Qiological Podcast

In this enlightening discussion, Henry McCann, an acupuncturist with over 26 years of experience and a former music teacher, dives into the intersection of mastery in medicine and music. He reflects on how discipline and structured practice from his musical background shape his clinical approach. The conversation touches on the importance of personal cultivation, the role of repetition in developing intuition, and the need for a holistic view of health. McCann emphasizes that motivation, patience, and adaptability are vital for success in both healing and personal growth.

Sometimes it’s not what we hear, but what emerges in the space just before—where meaning hasn’t formed yet—but something is already calling your attention. It’s that quiet edge of awareness where both healing and mystery tend to show up.In this conversation with Christoph Wiesendanger, a jazz pianist with an abiding interest in Chinese medicine, we explore how rhythm, resonance, and reflective awareness shape both music and healing. Christoph’s journey from childhood exposure to Daoist classics, to martial arts training, the sonic influence of Milford Graves, and years of study with Z’ev Rosenberg, offers a surprising look at the interweavings of music and medicine.Listen into this discussion as we explore how the pulse relates to rhythm, the difference between keeping time and making it, the idea of cultivating yourself through sound, and how silence and intention shape both clinical and musical presence.

Lan Li, a historian and filmmaker at the intersection of medicine and creativity, dives into the improvisational nature of the body and clinical practice. She discusses how anatomy serves as a malleable metaphor rather than a fixed map influenced by culture. Explore the connections between traditional Chinese medicine and modern neuroscience, the significance of imagination in healing, and the interplay between energy channels like meridians and the body's systems. Lan encourages a rethinking of medical knowledge as an evolving narrative, blending art and science.

In this conversation, Lan Li, a historian and filmmaker at the intersection of medicine and imagination, invites us to rethink the body as an improvisational landscape rather than a fixed map. She sheds light on how anatomy is deeply influenced by culture and our personal narratives. Topics include the dynamic interplay between nerves and meridians, the importance of creativity in clinical practice, and how ancient wisdom in Chinese medicine continues to inform modern healing approaches. Li’s insights inspire a fresh understanding of connection, inquiry, and the art of listening.

The roots of tradition sometimes take hold in unexpected soil. What happens when traditions from France, Korea, and China converge in one practitioner’s hands? There’s a kind of alchemy in the way knowledge travels—through stories, teachers, and clinical results that raise the question of what is going on here.In this conversation with Jacques MoraMarco, we explore the shape of a career that’s spanned over five decades. From his early exposure to French-Vietnamese and Korean teachings, to his role in building acupuncture education in the U.S.—Jacques has carried multiple lineages while helping to shape what Chinese medicine looks like in the modern clinic.Listen into this discussion as we talk about the perspective of different streams of practice, the shift from apprenticeship to formal schooling, and how European and Korean influences still echo in his work.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Ed Neal and Mel Hopper Koppelman share their insights on navigating troubled times through a lens of Chinese medicine and ecological understanding. Ed, a practitioner rooted in classical Chinese texts, and Mel, an advocate for systems thinking, explore how despair and hope coexist. They discuss embracing change, the importance of compassionate communication, and finding harmony in cycles of life and economy. The duo urges listeners to stay present, adapt traditions, and seek deeper narratives that promote connection and healing amidst chaos.

Sometimes the best opportunities don’t look like opportunity—they look like risk. Like driving hours into the mountains. Like renting a stranger’s massage room and hoping someone shows up. But there’s a strange kind of capacity that comes from following a hunch—especially the kind that seems to go against the grain.In this conversation with Irina Cividino, we explore her unconventional path as a peripatetic acupuncturist serving remote towns in the Canadian Rockies. What started as a weekend experiment became a thriving circuit of clinics in communities with little to no access to acupuncture. Irina brings both practical wisdom and a spirit of quiet boldness to the work.Listen into this discussion as we explore building a low-overhead mobile practice, using local Facebook groups for patient outreach, how geography shapes clinical presentations, and the surprising clarity that comes from being in motion.This is a story about acupuncture. But more than that, it’s about trusting your instincts, listening to your patients, and crafting a life that follows your values with courage and curiosity.

Technology is evolving fast—and it’s starting to mirror us in ways that are both fascinating and a little unsettling. As AI becomes part of our daily lives, it raises an important question: how do we stay human while working with machines that mimic us?In this conversation with Vanessa Menendez-Covelo, we explore the intersection of Chinese medicine and artificial intelligence. With a background in both fields, Vanessa shares thoughtful insights on how AI tools can support, challenge, and even reshape our work as practitioners.Listen into this discussion as we talk about writing clinical notes with AI, the ethics of machine-generated empathy, what happens when AI “learns” your voice, and how these tools might influence the future of medicine.This isn’t a conversation about hype—it’s about curiosity, discernment, and remembering that the real wisdom in healing still comes from the human side of the equation.

It’s a curious thing, sometimes you want to get away from something. Maybe it’s the town you grew up in, or a family business. You think you know it, and are not interested. But circumstances change and find your way back to it with new eyes.In this conversation with Thomas Leung, we trace the arc of a family deeply rooted in Chinese herbal medicine. From his great-grandfather’s shop in Guangdong, to navigating the upheaval of the Chinese revolution, to adapting a Manhattan herb store to changing demographics, Thomas brings both a practitioner's  and a business owner’s sensibility to the conversation.Listen in as we talk about the evolution of Chinese medicine in America, what it means to modernize without losing tradition, the challenge of standardizing herbal language, and the precarious state of our profession in this current moment.This conversation is  about more than herbs. It’s about responsibility, reinvention, and how the future of our medicine depends not only on practice—but on stewardship.

Sometimes what holds us back isn’t a lack of skill or knowledge, but an old story unknowingly agreed to. One that says it’s unseemly to want success, that business is at odds with healing. But what if your clinic wasn’t just a way to help people—but also a practice of alignment, agency, and even joy?In this conversation with Julie Bear Don’t Walk, we explore how business and medicine aren’t separate pursuits but reflections of each other. A long-time practitioner and now coach, Julie brings both clinical experience and a fresh, grounded perspective on how your values, mindset, and systems can support a flourishing practice.Listen into this discussion as we discuss financial trauma and healing, collaborative care models, the subtle art of patient retention, and how team dynamics reflect the qi of a clinic.Julie reminds us that a successful practice isn’t about pushing harder—it’s about congruence. When your clinic reflects who you are and how you want to show up, the business part starts to feel a lot more like medicine.