Qiological Podcast
Michael Max
Acupuncture and East Asian medicine was not developed in a laboratory. It does not advance through double-blind controlled studies, nor does it respond well to petri dish experimentation. Our medicine did not come from the statistical regression of randomized cohorts, but from the observation and treatment of individuals in their particular environment. It grows out of an embodied sense of understanding how life moves, unfolds, develops and declines.
Medicine comes from continuous, thoughtful practice of what we do in clinic, and how we approach that work. The practice of medicine is more — much more — than simply treating illness. It is more than acquiring skills and techniques. And it is more than memorizing the experiences of others. It takes a certain kind of eye, an inquiring mind and relentlessly inquisitive heart.
Qiological is an opportunity to deepen our practice with conversations that go deep into acupuncture, herbal medicine, cultivation practices, and the practice of having a practice. It’s an opportunity to sit in the company of others with similar interests, but perhaps very different minds. Through these dialogues perhaps we can better understand our craft.
Medicine comes from continuous, thoughtful practice of what we do in clinic, and how we approach that work. The practice of medicine is more — much more — than simply treating illness. It is more than acquiring skills and techniques. And it is more than memorizing the experiences of others. It takes a certain kind of eye, an inquiring mind and relentlessly inquisitive heart.
Qiological is an opportunity to deepen our practice with conversations that go deep into acupuncture, herbal medicine, cultivation practices, and the practice of having a practice. It’s an opportunity to sit in the company of others with similar interests, but perhaps very different minds. Through these dialogues perhaps we can better understand our craft.
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 7, 2019 • 1h 9min
084 Following the Process: Classical Thought in the Modern World • Phil Settels
The classics are more than just a way to focus our thinking in clinic, they are part of a perspective that sees the world as an integrated and ever evolving whole.It can be a challenge for us with our modern linear, rational, material perspective to grasp the the fractal perspective of a world that made up of resonance, and where observer and observed are both parts of a greater whole.Listen into this conversation on the classic medicine perspective as it can unfold both in clinic and our lives. Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.
May 1, 2019 • 1h 5min
Encore Episode, Exploring the Landscape of the Pulse • Peter Eckman
The pulse is emblematic of Chinese medicine. It is a highly subjective measure that helps us to orient in helpful ways toward a patient’s problem and their strengths.While most any practitioner would tell you the pulse is vitally important in accessing a patient’s condition, the ways in which we can approach and interact with the pulse are wide and varied.In this conversation we explore the pulse and how we as practitioners can use it as an exploration not just of the patient, but of our own process as well.
Apr 30, 2019 • 1h 9min
083 Poking the Bear: Acupuncturists Discuss Dry Needling • Panel Discussion
In this episode of Qiological we are taking a look at dry needling not from the legal or scope of practice point of view, but rather from the viewpoint of how acupuncturists can learn something from this form of acupuncture that has quickly grown in popularity among our conventional medicine colleagues.We all know that acupuncture can be powerful medicine. Little wonder that other professionals would like to be able to access its healing power. And in some ways, conventional practitioners have a leg up, as they already speak the language of the dominate culture, and have a certain status due to being associated with “scientific” medicine.In this panel discussion with three experienced and dedicated acupuncturists we explore what East Asian medicine practitioners can learn from the dry needling community.Listen in to this conversation that is less about legalities and more about opening up an uncomfortable avenue for learning.Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.
Apr 23, 2019 • 1h 10min
082 Fire and Smoke- Using Moxa to Treat Antibiotic-Resistant Tuberculosis • Merlin Young
We often think of moxibustion as a potent way to add heat and yang into the body. But if you only think of moxa as heat, then you’re missing the power of the perspective that moxa is about creating a specific kind of stimulation in the body.Listen in to today’s conversation as we explore how Japanese moxa techniques can be helpful in treating antibiotic resistant tuberculosis. And how our guest has taken resources from Japan, along with research and his own experience in Africa of using moxa to help make a difference in the lives of those suffering from the modern drug resistant forms of TB.Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.
Apr 16, 2019 • 1h 4min
081 Synesthetic Sensing • Brandt Stickley
Perceiving and sensing are not the same. It might seem that the stream of information coming in through our senses arrives passively. But further investigation proves this incorrect. And in fact our perceiving not only is an active process, but can become richer, deeper, more nuanced and integrated when we actively bring our attention to help us sense more deeply into our work and interaction with others.In this conversation we explore how sensing and esthetics help us to better connect with our patients and ourselves. How perception moves through the six levels. And how non-dual states of awareness change what is an “effective action” with our patients.Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.
Apr 9, 2019 • 1h 4min
080 Practicing Chinese Medicine in Taiwan • Greg Zimmerman
East Asian medicine has one foot in the skills and practice of medicine, and another in the traditions and influence of culture. How it is thought about and used in a place like Taiwan bears some similarity to how we practice in the West, and there are also significant differences.Culture and habit are inseparable from the experiences people have in making sense of world and how they approach illness and health.Listen in to this conversation on a Western practitioner’s view of doing Chinese medicine inside of the traditional culture of Taiwan.Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.
Apr 2, 2019 • 59min
079 Cultivating the Wild- Growing Chinese Herbs in the West • Peg Schafer
As herbalists we know a thing or about the therapeutic application of botanicals. But the lifecycle of plants we work with, the way they interact with their environment, the differences between cultivated and wild medicinals, and the farmer’s eye that takes in the influence of weather, the rightness of soil, companion plants, insects, nutrients and stressors, all these are hidden from view when we are not connected to the growing and harvesting of the herbs we use.Cultivation is not just giving the plant what it wants. It also includes giving the plant what it needs so it can develop its medicinal properties. And there are risks when bringing a plant from one ecosystem to another. What lives in balance in place could become an unrestained problem in another.Listen into this conversation on the challenges, risks and opportunities of cultivating Chinese medicinal herbs in the west. Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.
Mar 26, 2019 • 1h 6min
078 Wavelengths, Milli-Watts, and Joules- A Look at Using Lasers in the Acupuncture Clinic • Lorne Brown
We all can feel the difference between a sunny and cloudy day. The influence of long summer days brings a sense of expansion, while the short weak light of winter naturally makes us turn inward. Light, the quantity and quality of it powerfully effects us. You know this in your bonesIn today’s conversation we looking into a particular kind of light— lasers. These concentrated beams of focused coherent light can be used to upregulate certain biochemical processes that help to promote healing and even can be used to promote neuroplasticity in the brain.Much like acupuncture, laser light is a a technology that seems kind of magical. And so sorting out science from imaginal flights of fancy is important if we want to understand how to skillfully apply this tool in our clinical work.Listen into this conversation that will give you some helpful basics on using lasers in your acupuncture practiceHead on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.
Mar 19, 2019 • 1h 3min
077 The Opportunity of Business • Renee Klorman and Russell Brown
Many of us think that business is something we “have” to do. But really, it is something we “get” to do. It is a kind of privilege to create a life and practice that deeply reflects who we are. And it is an opportunity to work through any issues we might have with money, power and authority.In this conversation we explore business as a creative process that allows us to bring our unique vision of health and healing into the world. And at the same time invite us to grow beyond self imposed limits and beliefs that keep us from growing into more skilled and able practitioners.Listen in to this conversation about discovery, creativity, profitability and the resources we find in ourselves when we willing inhabit the opportunity of creating a business that allows us to bring forth our latent talents.Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.
Mar 12, 2019 • 51min
076 Charlotte Maxwell Clinic- A Model of Service and Effectiveness • yvonne charles
We know that acupuncture can be helpful in the treatment of chronic or ongoing illness, and can be effective in reducing the side effects of invasive or toxic treatments that go along with a cancer diagnosis.The Charlotte Maxwell Clinic has 27 years of experience helping low income women with a cancer diagnosis. Running an organization like this not only requires skilled volunteer practitioners, it requires a savvy business and operating model.Listen into this conversation about an organization with a power mission and a business model that allows it to operate in a powerful and effective way. Head on over to the show notes page for more information about this episode and for links to the resources discussed in the interview.
