Classical Acupuncture

I practice Classical Chinese Medicine—a complete, channel-based system that treats the root cause of illness, not just symptoms. This is acupuncture as it was intended before standardization of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) simplified it for global mass export.

The Lost Medicine: What Happened to Classical Acupuncture

I went to TCM school like most acupuncturists in America. But what I learned there (what I call “poke-and-pray” acupuncture) and what most practitioners still practice today, is a dramatically simplified version of the original medicine.

In the 1950s, following the Chinese Communist revolution, Chairman Mao's government faced a healthcare crisis. With only 10,000-20,000 Western-trained doctors but 500,000 traditional practitioners, they needed a solution. The government standardized Chinese Medicine into an exportable commodity: they created TCM.

To make it "politically correct" under Marxist-materialist ideology, they stripped away the spiritual dimensions, the Daoist foundations, and the sophisticated diagnostic systems that had been passed down through lineages for thousands of years. What remained was a cookbook-style system of point protocols and simple formulas for common complaints that relied almost exclusively on the Primary Channel system.

The Complement Channels, like the Sinews, Luos, Divergents, and Eight Extraordinary Vessels, were largely omitted from standard education. The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) only deepened these losses, as senior practitioners were persecuted and ancient texts were destroyed.

Unfortunately, for many this is what most acupuncture in America still looks like today: TCM-style protocol acupuncture with mixed results.

The Resurgence of Classical Medicine

Master Jeffrey Yuen, an 88th-generation Daoist priest and lineage holder, has been a beacon for reviving the complete, undiluted system of Classical Chinese Medicine. My acupuncture teacher, Ann Cecil-Sterman, studied directly under Master Yuen for decades and now teaches this rare tradition worldwide.

At Gateway, you have access to the full system. Not just the simplified export version, but the elegant, complex medicine that works with all five channel systems to address the root of disease and bring about powerful clinical results.

The Complete Channel System

Acupuncture activates channels, which can be thought of as pathways of Qi that govern every aspect of your health. This activation can happen through needles, through intentional touch (energetic acupressure), or even remotely through distance healing. The COVID-19 lockdowns revealed what Classical practitioners have always known: the medicine works because it addresses energy, not just the physical body.

-Primary Channels: govern 24/7 organ physiology including but not limited to digestion, immunity, respiration, sleep, and hormonal balance. Excellent for acute conditions affecting organ function.

-Sinew Channels: treat musculoskeletal conditions, both acute and chronic. From minor aches to severe limitations in range of motion, neuropathy, and even paralysis. This is where injuries, surgical scars, and weather-sensitive pain lives.

-Divergent Channels: address chronic degenerative illness, from mild to life-threatening. They expel deep congestion and stagnant pathology, particularly from the joints often expressing as a form of arthritis, and reinforce vital resources to prolong life and improve quality of health.

-Luo Channels: release trapped emotional and psychological pathology held in the blood and vessels. Initially expressed as varicose or spider veins, this system treats moods, compulsions, and the emotional baggage your body carries latent in the bloodstream.

-Eight Extraordinary Channels: work as reservoirs that balance overall energy flow. They address trauma from the formative years (birth through age 8), constitutional patterns, fertility, genetic conditions, and patterns of early-onset trauma that continue affecting adults. Powerful for both children and the elderly.