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
Sep 28, 2021 • 1h 18min
219 Historical Context, Breaking Down Dogma, and Learning from Crisis Moments • Allen Tsuar
There are many schools of thought, methods both ancient and modern, practices based on lineage and those idiosyncratically synthetic. It is easy to think that what you understand is correct, and all too often medicine is practiced with a bit of an attachment to dogma. But biases are dangerous, and they narrow your field of vision—influencing your work as a practitioner. Plus, what happens when the bias or dogma is shattered?In this conversation with Allen Tsaur, we discuss some of his translation projects of classical Chinese Medicine writing and interpreting old resources. When we borrow from ancient wisdom and Chinese Medicine ideologies it is vitally important to consider the historical context. What questions were the practitioners trying to answer in their time? What were the environmental and cultural conditions that gave rise to their perspectives?Listen into this discussion as we mull over topics surrounding the process of translating historical messages, the issue of dogma, and learning from crisis moments.
Sep 21, 2021 • 1h 29min
Uncertainty and Investing in Our Practice • William Green • Qi218
It’s easy to have beliefs about people we don’t know. Especially if they tick the boxes of our biases, prejudice, ignorance and the opinions of our friends. When you think about successful stock market investors you’re probably not thinking about people with compassion, curiosity, spiritually and a sense of fair play. But for some of the top level investors that he interviews, you’ll find humility, generosity and a deep abiding sense of the ephemeral nature of the world and a habit of “cultivation” that would not be foreign to a Daoist, Buddhist or practitioner of the Kabbalah. In this discussion with William Green we talk about how top of the game investors lean on morality, responsibility, humility, intelligence and are eccentric in that they are able to face the uncertainty that goes hand in hand with investing and keep their own counsel when the rest of the world is telling them their wrong. We are talking about some high level Gong Fu here.Listen into this conversation with William Green as we discuss his book Richer, Wiser, Happier and what he has learned about spiritually, generosity and self-cultivation from Masters of the Dow.
Sep 7, 2021 • 1h 12min
216 Perspectives From a Family Lineage • Dr Shou-Bin Yu & Anthony DiSalvo
Traditions tell a story. They hold and transmit insights into cultural, religious, and sometimes medical practices. They can give us a glimpse into how family lineages consider and refine aspects of medicine learned in the institutional settings. In this conversation with Dr. Shoubin Yu and Anthony DiSalvo, we explore some of the methods and perspective of the Yu Family Chinese medicine traditions. Anthony is an apprentice of Dr. Yu—carrying down the Yu Family methods that go back over 500 years. We talk about the history of this family lineage, its underlying theories, and why it’s important to teach people how to utilize Chinese massage (Tuina) to overcome illness and prevent the onset of acquired diseases.Listen to this discussion on generational health, Tuina massage, and the perspectives that characterize the Yu Dayi Method.
Aug 31, 2021 • 1h 14min
215 Inquisitiveness, Engagement and Vitality • Velia Wortman
As practitioners of Chinese Medicine, it’s our responsibility to address all aspects of our patient’s experience: mind, body, and spirit. This demands that we listen carefully to the various streams of information at our disposal—whether from our learned experience or from what the patient’s body is telling us.In this conversation with Velia Wortman, we explore the importance of paying attention to what the body is saying, using our senses to best serve our patients, how to discern subtle motion from wishful thinking, along with recognizing and avoiding overtreatment.Listen into this discussion as we engage with our patient’s vitality through palpation, osteopathic listening methods and that curious space that arises between knowing and attending.
Aug 24, 2021 • 1h 15min
214 Eastern and Western Philosophy and the Future of Chinese Medicine • Brenda Hood
How we think influences what we do. The models and frameworks we use to understand not just our medicine, but the world itself, opens or limits the options we can offer our patients for treatment. While the Venn Diagrams of East Asian and Western medicine share some overlap, at their core they are rooted in very different world views. Which in turn influences how we might be able to help our patients. In this conversation, with Brenda Hood we investigate the need for a distinction between East Asian medicine and Western medicine in practice, the importance of thinking about Chinese medicine in its own terms, and the failures that arise from mingling Western medical thinking into East Asian diagnostics and practice. Listen into this discussion on Eastern and Western philosophy and how that shapes not just our practices, but the future of East Asian medicine.
Aug 21, 2021 • 55min
Encore Episode, Building a Business: On The Path • Marketing Mini Series 3
Stacey Whitcomb, the guest of this conversation was on Qiological, at the beginning of 2018, she was just graduating from Chinese medicine school and thoroughly psyched about building a business. In this episode we check in and see where she's at 8 months down the road. What's working, what needs some tuning and how the "practice of practice" informs her days and decisions.
Aug 17, 2021 • 1h 7min
213 Boundaries, Filters, Language and Flow, The Terrain of Empathy • Diane Fabian Smith
I’m reminded of the stillness of cats. How they can sit both still and yet completely and serenely attentive. So too with resonance, there is the yin aspect of stillness with the yang expression of vibrating with the influence of the environment. And in the middle, ren, person, the human heart. In this discussion with Diane Fabian-Smith we look into empathy, along with the filters and boundaries that allow us to connect without getting lost in the encounter. Listen into this conversation on resonance, maintaining boundaries in our practice with patients, creating a friendly but firm relationship with our stories and egos. And respectfully engaging the inner terrain of our patients and ourselves in our clinical work.
Aug 10, 2021 • 1h 4min
212 Pulse, Presence and Process- Navigating the Flow • Ross Rosen
Pulse palpation…the telling touch in Chinese Medicine. It’s an integral aspect of East Asian that is simple in some ways, and deeply nuanced and complex in others. Feeling and interpreting a patient’s pulse is only one facet of clinical interaction. A practitioner has to be present and mindful of the patient; mindful of the experience.In this conversation with Ross Rosen, we talk extensively about taking the pulse, connecting with the patient, being mindful of resources, and intervening appropriately for best outcomes. We dabble on topics surrounding implementing theories into clinical practice, Shen-Hammer pulse diagnosis, and understanding the patient’s psychology.Listen in on this discussion on the potency of clinical intervention and the importance of building a therapeutic connection with patients while “navigating the terrain.”
Aug 3, 2021 • 1h 3min
211 Chinese Medicine in South America • Rodrigo Aranda
Life has a way of nudging us in different directions. Some find inspiration in life-changing events; others in the smallest of things. But whichever path we take, we all have stories of how we got to do what we do.In this discussion with Rodrigo Aranda, we not only discuss his backstory and the stepping stones that led him to practice Chinese Medicine—but also how Chinese Medicine got to South America. And for a practice that dates back thousands of years, it’s interesting that Chinese Medicine has only started garnering interest from an international audience in the last few decades. Listen in on this conversation as Rodrigo Aranda takes us down a relatable journey into Chinese Medicine experiences and how the practice is slowly taking root in different parts of the world.
Jul 27, 2021 • 57min
210 Sitting in the Fire- Ethics, Presence & Connection • Seanna Sifflet
How we are with ourselves affects how we are with patients. Our own difficulties in life can assist us in helping others, but it requires that we are able to come to a sense of neutrality with those traumas of the past. In this conversation with Seanna Sifflet we discuss using our own feelings, the healing potentials in empathy and forgiveness, and the importance of overcoming our own biases.Listen into this discussion on the importance of of managing our own nervous systems and cultivating the capacity to remain present and neutral when patients bring forth emotional material that rhythms with our own experience.
