True Nature Radio

What do the stars and planets reveal about how humans can live in harmony with the rhythms of nature?

Heiner and Laurie interview Carol Ferris, a western astrologer who has spent more than forty years studying the relationship between planetary movements and human potential. Over the past decade, she has expanded her interests to the ancient Chinese understanding of the heavens, and is particularly fascinated by what the stellar constellations can reveal about human health.

Learn more about the work of Carol Ferris by visiting her website. carolferrisastrology.com

“As Above, So Below” isn’t just a lovely saying—there really is direct relationship between the human body and the natural world.

In the realm of acupuncture, perhaps nobody knows this as experientially as this week’s guest, David Ford. Having spent more than forty years teaching acupuncture in wilderness settings, David has developed a deep understanding of how the properties of individual acupuncture points mirror actual phenomena in nature.

David’s explorations in nature have benefitted from and in turn validated Heiner’s scholarly research findings on the classical meaning of the acupuncture point names. While many acupuncturists think of the point names as indicators of their exact location in the physical body, Heiner has uncovered a much deeper symbolic level of meaning. A whole new dimension to acupuncture is explored as David brings his wilderness- practitioner’s experience and Heiner brings his classical scholarship to today’s discussion.

A skilled Chinese medicine practitioner can learn a tremendous amount about a patient’s history and current condition just by observing their tongue.

What are they looking for? Heiner interviews internationally recognized expert Barbara Kirschbaum to find out. Listen as Barbara provides insights gained from her more than thirty years of experience using tongue analysis in the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic disease, with a special focus on cancer and trauma.

Barbara Kirschbaum is the author of the widely used textbooks The Atlas of Chinese Tongue Diagnosis, volumes 1 and 2, and is Director of the TCM Clinic within the Breast Cancer Center of the Jerusalem Hospital in Hamburg, Germany.

Exploring the most mysterious of the organ networks. Join us for a discussion of the elusive Triple Warmer Organ Network—perhaps the least understood of the Chinese organ systems. While not easily associated with any specific physical organ, the Triple Warmer functions are related to warmth, water metabolism, and networking throughout the body. Aspects of nervous and endocrine system functioning are likely involved.

The heart protector function. Join us for a discussion of the functions of the Pericardium Organ Network—the system responsible for protecting our heart and allowing for true intimacy.

Heiner and Laurie interview Dr. Paul Kalnins, a scholar practitioner with an unusually broad and deep perspective on how to truly integrate biomedical approaches with natural medicine approaches.

After majoring in physics in his undergraduate studies, Dr. Kalnins attained degrees in Chinese and naturopathic medicine, and pursued additional study of the works of Goethe and Steiner. Dr. Kalnins discusses methods of cultivating one’s own perceptive abilities as a means to more directly understand what part of “the whole” is elucidated by different systems of medicine, and how these systems can be used together to optimize patient care.

This 5-element emotional release system can result in a rapid and profound return to health.

Tamara Staudt, ND, LAc shares with Heiner and Laurie her direct experience with this powerful system of emotional healing. In 2010, Dr. Staudt was a member of the first group of foreigners to attend in a Wang Fengyi retreat in China. Having received great personal benefit as a participant, Dr. Staudt was inspired to lead the first Wang Fengyi retreat in the United States in June, 2011. Of particular note, one woman who entered the US retreat with liposarcoma remains cancer-free since that time.

Heiner and Laurie have also participated in this type of healing work, and are big proponents of its powerful simplicity.

Acupuncture gives hope to the survivors of trauma–even those suffering from PTSD.

It is common knowledge that the long-term sequelae of trauma can be devastating, but how many know there is much hope available in the form of acupuncture and other forms of natural medicine? Laurie interviews Roger Batchelor, DAOM, LAc, who has more than two decades of experience treating trauma survivors in public health and private clinical settings. Roger gives insight into how an acute traumatic event (or series of events) can cause chronic problems, and how these can be reversed through the skillful use of Chinese medicine.

The bladder is the organ function that leads to Enlightenment.

Today’s show is a continuation in our cycle of presenting the organ functions of Chinese medicine. Heiner discusses how ancient symbol scientists described the functioning of what is arguably the body’s most mystical and esoteric channel network, namely the Bladder. It orchestrates the setting of boundaries, the storage of essence, and the raising of bioelectricity along the spine to feed the processes of mental clarity, personal evolution, and enlightenment.

What did real “surrender” mean to the ancient Chinese, and why did they deem it to be necessary for a person to live a fully authentic life?

We’ll explore this question today, through the discussion of the characteristics attributed to the Kidney Channel Network of Chinese medicine. Ancient wisdom keepers defined the body’s root system as a type of “battery” for the storage of our core vitality, called “Source Qi”. In today’s world, we often fritter this core essence away—through a lifestyle filled with anxiety, too much activity, and the use of stimulants such as caffeine, sugar, and media overload. We stay attuned to outer interests and expectations, rather than settling into the natural expression of who we really are.