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Chinese Medicine Education

In China the combination of art, science, and spirituality that in its combination makes up the bulk of traditional Chinese medicine can be learned at many an institution of higher learning. In addition to the foregoing, there are ample opportunities to apprentice with a learned and experienced healer who will pass on not only the nuts and bolts of what makes this medical approach work, but also imbues the adept with an almost instinctual understanding of the body's condition. Chinese medicine education in the United States, however, is a much more difficult proposition.

Even as the recent decades of the New Age movement and the search for alternative forms of healing have swept the country by storm, the number of properly trained practitioners is woefully small. Sure, there are a number of might have traveled to China to spend a few weeks or maybe even months with a folk healer, and in some cases you may have immigrants to the States who were classically trained, yet by and large the overwhelming majority of training thus far received is either book knowledge or an Internet correspondence course from a school with untraceable accreditation.

To counteract this lack of training, quite a few trade schools have entered the fray and seek to teach acupressure, herbal healing, and also the more odd modalities like fire cupping. One of the greatest obstacles to learning the craft of Chinese medicine is surprisingly not the venues, however, but instead the fact that many a Westerner is not able to make the mind and body connection to the extent necessary to become a great - not just passable - healer.

Chinese medicine education is generally speaking embarked upon by either those who were exposed to a successful treatment, usually they themselves experienced the healing this form of medicine had to offer them, or by those who hope to cash in on a growing movement. While the latter may be honest, it will also make for a practitioner with little compassion and a lagging sense of spirituality that will connect her or him to patients, the body's life force, and the surrounding nature. In the case of the former it is noteworthy to state that even though gratitude is a great motivator, it may not always be enough to propel someone toward a life of serving others.

If you are looking to enter the field of Chinese medicine, education is best undergone under a master as an apprentice. Find out where this healer studied and seek to attend the same school. Contact your municipality and understand the licensing requirements for healers in your area. This may require you to take an additional course of study at an accredited institution of higher learning in your area. Even as there you will learn the Westernized version of Chinese medicine, with the help of the healer you will learn the pure Chinese version. A successful blend of the two will then enable you to practice in the United States but also in China, once your training is completed.