The Tranquility Space

17/03/2026

This afternoon I had three clients who did not want acupuncture because of the fear of needles. I had three different conditions and mostly applied tui na massage and moxibustion. One patient has digestive issues and I acupuncture is a good option but not all all needles pe*****te the skin. The da shin is a Japanese flat headed needle and a small hammer that is placed on the abdomen and the needle is tapped with the hammer to release tension. I applied it under the rib on on a few points that are tender. The da shin is gentle and a good alternative to a regular acupuncture needle.

14/03/2026

This morning a received another nice . I have addressed back, knee and digestive issues with client using a combination of , and sometimes massage. Just a style called Iyashi no Michi, meaning the path or way to healing. At the moment I am the only person in UK who practices this style of acupuncture. If you want a unique experience then book an appointment now.

12/03/2026

This week have been putting final touches to my Channel Sinew CPD course for 21st and 22nd March. The slides have been updated. I have added more information with new illustrations never seen before and we will be taking a closer look at movements. I have updated the information handout on the channel sinews with more movements illustrated, tables with channels, muscles and how they related to movements and restriction of movement. The moxibustion handout has been tweaked with added useful information. I’m looking forward to it and if you have been considering signing up, then spaces are still available. Just contact me and I can send you a link to sign up

12/03/2026

https://youtube.com/shorts/CWdXnznxyek?si=Jkolb0qg0AUIqoQQ

James Woodward MBAcC is really looking forward to his appearances at this year’s conference; the sessions are titled ‘The interior and exterior landscape of ...

08/03/2026

“Stiffness in the neck like something pulling upward (xiang ru ba).” Ling Shu chapter 10 (ctext.org). “The nape of the neck tendons and muscles are tense. The shoulder cannot be raised.” Ling Shu chapter 13. (James Woodward). These quotes are also related to a concept in the Shang Han Lun of cold or wind invasion. This patient is same person with the shoulder pain from my post last Sunday. My patient did not know how it occurred. This is still unclear, however, the nape of neck was cold and tight last week. A cold or wind invasion is often described with cough, cold or flu symptoms. Sometimes this not symptom and the neck, upper back or shoulder is tight. This patient did have the flu a few weeks ago. This might be just what is left. The method of treatment in the photograph is for a cold invasion. Hot moxa half the size of a grain of rice (just one) on DU14 and around it where I found tightness. I also burnt warm moxa on REN6, also cold when I palpated. This is a Japanese approach, it’s more impactful and direct. The TCM approach of combining LI4 and LU7 does work. I can report that my patient’s shoulder has improved. The horizontal abduction (the movement of putting a scalf on) is the only limited movement now.

04/03/2026

Do you want to improve your musculoskeletal treatments using acupuncture and moxibustion. The illustration of the foot in this advert (my own and there many). Can help understand how channels interact. I had a client on Tuesday who walking downstairs and knee gave way. He arrived on crutches. His foot rotates outwards when he walks and stands. He cannot fully straighten or bend his knee. His first was pull upwards. The gall bladder in green has two main muscles on the foot. The extensor hallucis brevis and extensor digitorum brevis, both fanning out on to each toe. The extensor hallucis brevis was tighten and pulled the toe. The main channel affecting the knee is the gall bladder, having a knock on affect on other channels. The understand the whole process and why this issue is written in Ling Shu chapter 13 and how useful the classics are in diagnosing the channel, type of stagnation (excess, pathogenic or deficiency). What techniques and how to locate the origin through palpation. Then sign up to my course. It is just a few week away 21st and 22nd March in Old Street, London.

01/03/2026

Yesterday my client came in for his 4th treatment. I had previously been treating his lower back, it was 0/10, but his right shoulder was hurting (a stabbing pain). So this was my main focus. Pain in his acromion area on abduction when it reaches 90 degrees, due to the location being where the acromion and clavicle meet. I asked him to move his arm as if if put a scarf around his neck (this is a form adduction). The range was limited so this could mean acromioclavicular joint has an acute sprain (most likely), osteoarthritis or a joint separation. Both movements engage specific muscles. I have included an illustration of the large intestine channel sinew that abducts the shoulder joint. The large intestine, lung, bladder and small intestine can inhibit adduction of the shoulder joint. The bladder, lung and heart channel can inhibit abduction (especially on on pectoralis major. The first image indicates where I needles with the black circles. I used a Japanese acupuncture technique called jakutaku jutsu, sparrow peck technique, it is a gentle lift and thrust movement just using my thumb to move the needle up and down. When I applied this technique to KID27 the client could feel a sensation in his chin (if you look at the pathway of the large intestine in grey you can see it is following this pathway via the sternoclydomastoid and platysma). The circles in white relaxed afterwards (no need to needle). You can see a hard chinetsukyu cone on the AC ligament on the location of the sharp pain. The white circle next to the moxa was needled jakutaku jutsu, the sensation travelled to his ear. I applied the same technique to areas marked with dots on his posterior shoulder. After the treatment full range of both movements returned. Some pain still remained. Another note, jakutaku jutsu is used for acute pain.

28/02/2026

Just working on this as part of a chapter on channel sinew connections and interactions. I just need to add layers of colour. The colours are all related to different channels. It looks complex but if you look carefully you can see the channel pathways. Understanding muscle movements and the pathways are the key understanding where to go. Tomorrow I will be posting a shoulder treatment from today’s Saturday clinic. It is a good example for of what I look for and what I am writing in this chapter on channel sinew dynamics.

19/02/2026

A photograph I took today. I do not retain needles however the red marks indicate where I have needled. My technique is a Japanese technique called nekko jutsu. I generate heat with the needle, blood flows, cold gentle dispersing and the muscle softens. This is for shoulder pain caused by scoliosis of the upper thoracic (back). All research suggests the best method of treatment is to needle directly where it is the tightest. You can see that the scoliosis is very slight, I have seen it worse on this client in previous treatments. The black lines indicate the curves crossing over from one side to the other and the left side has tension closer to spine.

17/02/2026

Did you know moxibustion can help psoriasis? Well this is a great example. I took the first two photographs 3 weeks ago. The third photograph I took today just before applying hot chinetsukyu cones. Last week the size of the psoriasis patch reduced, this week it looks pale rather than red.

16/02/2026

I am very excited to announce that I will be a speaker at The UK Conference of Chinese Medicine 2026

The interior and exterior landscape of the channel sinews: From the classics to practice (part 1)
An exploration into the characteristics of the channel sinews and pathways. How the Ling Shu describes the sinew. The importance of binding (jie) areas that attach at joints and important meeting areas. For example, at GB34 and the Zong Jin. The relationship between the internal-external and front-back in relation to fascia and the channel sinews pathways. Pathologies describing the connection between the sinews and internal diseases according to Ling Shu chapter 13.

Diagnosing and treating the shoulder through the lens of the channel sinews (part 2)
The classics offer useful tools and hints for the diagnostic process. With examples of muscular-skeletal dysfunction, whether it is range of movement or pain. Some simple concepts based on the pathway, characteristics and descriptions to help pinpoint where to palpate and find the origin of MSK dysfunction. This is the basis of understanding where to look by diagnosing channel imbalance. This seminar will include practical palpation practice

14/02/2026

A fantastic week of . A varied week of treatments. The video lists most of them.