365 Far Out Man, I Need to Know More About That • John McDonald

I was cautious and reluctant about studying acupuncture when it first really caught my attention.

Then there are folks like John McDonald who when he first caught wind of acupuncture thought… far out man, I want to know more about that.

That enthusiasm has followed him through his time as a practitioner and even through doing a Ph.D.

In this conversation we’ll discuss trickster shamans, the ethics of using the controlling cycle of the Five Phases to influence your patients emotions, why people with stanch beliefs are most easily brainwashed, and the curiosity of how the body “makes decisions.”

For sure, it’s far out, and I think you’ll want to know more.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• The trouble started by telling his professor that he had Anthony and Cleopatra all wrong
• Learning a difficult financial lesson
• Basically brainwashing means it it easy to convince somebody about something they already believe
• Using emotion to overcome emotion by provoking an emotion state that will counter another emotional state
• Shamans can trick their patients, we are supposed to empower ours
• What do the emotions look like when they are working well?
• What to do when the problem serves as a solution?
• Trickster shamans and social expectation
• What’s the difference between ‘magic’ and a technology someone doesn’t understand?
• At a base level acupuncture works by reminding the body of what it already knows how to do
• The problems that arise from failing to recognize friend or foe 
• Acupuncture influences the circadian clock

Point indications matter. All of the indications found in modern texts were derived from clinical experience, and most can be traced to historical literature. Point functions/actions are a modern gloss which can be misleading unless connected to the actual indications for each point.

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John McDonald, L.Ac, Ph.D

I began my studies of acupuncture in 1971 and over the past 53 years I have been a practitioner, lecturer, Dean, researcher, author, degree monitor, peer reviewer, editorial board member and advocate. I have been involved in projects for the World Health Organisation Western Pacific Region Office, New Zealand Qualifications Authority, and Accident Compensation Commission (New Zealand). I currently practice and teach in Southport on the sunny Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.

I am the co-author of the Acupuncture Evidence Project and Zang Fu Syndromes: Differential Diagnosis and Treatment and author of Acupuncture Point Dynamics in 3 volumes. My thoughts now turn to legacy, as I do not want any of the knowledge I have collected from so many generous teachers to be lost. So, in addition to my books I have produced several webinars which are available from TCM Academy of Integrative Medicine and Net of Knowledge, and more are coming. My two favourite topics are acupuncture history and acupuncture research.

I am Vice-President for Research with Acupuncture Now Foundation (California) and Deputy Chair of Acupuncture Now Australia Ltd. Both organisations are registered charities dedicated to educating the public, other health practitioners and bodies which develop health policy regarding the enormous potential of acupuncture

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Links and Resources

You can find John on his website.

He also has classes on A Short History of Acupuncture and Zusanli- ST36, Historical file and modern clinical applications, on the Net of Knowledge

He's also the author of three books, Acupuncture Point Dynamics, Vol 1, Vol 2, and Vol 3.

 

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