Qi gong can look deceptively simple. From the outside it looks like stillness in motion, but what is unfolding on the inside is another matter entirely. Here in the West we are used to aggressive, outward motion while being distracted with TV shows, music or magazines at the gym. But the Chinese internal arts, while…
Live Long, Live Well: The Chinese Traditions of Nourishing Life • EAP067
Chinese medicine does not just have a 2500 year history of written and practical application of treating illness and disease. It also has an equally long tradition of cultivating health and well-being. Here in the West we say “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” so like the Chinese, we have this…
Causes and conditions of illness and health • EAP061
We often think of germs, genetic abnormalities, poor lifestyle choices or plain bad luck as being the cause of illness and disease. We go looking for the “smoking gun,” for the one thing that was the source of our troubles, but often the health issues we face arise out of a much more complex stew…
Connecting emotions and physiology; a tea infused conversation • EAP053
We often hear about the so-called “mind/body connection,” but have you noticed that the very phrase already assumes some kind of disconnect? In this episode we discuss over tea, Chinese medicine’s view of how body and emotion are profoundly intertwined, what to do about worry, and how art helps with healing. Listen in for a…
Mindfulness in medicine • EAP036
We often imagine we want the latest in medicine’s technological innovation should we find ourselves or a loved one in the midst of illness and suffering. But there are moments when our most advanced technology, while it can save lives, can not reach into the spaces inhabited by human spirit. There is no pill or…
Cultivating the habit of creativity • EAP035
What does creativity have to do with health? Plenty if are going to navigate the inevitable changes that life brings in a way leads toward cultivating resilience and adaptability. Our guest today, while trained as an artist and designer, has acquired a knack for helping others to connect with the creativity and beginner’s mind awareness…
The difference between presence and control • EAP033
Many of us fire up a meditation practice only to find ourselves sitting in an overwhelming riot of thought and agitation. Isn’t this practice supposed to calm us down, lower blood pressure, ease the migraines, and maybe give our recurring assortment of anxieties, troubles and tribulations a nudge to the curb? Yeah, that’s a common…
Zen is not about relaxation, it’s about practice • EAP026
In this episode we discuss with a long time Zen practitioner the curious human habit of having conversations with people who are not present, in places that we don’t actually inhabit. While the common image of meditation is one of peaceful stillness where the mind idles along like the purring of a kitten, the reality…
From skeptic to practitioner • EAP015
The tables get turned on Everyday Acupuncture’s host Michael Max, as he finds himself on the other side of microphone with Margot Rossi. Margot was Michael’s first acupuncturist, and over the years their relationship has evolved into one of deep friendship and respected colleagues. Margot has a gift for asking pertinent, thoughtful questions that require…