Handbook of Five Element Practice

Nora Franglen has a degree in Modern Languages from Cambridge University, and worked as a translator whilst bringing up a young family. Her own experience of five element acupuncture led her to study at the College of Traditional Acupuncture, Leamington Spa, UK, and she continued her postgraduate studies there under J R Worsley. She was Founder/Principal of the School of Five Element Acupuncture (SOFEA) in London from 1995-2007 and continues her teaching through her practice, through postgraduate work in the UK, Europe and China, and now through her blog, norafranglen.blogspot.com. She lives in London, UK.

Nora has been an admired colleague for many years, and I have watched her shepherd an acupuncture school of her own in London, and more recently, successfully reintroduce the teaching of five element acupuncture to eager practitioners in mainland China, using the material covered in this excellent handbook. She has a unique gift for transmitting the pure essence of this tradition, and in this way reminds me, more than anyone else I know, of her teacher, the late Professor J. R. Worsley.

• Acknowledgements. Introduction. 1. The Five Elements. The Guardian Element. 2. Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. The Five Elements and Their Twelve Officials. Introduction to the Elements. The Wood Element. The Fire Element. The Earth Element. The Metal Element. The Water Element. The Qualities of the Elements. 3. Components of Five Element Diagnosis. The Patient-Practitioner Relationship. The Traditional Diagnosis (TD). TD Checklist of Questions. Note Taking. Sensory and Emotional Signatures. Training Our Senses. The Level of Imbalance. The Causes of Disease. 4. Secondary Diagnostic Information. Pulse Taking. Blood Pressure. Three Jiao. Alarm Points. Centre Pulse. Akabane Test. 5. Treatment. The Different Stages of Treatment. The Spacing of Treatments. Assessing the Effects of Treatment. The Law of Cure. The Patient's Role in Treatment. 6. Acupuncture Points. Specific Groups of Points. Command Points. Associated Effect Points. Windows of the Sky. 7. Blocks to Treatment. Possession. Aggressive Energy. The Law of Husband-Wife. Entry-Exit Blocks. Blocks Caused by Scars. 8. Treatment Techniques. Needling Techniques. Moxibustion Techniques. 9. Treatment Protocols. The Law of Mother-Child and Sheng and Ke Cycles. Energy Transfers. Seasonal and Daily Treatment Cycles. 10. Point Selection. Guidelines for Selecting Points. List of My Favourite Points. Example of Point Selection for First Four Treatments. Postscript. Appendix. Teach Yourself Manual.