Episodes 2 & 3: The Universe Moves with Number and Principle | In Conversation with Deborah Woolf

Welcome to Episodes 2 & 3 of ‘Acupuncture West London – The Podcast’. Today’s episodes are entitled, The Universe Moves with Number and Principle – parts 1 & 2.

Within Chinese philosophy, numerology describes a journey from the unmanifest to the manifest; a journey from the universal spark to the manifestation of Heaven and Earth, space and time; a journey that documents the creation of the five elements in Heaven, on Earth and within Man as we know and use them in practice. Today, Deborah Woolf takes us on a fascinating journey through numerology, space and time, and Wu Yun Liu Qi (Stems and Branches) – the root of five element acupuncture.

Episodes 2 & 3 of ‘Acupuncture West London – The Podcast‘ are brought to you courtesy of our FREE ebook, Yin & Yang. Download your FREE copy at the link below:

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE E-BOOK TODAY: Yin & Yang


Deborah Woolf (LicAc, MBAcC, MA) | Acupuncturist

In episodes 2 & 3, we discuss the following:

  • Yang and Yin – expansion and contraction; the clear and the turbid; spirit and form
  • Numerology within Chinese philosophy (1 to 6)
  • Li Qi Shu – the universe moves with number, rhythm and proportion
  • The importance of the words that we use in practice and the problems that we encounter in translating the classical texts
  • Yi (oneness) and Qian (one)
  • Heaven, Earth and Man vs. Heaven, Man and Earth– prenatal vs postnatal.
  • Si Fang – The Four Directions
  • Si De – The Four Heavenly Virtues
  • The Five Elements on Three Levels – Heaven, Earth and Man:
    • the five archetypes of the five elements (Heaven)
    • the five heavens (Earth)
    • the five elements (Man)
  • Wu Yun Liu Qi (Stems and Branches theory)
    • the ten heavenly stems vs. the twelve earthly branches
    • as the root of five element acupuncture
    • space and time
    • spirit and form – treating at a constitutional, emotional and/or physical level (ie. Heaven, Earth and Man)

To learn more, tune in to episodes 2 & 3 below. You can also listen on iTunesSpotify or Podbean.


INTRODUCTION

In our very first episode on Yin and Yang, we discussed the Dao: the universal spark. We discussed how it gives rise to the concepts of Yin and Yang, and how we can move from levels of the unmanifest towards the manifest within Chinese philosophy – a journey that’s profoundly rooted in Chinese numerology.

Today, we’re going to try and take it a step further…

To help me to do this, I recently spoke with Deborah Woolf. Deborah has been in practice and teaching since 2000. She has studied with scholars such as Elizabeth Rochat de la Vallee, Joan Duveen, Peter van Kervel, Dr Edward Neal, Suzanne Robidoux, Peter Firebrace and many more. Deborah is particularly interested in classical Chinese and the classical Chinese medicine texts, with a special focus on Wu Yun Liu Qi (Stems and Branches). She has been a lecturer at the International College of Oriental Medicine (ICOM) in the UK for over 20 years, teaching Chinese Medicine and Philosophy, clinic and pulses. She has also taught many CPD courses on topics as varied as Chinese medicine and the chakras, Intro to Stems and Branches and Chinese characters for the zang-fu. Additionally, she co-runs and practices as an acupuncturist at the Anahata Health Clinic – a multi-disciplinary complementary medicine practice and multi-bed acupuncture clinic in Brighton, UK.

To learn more, tune in to episodes 2 & 3 of the podcast. You can also listen on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean.



Resources:

Numerology: a short presentation of the first ten numbers, with their character and their symbolic value (by Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallée)

Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen: Annotated Translation of Huang Di’s Inner Classic – Basic Questions (by Paul Unschuld and Hermann Tessenow)

The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine: A New Translation of the Neijing Suwen with Commentary

Huang Di Nei Jing Ling Shu: The Ancient Classic on Needle Therapy (by Paul Unschuld)

Nan Jing: The Classic of Difficult Issues (by Paul U. Unschuld)

Li, Qi and Shu: An Introduction to Science and Civilization in China

Celestial Stems & Terrestrial Branches The Philosophy and Physiology of Acupuncture (Celestial Stems & Terrestrial Branches: Wu Yun Liu Qi) (by Peter Van Kervel)

International College of Oriental Medicine (ICOM)

I Ching or Book of Changes: Ancient Chinese wisdom to inspire and enlighten (Arkana)

Celestial Stems: Acupuncture Theory and Practice in Relation to the Influence of Cosmic Forces Upon the Body (by Royston Low)

The Neijing Perspective on Epidemic and Pandemic Diseases and the Current Covid-19 Situation (Dr Ed Neal Webinar)

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