368 Extraordinary Vessels- Archetype and Symbol • Yvonne Farrell & Luke Adler

Not only is acupuncture strange, with its twelve invisible watersheds of flow and influence. But we have the qi jing ba mai. The strange flows… usually translated as the extraordinary vessels.

Some say these are the blueprint that give structure to the embryo as they help to orient and guide development. Others say that these vessels are deeply tied into our psycho-emotive functioning.

Traditionally they were talked about as reservoirs . They helped to regulate the excess or lack in the 12 main channels.

As for me, I can’t say that I understand them all that well. And that is why I like to talk to folks who have spent time investigating the extraordinary nature of these vessels.

Which is why I’m delighted to share this conversation with Yvonne Farrel and Luke Adler.
They’ve spent some time looking into  and clinically working with the 8 extras as we commonly call them.

Are they strange, or are they fundamental? Listen in and find out for yourself.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• The Eight Extraordinary Vessels in Chinese medicine
• The archetypal and symbolic nature of the Eight Extraordinary Vessels
• The Chong Mai vessel and its connection to undifferentiated wholeness
• The Ren Mai and Du Mai vessels representing the birth of polarity (yin and yang)
• The Yin Wei and Yang Wei vessels and their role in resource distribution from birth to death
• The Yin Qiao and Yang Qiao vessels and their connection to extroversion and introversion
• The prenatal and postnatal Dai Mai vessels and their functions of integration, mediation, and holding experiences
• The concept of the “basement” or “bucket” representing unprocessed emotions and trauma stored in the Dai Mai
• The importance of embodying and experiencing the vessels, not just intellectually understanding them
• The challenges and growth required in bringing one's inspiration and spiritual understanding into the practical world
• The archetypal journeys and curriculum represented by the Eight Extraordinary Vessels
• The opportunity for embracing challenges and becoming fully human through the understanding of the Eight Extraordinary Vessels.

The wealth of Chinese Medicine is vast. I believe in order to practice well we need to make an effort to cultivate presence and embodiment. ​

Yvonne Farrell, L.Ac

I have been in private practice and teaching since 1997. I have a Masters and Doctoral degree from Emperor's College in Santa Monica, CA. I am licensed to practice in the state of California.

I have taught acupuncture, herbal medicine and Chinese medical diagnosis. I have supervised interns in a clinical setting, taught in several Masters and Doctoral programs and my specialty is the 8 Extraordinary vessels and the Complement channels. (Channel Theory)

I also teach continuing education in the US, Canada and Europe and online courses through Healthy Seminars.

I have written 2 books; Psycho-emotional Pain and the Eight Extraordinary Vessels and Acupuncture for Surviving Adversity, both of which are published by Singing Dragon (London). I am also a contributor to the online journal Medicinal Roots Magazine.

Connection to your self is connection to your patients​

Luke Adler, L.Ac, DACM

I've dedicated my life to guiding others towards healing and wholeness.

Since 2003, I’ve been a practitioner, teacher, and author in the field of mind-body-spirit transformation. My work is rooted in ancient Eastern wisdom, which I've been exploring in depth since 2004. I've shared my knowledge as faculty at the doctoral level and through transformative retreats and trainings.

As an intuitive healer, I create sacred spaces where individuals can connect with their inner wisdom and innate healing abilities. My passion lies in empowering others to translate their experiences of love into meaningful actions that positively impact the world.

Links and Resources

Visit Yvonne on her website. 
You can find her classes online classes at Health Seminars. And her books at Singing Dragon. 

Visit Luke on his website. 

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