367 History Series, We Should Aspire to be Magicians • Charlie Buck

I recently had the good fortune to sit down for a conversation with Charlie Buck, one of the  early pioneers in acupuncture and Chinese medicine in the UK. He shared his journey of discovering acupuncture in the late 1970s, a time when it was still quite unknown in the West. Our discussion explored how the landscape of acupuncture education and practice in Britain has shifted dramatically over the years.

This conversation touches on deeper topics like the nature of mastery in Chinese medicine, the importance of cultivating perception and intuition, and how practitioners can be like “magicians” for their patients.

Listen into this discussion that weaves together history, philosophy, and practical wisdom about the practice of Chinese medicine. Charlie's passion for the subject and decades of experience truly shines through.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• An unexpected comment put Charlie on the path of acupuncture
• English language books on acupuncture in Mumbai?
• Being a pretend Buddhist
• Sun Si Miao’s treatment for palsy
• Warring States and cloud-watching
• The concept of mastery in Chinese medicine
• Importance of understanding basic principles in Chinese medicine
• Role of intuition and perception in practice
• Discerning which level of medicine to use
• We should aspire to be magicians
• Trance states, disruption of yin/yang and the change of our current times
• How TCM gave a form and method to treatment
• Challenges of the growing a profession in a country with “supposedly free” healthcare
• Learn something from every patient
• The four most troublesome words “What do you want?”
• Watch for signs of trust

Don’t just tonify – regul

Charlie Buck

I am a prominent UK TCM clinician, educator and author with over four decades experience. Conducting brain research in the late 1970’s I stumbled across research on the neurophysiology of acupuncture and was inspired to complete a degree in Classical acupuncture. Graduating in 1984 I pioneered the practice and study of Chinese herbs in the UK and was founding course director for the UK’s first formal CHM training. A longstanding faculty member at the UK’s Northern College of Acupuncture I was awarded a university Masters in TCM (2000), worked as lecturer, research student supervisor and externally as examiner for university TCM higher degrees.

Since the 1980s I have written regularly for TCM journals and in 2014 published a textbook Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine – Roots of Modern Practice.

I am proud to have advanced TCM education, scholarship and advocacy, serving as Chair of the British Acupuncture Council, as UK representative to the European TCM Association and on the Council of the UK’s Register of CHM. I have been awarded fellowship by all three lead UK TCM registers.

Links and Resources

Visit Charlie on hist website, and for his CEU courses you'll find them at Healthy Seminars and TCM Academy. 

For his book Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine: Roots of Modern Practice, it's on the Big River.

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