Comments on: Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine http://www.acupuncturedepression.org/between-heaven-and-earth-a-guide-to-chinese-medicine.html About Acupuncture Depression, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Stress, Treatment, Research, Therapy, Points, and Depression Five Element Acupuncture Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:09:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dr. Abdul Rehman Jami http://www.acupuncturedepression.org/between-heaven-and-earth-a-guide-to-chinese-medicine.html/comment-page-1#comment-1403 Dr. Abdul Rehman Jami Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:10:41 +0000 http://www.acupuncturedepression.org/between-heaven-and-earth-a-guide-to-chinese-medicine.html#comment-1403 In the first glance I couldn't get the idea of information contained in this book but after spending few minutes on the contents I decided to purchase it. It doesn't not give you all the details you need yet it is one of the best introductions on chinese medicine one can have. It stirs up the interest for the further studies and itself could be one of a good reference books. Even those who read books for fun would enjoy reading it. The diagrams and the expression absorbs you in. Rating: 4 / 5 In the first glance I couldn’t get the idea of information contained in this book but after spending few minutes on the contents I decided to purchase it. It doesn’t not give you all the details you need yet it is one of the best introductions on chinese medicine one can have. It stirs up the interest for the further studies and itself could be one of a good reference books. Even those who read books for fun would enjoy reading it. The diagrams and the expression absorbs you in.
Rating: 4 / 5

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.acupuncturedepression.org/between-heaven-and-earth-a-guide-to-chinese-medicine.html/comment-page-1#comment-1402 Anonymous Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:49:00 +0000 http://www.acupuncturedepression.org/between-heaven-and-earth-a-guide-to-chinese-medicine.html#comment-1402 This book gives a good foundation for understanding how the Chinese five elements theory is used in clinical practice. The description of five-element theory is very poetically written, so the book is fun to read. There is also a good introduction to acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. The chapters on acupuncture and herbal medicine are fairly technical, so if you don't have much interest in these areas, you may find the sections boring.<p>The main problem with the book is it's over-emphasis on the Five Elements. From what I understand, the Chinese five element theory is not regarded as important to diagnosis and treatment in TCM as the theory of yin/yang and chi (in fact, the validity of the theory is still hotly debated in China today) so its treatment here may be a bit over-emphasized. Rating: 4 / 5 This book gives a good foundation for understanding how the Chinese five elements theory is used in clinical practice. The description of five-element theory is very poetically written, so the book is fun to read. There is also a good introduction to acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. The chapters on acupuncture and herbal medicine are fairly technical, so if you don’t have much interest in these areas, you may find the sections boring.

The main problem with the book is it’s over-emphasis on the Five Elements. From what I understand, the Chinese five element theory is not regarded as important to diagnosis and treatment in TCM as the theory of yin/yang and chi (in fact, the validity of the theory is still hotly debated in China today) so its treatment here may be a bit over-emphasized.
Rating: 4 / 5

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.acupuncturedepression.org/between-heaven-and-earth-a-guide-to-chinese-medicine.html/comment-page-1#comment-1401 Anonymous Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:13:25 +0000 http://www.acupuncturedepression.org/between-heaven-and-earth-a-guide-to-chinese-medicine.html#comment-1401 This book has been a valuable resource to me as a person seeking healing through various alternative medicines. While I found Chinese Medicine helpful I didn't understand why, and I now feel as though I can take an active roll in discussions with my provider about various treatments. I do not have a long attention span when it comes to dry manuals, but this book was written to be understood and will hold your interest. The only part of the book I found lacking was the index. As I tried to put together a 'treatment plan' for myself, I had difficulty finding specific topics/herbs again. Rating: 5 / 5 This book has been a valuable resource to me as a person seeking healing through various alternative medicines. While I found Chinese Medicine helpful I didn’t understand why, and I now feel as though I can take an active roll in discussions with my provider about various treatments. I do not have a long attention span when it comes to dry manuals, but this book was written to be understood and will hold your interest. The only part of the book I found lacking was the index. As I tried to put together a ‘treatment plan’ for myself, I had difficulty finding specific topics/herbs again.
Rating: 5 / 5

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.acupuncturedepression.org/between-heaven-and-earth-a-guide-to-chinese-medicine.html/comment-page-1#comment-1400 Anonymous Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:25:51 +0000 http://www.acupuncturedepression.org/between-heaven-and-earth-a-guide-to-chinese-medicine.html#comment-1400 What a great book...If I had to be marooned on a desert island, etc., etc., with just one book on acupuncture, helpful for understanding the human condition, this would be the book, and there isn't even a close second that comes to mind. The authors were **the** people who brought an understanding of Chinese medicine to the U.S. in the 1970s, and this book is a heroic attempt to educate us and interest us at the same time with what they had found. It's hard to tell whether they're classic five element practitioners (I've heard differing points of view on this) but they do a FABULOUS job on breaking down what's involved with that unique, and very hard to find out about, form of acupuncture. Although practitioners will say that they can only figure out your type from actually diagnosing you in person, I found that when I put my husband and me through the written "tests" in the book, very comprehensive, we actually came out ahead: and figured out "what" we were, 1.5 years ahead of the acupuncturist so doing. That gave me even more confidence in the book. Not to mention, reading and thinking about what the test revealed about us HUGELY promoted our understanding of ourselves and each other, and made for a fun adjunct to a vacation weekend. This is a great book, and I find myself referring to it again and again, though I've also read--and own--many of the other now classic books in the field. Simple enough for a lay reader, but definitely able to communicate the elegance of the practice. Go authors! :-) Rating: 5 / 5 What a great book…If I had to be marooned on a desert island, etc., etc., with just one book on acupuncture, helpful for understanding the human condition, this would be the book, and there isn’t even a close second that comes to mind. The authors were **the** people who brought an understanding of Chinese medicine to the U.S. in the 1970s, and this book is a heroic attempt to educate us and interest us at the same time with what they had found. It’s hard to tell whether they’re classic five element practitioners (I’ve heard differing points of view on this) but they do a FABULOUS job on breaking down what’s involved with that unique, and very hard to find out about, form of acupuncture. Although practitioners will say that they can only figure out your type from actually diagnosing you in person, I found that when I put my husband and me through the written “tests” in the book, very comprehensive, we actually came out ahead: and figured out “what” we were, 1.5 years ahead of the acupuncturist so doing. That gave me even more confidence in the book. Not to mention, reading and thinking about what the test revealed about us HUGELY promoted our understanding of ourselves and each other, and made for a fun adjunct to a vacation weekend. This is a great book, and I find myself referring to it again and again, though I’ve also read–and own–many of the other now classic books in the field. Simple enough for a lay reader, but definitely able to communicate the elegance of the practice. Go authors! :-)
Rating: 5 / 5

]]> By: Rocannon MacGregor http://www.acupuncturedepression.org/between-heaven-and-earth-a-guide-to-chinese-medicine.html/comment-page-1#comment-1399 Rocannon MacGregor Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:43:55 +0000 http://www.acupuncturedepression.org/between-heaven-and-earth-a-guide-to-chinese-medicine.html#comment-1399 This is the most involved and lucid explanation of the Five Phases that I have found. I refer many of my patients to this book when they come for their initial session. It has numerous drawings, charts and graphs to support the written text. The Five Phase Theory, as presented in this book, can assist practicing acupunturists or students of Oriental Medicine in deepening their understanding of how to successfully handle the myriad problems and dis-eases presented by their patients. In my 25 years of practice I found extremely few books so well written and organized for everyday use and review. Rating: 4 / 5 This is the most involved and lucid explanation of the Five Phases that I have found. I refer many of my patients to this book when they come for their initial session. It has numerous drawings, charts and graphs to support the written text. The Five Phase Theory, as presented in this book, can assist practicing acupunturists or students of Oriental Medicine in deepening their understanding of how to successfully handle the myriad problems and dis-eases presented by their patients. In my 25 years of practice I found extremely few books so well written and organized for everyday use and review.
Rating: 4 / 5

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