My favourite acupuncture points: Conclusion

Many people may wonder why I don't include my own descriptions of acupuncture points, but only list them.  There are many reasons why I am reluctant to do this, the main one being that I don't think that I can explain the reasons for my choice clearly in words.  I have developed these choices after many years of practice, and mainly through something I call my "feel".  I find it very difficult if not impossible to describe how today I might feel that CV 14 is a good point for one patient, whilst III 38 might be the one for another patient.

One day I decided to look back at the treatments I gave to my first patients as part of my initial training, and was amazed at just how few points there were on this list.  And they were all such simple treatments, mostly consisting of command points plus the very occasional additional point, ones we called "spirit points" (although as I often say, all points have their spirit, command points included).  Of course we always started with an AE drain, and were on the look-out for blocks.  The main emphasis of treatment was the simple requirement to confirm a patient's element and then strengthen it in any way we could by choosing points on its two meridians, or points relating to them, such as AEPs or Windows.

I have often talked about the magical day towards the end of my postgraduate study with JR Worsley when he picked up his "brown chart", the well-known bible of acupuncture points all us five element acupuncturists have at our side, and started reading out the names of one point after another, starting with the first, Heart 1, Utmost Source, and ending with GV 28, Mouth Crossing.  He did not tell us how we should use these points, except occasionally murmuring, almost to himself, "this is a lovely point", or "only the most experienced practitioners must use this point", or "this is a forbidden point to needle".  But he spoke each point's name as though he was addressing his beloved.

 

I knew I had heard a master at work, with an understanding of what points meant to him that I would never acquire, but which had touched me at different times to help illuminate my own understanding of my craft.  Perhaps, too, I like to think that he was passing on to the few of us in his class some hint of his mastery to help us develop our own approaches to the points.  Or at least that is what I like to say to myself.