Patients come to us expecting a change in their situation—whether that is to gain or get rid of something. And as the ‘expert' in the room, there's a proclivity to go in with the intention to find what's wrong and remediate it.

Consider that as a practitioner, your role is to inquire by touch and not impose your ideas of what is right for a patient. To touch with curiosity, listen with your hands, allow patients to express themselves in a process of self-discovery and transformation, create space for the expression of their Jing (精), and make available the quiet comfort of no expectations. For this, our guest on this Qiological episode recommends we lend our consciousness or awareness to the landscape. Hone your attention to what is there, to the present moment.

In this conversation with Stephen Schleipfer, we explore the concepts of intention and attention, and how they impact the palpatory experience. We discuss the importance of bringing our attention to the causative space, the practice of self-cultivation, connecting our particulars to the whole, and learning to both connect and let go as vehicles to transform our practice.

Listen into this discussion on the key role of palpation, the use of attention in the clinical encounter, and working in the causative space.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

  • Encountering a patient in the present moment as the key puzzle piece to successful treatment
  • Communicating with our hands – Embodying touch and contact
  • A practitioner's role in the clinic: Creating a space for patients to unfold appropriately
  • Interacting with the landscape: Intention vs. attention
  • Self-cultivation as a means to transform your practice
  • The experience of wholeness: Learning to connect the ‘particulars' to the whole
  • Honing the skills of “TING” (listening) and “sōng” (letting go)
  • Working in the causative space in contrast to bringing our attention to the effects
  • The way of Qi Gong

At the heart of Chinese medicine we need to listen with all our senses and that ultimately leads to deep releases and transformation of our patients.


I am a Qigong martial artist and teacher with over 25 years of experience. I am a licensed acupuncturist and qigong tuina practitioner with over ten years of experience running my clinic, Mokuti Medical Arts. I treat many health problems in all stages of life and especially enjoy treating recalcitrant conditions.

I teach and speak internationally, and reside in Portland, Oregon with my wife and two kids.

 

 

Links and Resources

Visit Stephen on his clinic website, or learn some qi gong online with him.

 

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