Monday, March 23, 2009
Greetings and Salutations,
I recently returned from my first visit to Masakazu Ikeda sensei's clinic in
Japan in 7 years.
Masakazu Ikeda Sensei
Many patient's and students wished me a happy holiday, a sentiment
to which I could only reply with a wry smile.
For the first time I visited his clinic without the
assistance of an interpreter, a high caliber challenge indeed!
After catching a taxi, plane, a short stay at the 'New Osaka Hotel'
and 3 trains including the ‘Shinkansen’ or Bullet train, I arrived
in Imabari some 27 hours after departure.
Within 30 minutes of my arrival I was up front and center in clinic
observing with the closest impression of a laid back hawk I could
muster
In a nutshell here are some impressions of my visit to study with
the gentleman who has provided the benchmark for my practice of
Traditional Japanese Acupuncture for the last 13 years.
Please, make no mistake, a holiday this was NOT!
Once again Ikeda sensei raised the bar for my practice of
Acupuncture as I observed his every move as he treated patients
suffering from an absolute myriad of health problems, far too
extensive to itemize.
I trust that the sensory perceptions received by me in the clinic
of Japanese master acupuncturist Masakazu Ikeda sensei will come
into play in the most positive way for all of my patients, for it
is here, in the world of unspoken action (treatment) that the true
meaning of my visit to Imabari lay.
Precious few words were exchanged during my visit, due in the main
to my incredibly poor Japanese language skills and the Japanese
custom of passing on clinical skills through observation and
practice first and foremost.
I spent my time either watching Ikeda sensei or his students
practicing in clinic, reading in it’s entirety, ‘Traditional
Japanese Acupuncture, Fundamentals of Meridian Therapy ‘, written
in the main by Ikeda sensei on behalf of the Society of Traditional
Japanese Medicine, watching Ikeda sensei's groundbreaking 3 day
Traditional Japanese Acupuncture workshop at Bond University in
August 1996 on the Gold Coast on DVD, eating or sleeping.
The adventures I had ordering food were hilarious and I could only
laugh at myself and with the staff of the establishment as they
grappled with my sign language.
Please keep in mind that in some of these restaurants they would
have had one western customer in the last 10 years, if that.
I inadvertently had the pleasure of consuming every part of a
chicken, including the feet and various organs when I ordered
chicken yakatori, providing a true test of the tenacity of my
mastication and oral sensibilities.
From the moment I left Kansai airport on the outskirts of Osaka,
Japan until I returned I did not see a single gaijin (Westerner).
My journey was incredibly challenging, sometimes humorous and
ultimately rewarding on both personal and professional levels.
From the inevitable frustrations of being ‘lost in translation’ at
all levels of life to the deep and abiding social politeness of
Japanese culture, my awareness was fully challenged.
I trust that these challenges and my subsequent learning is
transmitted through my practice of Traditional Japanese Acupuncture
and that each and every one of my patients benefits in the utmost
from my experience and my students gain heaps as a result.
I hope that you are well and happy.
Kind regards,
Alan
PS.
To view images please click on this link
http://www.worldacupunctureblog.com/japanese-acupuncture-with-masaka
zu-ikeda
I will be posting more images over the next week or two, so check
out
http://www.worldacupunctureblog.com/ regularly for the most up
to date impressions of Imabari, Japan available this side of the
black stump
Alan Jansson is an internationally recognized teacher and
practitioner of Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. For well over a
decade, independent of and in conjunction with Masakazu Ikeda
sensei and Edward Obaidey, Alan has presented, convened and hosted
in the vicinity of 30 Traditional Japanese Acupuncture workshops in
Australia, New Zealand and USA. Driven by a strong desire to
promote the consumer friendly nature, clinical efficacy and potency
of Meridian Based Traditional Japanese Acupuncture, Alan is a
staunch advocate of practically based workshops and draws upon his
25 years clinical experience and 14 years post and undergraduate
teaching in a concerted effort to lift the bar globally in the
clinical application of this most amazing medical art.
Join him in Exploring the Art of Acupuncture in the 21st century at
http://www.Worldacupunctureblog.com
For more info, please visit: http://www.worldacupunctureblog.com/