This book offers a thorough foundation for acupuncturists on the eight extraordinary vessels in Classical Chinese medicine. The contents cater for the beginner by providing a basic level introduction to the theory and practical application of the eight extraordinary vessel system to acupuncture practice and the healing process. History, the vessels, the pulses, point combinations and safety protocols are all covered, and case studies help demonstrate how this knowledge can be used in treatment. The book includes many helpful illustrations as well as sections on common problems particularly suited to 8EV treatment such as fertility, depression and emotional pain.

The most detailed exposition of the vessels in the English language.

The English edition of Liu Lihong’s milestone work is a sublime beacon for the profession of Chinese medicine in the 21st century. Classical Chinese Medicine delivers a straightforward critique of the politically motivated “integration” of traditional Chinese wisdom with Western science during the last sixty years, and represents an ardent appeal for the recognition of Chinese medicine as a science in its own right. Professor Liu’s candid presentation has made this book a bestseller in China, treasured not only by medical students and doctors, but by vast numbers of non-professionals who long for a state of health and well-being that is founded in a deeper sense of cultural identity. Oriental medicine education has made great strides in the West since the 1970s, but clear guidelines regarding the “traditional” nature of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) remain undefined. Classical Chinese Medicine not only delineates the educational and clinical problems faced by the profession in both East and West, but transmits concrete and inspiring guidance on how to effectively engage with ancient texts and designs in the postmodern age. Using the example of the Shanghanlun (Treatise on Cold Damage), one of the most important Chinese medicine classics, Liu Lihong develops a compelling roadmap for holistic medical thinking that links the human body to nature and the universe at large.

An introduction to the sixteenth century embroidery technique in which beautiful patterns are created by stitching geometric designs onto evenweave fabric. Inspired by the past, Lesley Wilkins illustrates her techniques with a whole host of wonderful designs flowers, plants, birds, animals and figures. She covers everything from the materials to use and working with a chart, to getting started and how to stitch. Patterns are created by small stitched units which are combined in many different ways some heavily textured, some delicate and light. Borders can be built up by repeating and joining motifs. Clear step-by-step photographs accompany the author’s comprehensive instructions, and the motifs, borders, fill-in patterns and images are all charted, with inspirational pictures of embroideries showing how to build up finished designs. “The designs in this book are amazing. Some are very simple and others have a look of intricacy in them. There are figures, flowers, borders and much much more, this gives a lot of inspiration if you want to design your own piece.” —Postcard Reviews “A comprehensive book about the blackwork technique, covering the materials to use, how to use a chart, getting started and what designs we could do.” —Mr X Stitch

A Beginner's Guide to Immortality is a celebration of unusual lives and creative thinkers who punched through ordinary cultural norms while becoming successful in their own niches. In his latest and greatest work, world-renowned science writer Cliff Pickover studies such colofrul characters as Truman Capote, John Cage, Stephen Wolfram, Ray Kurzweil, and Wilhelm Rontgen, and their curious ideas. Through these individuals, we can better explore life's astonishing richness and glimpse the diversity of human imagination. Part memoir and part surrealistic perspective on culture, A Beginner's Guide to Immortality gives readers a glimpse of new ways of thinking and of other worlds as he reaches across cultures and peers beyond our ordinary reality. He illuminates some of the most mysterious phenomena affecting our species. What is creativity? What are the religious implications of mosquito evolution, simulated Matrix realities, the brain's own marijuana, and the mathematics of the apocalypse? Could we be a mere software simulation living in a matrix? Who is Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and Emanuel Swedenborg? Did church forefathers eat psychedelic snails? How can we safely expand our minds to become more successful and reason beyond the limits of our own intuition? How can we become immortal?

“Arguably the greatest living travel writer” (Outside magazine), Pico Iyer has called Japan home for more than three decades. But, as he is the first to admit, the country remains an enigma even to its long-term residents. In A Beginner’s Guide to Japan, Iyer draws on his years of experience—his travels, conversations, readings, and reflections—to craft a playful and profound book of surprising, brief, incisive glimpses into Japanese culture. He recounts his adventures and observations as he travels from a meditation hall to a love hotel, from West Point to Kyoto Station, and from dinner with Meryl Streep to an ill-fated call to the Apple service center in a series of provocations guaranteed to pique the interest and curiosity of those who don’t know Japan—and to remind those who do of its myriad fascinations.

Alleviate pain, release tension, increase relaxation, and improve vitality with acupressure. Fun, modern illustrations and intuitive organization combined with the expertise of seasoned practitioner Bob Doto allow you to quickly implement this powerful wellness tool. For millennia, the Chinese have been studying the effects of applying pressure to specific points on the body to relieve ailments, from fatigue to illness and pain. Practitioner Bob Doto offers you a thorough understanding of how to use acupressure to improve your standard of life and manage your own well-being. Acupressure for Beginners is your complete guide for learning this ancient art in a beautifully designed and accessible instructional format. The Press Here! series offers contemporary takes on traditional hands-on healing practices for a new generation of practitioners. These introductory guides feature easy-to-access organization, clear instructions, and beautiful illustrations of each technique. Other Press Here! topics include massage, reiki, and reflexology.