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The Spark of Life – extract from The Spark in the Machine

Singing DragonJuly 10, 2014 0 Comments

In this chapter, Daniel Keown offers up a fascinating account of how the human body works in relation to electrical currents.
Keown explores the ‘super substance’ collagen, electrical currents that mimic the Qi flowing along channels, and the intelligent energy that regrows broken bones.

Read the extract…

“This book is a must read for anyone that has ever wondered how Acupuncture might work. Daniel Keown, a Western medical doctor and Acupuncturist, has managed to stylishly bridge the gap between ancient Chinese medicine theory and Western medical science which is no small feat. He explains complex ideas with elegant simplicity and provides case studies to bring some of the ideas to life. This should be on the curriculum for both Acupuncturists and Western medical students. This book is thoughtfully written and raises stimulating ideas for future work in this area.”
– Amazon customer review

The Spark in the Machine by Daniel Keown is available to buy from the Singing Dragon website

Shōnishin: the many applications of non-invasive acupuncture – by Thomas Wernicke

Singing DragonJune 4, 2014 0 Comments

Shōnishin is a non-invasive form of acupuncture developed specifically to respond to the needs of children. Instead of needles gentle stimulation all over the body is performed with a tool, which is rather like a nail, by different stroking techniques. In addition to the stroking techniques, different tapping techniques are used in certain areas and vibration techniques on acupuncture points.

In the past few years a steadily increasing interest in Shōnishin has become noticeable outside its home country of Japan, especially in Europe, Britain, and the United States.

So what makes Shōnishin so popular with therapists, parents and children? There are many reasons:

Therapists see Shōnishin as a way of developing as a practitioner
The treatment is simple and effective, and the successes speak for themselves
Children love this treatment as it has a pleasant feel to them
Parents are very accepting of the treatment as it is gentle and non-invasive.

Another reason for the spreading of Shōnishin is that this treatment method can be used field-specifically. Depending on the therapist’s professional background, as a doctor, alternative practitioner, Shiatsu-practitioner, physiotherapist or midwife, the patient collective, and thereby the indications, are different.

By way of example, approximately 70-80% of all midwifes in Germany have an acupuncture education – and thereby are qualified to practice Shōnishin. For them, Shōnishin offers great opportunities to support newborn babies suffering from feeding difficulties, abdominal pain, developmental problems or even excessive crying. In the event of a needle phobia, Shōnishin is an alternative for pregnant women while preparing for birth or as a supporting treatment for women who have recently given birth and suffer from involutional problems or blocked milk ducts.

The area of application of Shōnishin for orthopedics is completely different from that of midwives. Their focus is mainly on children with problems related to posture and the musculoskeletal system. On the other hand pediatricians apply Shōnishin with infants suffering from problems of the digestive system, the respiratory system or developmental disorders, whereas allergies and neurodermatitis are in the foreground with older children.

General practitioners are finding the technique useful for children or adolescents with concentration problems in school, ADHD or enuresis.

Shiatsu practitioners often apply Shōnishin in combination with baby-shiatsu or children-shiatsu, in order to support them in their development. Physiotherapists can show better successes in the treatment of hemiparetic children, as the usually increased tonicity can be decreased by additional treatment with Shōnishin and thereby the children become more treatable.

For acupuncturists, especially for those who focus on treating children, a new field of action comes in appearance with Shōnishin, respectively an existing one can be widened. Furthermore, Shōnishin is an interesting supplement – or even an alternative for any therapist with acupuncture knowledge using manual methods.

Shōnishin is being used as an alternative to acupuncture in women’s shelters, mother-child facilities and nurseries. In this case women and children who are in difficult social or monetary situations, abandoned, without any obvious way out, are supported. These include traumatised women and children (for instance victims of rape), who are only able to permit touching due to the “interposed” Shōnishin instrument which means no dermal contact with the skin takes place.

Another field of application for Shōnishin will be in the treatment of the elderly. Particular parameters like skin conditions and mental conditions seem to show retrogression into childhood. First experiences with Shōnishin in residential care homes show promising treatment approaches. Even here it becomes obvious, that treatment with a Shōnishin instrument is advantageous: seniors often suffer from a shortage of physical contact. With Shōnishin the contact doesn’t take place directly, but indirectly with an instrument. For that reason seniors have no fear of contact and are willing to allow the treatment. Another advantage of treating elderly people with Shōnishin is that many of them have to take blood-thinning medicines. Due to the non-invasive and gentle treatment technique with Shōnishin, there is no contraindication.

Conclusion

Shōnishin is about to play an important role in the treatment of children. Shōnishin finds its application in doctor’s or acupuncturist’s surgeries, midwife work and increasingly in clinics. During the last years we can observe in the framework of congresses (TCM, acupuncture, pediatrics) an increasing demand for Shōnishin lectures and events. An increasing number of doctors and non-doctors (alternative practitioner, physiotherapists, midwives, Shiatsu-practitioners) are discovering this exceptionally gentle and effective type of treatment.

Thomas Wernicke is a licensed General Practitioner with qualifications in complementary medicine, Chinese and Japanese acupuncture. He has been the Training Manager for Daishi Hari Shōnishin in Europe since 2004. His new book: Shōnishin: The Art of Non-Invasive Paediatric Acupuncture is now available from Singing Dragon. This complete and user-friendly guide provides everything practitioners should know about Shōnishin and how this therapy can be used with different age ranges, especially young children.

Singing Dragon complete 2014

Singing DragonApril 15, 2014 1 Comment

This fully interactive brochure has all of the new Singing Dragon titles for the spring and summer of 2014 as well as our complete backlist. In here you will find books on Chinese medicine, complementary therapies, martial arts, nutrition, yoga, ayurveda, qigong, Daoism, aromatherapy, and many more alternative therapies and ancient wisdom traditions.

Click on the covers or titles to be taken to the book’s page on the Singing Dragon website. If you would like to request hard copies please email hello@intl.singingdragon.com with your details and the number of copies you would like.

VIDEO: What are acupuncture points?

Singing DragonFebruary 28, 2014 0 Comments

Emergency doctor and acupuncturist, Dr Daniel Keown, explains his groundbreaking theory that integrates western embryology with ancient Chinese knowledge to explain how acupuncture works in a way that lines up with both eastern and western medical tradtions.

This is part of the theory behind Dr Keown’s revolutionary new book, The Spark in the Machine, which could change the way we think about alternative and mainstream medicine forever. The book is available to order now from the Singing Dragon website.

The Compleat (not Complete) Acupuncturist

Singing DragonFebruary 6, 2014 0 Comments

When people look at the beautiful cover of Peter Eckman‘s new book, most think that the printers have made a terrible, embarrassing mistake. They have not. In the dedication of The Compleat Acupucturist, Eckman apologises for “stealing” the title from Sir Isaak Walton’s The Compleat Angler. In 1653 Walton wrote:

in this Discourse I do not undertake to say all that is known, or may be said of it, but I undertake to acquaint the Reader with many things that are not usually known to every Angler; and I shall leave gleanings and observations enough to be made out of the experience of all that love and practise this recreation, to which I shall encourage them. For Angling may be said to be so like the Mathematicks, that it can never be fully learnt; at least not so fully but that there will still be more new experiments left for the trial of other men that succeed us.

In the following apologia (not apology) taken from the book, Eckman explains how this treatise on integrating the various disciplines of Oriental medicine into a whole coherent model, with pulse diagnosis as a common thread across different traditions, uses the same spirit of acquainting the reader with things not usually known.

APOLOGIA1

The archaic language of the title is intended to convey the author’s somewhat “tongue in cheek” approach to the notion of “completeness.” It is certainly not the intention to claim that this treatise covers all or even most of what informs the practice of the art and science of acupuncture, nor that the author is asserting any special claim of mastery. Rather, the idea of “compleatness” refers to the goal of integrating various notions of Oriental medical theory and practice from such diverse sources as India, Korea, and Japan, including their interpretation by Western practitioners, into the discussion of a subject that is often tacitly limited to the Chinese tradition. As will be repeatedly emphasized in the text, the author is not arguing for the superiority of any one style of acupuncture practice, nor disparaging any of the traditions that may not receive as much attention as others in this book. It is the author’s view that, ultimately, all the teachings and traditions of Oriental medicine are aspects of the same shared perception of the nature of reality, in health and illness, and are to be honored for their part in elucidating the nature of the whole.

Another reason for choosing the word “compleat” is that it suggests, to the author at least, the archetypal symbol of the circle, with all its associations, and harkens back to the initial publication some 30 years ago of Closing the Circle,2 jointly written with Stuart Kutchins. The present treatise can be seen as the fruit of the premises first presented there, manifesting here as a practical approach to the clinical practice of acupuncture, in this case based on the art and science of pulse diagnosis.

This treatise is also an attempt to create a more unified theoretical foundation for Oriental medicine.3 Whether it will be possible for someone to discover a unifying theory that covers both Eastern and Western medicine is a subject best left for future investigators.

The Compleat Acupuncturist is available now from the Singing Dragon website.

1 From the Greek, meaning the defense of a position against attack.
2 Eckman, P. and Kutchins, S., Closing the Circle: Lectures on the Unity of Traditional Oriental Medicine. Fairfax, CA: Shen Foundation, 1983.
3 “Most of the really great breakthroughs in science are unifications. Newton’s laws of motion unified the sky and Earth as ruled by the same physics; that was radically different from the earlier Aristotelian concept, in which the two realms were separate. Einstein’s laws of relativity unified space and time.” Owen J. Gingerich (a science historian at Harvard), quoted in Chang, K., “Quakes, Tectonic and Theoretical.” New York Times, January 15, 2011. Available at www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/weekinreview/16chang.html, accessed June 18, 2013.

Singing Dragon New Titles – Autumn/Winter 2013-14

Singing DragonJanuary 3, 2014 0 Comments

The Singing Dragon new titles catalogue is available to view online and download. It features our complete range of titles coming to you over the next few months. There is plenty to look out for including new books on acupuncture, Chinese medicine, Qigong, Daoism, yoga, and complementary therapies.

All the titles, author names, and covers are interactive; just click on them to be taken to the book or author page on the Singing Dragon website.

Sign up to receive the Singing Dragon New Titles Catalogue, Autumn/Winter 2013-14

Singing DragonNovember 1, 2013 2 Comments

Our Singing Dragon New Titles catalogue for Autumn and Winter 2013-14 is now available. With full information on our expanding list of books in Chinese Medicine, Qigong, Daoism, Yoga, Aromatherapy, and a variety of other disciplines, our new titles catalogue is an essential resource for complementary health practitioners and anyone interested in enhancing their own health, wellbeing and personal development.

To receive a free copy of the catalogue, please sign up for our mailing list

You may also request multiple copies to share with friends, family, colleagues and clients–simply note how many copies of the catalog you would like (up to 20) in the “any additional comments” box on the sign-up form. Please be sure to click any additional areas of interest as well. You should receive a copy of the catalogue within two to three weeks.

The secrets of Facial Enhancement Acupuncture – Interview with Paul Adkins

Singing DragonOctober 25, 2013 3 Comments

‘Facial Enhancement Acupuncture’ by Paul Adkins

So Paul, can you give us an idea of where Facial Enhancement Acupuncture came from?

Well, Facial Enhancement Acupuncture is my own protocol. I have taken historical points and used them to create this system of treatment. But facial acupuncture itself goes back at least a thousand years to the Song Dynasty when the Chinese Empress and Emperor’s concubines received acupuncture for anti-ageing purposes. So Facial Enhancement Acupuncture is a modern take on a very old tradition.

How does it work?

The first way is by lifting and tightening faces. I use acupuncture needles to give facial muscles a workout. It’s like getting your face to do a sit up, and just as a sit up will tighten your abs, this tightens jowls and other sagging skin.
The other way it works is by treating lines and wrinkles; the lines at the corners of your mouth or the “number 11s” at the top of your nose between your eyes. I insert needles to create a minute injury and the body makes natural collagen to heal the trauma and fills in the line, just like repairing a scar. It’s very subtle but after a few treatments you see a real difference. I recommend patients to have 10 weekly or fortnightly treatments and then top-up sessions every few months.

What are the benefits of Facial Enhancement Acupuncture?

The major benefit is that it reduces and slows the signs of ageing. The effects are quite amazing; it’s a real long-term lift for the face. Patients look better and they also feel better. The treatment integrates body points as well as points on the face and they have the side-effect of improving wellbeing.

What are the advantages of the treatment over cosmetic surgery, Botox or anti-ageing creams?

The main advantage is that it’s totally natural; no chemicals or invasive procedures. Also the recovery time is next to nothing, there’s no redness or irritation and so treatments can be done at any time of day.

Many people use acupuncture for treating pain, is it difficult to get people interested using it for cosmetic purposes?

My regular patients have already gotten into acupuncture and so are open to using it in a different way. I’ve become known for doing Facial Enhancement Acupuncture and so patients come to me looking for an alternative to Botox. It’s becoming much more recognised and is really catching on with plenty of celebrities raving about it, and that leads to people phoning the clinic to find out more.

What sort of reactions do you get from first-time patients?

They’re often really surprised! The treatment uses over 80 needles and so people can be a bit apprehensive. But then they realise it’s pain-free and say they can see a difference from the first treatment. They also feel a lot better after a session.

Finally, do you have any advice for practitioners considering incorporating Facial Enhancement Acupuncture into their practice?

It’s definitely something to look at. Acupuncturists will already have a potential client base of all their existing patients so it’s a really good source of income. Most people are already having facial treatments at the beauty parlour in the form of facial massage, facials, and chemical peels. They already trust you, so why not keep the treatment in house? It’s always worth having more strings to your bow.

Paul Adkins is a qualified acupuncturist who trained at the CTA Leamington College of Five-Element Acupuncture. He established The Mitchell Hill Clinic (www.themitchellhillclinic.co.uk) in the south west of England and has been practising acupuncture there for over eight years. He is a member of the British Acupuncture Council and has trained acupuncturists in over 30 countries to perform this natural, anti-ageing treatment. As well as lecturing on facial acupuncture both in the UK and worldwide, Paul became a Zita West Affiliated Fertility Acupuncturist in 2008.

How complementary therapists can help older people

Singing DragonOctober 24, 2013 2 Comments

Complementary Therapies for Older People in Care by Sharon Tay

In this extract from Complementary Therapies for Older People in Care, Sharon Tay gives practical advice on how therapists can adapt treatments to suit older people with age-related medical conditions, such as Arthritis, Parkinson’s Disease and Cardiovascular Disease.

Click here to read the extract.

Sharon demonstrates how the role of a beauty and natural therapist is valuable in providing care and attention to frail and elderly people who can no longer cater for their own needs. Simple treatments such as an application of make-up, a session of reflexology or a manicure can greatly restore dignity and confidence to help these clients face the challenges in their physical and mental well-being that ageing brings.

Sharon Tay is a beauty therapist and natural therapist who has worked in the industry for eighteen years. She specialises in health and beauty care for women of all age groups, particularly with older women residing in both nursing homes and private residences. Complementary Therapies for Older People in Care is available to purchase from the Singing Dragon website.

Master Wu brings spiritual practices back to the British Acupuncture Council

Singing DragonSeptember 27, 2013 1 Comment

Master Zhongxian Wu made one of his rare visits to the UK to attend the British Acupuncture Council conference. He gave a series of workshops focusing on “shaking the blues away” with Classical Qigong. The technique of shaking the body is connected to the thunder trigram which is associated with new energy and new life. Each morning of the weekend-long conference a crowd of delegates and exhibitors made their way across the lawns towards the sounds of the Qin – a recording of Master Wu playing the ancient Chinese zither. After an hour and a half of constant movement, shaking limbs while focusing on the energy in different parts of the body, it was clear that everyone could feel a real difference; eyes were brighter, everyone was energized and talkative, and all needed huge breakfasts.

Conference manager, Kevin Durjan, was thrilled with the positive reaction to Master Wu’s presence at the conference. He said he has been trying to “bring back the spiritual side of Acupuncture to the BAcC” as it is such an important part of the practice.

Singing Dragon authors, Angela Hicks and John Hicks were among those being honoured with BAcC fellowships. John made quite a stir with his acceptance speech as he called for the British Acupuncture Council to “lead the way in the integration of Chinese Medicine and have one umbrella organisation for Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, and Herbal Medicine.”

The conference was a great success and left attendees with a lot to think about. The final day closed with a shaking session with Master Wu so people could go back to their practices feeling inspired and invigorated.

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