by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. & Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.
Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below — what does Qi mean to you?
Our guest today is Ann Cecil-Sterman — a dear friend, colleague and mentor. Cecil-Sterman is a pioneer in the field of Classical Chinese Medicine and the author of the highly acclaimed books The Art of Pulse Diagnosis and Advanced Acupuncture: A Clinic Manual — a required textbook in most acupuncture schools in the United States and the first and only text with a complete and unique protocols for the complement channels.
Ann Cecil-Sterman has also taught the application and methodology of the complement channels, The Art of Pulse Diagnosis, Use of Food as Medicine throughout the world. A longtime student of Dr. Jeffrey Yuen, Cecil-Sterman was also the director of the Classical Wellness Center in Manhattan, New York where she practiced and taught Classical Chinese Medicine.
Ann Cecil-Sterman earned her Bachelor and Masters degree in Music from the University of Melbourne. As a professionally trained flautist, Cecil-Sterman has recorded and performed music for over a decade. In addition to a career in music, Cecil-Sterman has also performed in many broadways across the world. She credits her success in music to her master teachers, who have been a guiding force in her career.
Cecil-Sterman was introduced to Acupuncture at a young age since her parents were proponents of alternative medicine. After moving to the United States with a desire to start a family, Cecil-Sterman experienced the power of acupuncture during a difficult miscarriage that left her wanting to learn more about the practice.
She soon joined Swedish Institute Acupuncture School (closed in 2011) where she had extensive training beyond the primary channels of acupuncture. She has since worked toward expanding the field of acupuncture by training and teaching practitioners and help widen their scope of practice.
Acupuncture & the Concept of Qi
In Chinese philosophy, Qi translates to “air” or “atmosphere” to emphasize the fact that Qi cannot be measured. Cecil-Sterman believes that since Qi is primarily what acupuncturists work with, it’s impossible to gather empirical evidence in acupuncture.
Although Qi is often used in conjunction with organs or entities i.e., liver Qi or mind Qi, it simply stems from our human tendency to organize and label ideas and things around us.
Qi is so embedded into our existence that it’s being theorized as the guiding force of life. In other words, the force that directs DNA to essentially synthesize proteins necessary to develop an organism such as a human being.
In Western medicine, similar theories have been introduced such as the concept of morphic resonance, or morphogenetic field, by Dr. Rupert Sheldrake.
The concept of morphogenetic field mirrors the concept of Qi because it accounts for and explains behavior that could only be transmitted through a network of consciousness. For instance, an experiment by scientists tested whether the practice of washing potatoes by Japanese macaques before consumption could be transmitted to future generations or to other groups of monkeys in nearby islands. To their surprise, the practice of washing potatoes was observed in nearby islands of monkeys even though the two groups did not have any contact. This behavior could be explained by the morphogenetic field or Qi as the network of consciousness that connected the two groups to learn the behavior without initiating contact.
Stay tuned for part two of our interview with Ann Cecil-Sterman where you’ll learn how Qi applies to the cultivation of wellness within the context of digestion, immunity and nutrition.
References
Ann Cecil-Sterman’s website: https://anncecilsterman.com/
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