My Journey to Chinese Medicine

Sometimes I am asked, "what made you want to practice Chinese Medicine in the first place?".  Well, In my early 20's I was working in the trades as an automotive spray painter. At the time, I was also exploring  the ancient art of Meditation, more specificlly, Chakra Meditation. I found that meditation helped calm me down, sharpen my mind and I also noticed that the more I meditated the more intuitive I was becoming. My general sense of self improved and my awareness of those around me became more acute than ever before.  As my awareness grew, I recognised that a change was imminent but did not know how or what was to change. 

I was up on a ladder one day at work, and the ladder slipped from under my feet. I suffered a broken ankel that left me recovering for 8-10 weeks. It was a good time to think.  As part of my rehabilitation I went to see a very traditional Physiotherapist, while it was helpful, something was missing. In one of the sessions the Physio actually massaged my ankle, and it felt so good that I asked her to continue just a little more, to which she replied "I am not a massage therapist" and left the room rather abruptly. "Massage Therapy" I thought to my self, "that is what I need"....

While still on my spiritual journey and mission of self discovery, I decided to go with my Meditation teacher at the time to a New age gathering. I had a very strong pain in my right shoulder that was particularly sharp in nature and I couldn't enjoy much of the day. While there, I stumbbled upon a physical practitioner who proceded to press a very, very painful point on my scapula. I didn't like that at all and walked  away quite annoyed.  Moments later, to my supprise I forgot all about my shoulder pain and was completely pain free. I made my way back through the crowd, to find that practitioner. I wanted to thank her, and find out what she did to help me so quickly. It was Shiatsu.  That  very week I started looking for a massage course and my journey began. Relaxation massage, Shiatsu, Sport therapy, TuiNa (Chinese Medical Physical therapy), and Remedal massage Therapy. It was an extensive course, run at the time by Maurice Copeland, by far the best course that I could have found. The level of education was particularly high. Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology took a significant portion of the training, and the lecturers were absolutely at the top of their game. I couldn't get enough of it, and finally found my self on my path, still not knowing where it was heading.

After working as a Remedial massage therapist in my private clinic, at a Doctors Surgery and at Nursing homes for several years, I felt that I wanted to help more people in many more ways. I returned to Maurice Copeland who suggested that I go on to University and continue my training as an Acupuncturist. "Sticking needles in people?" I asked comically. "Take this book and read it", he said. He handed me a book called, "The Web That Has No Weaver", by Ted Kaptchuk.

As I was reading this book, I was astonished by the depth of wisdom in Chinese Medicine, that permeated so many field way and beyond only Medicine. At that time I was still deep within the journey to discovering higher levels of consciousness, meditation, Tai Chi and more. I found in this book the very thing that I was searching for, and while others may have thought that my notion of the universe and such was odd, This book took all those little notions that I held so dear and could not speak to others about and expanded upon them with every passing page. I found my vocation. Chinese Medicine.

Since taking up Acupuncture at University I read nothing other than Chinese Medicine. I was completely engrossed. I closed my full time clinic and went on to learn the Bachelor degree in Health Science, specialising in Acupuncture and went to China for an internship thereafter. I returned and opened a New clinic and the journey began again, better than ever before.

Ten years went past and I found that while Remedial Massage, Shiatsu, Sport therapy, and Acupuncture were able to treat so many more ailments and conditions, there were re-emerging conditions in clinic with which I had little success, particularly internal medicine that I wanted to master.  I decided to continue my study in Chinese Medicinal Herbs. I took up a post graduate course at RMIT and completed my Masters of Applied Science with a major in Chinese Herbal Medicine. More Chemistry, Botany, additional Physiology, Toxicology and a few other "ologies" Lalor’s ng the way. I completed my degree while still running a full time clinic. A busy three years indeed. 

Now I look back at my journey, loving my work every day, and still almost exclusively reading, living and breathing Chinese Medicine as I did at the onset of my journey. It is an unending journey of learning, self mastery and continuously picking up new  techniques, wisdoms and expertise. Ongoing professional development  is an exciting part of my year, where I will take three or more breaks a year from the day to day, to further develop this wise and endless medicinal art of Chinese Medicine. I still learn and practice meditation and Qi Gong. In the past two years I have incorporated Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Hypnotherapy into my work, to further assist clients with emotional and behavioral issues and assist others in their journeys of personal development. The journey is continuing. 

At the centre of it all, Chinese medicine is a shining light that guides me and helps all those who know me. 

Thank you for reading my post.

For more information please visit:

www.MelbTCM.com.au