Course Overview

Let me introduce you to the Five Spirits (Wǔ Shén/五神) and the Eight Extraordinary Vessels (Qí Jīng Bā Mài/奇經八脈). I am very excited to be offering this workshop for the first time ever. In the past I have offered plenty of Eight Extraordinary Vessel workshops and the same applies for the Five Spirits, but I have yet to merge the two into one power-packed event. Even though I have been treating patients for 29 years, it was after I started lecturing in 2000, that my interest in these important concepts began to take shape. I have researched them extensively, both qualitative and quantitative, and what I have found has been built into this event. This workshop is designed to accommodate participants of all levels of experience, from students to seasoned practitioners. There is some expectation that attendees will be familiar, at least foundationally, on both the Five Spirits and Eight Extraordinary Vessels. Having said that, each of the Five Spirits will be briefly reviewed, and the same applies for the Eight Extraordinary Vessels. This will be followed by the connection/relationship that exists between the two, which is something I have yet to find in any Chinese medicine text anywhere, and that is where this workshop really shines. You, the participants, are being taken on a journey that is potentially brand new. I will merge the two concepts and analyse the connections. We will introduce a bunch of acupuncture point combinations and explain the treatments.

Course Objectives

• Have a much greater understanding of the Five Spirits, especially in relation to patient diagnosis in clinical practice and acupuncture point combinations to treat.
• Have a much greater understanding of the Eight Extraordinary Vessels, especially in relation to patient diagnosis in clinical practice and acupuncture point combinations to treat.
• Be able to see the connections, and relationships, between the Five Spirits and Eight Extraordinary Vessels; in particular for balancing the patient, for excess or deficient conditions using acupuncture point combinations.
• Have a greater insight into the importance of acupuncture point combinations.

Course Outline

0 hrs - 2 hrsIn part 1 the entire workshop is introduced. There are notes explaining the role/value/construction of the acupuncture point combination treatments discussed. Each of the Five Spirits (Wǔ Shén) are reviewed, looking at their role in the body/mind.

2 hrs - 4 hrsIn part 2, the Eight Extraordinary Vessels (Qí Jīng Bā Mài) are observed historically, followed by an overview, a look at vessel functions, and when/how to use them. Each vessel is then analysed with an acupuncture point combination provided for each.

4 hrs - 6 hrsIn part 3, the Five Spirits are given an acupuncture point combination treatment for excess, deficiency and balancing. This is followed by looking at which of the Eight Extraordinary Vessels can be used for these imbalances with treatments provided.