Pacific Rim College Radio

In this episode, Angeli Chitale and I discuss Ayurvedic medicine, past and present, and across cultures. From her grandparent’s home in India to her naturopathic practice on the west coast of Canada, Ayurveda has had a major influence on her view of health. Speaking about her relatives both as medical practitioners and as patients, she shares much that she has learned from them.

We also cover topics such as the dangers of self prescribing herbal medicines, diabetes and various approaches to treating those afflicted, and milk, from enzymes to digest it to cultural traditions and ancient preservation practices.

Angeli is a faculty member at Pacific Rim College in Victoria, BC, and an instructor in the Holistic Nutrition Online Certificate Program offered through PRCOnline. She first embarked on a career in molecular biology and genetics before finding her passion in Naturopathic Medicine. After graduation with her naturopathic degree, she obtained further qualification in restorative medicine for the treatment of thyroid, adrenal, and other endocrine/metabolic conditions.

Please enjoy this episode of Pacific Rim College Radio with Dr. Angeli Chitale.

Episode Links:

https://thyroidcare.wixsite.com/restorativemedicine

Holistic Nutrition Online Certificate Program at PRCOnline

Learning Links:

School of Holistic Nutrition at PRC

Online Holistic Nutrition courses at PRCOnline

Student Clinic at PRC

Judy Becker Worsley and David Berkshire return for another episode and a deeper dive into the Worsley Five Element lineage.

Judy continues to share with us the impact on her life of the philosophies of the Five Elements system and how it has always served as a compass for her. The teachings of JR Worsley, that she and David continue to passionately share, help to liberate practitioners from the brainwashing of society, including the fallacy that by labelling people, we better understand them.

Foundational to JR’s teaching are the practices of humility, curiosity, and presence. These not only are hallmarks of impactful practitioners of medicine but also of practitioners of life as they help the individual transform into state of freedom and peace.

We also explore more technical details of Five Element medicine, especially through an examination of the differences between constitutional factors and causative factors. And we conclude with the power of Five Elements in helping us to better understand the natural order of all.

Judy Becker Worsley has been a devoted student of Professor JR Worsley since 1973, and was designated by JR to succeed him as Master of the lineage upon his death. Prior to his death, they founded the Worsley Institute, which is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Worsley Five Element Acupuncture tradition that is rooted in natural law.

Joining Judy in this episode is David Berkshire, President of the Worsley Institute, located in Portland, Oregon, where David also has a busy clinical practice.

Please enjoy this episode of Pacific Rim College Radio with Judy Becker Worsley and David Berkshire.

Episode Links:

Worsley Institute

Learning Links:

School of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine at PRC

Online Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine courses at PRCOnline

Student Clinic at PRC

I waited a very long time to have this discussion with Bill Porter, and it was well worth the wait. Bill is a prolific writer and adventurer, and also, under the pen name of Red Pine, a renowned translator of ancient Chinese works from Cold Mountain to Lao Tze.

Bill has written and translated dozens of books over many decades, and his radio shows in China were tuned into by millions a day. Those shows featured the accounts of his ambitious adventures, including travelling the length of the Yellow River from its mouth to its source. Bill also sought out and found hermits living in the mountains of China, and his book, Road to Heaven, has sold over 2 million copies in China and is credited with helping to revive the Taoist hermit tradition there. We spend some time talking about not only Bill’s adventure in finding hermits, but also hermit life, then and now.

Bill continues to translate today, still as Red Pine and is nearing completion of a new book of poetry. We talk about how he acquired his name Red Pine and his inspiration for translating in the first place.

Bill is a fascinating interviewee, having interviewed hundreds of guests himself on a radio show in China, and has lived a life of incredible cultural explorations and the subsequent sharing of their details. His storytelling is superb, and his material endless.

I have no doubt that you will enjoy this episode of Pacific Rim College Radio with Bill Porter.

Episode Links:

Red Pine Facebook page

Learning Links:

School of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine at PRC

Online Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine courses at PRCOnline

Student Clinic at PRC

In this episode Elham Ansari takes us on a millennia-long journey inside of Ayurvedic medicine. In expert fashion, she distills down what can be a dauting philosophy to make pragmatic into a practice that anyone can adopt into their daily routine.

We spend a lot of time covering Ayurvedic nutrition, from the exotic to the local, including animal-based food medicine. We also discuss other aspects of Ayurveda including marma points, which are similar to acupuncture points, and other therapeutic tools, and the philosophical foundations of Ayurveda, including the doshas and elements. From within this philosophy, we find the spiritual roots of Ayurveda and how it applies to our personal journeys in this life, the scientific roots that allude to genetics and DNA long before those terms existed, and the similarities to other traditional medicines.

Elham has been an instructor of Ayurveda at Pacific Rim College for nearly a decade and has been in practice far longer. She studied under the renowned Ayurvedic practitioner Vasant Lad, and we talk about how that experience impacted her. Her Ayurvedic nutrition courses and clinics at PRC are all live online and thus her teachings and therapies can be accessed from around the globe.

Please enjoy this episode of Pacific Rim College Radio with Elham Ansari.

Episode Links:

elhamansari.com

10 Opposite Pairs of Attributes

Learning Links:

School of Holistic Nutrition at PRC

Holistic Nutrition courses at PRCOnline

Student Clinic at PRC

Judy Becker Worsley has been a devoted student of Professor JR Worsley since 1973, and was designated by JR to succeed him as Master of the lineage upon his death. Prior to his death, they founded the Worsley Institute, which is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Worsley Five Element Acupuncture tradition that is rooted in natural law.

Joining Judy in this episode is David Berkshire, President of the Worsley Institute, located in Portland, Oregon, where David also has a busy clinical practice.

Judy shares with us her quest to find something more meaningful in life than her law studies, which led her to England in 1973 to find her mentor in JR and eventually her life partner. We talk about the five element system of acupuncture that he created, his unparalleled clinical acumen, and his genius for understanding and integrating many forms of medicine.

Fundamental to the Worsley system is the mastery of the sense organs, and David and Judy discuss the reawakening of the senses, especially smell, but also sight and hearing. We also explore the spirit of acupuncture points, which JR devoted much of his life to understanding and mastering, and now Judy and David also work extensively to preserve and expand upon this ancient knowledge.

There is so much to explore of the history and impact of JR Worsley and the Worsley system that we only scratch the surface in this episode. We expect more episodes to follow.

Please enjoy this episode of Pacific Rim College Radio with Judy Becker Worsley and David Berkshire.

Episode Links:

Worsley Institute

Learning Links:

School of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine at PRC

Online Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine courses at PRCOnline

Student Clinic at PRC

Julian Scott is a legend in the field of acupuncture and holds special distinction in pediatrics. He has more than 40 years of practical experience and has authored numerous books including Acupuncture in the Treatment of Children and Acupuncture for the Eyes.

We enjoy a very easy-going conversation exploring Julian’s path to becoming an influential figure in the spread of acupuncture to the West, along with some of his well-known colleagues. He shares stories of and lessons from multiple mentors from whom he gleaned much of his knowledge and clinical acumen.

Julian explains how he was sought out as an expert in both pediatrics and ophthalmology before he considered himself to be worthy of such distinction. We also talk about many other timely topics such as the impact of vaccinations, childhood anxiety, degenerative conditions, and the stages of aging. Julian shares incredible insights in all these areas.

Although now nearing 80, Julian still aspires to help others heal and to educate. His bank of online courses can be found at treatingchildren.com, which include many of the topics above as well as a course on pain free needling. His teachings have inspired countless, and his heart-centred, humorous personality warms the spirit.

Please enjoy this episode of Pacific Rim College Radio with Julian Scott.

Episode Links:

Treatingchildren.com

Learning Links:

School of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine at PRC

Online Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine courses at PRCOnline

Student Clinic at PRC

Sajah Popham is a renowned herbalist, educator, and author committed to the balance of the science and spirituality of plant medicine. As the founder of the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, he trains herbalists in a holistic system of plant medicine that encompasses clinical Western herbalism, medical astrology, Ayurveda, and spagyric alchemy.

Spagyric alchemy might not be something you are familiar with, and so we go to some depth exploring what this field of herbalism is and how it is applicable in modern practice. From his laboratory on a homestead in the foothills of Mt. Baker, Washington, Sajah and his wife Whitney combine philosophies of astrology, alchemy, spirituality, and modern science to create unique and powerful spagyric plant medicines.

Sajah and I geek out on many things herbal and healing including the value of symptoms, the power of the patient in the healing process, astrology, archetypes, and vitalism. Sajah focuses on using plants to heal and rejuvenate the body, clarify the mind, open the heart, and support the development of the soul. His teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor, and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves.

Please enjoy this episode of Pacific Rim College Radio with Sajah Popham.

Episode Links:

School of Evolutionary Herbalism

Learning Links:

School of Western Herbal Medicine at PRC

Online Herbal Medicine courses at PRCOnline

Student Clinic at PRC

7Song is a renowned herbalist who has been studying and practicing herbal medicine for nearly 40 years. Having studied under legends such as Rosemary Gladstar and Michael Moore, he opened the Northeast School of Herbal Medicine in Ithaca, New York, and is the Director of Holistic Medicine at the Ithaca Free Clinic.

7Song shares much of his wisdom in this episode. We talk about herbal first aid and many of his favourite herbs for conditions such as fever, pain, and anxiety. We explore the genesis of the Northeast School of Herbal Medicine and the physical herbal medicine that he focusses on in his teaching. And we talk about his many years of experience and enjoyment in providing herbal care for patients of the Ithaca Free Clinic.

The science of herbal medicine is something 7Song is quite passionate about, and he explains his approach to herbal practice versus an energetic approach. He also talks about the great importance of counselling skills to the practitioner and shares his passion of photography of plants.

This is a candid interview with a great herbalist who is dedicated to the ongoing study and research of herbal medicine and to the dissemination of herbal knowledge.

Please enjoy this episode of Pacific Rim College Radio with 7Song.

Episode Links:

7Song.com

Learning Links:

School of Western Herbal Medicine at PRC

Online Herbal Medicine courses at PRCOnline

Student Clinic at PRC

Angela Hicks is joint principal and co-founder of the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine in Reading, England, and author or co-author of six books including the textbook Five Element Constitutional Acupuncture that she co-wrote with her husband John Hicks and previous podcast guest Peter Mole.

Angela has been a profound inspiration in the field of acupuncture for nearly fifty years. We explore her experience starting a prominent college and her leadership role there for more than three decades. We also discuss her current PhD work and the research that she is compiling to help show the long-term benefits of acupuncture. And we talk about her writing career and influential books.

Angela reveals intimate details of her personal journey into acupuncture. We discuss the impacts of mental health problems on many of her family who had bipolar. This resulted in her interest in treating the mind and spirit and influenced her personal acupuncture practice. In her early years she trained under J.R. Worsley, and she also shares some of her pivotal experiences studying under him as well as his help with her treatment.

If you are interested in learning about options for treating mental health or tracking the nearly five-decade-long career of a leading acupuncturist, this is an episode for you.

Please enjoy this episode of Pacific Rim College Radio with Angela Hicks.

Episode Links:

College of Integrated Chinese Medicine

Learning Links:

School of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine at PRC

Online Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine courses at PRCOnline

Student Clinic at PRC

Lorie Eve Dechar is a legendary alchemical acupuncturist, a pioneer who has inspired countless through her teaching, writing, and clinical practice. She is perhaps best known for her book Five Spirits: Alchemical Acupuncture for Psychological and Spiritual Healing, which for 15 years has helped guide a generation of acupuncturists into deeper levels of healing, personally and for their patients.

Within this episode is profound treasure. Lorie guides us along a rich exploration of alchemical acupuncture, and alchemy in general, which has at its roots the concept of transformation and not restoration. Through its framework, we can extract from our deepest, darkest wounds – known as our prima materia – our most luminous treasures to ourselves and the world. In this fascinating discussion, we excavate concepts such as hun tun, chaos, and its transformative energy; entropy and negentropy; wu wei, action through non-action; and the general merit of practices that have helped Lorie and her clients to do their inner work.

We also highlight some of the profound topics of all 3 of her books, including The Alchemy of Inner Work, and her newest, Kigo, which explores the essence of acupuncture points. In my opinion, these are all must-reads for practitioners who intend to lead their patients into psychological healing.

Along with her husband Benjamin, who co-authored The Alchemy of Inner Work, Lorie is co-founder of A New Possibility, a learning and healing community designed to help people develop a conscious relationship to their inner life. Her insights are priceless instruments in the quest for inner transformation. I know firsthand as she has had a massive impact on my own transformative journey.

Please enjoy this episode of Pacific Rim College Radio with Lorie Eve Dechar.

Episode Links:

A New Possibility

Instagram: @anewpossibility

Facebook: @anewpossibility 

Books by Lorie Eve Dechar

Learning Links:

School of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine at PRC

Online Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine courses at PRCOnline

Student Clinic at PRC