Today I am excited because I have been wanting to tell you all that I am travelling to Europe and the UK in September-October for a 5-week Chinese medicine workshop and conference tour.
This is another exciting opportunity to meet up with like-minded people in the Chinese medicine community. So where will I be, when will I be there and what am I presenting? You can also watch the short video to get further information.
First off, I will be at the incredible Tao Congress in Graz, Austria September 22-24, 2022. My workshop is on Saturday 24th from 2.30pm-6pm and is titled “Acupuncture Point Combinations for the Immune System”. Please see the abstract at the end of the blog.
If you have not been to the Tao Congress, I highly recommend it. They always have amazing topics, incredible speakers, and is in the truly gorgeous city of Graz. It is one of my favourite conferences on the planet.
Next up I am at the ICZO in Antwerp, Belgium for a three-day theory and practical workshop titled “Acupuncture Point Combinations: The Master-Key to Great Clinical Results”. This is on Friday-Sunday September 30-October 2. This is the perfect workshop if you want to understand the acupuncture point combinations more. It also incorporates practical application which is a great way of immediately applying the point combinations that were just taught. Please see the abstract at the end of the blog.
The following weekend (October 7-9) I am at International Lectures (IL) in Soesterberg/Amersfoort in The Netherlands. The workshop is titled “Acupuncture Point Combinations to Regain our Full Inner Mental Health”. Across the Friday-Sunday I am discussing a range of different emotional disorders and how you treat them using Chinese medicine. For each theory component there is also a practical session, allowing for the theory to be practically applied. This workshop also spends time looking at self-esteem, ego, the inner critic, the Xīn Bāo and a concept I call ‘Heart Shines’. These concepts are discussed before acupuncture point combinations are applied thereby giving attendees a look at how they can help patients regain their full inner mental health. Please see the abstract at the end of the blog.
After my workshop in The Netherlands, I travel up to Stockholm to present a weekend workshop for the Swedish Chinese Medicine Association. This is Saturday and Sunday October 15-16. On Saturday I discuss “Acupuncture Point Combinations for the Sense Organs” and on Sunday “Acupuncture Point Combinations for the Heart Shén and Emotional Turmoil”. As you can see from the workshop titles, I am covering a range of different disorders across the weekend. Please see the abstract at the end of the blog.
Lastly, on this tour I land in York, England at the Northern College of Acupuncture (NCA). I am actually the Module Leader for the Chinese Classics subject for their online Masters degree so it will be great to come across to the NCA to present a live workshop. Across the Saturday and Sunday (October 22-23) I am presenting on “Treating the Five Spirits using the Eight Extraordinary Vessels: A Practical Course”. As the title suggests I am merging the Five Spirits with the Eight Extraordinary Vessels, which is not something that is commonly taught. Similar to the ICZO and IL workshops, this weekend will incorporate theory and practical application. Please see the abstract at the end of the blog.
I will also have both of my international textbooks with me that attendees can purchase for a workshop discount.
For me, this trip is a chance to re-engage with the international Chinese medicine community in person, after nearly three years of Covid. In terms of future Europe/UK trips I plan to do annual workshop trips in May and September every year. I also plan to include live workshop trips to the USA and Canada into 2023 and beyond.
If you are Europe or the UK and are interested, please send me a message from the website or via email at dahartmann8@gmail.com
Love and light to you all
David Hartmann
Conference/Workshop Abstracts
Tao Congress Abstract for “Acupuncture Point Combinations for the Immune System”
Over the past two years the coronavirus (Covid) has run rampant throughout the world with millions of people adversely affected. Regarding acupuncture clinical practice, Covid has resulted in a huge spike in patient numbers across two main areas – mental health and the respiratory system.
This workshop will take a closer look at the latter – via treatment of the ‘Immune System’. Join me for a fascinating workshop that will give you treatments that can be applied immediately in acupuncture clinical practice.
ICZO Abstract for “Acupuncture Point Combinations: The Master-Key to Great Clinical Results”
Students often ask me what makes an average acupuncture treatment an optimal one. My answer always revolves around the point combinations used for the treatment. What is your strategy? Does it come from past treatment successes for certain conditions? Perhaps it’s a point combination that a favourite author suggested? Maybe it’s designed around a diagnostic tool you use like the Wǔ Xíng/Five Element System or the Zàng Fǔ Patterns of Disharmony?
Recently the international publishing company Singing Dragon commissioned me to write a book titled ‘The Principles and Practical Application of Acupuncture Point Combinations’ due for publication in September 2019. This came about as a result of me researching, gathering and generating information for my students. In the end the content got so large that I realised that this information needed to get out to as many people internationally as possible.
This workshop is a way for me to get this valuable information out to attendees before the book has been released. It’s designed to get participants thinking about the reasons for their point combination choices via theoretical and practical discussions and activities. It will include wide-ranging point combination strategies/themes including:
- How acupuncture point combinations work.
- Treating the person, not the disease.
- Sticky forehead labels for our patients.
- How to combine acupuncture points.
The previous 4 dot points are sent to participants prior to the workshop as theory to study and understand. This will free up more time for practical and will ensure that participants understand how/why the acupuncture point combinations are structured the way they are.
- Local and distal points on the same channel.
- Yīn Yáng partners – Five Elements (Wǔ Xíng).
- Yīn Yīn partners (Six Divisions).
- Yáng Yáng partners (Six Divisions).
- Top and bottom.
- Corresponding.
- Distal and local.
- Left and right.
- Front and back.
- Whole body.
- Points with similar Pīn Yīn names/meanings.
- Original (Yuán) Yīn and Yáng.
- Crown and Third Eye.
- Triangle/Pyramid of power.
- Open the Four Gates.
- Three Regions/Powers – Heaven, Earth, Human (Tiān Dì Rén).
- ‘Three Yīn 6’s’.
- The Great Five.
- Figure Eight – Wǔ Shén/Five Spirits balancing.
- Zàng Fǔ/Sān Jiāo balance.
- Chain and Lock.
- Bright Foyer, Watchtower, Court, Fence and Shield.
- Back Shù Transporting, Front Mù Collecting, Yuán Source.
- Host/Guest – Yuán Source and Luò Connecting.
- Kidney Spirit Gate.
The previous 25 acupuncture point combinations are what the workshop is all about. Both theory and practical demonstration/participation are done on these point combinations.
There will also be consistent clinical examples of point combinations using a variety of disorders. This will then feed into the hands-on component which will show plenty of different strategies discussed above as well as getting participants involved in practical activities to challenge their understanding of point combinations.
Regardless of your level of experience this workshop will accommodate you. There will also be extensive notes provided for participants as well.
Learning how best to combine the points allows practitioners to study far less points individually, because they will understand how points should be grouped together, thereby providing optimal treatment results.
Join me for this fascinating and enjoyable workshop!
IL Abstract for “Acupuncture Point Combinations to Regain our Full Inner Mental Health”
Over the past couple of years, Covid has caused enormous damage to humanity. Millions of people worldwide have died; even more have lost their jobs, become bankrupt, lost their homes, lost everything! On top of that, instead of joining together during this difficult time (for the greater good), we have turned on each other. Pro-vax versus anti-vax; carte blanche versus government mandates and restrictions; country lockdowns versus Darwinism (natural selection).
Not surprisingly, there has been a disturbing worldwide increase in mental health issues. You have probably seen it in your family members, friends, work colleagues, acquaintances, and patients. You are hit with it 24 hours a day on the news reports.
Yet, with the increase in mental health disorders globally, the literature to support the use of Chinese medicine to treat these emotional complaints has not kept up. No doubt you have been taught how to treat the traditional Seven Emotions (Qī Qíng/七情) but what do you do when a patient isn’t needing treatment for one of those seven?
David Hartmann has studied, and treated, mental health disorders for a long time. During this workshop he will not only take you through the vast array of mental health disorders your patients are suffering from, but he will also explain what mental health is, from a Chinese medicine and philosophy perspective. By analysing mental health disorders, along with their Yīn Yáng Organ/Five Element/Eight Extraordinary Vessel relationships and diagnosis, you will get an understanding of what it means to suffer from mental health disorders. Acupuncture point combinations are included throughout, making the workshop clinically relevant immediately.
David will begin our mental health journey by looking at the following mental health disorders:
- Depression – including a discussion on suicidal tendencies; plus, a deeper look at identity issues (‘why am I here?’, ‘what is the point of my life?’, ‘who am I?’, ‘why does it look like everyone else has it all worked out but not me?’)
- Anxiety
- Stress, frustration, overwhelm
- Shame
- Procrastination
- Phobias
- Panic attacks
- Timidity, shyness, withdrawal from society.
Further, David will discuss with you how Chinese medicine understands what it takes to be healthy – physically, mentally, and spiritually. He will illustrate this by looking at the following issues that patients also suffer from:
- Self-esteem issues – including a discussion on ‘External Skin’, ‘Internal Skin’ and the Heart Shield (Xīn Bāo/心包)
- Sympathy/empathy concerns
- Problems living in the present moment – prefer to live in the past or future
- Hypervigilance
- A pessimistic approach to life
- Addictions/cravings – including smoking, alcohol and opiates
After this David will end his fascinating workshop by explaining what ‘full inner mental health’ really is. This knowledge will allow you to help your patients better understand who they are, how they react/are triggered by life’s adventures and challenges, and how to let go of their emotional trauma and move into joy, peace, contentment, and harmony.
This remarkably insightful workshop will give you lots of new tools you can apply in your clinic immediately. Your patients will thank you for it!
Swedish Chinese Medicine Association Abstract for “Acupuncture Point Combinations for the Sense Organs”
Treating sense organs is a lot like treating any other part of the body. That is, you need to still look at the patient as a whole rather than make assumptions based on what’s most likely. Sure, it’s okay to consider the Liver organ when someone has an eye disorder, but it’s best not to discount other possible organs, or even channels.
Welcome to a one-day workshop packed full of acupuncture point combinations for the sense organs. We will analyse disorders associated with the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and throat. General treatments will be offered for each sense organ as well as more in-depth organ based acupuncture point combinations.
Not every sense organ disorder will be discussed, partially because of time limitations, but also because they are not commonly seen in a Chinese medicine clinic. This design is such that you have additional tools to employ in your clinic immediately.
So, if you are hoping for a workshop with clinically relevant content, you have come to the right place.
Swedish Chinese Medicine Association Abstract for “Acupuncture Point Combinations for the Heart Shén and Emotional Turmoil”
From experience, when a Chinese medicine practitioner searches for content on how to treat emotions and mental health conditions (for our medicine), two key things occur. The first, is that there is a significant lack of content; the second, is that the content available is too foundational.
I have been in practice since 1993 and treating mental health is my special interest, and I rarely see patients that present with one of the seven main emotions as their primary complaint. Our patient’s mental health is usually quite complicated, therefore you need to think ‘outside the box’ when constructing acupuncture point combinations.
In this workshop we will analyse and discuss acupuncture point combinations for:
- The Heart Shén.
- Pericardium (Xīn Bāo).
- Self-Esteem Issues.
- Depression.
- Anxiety.
- Shame.
- Procrastination.
- Sympathy and Empathy.
- Decision Making Issues.
- Poor Memory.
- ‘Writers Block’.
- Timidity/Shyness.
There is nothing wrong with having a solid grounding in the foundations of Chinese medicine, the emotions included. Afterall, the foundations lay the bedrock. What this workshop will do for you, however, is give you acupuncture point combinations for mental health conditions that you will see in clinic most days of the week.
So, if you want a workshop that gives you content that is almost impossible to find, especially in this condensed format, look no further.
NCA Abstract for “Treating the Five Spirits using the Eight Extraordinary Vessels: A Practical Course”
Welcome to a workshop that I promise you will be filled with fascinating Chinese medicine concepts that can be applied into your clinical practice immediately. 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 as a practical course 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 where participants get the opportunity to practically apply the concepts taught.
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. Then participants break into groups and practically apply what has been taught.
Join me for a fascinating weekend which has been designed specifically for participants to learn something new!