Happy Earth Day to those who are celebrating today.  I had planned to write a thematically appropriate post, but didn’t quite finish it.  Let’s have another kind of celebration….

Drumroll, please!

Congratulations to Jennifer McGrath of Illinois – the winner of the Deepest Health Reader Survey drawing!

Jennifer and her supportive husband, Matt!

Jennifer has been a reader at Deepest Health for a while now, and had some very nice things to say about how some articles helped her through the early parts of her education in Chinese Medicine.

The nice words aren’t why she won, however.  :)

Here’s what Jennifer had to say when I asked her to say a little about herself and what she’s passionate about these days:

I am a 1st year student at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine – Chicago Campus.

What am I Passionate about?   More and more every day I am amazed at the depth and breadth of this medicine.  The biggest thing that I could say is that Oriental medicine as a whole is great for mind, body and spirit.  It truly is holistic.

Many people know when something is not right with their mind or body go to their doctor only to hear that there is nothing the matter with them.  Chinese medicine catches disharmonies with the body in its earliest stages when something can be done about it.

Herbal remedies are tailored to each individual, three people can have the same disease or symptoms and the formula will be different for each person according to their constitution.  I think this is a key thing that sets it apart from western drugs.  It is not one size fits all.

Thanks Jennifer!  It’s always great to hear the enthusiasm of a first year student.  Welcome!  Enjoy your charts!

Winner of the Living Meridian Acupuncture chart set

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I’ve been working with students explicitly for about a year now, teaching at NCNM. I think I will be continuing to do this, as the activity suits me and it also forces me to keep studying. I find that I want to teach about learning a lot, even though I do like teaching about herbs and other explicitly Chinese medicine related concepts. I think this is because while there are a lot of ways to get information about herbs and Chinese herbal traditions, there aren’t a lot of people talking about learning.

My students seem hungry for guidance, reassurance and anecdotes related to my path in learning Chinese medicine. When I look at the most popular posts on this blog, they are posts that point to that layer of experience. Thinking on this, I realize that there’s just not a lot of resources out there for people who want to learn about learning. In college, you may end up in some basic “study skills” course, and then are asked to seek out “tutoring” if you are having trouble absorbing the material. The same essential approach is in operation at NCNM, and likely at most schools around the country. While nobody ever teaches anyone how to learn most effectively, we’re all expected to know it, and if we don’t – we’re remedial.

So, we look for others’ stories. We listen to how people we admire learned things. When that information is not divulged readily, students will ask for it. But only if they get the sense that there is a willingness to discuss this all-important topic. I hope to make myself ready to take those questions, I hope to give stories that are helpful.

A student recently expressed frustration at their progress in learning Classical Chinese medicine. This is a first year student, very bright, with the world of Chinese medicine absolutely open and available to him. The problem he is having is similar to one I experienced as a first-year student. Simply, there’s just too much to learn. There is a seemingly endless field of modalities, philosophies, skills, bodies of knowledge – with a concurrently endless pit of internal work to be done. How to do this in four years? How to do this in a way that sets one up for future study, that opens one to a lifetime of deep, real Chinese medicine learning. It’s a painful question, and I empathized deeply with the student ask he spoke with me.

As we talked, I was reminded of a number of students who have spoken with me about similar topics over the last year. There seems to be a basic confusion about the whole process of learning. I’ve read a lot of texts and had a lot of experiences that might help clarify the confusion, but I haven’t been able to distill a simple message that I can communicate to people asking these types of questions. I’m still working on it. However, re-reading one of my favorite books, Wake Up To Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention (Ken McLeod) I ran across a very useful distinction that, I think, speaks to this issue.

In the book (p 59), Ken is discussing the problems that arise when people are beginning a formal meditation practice. In instructing his own students, he tries to orient them around a fourfold understanding:

1. The purpose of the practice : this is why we do what we do
2. The method of the practice : this is what we do to to achieve that purpose
3. The effects of the practice : these are experiences that arise in the day to day effort of practicing the method
4. The results of the practice : these are the long-term achievements that come about through diligent practice of the method – despite some days of negative results

He uses the example of running for exercise to illustrate his point. But one could just as easily apply it to learning Chinese medicine. To be fair, the topic “learning Chinese medicine” is much too broad (and thus part of the frustration I’m seeing in students) so let’s restrict it a bit.

Let’s say I am an aspiring (and/or practicing) herbalist. Let’s say that I have discovered that the essence of learning herbalism is to take the time to deeply know herbs – using a method that my teacher has revealed to me. This method consists of walking through several levels of understanding, beginning with direct sensory perception, progressing through ascertaining “community data” as present in texts like Bensky, through coming to understand these herbs in relationship to other herbs (in formulas and combinations) and all the way to seeing the effects of these herbs on patients.

The purpose of this method is to become an excellent herbalist. To be an excellent herbalist means to be able to prescribe Chinese herbal formulas in a way that is efficient, effective and satisfies some internally derived standard of achievement. That is just one way of describing excellence, surely it has some variation from person to person – but being relatively efficient (thus not taking 10 hours to write a formulas) and definitely effective (the sky’s the limit here) must be present.

So, the purpose and the method are established. It’s the final two elements where things get sticky.

If you sit down to use this method, you’re going to have good days and bad days. Sometimes the Qi is going to flow, you’re going to effortlessly know an herb and feel naturally excited about herbalism and your ability to practice Chinese medicine. Other times it’s going to feel boring, contrived, pointless and you will feel insecure about your student loans, your family’s perception of what you’re doing and your impending entry into clinic. These are the effects of practicing the method – sometimes great effects, sometimes not so great. But one MUST NOT confuse these ups and downs for the RESULTS of practicing the method. You’re not as incredible as you think on your good days, and certainly not as hopeless as you think on the bad ones.

Look at your progress over time. The results are an increasing mastery of the various aspects of herbalism, increasing ability to place your attention on the study at hand and an overall rising in your confidence with regards to Chinese medicine. Being aware that this is a process, that the effects from day to day are not reflective of the overall RESULTS, will do a lot to help you maintain some level of sanity as you learn. Another thing I like about this model is that it places attention on the need for a clear purpose and an overt method. The former doesn’t need to be the same as someone else’s and the latter doesn’t need to be set in stone. But YOU need to be clear about YOUR purpose, YOUR method.

I guess, overall, I think all four elements are deficient in me and my students. I think they’re pretty deficient in our culture overall. So, spend some time thinking about this. With regards to your learning of Chinese medicine (whether you are a brand new student or a long-term practitioner or anything in between) ask yourself:

1. What is my purpose? It’s probably best to restrict this to specific areas of learning – but it may be helpful for some people to have one, overarching purpose. Probably you will have several nesting sets. Write them down.
2. What is my method? Perhaps it has been taught to you. Perhaps you have to build one yourself – just try something, test it out, and refine it. It could be as simple as “Memorize and recall 5 formulas a day,” or as complicated as the herbal learning method I hinted at above. Perhaps it relies on learning Chinese and slowly translating Classical texts. More than anything, I want to emphasize that your professors are PROBABLY NOT GIVING YOU A METHOD. So don’t rely on them to do so. It’s just not the way things are, now.
3. What are the effects I experience? It might be helpful to keep a practice diary. Note the good days, the bad days, and the variations. Be very careful not to become too attached to any one particular practice session. Do your practice, and go on with your life.
4. What are the expected and realized results of practice? If you don’t have a teacher to help you figure out the results, again, you may need to posit some yourself. Where do you expect to be in a year, in two? In four? In ten? Who are your models? As you go, be as objective as possible in assessing your progress. Are you seeing results? Why or why not?

I’d love to hear from folks about their purpose, method, effects and results. This is a pretty raw blog post, I just pumped it out here after doing my daily reading. Do you see problems with what I’m saying? What are they? I always welcome opportunities to refine my own thinking!

Frustrations on the path to Chinese medicine mastery

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Today, on a walk I was taught an important lesson by some late migrating geese. In the late summer and autumn, we get a whole lot of geese flying overhead in my neighborhood. We live pretty close to a couple of wildlife refuges, one being specifically devoted to waterfowl. In general, in Portland, the autumn is always accompanied by the resonant, melodic sound of Canadian geese fleeing Canada. It’s one of those things that is commonplace, yet never seems to lose its magic. I’ve noticed a lot of things in Autumn are like that – the leaves turning, the miracle of the harvest, the start of formal schooling and so on.

Anyway, today I had one of those magic moments – fog bank just rolled in, walking on a hill in clear view of the setting full moon and the rising sun reflecting pink and crimson off of morning clouds. Mushrooms bursting from beneath damp fallen leaves. People out, coffee in hand, walking overly excited dogs. That nestled place between Lung and Large Intestine time – things cracking forth, but the calm and presence of the early morning still laying on its soothing balm. Very nice.

Then there were the geese. There were seven or eight of them, so just a paltry flock. There was some confusion (not uncommon) where they seemed to be trying to figure out which way to go. Now, I know enough about geese to know that just because they seem to be flying North doesn’t mean they’re lost – often they’re just heading to a feeding or resting ground. It’s the larger direction that matters, not my little snapshot views. But, that doesn’t matter for my story. There was some confusion in the sky, and about half started heading clearly North, the other half clearly South. One goose was caught – she flew North, she flew South, she started calling loudly – she seemed pretty distressed by the whole thing.

Finally, she broke South – doing double time to catch up with her chosen group and they continued off into the distance. As I watched them cruise, I got a series of images as I faced South – the direction that all Sages must face, the direction that helps us make sense of so much Chinese medicine physiology and pathology. Mostly, I just got a sense of great peace, of openness, of newness and warmth and a bright future. I thought – good choice, little goose.

Now, I’ve been particularly prone to reading signs in everything these last few weeks, so pardon me. But, the whole drama (!) seemed curiously familiar. I think it might seem familiar to some of you, as well.

At NCNM, I was introduced to a wide variety of schools of thought regarding medicine – herbalism in particular. Without getting too much into it, let’s just say that people can get a little spirited about what they see as the “truth” of the matter. I certainly have been guilty of this. As students, I think we were looking for something to hold on to. Something to call our own – or rather – something to say, “This is right, this is true and I know it, I subscribe to it.” Some way to make sense of the seemingly insurmountable task of learning a medicine that is thousands of years old and must be translated into what we have available in contemporary times.***

I’ve sometimes felt torn because of my particular proclivities and the wrinkles and folds of my personal situation. I had moments when I didn’t want to practice medicine at all. It seemed too impossible to figure out what was right – the clinical stage didn’t clarify things any better than the classroom and I just felt totally overwhelmed. I had moments where I wanted to have a time travel machine and visit Han dynasty and ask Zhang Zhongjing what the whole deal was really about. There were also times when I felt pretty confident, pretty sure, and even a little fanatical about what I was learning. Those times were always followed by a lesson (pride precedes a fall, afterall).

In the last month, things have settled out. I felt very much like that goose for the last year or so, and I’ve started flying in a particular direction. It hasn’t been without its consequences. Moving towards one thing almost always means leaving another behind. Some good goose friends had to be parted from, on some level. I only have so much time and attention. I have had to repeatedly remind myself that the direction I’m turning away from is not WRONG, just different. Demonizing people who think differently from we do only serves to make us demons in the eyes of others. It never serves the quest for knowledge and healing.

You know? Darnit if I don’t feel just like I felt on that hilltop watching those geese disappear. Warmth, openness, a surge of energy, signs from all over God and Creation. It’s not that the other way is wrong, it’s just that this way is right. It leads to more, not less. It opens me into an endless realm of possibility and sweetness. I have already seen the results in my acupuncture, in my herbal prescriptions, in my presence with my patients, and in my bank account.

So, to any of you who are feeling this – particularly you students – take heart. You will find your way. Sit quietly with yourself, go on walks, get treatment, sing songs, talk to animals and go through your rebirth. Getting born is rarely pain-free, but it always opens into a whole universe of experience that was previously unavailable to you. I promise.

—

***Note : I’m not saying that ancient medicine isn’t directly relevant to contemporary times and people. Please. I’m just saying that some of the things they had available, we don’t have available – or very nearly (Fulonggan, for one – Sheng Fuzi for another – there are legal implications for some acupuncture techniques). Further, while there is truly nothing new under the sun – people do have a different way of living, eating, and even dying today and we would be idiots not to at least consider that fact sometimes, even if we are just “treating what we see,” and even if we are (correctly) not taking into account Western disease names and categories, etc…

The sages of Chinese antiquity stood facing South

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In my last article, I mentioned my idea that the best way to learn Chinese herbs is through what I’m calling the “relational method.” Before we can dive headlong into the process I am describing, we need to prepare some ground. Today, I want to talk a little about learning in general, relationship styles and relationships skills. My motivation for doing this is twofold.

First, I really believe that an astonishing number of people looking to learn aren’t really sure how they do that best. Yes, folks, there is more than one way to take in information. The way you learned in grade school is NOT necessarily the best one. Second, the nature of my developing theories on teaching and learning are deeply interwoven with the relational method of learning Chinese herbs. I think you’ll see how that works as time goes on.

As I’ve made clear in other posts, I’m a big fan of the concept of learning styles.

I think that the material associated with this concept can help stuck students get unstuck pretty quickly. I don’t know about you, but when I was growing up, I was quite sure that there was only one way to learn – words, words and more words. Fortunately, I’m good with them so I didn’t suffer TOO much. However, some people learn more readily by using their bodies in the learning process. Others really excel when listening, even music, is involved. Still others are visual – but not so verbal – they like pictures and diagrams. These are the basic learning styles most frequently discussed in the literature. Obviously, we’re missing some important learning methodology that we will use in our study of Chinese herbs – the more subtle faculties that have been the tools of herbalists for centuries.

In addition, I find that different types of material often require different methods. That’s actually one place I diverge a bit from the traditional “learning style” literature – I don’t necessarily think that every person has a single method that works well in all cases. Some material lends itself better to one method or another, or a combination of methods. One person may find that using sound to learn herbs is the best method, others may find it to be completely useless. Yet, that same person might find that they can’t use sound to learn points at all. Further, there are some teaching and learning strategies that seem to work well for everyone – for instance associating very vivid imagery with something you are trying to remember. All of that aside, the core of what I’m saying is simply that there are a lot of ways to learn new information.

The first thing you need to do is figure out how you learn best.

Now, some of you will scoff – thinking that such material is below you, you “instinctively” know how best you learn. Fine. For most of you, however, you’re a little bit intrigued by the idea and want to know more. You’re the ones I’m talking to. :) There are a variety of great tools out there to help you investigate your own learning style. One of the simplest is here. I encourage you to give it a try. Answering the questions honestly is very important – and note that you can tick more than one box. The results of this simple quiz will help you get started in your quest to understand your own learning style. You will get a list of your preferences for free – showing which are the strongest preferences. You can also purchase a downloadable report and e-book to learn more information. I have not tested either of the paid options myself, instead researching more about my preferred learning styles (Read/Write and Aural) on my own using Google. :)

An online quiz won’t give you all the answers, of course. Fortunately, most of the deepest information is readily available to you – in your memory. You need to reflect on your prior learning experiences. Sit for a minute and think about your prior learning experiences – positive and negative, formal and informal. Accept the possibility that you have a unique learning style – be curious about finding it. Consider this a voyage of internal discovery that will help you to excel, not just in Chinese herbalism, but in anything you choose to learn. Here is some guidance you can use in your quest.

• When have you really excelled in a learning situation?
• Better yet, when have you been so immersed in your learning that it didn’t feel like work – you couldn’t even stop if you wanted to – and you retained the information?
• Maybe it was a situation where you were able to explore a topic of your choice in as much detail as you wanted. On the other hand, perhaps it was in a multiple-choice testing environment.
• Perhaps it was during a lecture where the teacher was very animated, using lots of examples and stories. On the other hand, maybe you prefer being nestled deep in the library stacks with a book.
• Perhaps you always study best when there is music playing, or when the information is presented in a musical way?
• Try writing a really vivid description of the times you have enjoyed the most in learning – and make a list of the characteristics of that time. Reflect on those characteristics and try to get a sense for yourself, in general, as a learner. This is also a good time to reflect on those characteristics you prefer in instructors – both formally and informally.

Give yourself time with this exercise, perhaps reflecting on what you’ve found over a couple of days. This information will become useful as we continue.

Leaving that important information aside, I will ask to delve into your own habits and talents yet again.

This time, I would like you to focus on yourself as a person in relationship. When you meet someone for the first time – what do you do? How do you interact with them? Are you forward, asking lots of questions? What kinds of questions? Are you more reserved, responding to questions and observing? What are you looking for? What is the most basic information you feel like you need about a person before you feel that you “know” them on some level? What kind of deeper information do you require before you consider a person “a friend?”

There are lots of possibilities here, I’ll mention just a few to get you started:

• When you meet someone and are getting to know them, are you always fascinated by where they have lived and travelled, and want to know more about their hometown, or where they hang out in the current town where they live?
• Do you prefer to talk about people’s families – their parents, partners, children and friends? Are you always excited to talk about their relationship problems and how they are making things work within their significant relationships?
• Perhaps instead you are attracted to people based on what they do – their activities and work, their function in the world?

There are many ways to know people – some easier to explain than others. Just give it a try – think about the last 10 relationships you have formed (whether shallow or deep relationships) and consider how the relationship developed. What do you talk about? Do you notice any patterns? For those people with whom you share a close bond – how do you know that this bond is close? What do you know about that person, what types of experiences have you shared, that make that a very special relationship?

Obviously – one of the reasons we go from acquaintance to friend often has to do with shared experiences – that will come into play as we continue to talk about a relational method of knowing Chinese herbs. For now, just keep it in mind. Allow yourself to reflect further, both on your learning style and your relationship/communication style. Think about the interactions you have with other beings, even your pets. Jot down what you notice in a journal, and feel free to share it with us here, in the comments.

The next post will discuss how to use what you’ve noticed to go from stranger to acquaintance with our herbal friends. I’ll use myself as an example and my very favorite herb. Look forward to it soon.

—–

If you are interested in reading more about learning styles, I can recommend the books below:

“Learning Styles” (Marlene LeFever)

“So Each May Learn: Integrating Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences” (Harvey F. Silver, Richard W. Strong, Matthew J. Perini)

Setting yourself up for learning success : First, know thyself

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I have a passion for organizing information in efficient ways. I’ve spent the better part of the last decade trying to find a system that meets the demands I place on it. As a Chinese medicine practitioner, why am I so obsessed with information management? Isn’t that something better left to corporate managers and computer science professionals?

Taking advantage of what I’ve received

Over the last four years, I have been unbelievably blessed. I found National College of Natural Medicine at a perfect time for the Classical Chinese Medicine program. Their curriculum had just been revamped – we would be the first class to get the full curriculum from beginning to end. This had its upsides and downsides. We were guinea pigs for some things that probably needed a little more development, but we also got some golden moments with teachers who, by the end of our tenure there, would no longer be with the college.

It’s not just school. I’ve also had the privilege to correspond with practitioners all over the world, get free issues of journals, free ebooks and just a ton of incredible information. Add to this the fact that I’ve become increasingly skilled at finding the information on the web, and you’ve got a whoooooole lot of information. It’s in audio, video, a variety of text formats, hand-drawn, computer generated – sort of a mess, really. I’ve managed this information (mostly) using an ok set of folders on the computer and the search capabilities of Spotlight, Quicksilver and – recently - Pathfinder. This has been serviceable, but has somehow just failed to satisfy. My productivity has been limited, and most of all, I just wasn’t using the information I had. I became numb to the dearth of fantastic knowledge that was trapped in my machine!

On the other hand – let’s face it. I’m a nerd. Or, maybe my partner, Amanda Barp is right when she says that I’m a bit of a Maven. What’s that? Malcom Gladwell in his excellent book, The Tipping Point, discusses three types of agents that participate in the production of “epidemics” (of ideas). If you want to learn more, check out the link above (I will get a small kick back if you purchase through my link). But here’s a summary of the maven by my friend and yours, Wikipedia:

“Mavens are “information specialists”, or “people we rely upon to connect us with new information.”They accumulate knowledge, especially about the marketplace, and know how to share it with others. Gladwell cites Mark Alpert as a prototypical Maven who is “almost pathologically helpful”, further adding, “he can’t help himself”.In this vein, Alpert himself concedes, “A Maven is someone who wants to solve other people’s problems, generally by solving his own”. According to Gladwell, Mavens start “word-of-mouth epidemics”due to their knowledge, social skills, and ability to communicate. As Gladwell states, “Mavens are really information brokers, sharing and trading what they know”.

I appreciate my partner’s efforts to find a word for whatever it is that I am. I think this is just a gentle way of saying I’m a nerd. But, that’s fine. :)

Why not just memorize it all? Isn’t your brain better for this kind of thing?

Yes, maybe. But, I think I have access to and interest in more information than my brain is capable of processing right now. With experience and time, it may migrate to my head. I find that when I use something several times, it becomes easy to remember. I do memorize a fair bit, and there are many things that I am actively working on memorizing, but there’s a lot of other information that I would like to have quick access to, but my brain won’t hold right now. Yes, you could make the argument that I shouldn’t worry about all of that extra information, that I should just focus on one thing, etc… But, that’s not how I’m built, and that’s not what’s worked for me. When I’m 90 and I finally retire from public life, maybe I’ll throw away all the computers and such and just sit on the patio, drinking Gandi Huang (Fresh Shengdi) and reading the Neijing. Who knows. Stranger things have happened.

Of course, you might also object that people have had this kind of technology for a long time – books. :) I have nothing against books. In fact, I love them. But, there are a few problems. First, the vast majority of the information I want easy access to is in the form of audio recordings, handwritten notes and packets of pre-printed notes that are badly or not organized. Second, while tables of contents and indexes are all fine and good – it’s still not the most efficient way to get information out. Not to mention that some books (I’m talking to you Maoshing Ni) have TERRIBLE indexes. Simply unusable. Finally, it’s not JUST “finding” the information that I’m interested in. This will become clear when I talk about software solutions in a few short minutes.

As it stands, I am making my computer will be my “extended brain” holding those things I can’t remember, while my real brain holds the things I use more frequently. It works for me. Beyond that, working on this project has stimulated new connections in my thinking and reminded me of things I had learned when I was too busy to learn anything. Most of all, in this post-school era, it has rekindled my passion for deeply learning Chinese medicine. Speaking of connections – well… I’ll talk about that in a minute.

What I’ve tried in the past

Note – I’m an avid, avid Mac user. I cannot accept a single argument why a person who can/wants to get a computer would get anything else. That’s all there is to it – it’s my bias. Thusly, much of what I say below is going to be mostly relevant to a Mac audience. There are solutions on Windows machines that may approximate some of this functionality.

Finder, folders (discussed briefly above)

Why it works : Simple, intuitive. If you know macs, you know the Finder. Using folders is analogous to using paper folders in unplugged life. Because of this, it’s rather intuitive. You label a folder, you put stuff that fits the label into the folder. When you’re looking for something, you just try to remember where you put it. If you were reasonably good at labelling, you’ll find what you’re looking for rather quickly. Add to this the functionality of Spotlight (searches for files and folders on your machine in a pretty thorough way) and it would see that you have a pretty elegant, functional system.

Doesn’t work : Unfortunately, it’s not perfect. Sometimes it’s quite hard to find what you’ve filed. This may have mostly to do with the user’s inability to create a great folder naming system, but it’s also due to Spotlight’s limitations. Spotlight can’t search all file types, and for reasons unknown to me, it just doesn’t seem to index everything. Quicksilver (a quicklaunch application that has decent search capability) and Pathfinder (an alternative to the Finder) both expand on Spotlight and – for the most part – this system worked ok for me. The problem is that it’s incredibly linear – way more linear than the information I hold on my computer.

Mindmapping (Mindjet for Mac), Personalbrain

Note: I’ve discussed mindmapping before in this article about Chinese medicine mindmapping and elsewhere in more minor ways.

Works : These software applications allow you to structure information in a way that is, allegedly, similar to your brain’s structure. In this way, you are more able to see connections, and often, more able to remember details. It’s still simple to use, the learning curve is relatively gentle. It’s also pretty to look at. Personal Brain is less “elegant” looking but much more powerful, and I found it to be a superior tool in finding connections between Chinese herbal formulas – the main type of information I’m looking to organize. What both of these applications are best at, though, is facilitating the brainstorming process. I’ve found them both to be invaluable in sketching out complicated papers, blog posts and doing various types of planning (business, financial). Then, one can review that information with an eye for finding the most important bits and organizing them.

Doesn’t work : Easily accessing files is a hit or miss proposition, so it’s really more helpful when you’re just storing small bits of text. For instance, it’s no problem to organize a bunch of formula names and short statements about their effectiveness, but attaching files in an easily accessible way about those formulas is just not going to happen. I could see this working for someone with relatively modest needs, but it just doesn’t work for me. Search within the maps is also somewhat difficult, particularly with Mindjet.

Omnifocus and Omnioutliner

I use Omnifocus for my Getting Things Done (TM) system, and when I teach others how I use GTD, I suggest they do so as well. For my money, it’s the purest implementer of GTD I know. In the last six months, I’ve had a whole lot of new projects drop on my lap, and have also had a couple of changes in my general state (from student to owner of two businesses, among others) and OF has kept me (mostly) clear. The parts that aren’t clear are entirely due to my sometimes shaky implementation of a few key features of the system – not the software.

I’ve started using it for storing lots more – project files and the link – using Applescripts to link to folders that store the information (files, etc) that I need for any given project (including blog articles) That even extended to holding information about CM, which is why I include it here. It’s not REALLY a solution on the par with the rest of these, but you *COULD* create an infrastructure for storing large amounts of information in outline form, if that was your preference. I’d say, though, that you would have to have a relatively discrete amount of information or have links to external sources, as it would become unwieldy, be very difficult to search well and hard to get information out quickly. Ultimately, I don’t want to use OF for holding my project support and reference information because it impacts the effectiveness of my GTD system. We can’t have that now, can we?

Yojimbo and Evernote

I’ve used them both rather briefly. I like them, and think they could be servicable solutions to the information management problems I face. They are quite similar pieces of software, with different feel. Evernote’s claim to greatness is its accessibility – if you have an iPhone, you can access your data anywhere – easily. You can even takes photos with your iPhone and quickly and easily put them in your database. I did this when I was researching plants and herbs – taking pictures on my walks, or in herb stores. It can even do text recognition within the photos, so if you were to take a picture, for example, of the cover ofa book you were interested in – you could search for that title quickly and easily from within the Evernote application. Pretty cool. It is really an “ubiquitous capture” tool of the highest order, as is required for great GTD implementation.

Yojimbo is a little harder to access anywhere, though now they have a for-cost add-on called Webjimbo. The interface is a little more clunky, but really it’s very similar to Evernote – with maybe a little less time going into development. I actually use it exclusively for my passwords, various logins (for blogging, etc) and information like that, as it has an encryption feature and is easily accessible while I’m on the Internet. I don’t use Evernote at all, because there isn’t anything it does that Omnifocus (iPhone and Mac app – ubiquitous capture and GTD system) + Yojimbo (passwords and logins) + Devonthink doesn’t do a hundred times better. And no, I don’t mind using three applications. Sometimes, specialization is a good thing.

Which brings me to what I’m crowing about – Devonthink. I CAN NOT WRITE ENOUGH SUPERLATIVE STATEMENTS TO ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN MY LOVE FOR THIS SOFTWARE – I have had this program on my computer for a bit (got it as a part of a bundle some time back), but forgot about it and was recently reminded to check it out. I’d like to explain how much I love Devonthink and why I think every Chinese medicine practitioner should buy it and use it religiously. But, that will have to wait for my next post. :)

I do hope that those of you who aren’t computer wonks will stick around – because I will show you how this relates to Chinese medicine in a way that I think anyone can understand. Even if you’re never going to use a computer application like this, I think you might find the piece valuable. It speaks to the importance of the information we receive in our training and what it means to be in a constant process of learning. Thanks for having patience with my nerd-like behavior.

How Devonthink is blowing my mind and rekindling my love for Chinese Medicine (Part 1/2)

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I recently took and passed three NCCAOM board exams. I think I may have lost months and years of my life’s energy in doing so. It was one of the more annoying testing experiences of my life. This was the case due to a number of factors, and none of them have to do with my education or ability. I’d like to briefly review those factors, discuss the board review products I employed and make a few recommendations for those of you who are planning to take the NCCAOM board exams sometime soon.

Signing up, paperwork, scheduling and managing board exams

I swear that all testing authorities believe that actually signing up for the exams should be the first big test. NCCAOM is actually better than some testing authorities I’ve had to deal with, but the process was still needlessly complicated. I suggest that you download the board exam application as soon as possible and read through the instructions several times. There are a few important things to note :

1. Don’t forget the official transcript.
2. Don’t skimp on the passport photo, just get it professionally done.
3. Don’t forget to get the application notarized.
4. Make sure you fill out the information so they can inform you when your application has been received.
5. Make a full copy of the application right before you send it.
6. Send it certified mail so you can track it and get confirmation that it was received.
7. Call them if it takes more than a week or so for them to let you know it has been received. You really need to keep on top of things with any organization like this.

It is VERY IMPORTANT that you check what board exams are required for licensure before you apply. In many states, the herbal board exam is not necessary. Now, you may want to take it anyway (I think most folks should), but the reality of the situation is that you may not be prepared, or may not WANT to take that particular exam before you want to be licensed. In my situation, in Oregon, only the Foundations, Biomedicine and Acupuncture (w/ point location) exams are necessary. I will be taking the herbal board, but because it tests you on TCM herbalism (which I did not learn well) I want to give myself time to prepare. I want to practice before that time. However, not paying attention, I signed up and paid for the “Oriental Medicine” board exam application, which has the herbal board wrapped into it.

Unfortunately, the state licensing board in most places wants to receive “certified” status from the NCCAOM before they will process your application. If you have signed up for the Oriental Medicine application (and paid for it) they WILL NOT send “certified” status to the state licensing board until you have taken the herbal board. You have to pay $100 to “downgrade” the application and, later, completely reapply (and pay the FULL APPLICATION FEE, plus board exam fees) in order to take the herbal board. I have my own emotional reaction to this practice, but will not share it. Just know that this is the reality, and go from there.

The service that NCCAOM uses to actually schedule the individual board exams is actually great. They gave me no problems whatsoever, and you can change a board exam time up to 24 hours (business days only) in advance. I know a few people had problems with getting to the testing center to see that the place had been overbooked, but most people have no problems with this part of the process.

Studying for your exams

I used several board prep products. I’ll list them each below, in no particular order, with a brief review.

1. Blue Poppy’s Test Prep series (Zhong Bai-song, author), including “Test Prep Workbook for the NCCAOM Bio-medicine Module” (Zhong Bai-song). This book is a series of multiple-choice tests, followed by answer keys. How many questions and how many tests vary given the topic. These books are well laid out, and an errata sheet was provided to fix mistakes in the initial version. That being said, there were still a number of strange errors, and there was much inconsistency in the book. In particular, I was annoyed that some answers to the multiple choice questions had no explanation – many of them needed it, particularly in the biomedicine book. I actually abandoned these books about 2/3rds of the way through because they tended to increase instead of decrease my anxiety.
2. Test Prep book by Jim Cleaver of Muddy Bottom Press (not available online). I’m not sure if Jim makes books for all of the exams, but he made an excellent one for the Acupuncture exam. It is also a list of questions and answers, but divided into different sections based on the type of knowledge being tested (cun measurements, for instance, or pattern differentiation). I felt the most adequately prepared from this book, compared to all of the others in my list. You may be able to buy it through the NCNM bookstore. Just give them a call.
3. TCMTests.com. The most expensive option, way out of reach for many students, is also probably the best. They offer a variety of testing products, including an option where you can make your own test using their question banks to help drill you on your weakest subjects. There are timed and untimed tests. Possibly the most important section of their website is where they have tests on particular subjects, for instance cun measurements or divergent channels. This helps you really work where you are weak, and I believe doing the divergent and luo channel tests may have saved me on the exam. It is quite expensive, though. I suggest you decide what exams you really need help with, and buy those ala carte. Make sure that you have the time available to devote to daily practice when you pay for it. I know a couple of students who paid for access but were unable to take advantage of it because of time pressures. That’s a costly mistake!
4. Official NCCAOM Practice Tests. These have two advantages over TCMTests.com. First, they are relatively cheaper – you are in for a smaller outlay of cash. However, that doesn’t make them the best value – look at your options carefully. Second, they give you a (likely false) sense of security – these are tests from the test-writers themselves, right? How can that fail? So, if your anxiety level is high and you feel soothed by knowing that you’re being tested by the masters, try out a set of these. The format is essentially the same as TCMtests, except they don’t have as many options. No individualized tests, no single subject tests. You will get a taste for the way the exams actually flow – which is a good thing.
5. The outlines and bibliographic lists provided by NCCAOM. By far, this was the most important “board prep” resource I used in studying. Pay. Very. Close. Attention. To. The. Content. Outline. If you don’t know something on there, like, say, divergent channels or… perhaps… the full list of “caution” or “contraindication” points – study it very closely. To my knowledge, no other board prep resource more adequately prepared me for the actual breadth and depth of the board exams. I’m serious. Read these. Know them. Love them.

I used many, many other resources in studying for the board exams. In general, you should use books you are already familiar with, but make sure to look at all the books in the bibliography section mentioned above. You should pay special attention to finding a TCM theory book you are comfortable with. I didn’t study much for the Foundations exam, as I feel I have that material pretty firmly down, but I know others were very thankful for their Maciocia as they studied.

Techniques

My friends, you’re just going to have to memorize. I discussed a little of this in my prior post about studying using audio. However, I do have a few other suggestions about good study practices.

1. Point category charts : Create a good set of your own point category charts, color coded if that works for you. Draw them several times a day until you could do so in your sleep. While I didn’t find a lot of specific category questions on the tests, knowing this information will go a long way towards making you feel generally comfortable and ready for the test.
2. Drawing important parts of the body : I made a habit of frequently drawing the front and back of the body, along with all relevant points from all channels and any special information (like where organs are located, and at what depth). This helps engage your creative mind a bit, while also keeping you enmeshed in what this is supposed to be all about – real human bodies!
3. When you’re sick of studying one topic, move to another – don’t just quit. I was studying for three exams at the same time, so when I would tire of rote memorization of point categories, I’d spend some time reading chapters of the Neijing or going through some old Western pathology notes. I might even change my location (from living room to backyard) or call a friend to do some back and forth quiz-and-recall. Speaking of quiz-and-recall, please do yourself a favor and read everything Cal Newport has ever written.  Yes, I know you’re not in undergrad anymore, but… seriously.

Here’s the deal, the adaptive testing mechanism that NCCAOM uses ensures that the test is going to be difficult, no matter how hard you study. While I know some people felt pretty confident when they pressed the final button, many people passed the ten seconds or so between ending the exam and getting their results in sheer terror of what they may see. I’m just thankful you get your results right away! The test is often incomprehensible, testing you on things you really aren’t sure anyone needs to know. You will throw your hands in the air wondering why, oh why, the testing gods have it out for you. But, one way or another, you’ll get through it. :)

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine board exam preparation : the bad, the worse, and the ugly

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When you write acknowledgements for a thesis at a small college in Portland, you can be reasonably assured that almost nobody will read them.  This is a shame, for they are meant to be read – meant to shout your love, respect and admiration from the rooftops!  So, I hope you will indulge me and read the below and give a silent round of applause to the people that made my thesis, indeed my entire success at school and on this blog and in my life in general, possible.  I couldn’t possibly mention everyone who was a part of it – so if you’re not mentioned below and should be – know that my love goes to you as well.

In the coming weeks, I’ll release more of my thesis, though the very thought terrifies me.  Anyone who’s written a thesis, dissertation or book will know what I mean.

———

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To Amanda, the love of my life, without you life is bereft of meaning.  I thank your for your persistence, your strength, your uncommon beauty and your belief that I’m not as crazy as I seem.

To Eden, without whom I would have had no reason to go to school at all, my debt to you can never be repaid.  I love you, I love you, I love you.

To Sarah and Christopher, my dear friends, thank you for your patience with my idiosyncrasies.  I cannot promise they will diminish with the final draft of this thesis.  But, I can promise more beach trips.

To Heiner, my heartfelt thanks for guidance, for inspiration and for constant reminders of the power of this medicine.  I will always be your student, if you’ll have me.

To Arnaud, my utmost gratitude – I hope one day I can be worthy of what you teach.   Slowly – I’m starting to get it.

To Michael, remember: scrofula!  I can only hope that our study together will continue until the end of our days.

To David Berkshire, thank you for giving me the space to learn from your teacher – nature.

To Brandt, to Abdallah, this end is a beginning.  For us, for Watershed and of course – for our journey to God.

To all of my other teachers, too numerous to list individually, you have bestowed me with faith – in medicine, in myself and in a brighter future for humanity.

Love to my grandfather, who taught me the value of unimpeachable argument.  Hopefully, one day, I will fully integrate the lesson.

To Kellen, thank you for your sincerity and unconditional love – you always have a home with me.

Finally, to my mother and father – Holly and Steve – what can I say?  To you, I owe my life, my fortitude and the most important lesson I’ve learned: in the end, love conquers all.

Argument for a medical multiverse : Acknowledgements

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Since the arrival of my friend Brandt Stickley, I have been unfortunately unable to devote the amount of time I would like to living out our wild Portland-area Awareness Project dreams.  We had so many late night chat and Skype conversations, whipping one another into a sleepless frenzy about the power and possibility in symbolism. The symbolism of the Classical texts of Chinese medicine, the symbolism of the body, of acupuncture points and herbal formulas, of ancient poetry and contemporary culture – but most of all – the symbolism living all around us in lived experience.

Well, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.  I can TASTE the completion of this degree.  I can FEEL the reality of my impending licensure.  Our clinic is already running.  We have meetings every week.  I’m totally ready to see patients – and already have several ready to go.  This deal is sealed, God willing things are now operating on the gravity created by hard work and not a little bit of Grace.  Running a business takes time, lots of it.  But, the fact is, I’ve been working hard on that all along.  I set myself up precisely so I would actually experience some ease and freedom after graduation.

So, I thought I would make a list of the five things I’m most looking forward to doing after I graduate. This does not include the usual suspects : getting more sleep, spending more time with family and friends, taking fewer tests, etc…  It also doesn’t include the very exciting new developments of running a business full-time, getting back into (and developing my skills within) blogging and – of course – developing as a clinician and scholar in Chinese medicine.  All five of these things I see as being major contributors to the invigoration, development and eventual worldwide flourishing of the Awareness Project.

- City Safari - : Portland is, I think, one of the most wonderful cities in the world.  It is easily the greatest city I have ever visited.  There is simply no end to the nooks and crannies to be explored.  From the urban mettle of the Eastside Industrial district (spitting distance to our clinic) to the gilded streets of the Pearl, the well-worn sidewalks of the Belmont and Hawthorne neighborhoods and all the other incredible districts and ‘hoods. Add to that the abundant Hill Walk opportunities, countless little pockets of Wildness all over the city, endless cultural events, used bookstores galore, junk sales, free boxes, chickens running wild, food carts, curiosities around every corner.  It’s too much to think about, much too much to write.  It is a place that draws together many interesting things.  I love to walk, I love to bike, and one of my favorite things is to just go where the wind blows me.  These blown about moments are ripe for deepening awareness, pregnant with the possibility of seeing more deeply into reality – informing my practice and my purpose.

- Getting to know the Watershed – : Beyond the city limits, a smorgasboard of outdoor space awaits.  From NCNM, I can see two mountains – absolutely surrounded with verdant forest, sublime foothills, rushing rivers and not a few glorious swimming holes.  Both up and down the valley we have hotsprings, old growth, wine country, waterfalls and a hundred underused hiking trails and tent camping spots.  This is to say nothing for the miles of undeveloped beaches, the endless expanses of highland desert, dunes, caves and lakes from outerspace.  It’s not hard to understand why so many people love this state.  Just as the city safari, the kind of surprises and encounters that come about while wandering the wildness of the world is an awareness building experience.

- Reading (and experiencing) Widely – : I have a reading list a mile long.  There is a lot I want to read within the field, but even more outside of it.  There is just so much to learn, so much to imagine, so many people writing down so many incredible things.  Finally, finally – I may have some time to take it all in. The reality is that I will probably stay more or less in the range of Chinese medicine related materials – but for me – that field is pretty broad.  I also have a whole lot of Continental Philosophy to burrow into.  Also, Rorty.  Oh, and I started playing roleplaying games again, so there’s plenty to read there.  All of this helps build a richness of worldview that can only help me as a practitioner.  Like some guy once told me.

- Learning and Using Chinese language – : The most important new project I’m taking on over the next decade is to deeply learn Chinese language.  I’ve got a lot of materials for homestudy, as I won’t be able to afford (or stomach) formal education for at least a year or two.  I’m hoping between that and the resources of my peers and friends, I’ll be able to make a go at it.  I’m going to be doing the arduous task learned in Classical Texts classes at NCNM – going through texts character by character, and trying to drink them in.  I believe that a mastery of this language is a crucial key in unlocking my potential in the field.  I don’t intend to put that off, if I can help it.  The deeper I fall into the symbols of the language, the deeper my awareness, the more profound my connection, the more effective the medicine.  Or so some other guy told me.

- Redoubling my efforts in Self Cultivation - : I have experienced first-hand the difference between the treatments of practitioners who attend closely to their self-cultivation and those who do not.  I don’t expect to be a saint, and I don’t expect any other practitioner to be.  However, the degree to which we learn to become still, to connect deeply (both inward and outward) and care for our health on every level is the degree to which we will become not just technicians, but deeply skilled care providers.  I have been working on this throughout my four years at NCNM, but I must admit that the rigors of my life have sometimes made me less than totally devoted to practice.  I’m looking forward to a chance to change that.

Onward!

Eric

5 Things to Look forward to after graduation : Chinese medicine post-graduate education

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