Any acupuncturists on board?

[Yasjua]

I have questions for any acupuncturists on the forum. Could you say hi if you're a practicing LAc and then I'll start asking questions.

[Tactile]

I'm not a LAc as I didn't get my education in the states, but if that's fine with you then: Hi.

[thewhitetiger]

limited knowledge...but I do train it.

[henro]

In the last semester of my masters program!!!! Doctorate and phd starting next year...

[kevin_wallbridge]

I am not very active here but I am a professor of Chinese Medicine and have been teaching it for 20 years.

[Yasjua]

Ah, my dear friends! I have so many questions for you. I'd be touched if you'd help me resolve some very deep doubts I have. My questions stem largely from skepticism, perhaps rooted in ignorance and fear, so I hope you'll be patient as I lay my doubts before you.

 

First, some background on me: I surround myself with many spiritual things. Books, attitudes, aspirations, hopes, interests, etc. I feel that my life calling is at once simple and utterly mind-boggling. My task, which I feel is ordained by the inner interests and proclivities and strengths of my psyche/soul, is to harmonize deeply and totally with the vibration of the the Godhead, Tao, Universal Consciousness, Atman-Brahman, or whatever.

 

In my moments and phases of faith my inner energy, understanding, language, and self-knowledge all change drastically. There is nothing to this anymore than genuine faith - no particular meditation or practice or anything else. These tools served their purpose upon culminating in several periods of self-realization. I have seen the laws of the conventional universe bend and even violently break down in service of this distinct vibration of enlightened consciousness. The very essence of my mind merges with revelation and all becomes synchronized, holy, and spiritual. I have explored this perspective over and over and consistently found that the Universe is utterly and profoundly trustworthy in its response to a vibrationally awake consciousness. I wish I could live entirely on this principle

 

But simultaneously, I have been raised in the conventional world, and I find myself drawn into a relationship with the reality of making a living. I have an ingrained karmic pattern that compels me to seek some sort of security or consistency as a worker in the world. While my intuition is to have nothing to do with this dimension, and while my experience consistently shows that the vibrationally awakened consciousness can tread like light over the waters that bind the conventionally embedded consciousness, I still cannot shake the thought which impels me toward career and stability. The masters Ive studied all advise over and over that one must attend to ordinary life, to participate to some degree in the workings of society and convention. On one level, there is no separation between the ultimate principle and worldly consciousness. On another, worldly consciousness acts on the spirit like a powerful blinder and generates countless illusions. I find that the only thing that compels me to a career is the wavering of faith, and I have acknowledged this wavering as the movement of maya over the oceanic stillness of God, as expressed through the limiting neurobiology of the human organism.

 

I tell you, I hope not to be perceived as a fool, or one undergoing some sort of neurosis. The fruits of meditation are very real to me and very sweet, and I feel that my greatest offering, my greatest groundedness is in remaining with this spiritually sweet essence that binds and releases matter, that appears and vanishes as the consciousness, which flows timelessly and directionlessly and weightlessly through all that exists. When I remain in THAT essence, the Universe is nothing but the unfolding of a constant precious miracle that is at once intimately my home and my dearest love and still the most fathomless mystery of all.

 

I have considered going to graduate school to learn Chinese medicine. Why? Because I have suspected that it knows something of this subtle unity of the universe I have spoken about and how it relates to the human organism. I have invested hope and faith into the prospect of entering the marketplace, so to speak, without losing connection to my primary essence and purpose, which is to remain awake. Whether that brings success or failure, life or even death is not important in the least. If God chooses that this form should die, it will die, and my greatest challenge is to acknowledge and accept that.

 

So I have pondered, is Chinese Medicine truly rooted in an awakened consciousness, or is it a system that deviates from reality while wearing the garbs of some esoteric truth? Is it possible to know without practicing and learning? I want to know, can acupuncture liberate minds, can studying it bring about a deeper integration and clarity to this consciousness, or will it cloud it and bog it down with knowledge? Can one become a professional, an educated being, and remain true to the inward humility and sanctity necessary to commune with the divine essence? For those of you in school, or out of school, or teaching school, do graduates of chinese medicine succeed in the world? Can they make a difference in others' lives? Can they financially support their loved ones and family members as householders? Is the medicine totally genuine, or does one have to become a cheat, a salesman, a con in some respects to maintain a practice? Does the medicine touch the levels of the spirit? Can the medicine evolve to suit the inner mission of the practitioner? What are its limitations? Most of all, I do not understand how one can be immersed in the world of finance while remaining in harmony with the Dao. The burden of debt that the education comes with, and the practical complications of starting and running a business frighten me, as I feel they may cost me my inner spiritual integrity.

Edited January 16, 2015 by Yasjua

[henro]

Chinese medicine, as it's practiced throughout the modern world, is an amalgamation of family, and regional practices largely devoid of spiritual influence. Of course, if you go deeper into study - Daoist practices and medicine, and the classics prior to the creation of TCM, you'll find more. But if you want to be licensed and practice you'll need to devote 4 years to TCM study. Your studies will concentrate on Chinese medicine theory, points, herbs, and lots of western medicine so that you can interface with M.D.'s and insurance companies. The studies in many states are meant to be a sort of hazing, requiring huge quantities of memorization of minutia that you will never use in clinic. I attend a school that is known in the industry to have a rigorous qi cultivation program - it has mostly been a disappointment...

 

So I have pondered, is Chinese Medicine truly rooted in an awakened consciousness, or is it a system that deviates from reality while wearing the garbs of some esoteric truth? Is it possible to know without practicing and learning? I want to know, can acupuncture liberate minds, can studying it bring about a deeper integration and clarity to this consciousness, or will it cloud it and bog it down with knowledge? Can one become a professional, an educated being, and remain true to the inward humility and sanctity necessary to commune with the divine essence? For those of you in school, or out of school, or teaching school, do graduates of chinese medicine succeed in the world? Can they make a difference in others' lives? Can they financially support their loved ones and family members as householders? Is the medicine totally genuine, or does one have to become a cheat, a salesman, a con in some respects to maintain a practice? Does the medicine touch the levels of the spirit? Can the medicine evolve to suit the inner mission of the practitioner? What are its limitations? Most of all, I do not understand how one can be immersed in the world of finance while remaining in harmony with the Dao. The burden of debt that the education comes with, and the practical complications of starting and running a business frighten me, as I feel they may cost me my inner spiritual integrity.

 

Is Chinese medicine rooted in awakened consciousness? Maybe, probably, but you'll need to spend some years memorizing the varieties of hepatitis, hormones, vitamins, etc. before you discover that aspect.

 

Can acupuncture liberate minds? Of the patient or you? Potentially, with the right teachers, the right teaching, the right patients. But I wouldn't say that is the path or the goal.

 

Can one become a professional, an educated being, and remain true to the inward humility and sanctity necessary to commune with the divine essence? Of course, the Dalai Lama seems to embody this - an educated being who remains true and humble.

 

do graduates of chinese medicine succeed in the world? Can they make a difference in others' lives? Can they financially support their loved ones and family members as householders? Of course. I would say you need to do research on this for any career you intend to undertake.

 

Is the medicine totally genuine, or does one have to become a cheat, a salesman, a con in some respects to maintain a practice? I have seen some pretty amazing things happen in clinics around the world. There's enough good stuff in CM that one should not have to resort to anything but the truth. Of course, this all depends on one's level of study, and practice.

 

Does the medicine touch the levels of the spirit? yes….

 

Can the medicine evolve to suit the inner mission of the practitioner? It can, but the initial study can be torturous. Staying on the path is very, very difficult.

 

What are its limitations? That is completely based on the practitioner.

 

Most of all, I do not understand how one can be immersed in the world of finance while remaining in harmony with the Dao. The burden of debt that the education comes with, and the practical complications of starting and running a business frighten me, as I feel they may cost me my inner spiritual integrity. Thats not really a Chinese medicine question, more of a life question…. If you can't interface with the world how strong is your spiritual integrity?

 

Not once in your post did you mention helping or trying to heal others. That should be your number one calling with regard to Chinese medicine. Honestly, it sounds like you should probably be a monk or priest...

Edited January 17, 2015 by henro

[seekingbuddha]

Ran into this thread, while i was searching for something else. I know nothing about acupuncture or chinese medicine. But, since you wrote much, pouring your heart out, i wanted to chime in.

 

Can acupuncture liberate minds ? - I don't know the answer, but i get reminded of a similar question in another thread. And someone said...."if that were true, we would have acupuncturists liberating each other". View it as a healing science.

 

"....as I feel they may cost me my inner spiritual integrity...." - your final words sum it up, and the final words of the previous poster sums up an important consideration. There are degrees of spirituality (like any other quality, i guess) and it is clear that you currently seek a honorable career where you can keep your spiritual integrity intact. I don't know how old you are and where you live, but these are considerations too, for a final solution in your mind. Like the Supremely Enlightened One taught us, live is best lived in balance using the middle-path. Only you can decide what exactly balance means for your life.

[Aetherous]

Can acupuncture liberate minds ? - I don't know the answer, but i get reminded of a similar question in another thread. And someone said...."if that were true, we would have acupuncturists liberating each other". View it as a healing science.

 

There is a degree of liberation that happens from acupuncture, especially if done for that purpose. Is it as complete as Buddhism, which liberates one from the roots of suffering (such as the concepts of self and other)...no. It liberates from the effects of suffering, but not the causes.

 

(This is based on the belief that the oral teaching is what causes liberation from the causes of suffering, such as the concept of self and other. Is it possible that "energy work" can do that liberation from the causes, at least from moment to moment...yes. It's possible to meditate and obliterate the sense of self, or duality, easily. But without understanding the path, the patient or Buddhist practitioner only gets a glimpse of liberation from that, a moment of freedom from suffering, and then soon enough falls back into the old way of living. This is just like any other form of temporary bliss. So, like in gardening, the root of the weed can be cut immediately, but it grows back quickly due to not being fully removed and the soil fully explored and worked over time.)

 

In the true sense of the word, which is also the Buddhist sense, we do have acupuncturists (or better to call them Chinese Medicine practitioners, because they do other things too, like herbs) liberating each other.

Edited February 7, 2015 by Aetherous

[Brian]

<snip>

Not once in your post did you mention helping or trying to heal others. That should be your number one calling with regard to Chinese medicine.

<snip>

^^^ Repeated for emphasis.

[liminal_luke]

Is Chinese Medicine a career with spiritual integrity?

 

My opinion. If you practice with a sincere desire to help others then yes. If not, then no.

 

Liminal

Edited February 7, 2015 by liminal_luke

[松永道]

I practice Chinese medicine.

 

It is a path of self cultivation. But so is just about any other job out there.

 

In my humble opinion there are no things, activities or jobs that are inherently spiritual. Just people who are spirited. When you're spirited everything is spiritual. When you aren't, you won't find spirit anywhere.

 

Speaking practically, I don't think it's wise to invest 60-100k into a TCM education unless you really love medicine. The aim of medicine isn't liberation. The aim of medicine is to restore and preserve health. That means you'll be treating stomach aches, vertigo, musculoskeletal issues and insomnia (to give some examples from what I did yesterday).

 

I have yet to treat a patient for liberation. All the same, you could say I treat every patient for liberation. Disease breaks the body, muddles the mind, and saps the spirit. It is an obstacle to health and the pursuit of happiness - be that liberation or just enjoying life.

 

But be absolutely clear, medicine is mundane.

 

Unless you want to cultivate a spiritually needy, upperclass client base, as a physician your job is to treat tangible, immediate, mundane conditions.

 

And if you want to specialize in charging $100-200 to treat existential malaise by playing Enya, popping in a dozen needles, and leaving your patient to nap for 20 minutes - please don't call it Chinese medicine. No moral judgement. It's just not traditional medicine.

Edited February 8, 2015 by 松永道