2 New Shen-Hammer Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis courses

Hi Everyone,

I am happy to announce another series of Shen-Hammer Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis courses this spring.  Please see below for the full details.

April's course will be a Beginner's course (pre-requisite for the Intermediate course).

May's course will be an Intermediate course.

The April class will introduce the major concepts of CCPD, the Principle and 22 Complementary pulse positions and the most commonly encountered pulse qualities, clinical significance and some interpretation and much more. 70% of class will be dedicated to hands-on pulse instruction and training. Those attending will leave the weekend with a body of knowledge and skills readily and immediately transferable into one's clinical practice.  

The May course will build on the body of knowledge from the Beginning course, constantly fine-tuning one's abilities and sensitivities to the pulse qualities, depths, etc. and delve deeper into analysis, interpretation and patient management.

The class details:

Dates: April 27-April 28; and May 18-May 19

Times: 9am - 5pm

Location: Center for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, 166 Mountain Ave, Westfield, NJ 07090

Cost: $350 per weekend; $600 for both weekends

CEUs/PDAs: 14 per weekend

Registration: email centerforacupuncture@gmail.com and/or call (908) 654-4333 and send check made payable to 'Ross Rosen' to the above address.

Instructor: Ross Rosen, LAc, Dipl OM (NCCAOM)

Ross Rosen is one of a small group of close long-time students of Dr. Leon Hammer and a senior certified teacher in Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis. He works closely with Dr. Hammer on a regular ongoing basis.  He is a board member on Dragon Rises, Inc. and a spokesperson for Dragon Rises Seminars, CCPD and COM®

Ross Rosen...is a valued instructor of and a direct inheritor of my work and teaching. He is extremely observant and creative in his work, adding to our accumulated knowledge more than any other associate. Of great value is his ability to formulate the essence of Chinese medicine in simple terms accessible to the average person. Chinese medicine at its best, as practiced by Ross Rosen, is capable of discerning the disease process at a very early stage before it manifests an illness, therefore preventing disease, and above all capable of delineating and treating the individual who has the disease.

--Dr. Leon Hammer

Ross has published numerous articles on CCPD, which can be accessed at:http://chinesepulsediagnosis.blogspot.com/

Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis (hereinafter "CCPD") is a sophisticated system of diagnostics which relies on the subtleties of the sensations, qualities and structure of the radial artery at both wrists. Heavily steeped in ancient wisdom and classical pulse diagnosis dating back thousands of years, CCPD breaks out of the dogma of pulse systems that in many respects are not relevant to the present day and age. CCPD provides insight into the modern diseases and constitutional imbalances that affect modern man in an industrial world.

CCPD, while having its roots in classical pulse systems, was significantly adapted by Dr. John H.F. Shen over the course of his long and well renowned career having seen hundreds of thousands of patients. After an intensive apprenticeship with Dr. Shen over a period of 28 years, Dr. Leon Hammer took on the arduous task of codifying and continuing the evolution of this pulse system.

The intricacies of CCPD are complex and require significant amounts of hands on training with a certified teacher to fully learn. Essentially, however, information is synthesized from the combinations of various qualities felt at the six principle pulse positions and the twenty two complementary positions, as well as the qualities perceived uniformly over the entire pulse and at each of the requisite depths. Integrating the information from these seemingly disparate parts, one is able to arrive at a complex diagnosis which prioritizes levels of imbalances of not just the symptomatic representations, but more importantly the root causes of disease.

Incorporating concepts and clinical realities that have not been diagnosed by any diagnostic methods in Chinese medicine, CCPD is truly a treasure which can change the lives of patients. By incorporating a precise measure of a healthy balanced pulse, even the subtlest deviations from this norm can be detected, thus establishing its importance not only in treating disease, but also as a preventative medicine.

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TESTIMONIALS

Thank you so much for this weekend's class. Almost 4 years out of school and I still struggled to find a context for pulse findings! CCPD changed my sense of loss to that of crucial discovery. I feel I've found a system that has given me solid footing, a way to asses the fundamental yet very complex diagnostic tool of pulse taking. What a relief. This system ought to be taught in every OM school - it is a gift deserving time and attention from current and future generations of Acupuncturists. Please thank Dr. Hammer for his life's dedication, it will not be lost.

Am looking forward to the next class. Keep me posted.

Joy

I just finished the introductory level class with Ross Rosen on Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis (CCPD). Ross managed to relay a considerable amount of information in a relatively short time and with great care. Their patience and attention to detail was exemplary and showed incredible depth in understanding and synthesis and I was able to implement what I learned in my own practice the very next day. I would recommend this class with out reservation and much enthusiasm and look forward to future classes.

N.Fisher

Centerport, N.Y.

Taking the Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis weekend workshop with Ross added an entirely new depth and richness to our understanding of pulse and our pulse reading skills. CCPD is the most comprehensive, accurate, lucid and scientific method of pulse reading that we have ever come across. Never before have we had so much guidance, clarity and direction in defining pulse qualities and their significance. The subtlety, nuance and predictive accuracy of CCPD is mind-blowing. There is so much to learn in this system and yet with one weekend we were able to develop significantly enough to truly benefit our patients right away. We can’t wait to take another class!

Kevin Meddleton and Samantha Berg, Owners, Alaska Center for Acupuncture Palmer, Alaska.

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REVISITING THE SALT OF THE EARTH, by Ann Rosen

Throughout history, salt has been associated with life, preservation and prosperity.  Salt has been an integral part of countless historic civilizations, at some points even serving as currency.  In fact, the word “salary” is derived from the word “salt”.  But salt has experienced a dramatic fall from grace over the last century. In recent history, salt has become “the enemy”, often considered one of the big dietary culprits for those suffering with high blood pressure and heart disease.  People commonly blame salt for bloating and swelling of joints.  But perhaps it’s time to take another look at the roots of some of these ailments.  

Salt is essential to human health.  It alkalizes blood, helps our bodies retain the fluids we need and aids in metabolic regulation.  Salt in its natural form is rich in minerals and trace elements.  It contains magnesium, which is essential to healthy immune function, aids in the metabolism of sugars and fats, is required for the proper function of nerve cells and has been shown to dramatically lower mortality rates in heart-attack patients.  Our bodies need magnesium to maintain acid-alkaline balance in cellular fluids.

Unfortunately, the white crystals you find in on most tables have been stripped of magnesium and virtually every other nutrient.  The refining process reduces commercial table salt to 98 percent sodium chloride versus 82 percent in Celtic sea salt.  Furthermore, the magnesium content in Celtic sea salt and other unrefined salts help to naturally drain excess sodium from the body, thereby preventing some of the ailments associated with table salt.

The other issue we need to look at more closely when it comes to salt is the simple principle of moderation.  Anything we ingest to excess can lead to health repercussions and salt is no exception.  One to three grams daily meets our human nutritional requirement.  Most Americans, however, consume between 12-15 grams daily.  And for the most part, we’re consuming the industrially refined, mineral-deficient variety that is now loaded into pre-packaged and processed foods along with a variety of the 6,000 other synthetic chemicals that are now officially condoned for use in the processed-food industry.  

The best way to avoid excess sodium is to avoid processed foods.  Replace them with foods that you can recognize as actual food (ask yourself if your grandparent would recognize it), and use a good quality sea salt in moderation.

summarized from The Complete Book of Chinese Health and Healing, Guarding the Three Treasures, by Daniel Reid

Ten Reasons to Treat Yourself to a Healing Retreat

1. You can immerse yourself in your healing process.

A retreat is an opportunity to get away from the challenging schedules and responsibilities that often prevent you from reaching your health goals.  Healthy meals, daily yoga. tai ji and qigong, and hands-on workshops are built into the rhythm of your day.  You will learn methods of healing in an ideal environment to practice what you’re learning.

2. Stepping out of your comfort zone will expand your mind.

When you get accustomed to living a certain way, life can become a bit rote and you run the risk of virtually sleepwalking through it.  Travelling can awaken your senses and creates an opportunity to see the world, and yourself, in a different light.  Psychologists assert that a immersion in a new locale and cultural environment can lead to more creative and expansive problem solving as our minds open.  

3. You will unplug.

While you will not be cut off from the world, you will be removed from a world that is dominated by screens, phones, Facebook and Twitter.  It feels good to remove yourself from technology.  Unplugging (and walking around barefoot) will literally “ground” you and reconnect you to the Earth.

4. You will make new healthy habits.

A retreat places you in an ideal environment to leave old, unhealthy habits behind.  Surrounded by support and access to an abundance of healing resources, you can create the new habits of a healthy lifestyle.  

5. You can relax and enjoy yourself.

When you go on a retreat, you are claiming well-deserved time and space to focus on YOU.  You are free to create the gift you want to give yourself.  Everything you need to embark on a healing journey will be readily available to you.  Good choices abound – You choose!  

6. You will become flexible.

Yes, the yoga, but that is just one of the ways you will become more flexible. Away from home, you are forced to “let go”, or at least loosen the reigns. Simply “allowing” opens up a whole new level of possibility.  Retreats can be a time to embrace unpredictability and fuel your spirit of adventure with new flavors, sensations and experiences.

7. Your courage will find you.

Take the plunge!  There is an exhilaration that comes from taking that first step  that will awaken parts of you that you may have long forgotten.  You’re likely to find the courage to try things you never would have considered doing before.

8. You will make friends

A healing retreat is an opportunity to surround yourself with like-minded people who are striving towards some of the same goals that you have set for yourself.  Whether you choose to go alone or with a loved one, you will be supported and are likely to create new relationships that are rooted in your wellbeing and shared interests.

9. You will remember what you love about yourself

A retreat allows you to spend a week in good company: your own!  Nourish and appreciate yourself and the best of you will shine.

10) Healthy travel will enrich your life long after you return home

When you return from a week of reconnecting to yourself and nature, you will appreciate what “home” has to offer.   You will bring mindfulness, vitality and a renewed sense of purpose to your daily routine.

COSTA RICA HEALING RETREAT WITH ROSS AND ANN

Come join us in Costa Rica for a week of healing and rejuvenation!
Check out our flyer here.