Guest guest Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Adding some history and personal perspective / interpretation on the Shen-Hammer system. Dr. John (H.C.) Shen was an acknowledged master of pulse diagnosis, with the traditional background of having studied with various masters. He was from a prominent, wealthy Shanghai family, very intelligent, and was able to seek out the best sources (throughout Southeast Asia) and appropriate their knowledge and practice. He was that kind of classical Chinese doctor who did diagnosis questioning, face/body reading, etc., and prominently pulse reading and then prescribed herbal medicine, life style changes, etc. I.e. not the zhen-jiu or acupuncturist type of practice, though he did learn acupuncture relatively late in his career, here in the USA. Others of us here probably had the privilege, as I did, to have been able to hear his talks and witness demonstrations of his practice. In my case initially at the first PCOM Pacific Symposium in 1989, and several times after, up to his passing on a couple of years ago. Notable was his focus on fathoming the constitutional make-up and life-history of the patient, with an uncanny degree of accuracy, and putting diagnosis and treatment in that framework. Dr. Leon Hammer persuaded Dr. Shen to take him on as a student, and over a decade or so of intensive personal tutorial and study, appropriated Dr. Shen's art of pulse reading. With Dr. Hammer's previous and subsequent extensive experience in studying and practicing Chinese medicine, he became a master of it in his own right. And, with Dr. Shen's approval, he undertook documenting and making more widely accessible this pulse-reading art / system. Although Dr. Shen's skill might have seemed to observers as almost magical, according to Dr. Hammer's experience, it was actually a clear logical system, though less as theory and more as organization grown out of vast and insightful experience. So this system is a living example, instance of one of the highest arts of traditional / classical (whatever you may want to call it) Chinese medicine. Note, not THE classical art of the pulse, but rather one of them. Dr. Hammer clearly points this out, and expresses his deep respect for other systems and masters of pulse diagnosis. The contrast is directed to that sense I had during TCM school days of trying to grasp TCM as a consistent, logical system, my being a somewhat educated westerner. And the fact that educational TCM materials and school curricula are largely focused on presenting TCM as such. After school, as many do, I sought out experts / masters to try to find out how really understand and treat people. One area in particular where the schooling was clearly less than satisfying was in learning pulse-reading. There was little consistency between teachers, and very little depth of instruction. Once, as patient, my pulse was read by a supervisor in the school clinic, and the supervisor called out to the interns and observers " here's a really wiry (or bowstring, or one of those words) pulse! " , for all to try. Remembering quite clearly what my pulse was like then, and in light of subsequent training in the Shen-Hammer system, it was actually tense and pounding; not tight, and definitely not wiry. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance to study the Shen-Hammer system when seminars became available locally. In light of the anecdote (above) in the clinic, one of the first things to understand about this system is the rigorous focus on associating unequivocal descriptive terms with specific empirical, sensory qualities in the pulse. When well-trained students (and the certified instructors, and Dr. Hammer himself) use a particular descriptive term, others can understand exactly what is being felt. Some, especially critics of the system, will quibble as to the appropriateness of particular terms, or their relationship to terms in the Chinese pulse- and other classics. But rigorous terminology and sensory acuity in the fingers, and the ability to communicate it, is virtually guaranteed for any serious student of the system. A step further, and major focus of the system, is to distinguish between sensation (and its description), on the one hand, and the interpretation (diagnostic meaning), on the other hand. And this is where a fundamental aspect of Chinese medicine's evolution comes to light. Carl Henryk Wallmark noted the example of the slow rate in his message (Tue, 28 Feb 2006 03:29:45+0100). Dr. Shen is said to have observed that the diagnostic meaning of a particular quality (sensation + term) changed over a period short as 5 years (in his patient population in New York City). Dr. Hammer himself is a gold mine of specific diagnostic pulse patterns, as in the short list of unique subjects Ross Rosen mentioned (Tue, 28 Feb 2006 15:36:47 0500). Chinese medicine can be seen as a reservoir of descriptive (theoretical, in a sense) tools which remain remarkably consistent across the better part of 2000 years, while specific diagnostic conclusions are various and relative: to historical period, to a patient population, to a practitioner's legacy or school, etc. Hence the various 'schools', e.g. the ShangHanLun, the Song-Jin-Yuan " Four Great Masters " , the WenBing, etc. In another dimension, Jeffery Yuen has pointed out that the acupuncture JingLuo system needs to be seen as an evolving interpretive construct. That what the channels and points really represent changes with context, are undoubtedly evolving in our day and age. (He cites, e.g. Sp-12 and one or the upper-thigh liver points not being seen as belonging to these channels in earlier times; or GB-36 (or maybe it was 35) being originally an 8-extra channel point, and later, by proximity, integrated into the foot ShaoYang; or Li ShiZhen's extension of the Dai channel to include Lr-13.) Incidentally, Dr. Hammer noted, in an email to students and associates (20 Feb 2005): " There has been some concern that the material presented in `Chinese Pulse Diagnosis; A Contemporary Approach' is the idiosyncratic work of one man and his apprentice, Dr. John Shen and Dr. Leon Hammer. " And he goes on to cite in a published work by the noted Vietnamese-Chinese medical doctor Quang Van Nguyen, a description of a pulse-reading system passed on to him from his family tradition, which is substantially identical to the system Dr. Hammer received from Dr. Shen. Another perspective: Jeffery Yuan (in an interview) described how he was taught pulse-reading by his mentor-grandfather. The master would have the young child (Jeffery) feel his pulse, and the teacher would intentionally alter it, and instruct the student to note and study the nature of the changes. This is ostensibly an instance of a distinct tradition, relative to the Shen-Hammer legacy. I recall vividly a session with Dr. Hammer when he (the teacher) and the students (I being one) compared sensation/description of a patient's pulse. I was confused by the variability in the pulse, and could decide on a " dominant " quality for nailing down the description. Dr. Hammer insisted on doing so. Perhaps this was a pedagogical ploy on his part, and I wasn't being perceptive enough. But it could also have been an instance where my perception wandered into an area not germane to Dr. Shen's legacy, particularly in light of the later information on Jeffery Yuen's legacy. Not having studied this aspect in depth with Jeffery, I've observed him reading pulses and moving the fingers to read how qualities alter in certain positions (cun, chi, guan), when different pressure is used on other positions. I've also observed Dr. Lam Kong reading pulse, knowing even less about his system, where he repeatedly pressed the proximal position, then falling on the middle and distal ones in succession. To my mind, that was clearly systematic on his part. The traditionally highly esteemed art of pulse diagnosis cannot be mistaken as a unique, standardized system, but passes down through generations in various forms and traditions. The Shen-Hammer system, to my mind, represents a unique, available opportunity for insight into the deeper realms of Chinese medical diagnosis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Tom, There is a certified teacher in the UK. His contact information is below. Scott Tower (020) 7935 9354 meherHealing < meherHealing 3. Re: Shen-Hammer pulse system > " tzkennedy " <tzkennedy > Message: 3 > Tue, 28 Feb 2006 20:42:38 -0000 > " tzkennedy " <tzkennedy > Re: Shen-Hammer pulse system > > Thanks Ross. Do you know how I can find out about future pulse > seminars in the UK? > > Tom. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 Dr. Lam Kong reading pulse, knowing even less about his system, where he repeatedly pressed the proximal position, then falling on the middle and distal ones in succession. To my mind, that was clearly systematic on his part. >>>>>>> I have seen this as well with Lam Oakland, CA 94609 - Chinese Medicine Wednesday, March 01, 2006 1:20 AM Re: Shen-Hammer pulse system Adding some history and personal perspective / interpretation on the Shen-Hammer system. Dr. John (H.C.) Shen was an acknowledged master of pulse diagnosis, with the traditional background of having studied with various masters. He was from a prominent, wealthy Shanghai family, very intelligent, and was able to seek out the best sources (throughout Southeast Asia) and appropriate their knowledge and practice. He was that kind of classical Chinese doctor who did diagnosis questioning, face/body reading, etc., and prominently pulse reading and then prescribed herbal medicine, life style changes, etc. I.e. not the zhen-jiu or acupuncturist type of practice, though he did learn acupuncture relatively late in his career, here in the USA. Others of us here probably had the privilege, as I did, to have been able to hear his talks and witness demonstrations of his practice. In my case initially at the first PCOM Pacific Symposium in 1989, and several times after, up to his passing on a couple of years ago. Notable was his focus on fathoming the constitutional make-up and life-history of the patient, with an uncanny degree of accuracy, and putting diagnosis and treatment in that framework. Dr. Leon Hammer persuaded Dr. Shen to take him on as a student, and over a decade or so of intensive personal tutorial and study, appropriated Dr. Shen's art of pulse reading. With Dr. Hammer's previous and subsequent extensive experience in studying and practicing Chinese medicine, he became a master of it in his own right. And, with Dr. Shen's approval, he undertook documenting and making more widely accessible this pulse-reading art / system. Although Dr. Shen's skill might have seemed to observers as almost magical, according to Dr. Hammer's experience, it was actually a clear logical system, though less as theory and more as organization grown out of vast and insightful experience. So this system is a living example, instance of one of the highest arts of traditional / classical (whatever you may want to call it) Chinese medicine. Note, not THE classical art of the pulse, but rather one of them. Dr. Hammer clearly points this out, and expresses his deep respect for other systems and masters of pulse diagnosis. The contrast is directed to that sense I had during TCM school days of trying to grasp TCM as a consistent, logical system, my being a somewhat educated westerner. And the fact that educational TCM materials and school curricula are largely focused on presenting TCM as such. After school, as many do, I sought out experts / masters to try to find out how really understand and treat people. One area in particular where the schooling was clearly less than satisfying was in learning pulse-reading. There was little consistency between teachers, and very little depth of instruction. Once, as patient, my pulse was read by a supervisor in the school clinic, and the supervisor called out to the interns and observers " here's a really wiry (or bowstring, or one of those words) pulse! " , for all to try. Remembering quite clearly what my pulse was like then, and in light of subsequent training in the Shen-Hammer system, it was actually tense and pounding; not tight, and definitely not wiry. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance to study the Shen-Hammer system when seminars became available locally. In light of the anecdote (above) in the clinic, one of the first things to understand about this system is the rigorous focus on associating unequivocal descriptive terms with specific empirical, sensory qualities in the pulse. When well-trained students (and the certified instructors, and Dr. Hammer himself) use a particular descriptive term, others can understand exactly what is being felt. Some, especially critics of the system, will quibble as to the appropriateness of particular terms, or their relationship to terms in the Chinese pulse- and other classics. But rigorous terminology and sensory acuity in the fingers, and the ability to communicate it, is virtually guaranteed for any serious student of the system. A step further, and major focus of the system, is to distinguish between sensation (and its description), on the one hand, and the interpretation (diagnostic meaning), on the other hand. And this is where a fundamental aspect of Chinese medicine's evolution comes to light. Carl Henryk Wallmark noted the example of the slow rate in his message (Tue, 28 Feb 2006 03:29:45+0100). Dr. Shen is said to have observed that the diagnostic meaning of a particular quality (sensation + term) changed over a period short as 5 years (in his patient population in New York City). Dr. Hammer himself is a gold mine of specific diagnostic pulse patterns, as in the short list of unique subjects Ross Rosen mentioned (Tue, 28 Feb 2006 15:36:47 0500). Chinese medicine can be seen as a reservoir of descriptive (theoretical, in a sense) tools which remain remarkably consistent across the better part of 2000 years, while specific diagnostic conclusions are various and relative: to historical period, to a patient population, to a practitioner's legacy or school, etc. Hence the various 'schools', e.g. the ShangHanLun, the Song-Jin-Yuan " Four Great Masters " , the WenBing, etc. In another dimension, Jeffery Yuen has pointed out that the acupuncture JingLuo system needs to be seen as an evolving interpretive construct. That what the channels and points really represent changes with context, are undoubtedly evolving in our day and age. (He cites, e.g. Sp-12 and one or the upper-thigh liver points not being seen as belonging to these channels in earlier times; or GB-36 (or maybe it was 35) being originally an 8-extra channel point, and later, by proximity, integrated into the foot ShaoYang; or Li ShiZhen's extension of the Dai channel to include Lr-13.) Incidentally, Dr. Hammer noted, in an email to students and associates (20 Feb 2005): " There has been some concern that the material presented in `Chinese Pulse Diagnosis; A Contemporary Approach' is the idiosyncratic work of one man and his apprentice, Dr. John Shen and Dr. Leon Hammer. " And he goes on to cite in a published work by the noted Vietnamese-Chinese medical doctor Quang Van Nguyen, a description of a pulse-reading system passed on to him from his family tradition, which is substantially identical to the system Dr. Hammer received from Dr. Shen. Another perspective: Jeffery Yuan (in an interview) described how he was taught pulse-reading by his mentor-grandfather. The master would have the young child (Jeffery) feel his pulse, and the teacher would intentionally alter it, and instruct the student to note and study the nature of the changes. This is ostensibly an instance of a distinct tradition, relative to the Shen-Hammer legacy. I recall vividly a session with Dr. Hammer when he (the teacher) and the students (I being one) compared sensation/description of a patient's pulse. I was confused by the variability in the pulse, and could decide on a " dominant " quality for nailing down the description. Dr. Hammer insisted on doing so. Perhaps this was a pedagogical ploy on his part, and I wasn't being perceptive enough. But it could also have been an instance where my perception wandered into an area not germane to Dr. Shen's legacy, particularly in light of the later information on Jeffery Yuen's legacy. Not having studied this aspect in depth with Jeffery, I've observed him reading pulses and moving the fingers to read how qualities alter in certain positions (cun, chi, guan), when different pressure is used on other positions. I've also observed Dr. Lam Kong reading pulse, knowing even less about his system, where he repeatedly pressed the proximal position, then falling on the middle and distal ones in succession. To my mind, that was clearly systematic on his part. The traditionally highly esteemed art of pulse diagnosis cannot be mistaken as a unique, standardized system, but passes down through generations in various forms and traditions. The Shen-Hammer system, to my mind, represents a unique, available opportunity for insight into the deeper realms of Chinese medical diagnosis. 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