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Foundations of Pulse Diagnosis
4-day hands-on practical workshop with Dr Karen Bilton, PhD.

Skill with pulse increases clarity with treatment strategies
 

After this workshop:
- Palpate and interpret your patients' pulses with greater confidence
- Diagnose and manage complex conditions with more certainty
- Synch treatment plans to patients’ psycho-emotional behaviours
- Fine tune your acupuncture and formulas guided by the pulse

 
Learn a historic lineage pulse method in a supportive, friendly environment...

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Shen - Hammer Pulse Community Australia 

What you will learn

A systematic, structured method passed down for 100s of years through the Menghe Ding lineage, that provides a framework for you to grow your skills and avoid feeling overwhelmed and confused by all the pulse sensations.

Find important diagnostic information by palpating the pulse Large Segment (with both hands) and Small Segment (using individual fingers to roll to all pulse positions).

Calibrate the Qi, Blood and Organ Depths, and carefully discern different pulse qualities and Waveforms closely guided by instructors.

 

Directly access information that bypasses your patients' established narratives or information they themselves may be unaware of. 

Confidently integrate pulse signs with other diagnostic information and apply it to your preferred style of practice (Zang Fu, Classical, 5-Element) for better results.

 

Apply acupuncture and Classical herbal formulas guided by the pulse.

Class Details

📍 Location:

International House

Level 5, 540 George St,

Sydney NSW 2000

Opposite Town Hall Railway Station

📅 Date:

Friday to Monday September 20-23, 2024

⏰ Time:

8:30am to 5:30 pm 

💲 Investment:

Early Bird: $1760 incl. GST

Full Rate: $ 2090 incl. GST

Current TCM Students: $1450 incl. GST

Returning SHPD Students: $1250 incl. GST

🗓️ Prerequisites:

None

☑️ Approved AACMA, NCCAOM (USA) - 30 CPDs

📧 karen@lotushealingarts.con

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Shen-Hammer Foundations Course Structure 

Hands-on Practical Classes

Pulse diagnosis is a practical skill and at least 50% of time in class is devoted to sitting with the pulse to feel depths, positions and qualities guided by feedback from the instructors

Coherent Lecture Content

The theory component is presented in an informative structured style and a digital version of the PowerPoint slide show will be supplied. The pulse examination form is provided as a .pdf for future use. You are also encouraged to take your own notes to improve your learning.

Practical Demonstrations

Finger placement on the wrists and specific techniques for rolling the fingers to access pulse positions is demonstrated by the instructors on a student model as well as all of the participants. Teaching aides are used to enhance palpation skills.

Introduction to SHPD

 

History of SHPD

Inherited Roots of SHPD  Menghe Ding Lineage, Dr Shen, Dr Hammer

 

3 Main Pulse Depths

Qi, Blood, Organ Depths

 

6 Wave Forms

Normal, Hesitant, HFO, Flooding Excess, Flooding Deficient, Suppressed

 

Classification and Identification of Pulse Qualities Based on Sensation

Robust Volume - HFO, Flooding Excess, Robust Pounding, Inflated

Reduced Volume - QD Yielding, Diminished, FA, A; Spreading; BD Diminished; Flooding Deficient; Reduced Pounding; Reduced Substance; Deep; Deep Feeble/FA; Absent; Muffled; Flat

Depth - Floating, Cotton, Empty

Width - Thin, Blood Unclear, Blood Heat, Blood Thick

Length - Long, Short

Shape 

  • Fluid - Slippery

  • Non-Fluid Even - Taut; Tense; Tight; Wiry; Ropy; Leather Hard

  • Non-Fluid Uneven - Choppy; Rough Vibration, Smooth Vibration

Qualifying Qualities - Rough, Smooth, Separating

Anomalies - San Yin, Fan Quan, Amorphous, Ganglion

Miscellaneous - Biting, Restricted, Doughy, Electric

 

Palpation throughout day

Calibration of Depths, Waveforms, Pulse Qualities

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What people said...

Support your learning.. 

Becoming skilled in pulse diagnosis requires repeated practice and ongoing support as your skills improve. To cater for this there are several levels of Shen-Hammer pulse diagnosis classes that are designed for all stages of learning to support practitioners on their journey.

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Learning Pathways

Re-take the Foundations Class 

  • Large discounts for returning students

Hands-on Review Days

 

Casual Zoom catch-ups​​​

Intro-Mediate Classes

  • Small classes – 2 days – scheduled every 8 weeks

  • Held in Potts Point, Sydney

  • Day One – Review of the pulse method

    • Lecture and palpation​

  • Day Two – seeing 3 live patients

    • Morning session ​- feel their pulses 

    • Afternoon session - work through cases

    • Management strategies according to acupuncture, formulas, referrals

Intermediate Classes

  • 2 days of seeing live patients

Learn with Dr Karen Bilton, Ph.D.

Pulse Diagnosis Expertise:  

​​With over two decades studying the Shen-Hammer method, Karen's knowledge and teaching experience ensure exceptional instruction.

Research and Academic Excellence:

Karen's Ph.D. research on Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis Reliability and co-editing the Handbook of Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis demonstrate her commitment to advancing the field.

Clinical Wisdom:

Karen's three decades of full-time Chinese medicine practice and background in physiotherapy provide practical insights for effective treatments.

Collaboration with Dr. Leon Hammer:

Over 27 years of regular contact with Dr. Hammer, offers invaluable knowledge from his mentorship.

Expanding Horizons:  

Karen also teaches the Psychology of Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies, deepening the holistic understanding of Chinese medicine.

Unlock Your Potential: 

Study Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis with Karen to enhance your practice and help your patients. 

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The Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis is the modern interpretation of the c.15th Century Menghe Ding Lineage method from the Shanghai region of China. Ding Jiwan (grandson of Ding Ganren of Wen Bing fame) taught this method to Dr. Shen in Shanghai and then Hong Kong during the turbulent years of 1937-1942. Dr. Shen as the sole survivor of World War 2 with knowledge of the pulse method, fled the Communist Revolution in China for the USA.

Dr. Hammer, a renowned practitioner, first encountered Dr. Shen's exceptional diagnostic skills in a clinic on Long Island, New York, during the early 1970s. This opportune meeting led to an intensive eight-year apprenticeship for Dr. Hammer under Dr. Shen. Their further collaboration spanned nearly thirty years, during which time they recorded the Menghe pulse method.

The Shen-Hammer Pulse method has evolved from Classical Chinese medicine theory. As such it recognises and provides a framework to describe the infinite range of energy transformations within a human body that reflect the combination of spatial and temporal energy possibilities within the macrocosm. The pulse carries information encoded within it, representing the physiological exchanges specific to that individual organism.

Palpating the radial artery allows us to decipher these exchanges and provides rich and extensive diagnostic information. The pulse describes the inherited life of a person, their current state of being, and can indicate possible health trajectories for the future.

Once the information encoded in the pulse is deciphered, it guides the practitioner to skilfully implement management strategies. These strategies may include acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and lifestyle modifications to positively impact the physical and psycho-emotional potential of the clients.

The Shen-Hammer Pulse method is a refined and comprehensive approach to pulse diagnosis that draws upon ancient Chinese medicine theory. It allows practitioners to gain valuable insights into their clients' health and guide them towards appropriate treatment strategies to enhance their well-being.

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What is Shen-Hammer Pulse diagnosis ?

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Class-Registration

Class Registration

CPDs: 

  • ACCMA CPD 30 hours, NCCAOM 28 hours

  • Attendance at all days required for CPDs awarded

Payment: 

"The course gave a great introduction to the pulse technique that I can apply directly and immediately towards my current patients. I also gained knowledge of pulse depths associated with emotional and psychological states."

Lily K

"Course is extremely informative, well structured and engaging.

Karen is a fantastic teacher who explains the content very clearly, uses her clinical knowledge to help explain concepts and draws great diagrams."

Lucy H

"Karen has a personal and personable approach to teaching. Checking the pulses of participants and explaining what we're feeling was extremely helpful. The course was well organised and used repetition and positivity for effective learning."

Narelle S

"This course gave me a clear visual of the pulse qualities. The structure is very simple and makes the content easy to comprehend.

The time spent practicing pulses with Karen is most valuable."

Chen Q

My Journey with Shen-Hammer Pulse diagnosis and Dr Leon Hammer, MD

My association with Dr. Hammer greatly influenced my experience with Chinese medicine. When I first embarked on my quest to understand and find meaning in the elusive art of pulse diagnosis, I had the good fortune of meeting him in New York in 1996. This began many years of mentorship under his direct guidance, a privilege for which I am so grateful. 


Motivated by my passion for Chinese medicine and an interest in academic inquiry, I obtained a Ph.D. through our collaborative effort and pioneering research investigating the reliability of skilled practitioners utilising Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis. Our aim was to delve into the complexity of intra- and inter-rater agreement and the repeatability of practitioners using the method in the clinical setting. Through this research, we were able to identify areas within the pulse system where agreement levels among raters fell below acceptable standards. Consequently, we refined the method by making the modifications that were indicated by the results.

Another outcome of this research, was the honour of co-editing the Handbook of Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis, which is now recognised as Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis. By sharing the expertise and insights of those skilled in the method, we aimed to provide a clinical resource that would support and educate practitioners in the field.

 

In 2016, Dr. Hammer received an invitation to travel to China to share his expertise teaching Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis. Unable to fulfil the commitment due to advancing age, he asked me to be his representative, entrusting to my hands the responsibility of transmitting the knowledge. Accompanied by Dr. Chang Wenhuai, who served as both translator and teaching assistant, we embarked on a four-year journey dedicated to teaching Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis in China - Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Our efforts completed the transfer of the pulse knowledge back to its cultural source in Shanghai and the present-day lineage holders and practitioners of the Menghe Ding lineage.

 

My collaboration with Dr. Hammer has had a profound impact on my Chinese medicine path that goes way beyond pulse diagnosis. Learning his approach applying the five phases of Chinese medicine to modern psychology (as defined in his book Dragon Rises Red, Bird Flies) has given me great insight into understanding the development of the human condition. And the further connection of Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis to this body of work provides an exquisite awareness of a person's psycho-emotional functioning. Beyond Chinese medicine our association has encompassed a 27 year friendship, exploring the intricacies of life, philosophising cultures and sharing a love of the great outdoors in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York. 

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© 2023 by Lotus Healing Arts. All Rights Reserved.

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