The Web That Has No Weaver

A Doody’s Core Title for 2021! The Web That Has No Weaver is the classic, comprehensive guide to the theory and practice of Chinese alternative medicine. This accessible and invaluable resource has earned its place as the foremost authority in synthesizing Western and Eastern healing practices. This revised edition is the product of years of further reflection on ancient Chinese sources and active involvement in cutting-edge scientific research.

A Doody’s Core Title for 2019! The Web That Has No Weaver is the classic, comprehensive guide to the theory and practice of Chinese alternative medicine. This accessible and invaluable resource has earned its place as the foremost authority in synthesizing Western and Eastern healing practices. This revised edition is the product of years of further reflection on ancient Chinese sources and active involvement in cutting-edge scientific research.

An American fully trained in the practice of Chinese medicine explains this "non-scientific" but often effective system of healing.--From publisher description

While Western doctors look for disease mechanisms which are the same form person to person, Chinese doctors look for overall patterns of disharmony which are unique to each individual. Ted Kaptchuk, who studied medicine in China, originally intended to translate Chinese medical texts into English, but quickly realized that it would take more than simple translation to convey the meaning of a diagnosis like "damp heat affecting the spleen." Instead, in The Web That Has No Weaver, he explains the theory and philosophy of Chinese medicine, as well as methods of diagnosis and treatment in terms that can be understood by a Western reader. The Chinese emphasis on interconnectedness nad change takes on a very specific character in the context of medicine. When the Chinese physician examines a patient, he or she plans to look at many signs and symptoms and to make of them a diagnosis, to see in them a pattern. Each sign means nothing by itself and acquires meaning only in its relationship to the patient's other signs.

Long considered the most authoritative work on Chinese medicine, this revised and expanded edition turns a classic work into an invaluable resource.

“Comprehensive, encyclopedic, and lucid, this book is a must for all practitioners of the healing arts who want to broaden their understanding. Readers interested in the role of herbs and foods in healing will also find much to learn here, as I have. . . . A fine work.”—Annemarie Colbin, author of Food and Healing The promise and mystery of Chinese medicine has intrigued and fascinated Westerners ever since the “Bamboo Curtain” was lifted in the early 1970s. Now, in Between Heaven and Earth, two of the foremost American educators and healers in the Chinese medical profession demystify this centuries-old approach to health. Harriet Beinfeld and Efrem Korngold, pioneers in the practice of acupuncture and herbal medicine in the United States for over eighteen years, explain the philosophy behind Chinese medicine, how it works and what it can do. Combining Eastern traditions with Western sensibilities in a unique blend that is relevant today, Between Heaven and Earth addresses three vital areas of Chinese medicine—theory, therapy, and types—to present a comprehensive, yet understandable guide to this ancient system. Whether you are a patient with an aggravating complaint or a curious intellectual seeker, Between Heaven and Earth opens the door to a vast storehouse of knowledge that bridges the gap between mind and body, theory and practice, professional and self-care, East and West. “Groundbreaking . . . Here at last is a complete and readable guide to Chinese medicine.”—San Francisco Chronicle

We are in the middle of a cultural revolution in the health care industry. Nearly eight thousand people practice Traditional Chinese Medicine in the US and thirty-five states currently offer some form of legal status for its practice. Many people are seeking alternatives to the Western, medical approach to health care. To these seekers, Voices of Qi is an invaluable aid in exploring what Traditional Chinese Medicine has to offer. Alex Holland has done an admirable job of presenting the basic tenets and practices to this ancient tradition in a clear, concise and accessible manner.

(The authors) have performed a great service by clearing a path into the formidable dense thicket that constitutes Chinese medicine in the West. This text provides... a window of inestimable value into a world of meaning that satisfies a yearning on the part of many who hunger to know the substrate from which Chinese Medicine emerges. Harriet Beinfield Author, Between Heaven and Earth, A Guide to Chinese Medicine An excellent book for those studying Traditional Chines Medicine (TCM), this new text provides an insight into the depth and subtlety of this interesting subject. It delves into the linguistic and cultural wellsprings of Chinas venerable past, describing all aspects of TCM and making it applicable to Western approaches. It teaches the reader about the characteristics, expressions and concepts of TCM, allowing them to integrate its theories and practice into their own personal approach.