HI Eric -

 

You are engaged in the systems problem. They overlap and the distinctions become a concern. "How do you distinguish between a Dai Pulse and an entry/exit block
between LV and LU and/or an entry/exit block between SP and HT?" I am going to risk some obvious and not so obvious considerations. Taking it one step further, how does one know whether both the entry/exit and eight extraordinary are involved?

 

Palpation of the channel entry/exit and the eight extraordinary vessel (8EV) master and trajectory points can help. Pathology in the yuan qi and jing  are affiliated with the 8EV. Pathology of the ying qi flow is correlated with the entry/exit E/E. Practically speaking, I see the yinq qi flow in the temporal domain of daily biorhythms with two hours in each channel. Symptoms occurring in that fashion and symptoms that occur in the context of nutrient qi distribution cause me to think in the E/E. If the problem is related to overwhelming life events, shock, trauma and larger developmental cycles of jing (7-8 years), then I am thinking in the 8EV.

 

Another way to make the differential diagnosis between Lr to Lu and Sp to Ht E/E vs dai mai patterns is therapeutic. Go ahead and needle, if the pulse doesn't resolve, it is either incorrect technique or the other pattern is present.

 

"As someone trained in Worsley Style (who is not supposed to treat off
of the CF or treat the Extraordinary Vessels) I would needle the
both entry/exit points (one of the exceptions to the rule.)" I am not big on rigid adherence to rules either. Especially if someone made them up (which is always the case). I have done this combination of both E/E on many occasions with good success (although I try to avoid it).

"Or, how do you distinguish between the 6 group (tai yang etc.) and
others such as the pulse compass method?" The answer is related to 'praxis,' that is, action that is connected to an awareness of the whole. In six channel thinking, there is often a focus on musculoskeletal phenomena, the sinews and the wei qi at the surface. The compass is used to identify an elemental influence or imbalance within an organ (official or depot as Unschuld would have it). The two models can and do overlap. however, there is a tendency for the compass to occur more within the position, while the six channel findings extend further.

 

I hope this helps -

 

Warmly,

 

Will
 





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