the complement channels

classical acupuncture refers to the full system of acupuncture that was widely used prior to Mao taking over China. when this happened, he made the practice of acupuncture illegal in an effort to become “modern” and “western”.

The History

The complete system of acupuncture includes the primary channels and the complement channels, sometimes referred to as “secondary vessels” or “other channels”. The primary channels are like highways for our energy, and these highways resonate with each organ. For example, the liver organ has a liver channel; the kidneys have a kidney channel. These channels deal with the 24/7 functioning of our bodies, as well as the expression of our emotions. When these functions are interrupted for any reason, this seems like a threat to our survival, and the complement channels step in to help.

The problem is that if the problem is in the complement channels, it’s very difficult to solve the problem by only treating the primary channels. We need to utilize the complement channels to undo the problems that have arisen as a result of the day-to-day functions being interrupted.

the revival

Thankfully, more and more people are committing to learning and using these channels due to incredible, dedicated teachers like Ann Cecil-Sterman, who is my primary teacher. By returning the practice of this medicine to its ancient roots and utilizing the original system in its entirety, we are able to access deeper levels of the body in order to reverse disease. Many conditions that were previously thought to be, at best, manageable are often treated very effectively with the complement channels, precisely because they go to where the problem is being held. Think of it as an elaborate shoots & ladders.

what this means for you

If you’ve tried acupuncture before and haven’t gotten the results you were hoping for, you may want to consider seeing a practitioner that practices the complement channels. As i talked about above, these channels offer access to areas of the body where problems have been stored, unbeknownst to the patient, and so it is in using these channels that healing is possible.