The Handbook of Five Element Practice

Nora Franglen

Part of the Five Element Acupuncture series

A practical companion for students and practitioners of five element acupuncture that helps stimulate thoughts, refresh memories and strengthen the foundation of practice.

With detailed outlines of the different components of five element diagnosis and treatment and overviews of the main characteristics of the five elements, this complete manual will support and invigorate practice. Full of examples, it explores the skills and techniques needed to nurture patient-practitioner relationships, assess patients correctly, select appropriate treatments and needle the points effectively. The book also includes a Teach Yourself Manual to further refresh understanding of this ancient form of healing.

This comprehensive handbook will be of immeasurable use to students and practitioners of five element acupuncture, as well as those who are interested in studying acupuncture and want to know more.

Contents

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.

Reviews

'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.'

—Peter Eckman MD, PhD, MAc(UK), author of In the Footsteps of the Yellow Emperor and The Compleat Acupuncturist

Praise for the first edition

'Reading Nora's Handbook, I'm inspired by her profound insights and wisdom…'

— Professor Liu Lihong, Clinical Research Institute of Classical Chinese Medicine, Guangxi College of Traditional Chinese Medicine

'The first comprehensive clinical guide to five element acupuncture by one of its master practitioners. Nora Franglen approaches the vastness of the five elements in clinical practice through a diligent, step-by-step analysis of its core clinical protocols. Diagnosing the Guardian Element (Causative/Constitutional Factor) of a patient's clinical totality is presented in a clear and logical way and then converted into practical treatment protocols and point selection guides.'

—Paul Hougham, Former Principal, College of Traditional Acupuncture, Warwick, UK

Author information

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.