Stuart Kutchins, O.M.D., L.Ac, has been studying and practicing East Asian medicine since 1972. He served as Professor of Oriental Medicine at the S.F. College of Acupuncture, and as Dean of its Division of Oriental Medicine and its doctoral program (1982-84). He was the founding chairman of the NCCAOM, the national board of examiners in acupuncture (1983-86) and after retiring from the board of the commission (in 1991), served as the principal consultant in development of its Chinese herbal medicine certification. And has served as a consultant in various capacities to the California Acupuncture Examining Committee and the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine.
Stuart co-authored Closing the Circle: Lectures in the Unity of Oriental Medicine(1983) with Peter Eckman, M.D., Ph.D. and has published a number of journal articles. Was honored as “Acupuncturist of the Year” by his national professional association (1985). And done a bunch of other similar stuff.
In 1993, Stuart closed his clinical practice and moved to Green Dragon Temple of the San Francisco Zen Center, where he and his wife were ordained as priests in the Soto Zen tradition. They remained in residential priest training there and at Zen Mind Temple at Tassajara until they completed their initiatory training cycle in 1999, after which they returned to their home in Inverness, California, and Stuart resumed clinical practice.
They have maintained an ongoing connection to Zen Center for continued study and practice; also they meet at the local community center once a week with a small group to meditate and discuss the Dharma. A few years ago Stuart took another sabbatical to serve as Head of Practice at Zen Mind Temple for six months. He thinks it’s the best gig ever and advises everyone who is offered an opportunity to do it to say yes.