natural path to my life

> and life-style.

>

> What is your interest in it?

>

> Mk

>

[Guest guest]

> Memorization....

> Hmmmmm

> Repetition is the mother or proficency(sp?)

> Any suggestions on acronyms(sp?) ?> Mk

 

 

MT: make flash cards.

theyll tell you pneumonic devices in class. at least they did at my school.

www.aaaom.org

mercurius trismegistus

[Guest guest]

> In fact, I have been thinking that I could focus on psychological

> disorders. More specifically anxiety and depression which I have seen

> much of. If I were to do this with TCM, I would have to focus on

> finding customers who can afford to pay.

 

 

MT: find a school that teaches FIVE ELEMENT theory.

i think these are mainly the schools out east, but i would check to be sure.

mercurius trismegistus

[Guest guest]

Hi Michael,

Here's a portal you might want to try, and its not just because its

what I do.

One of the local acupuncture schools where I live automatically

teaches their acupuncture students Asian Bodywork Therapy the

first year.

 

They do it mostly for 2 reasons,

#1 is the students can get enough credit hours that they can

support themselves doing a TCM therapy while finishing off

the rest of their acupuncture curriculum.

#2 ABT uses the same theory as the other 3 branches of TCM

and, as a foundation, it can help build hands on assessment skills.

 

Ask whatever schools you look into if they offer this option.

Its a foot in the door.

 

If you go that route, check out the varieties of Asian bodywork

Therapy that are recognised by the AOBTA <aobta.org>

(Since you're already doing martial arts, pay particular attention

to Medical Qi Gong. Jerry Alan Johnson pretty much wrote the

book on what the Western Med. Qigong commmunity knows

with his " Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy " .)

 

One more thing, I joined this list because the ABT programs

I've studied focus on 5 Element Theory.

The national exams for ABTs and acupuncturists/herbalists

focus more on 8 Principal Theory.

 

Even if you never sit for a national exam, if you intend to work

with or network with other acupuncturists or herbalists you will

have to know 8 Principal Theory.

 

Ok and another thing, its not totally about memorization.

When you understand the theory, things start to become obvious.

 

Penel

[Guest guest]

> Ok and another thing, its not totally about memorization.

> When you understand the theory, things start to become obvious.

> Penel

 

 

MT: this is true, but the overall big picture is easier to grasp than all

the particular details, such as all the meridians, all the points, all the

herbs, etc. surface anatomy is a difficult introductory course as well.

they say that learning mandarin will help with learning the herbs and

points.

mercurius trismegistus

[Guest guest]

> > Ok and another thing, its not totally about

> > memorization.

> > When you understand the theory, things

> > start to become obvious.

 

> MT: this is true, but the overall big picture is

> easier to grasp than all the particular details,

> such as all the meridians, all the points,

 

I came to this by Asian bodywork. Before I learned the

name for anything I'd already known it by touch.

 

My teachers had me feel the pathways inside myself

before taking it to the client's assessment.

 

> all the herbs

 

I study mostly Western herbs but with an acupuncturist

identifying them by TCM theory. We grow, process and

taste everything we use.

We are taught to visualize how they work together in

relationship to an assessment.

 

> , etc. surface anatomy is a difficult introductory course as well.

 

After taking A & P in ABT school and not being satified

with the depth, I enrolled at a local jr. college.

I found A & P fascinating.

 

Even there the professor kept on reminding us not too just

memorize, to understand the physiology.

 

Btw, A class I think everyone should take is (Western)

medical terminology.

Its a class where the Latin and Greek get broken down

into small understandable bites.

 

> they say that learning mandarin will help with learning the

> herbs and points.

 

There are books that interpret the Chinese.

If you understand what you are tasting and feeling you start

identifying the short comings of relying on someone else's

interpretations.

 

Its as with learning any language. You need to let go and

not judge the logic by the languages you know before.

[Guest guest]

Hi:

 

> they say that learning mandarin will help with

> learning the herbs and points.

> mercurius trismegistus

 

I agree. There is a theory that learning without

meaning is difficult, simple rote memorization of

points is boring and tedious.

 

Memorization of information within a meaningful

context is much easier and much more fun.

 

IMO the best way to study would be to learn the point

letters and numbers, along with their functions, plus

the Chinese characters and their English translated

names, as well as the stories behind their names.

 

I'm a visual learner, so having good, accurate photos

and drawings is key for me.

 

Regards, Jack

 

 

 

 

 

for Good - Make a difference this year.

http://brand./cybergivingweek2005/

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " Michael " <mkeschinger>

wrote:

>

> Memorization....

> Hmmmmm

> Repetition is the mother or proficency(sp?)

> Any suggestions on acronyms(sp?) ?

 

This isn't an acronym, but it is something that many find useful,

and it does involve repetition.

 

Blue Poppy Press offers A Pronuniation Guide to Chinese Materia

Medica in Chinese and Latin by Zong Xiao-fan and Bob Flaws. The

Chinese names of herbs are repeated twice, and the pharmaceutical

names are repeated once. The tape is keyed to Dan Bensky's and

Andrew Gamble's Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medical. (For

readers new to TCM, a Materia Media is a list of healing substances

used. Think of it as an herbal PDR (Physician's Desk Reference).)

 

I believe Blue Poppy also offers a pronunciation guide for

acupoints. There may be other companies that offer tapes like these,

but I don't know about them.

 

I've always had the problem that if I can't pronounce something, I

have a harder time remembering it.