Handbook of Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis

This book will most benefit those who have been in practice for a while and have received some instruction in this pulse method. If, on the other hand, you've only studied TCM pulse diagnosis and are hoping for a better understanding of that standardized, government-approved, test-required material, then this will likely be over your head, or as in the case of another (seemingly uninformed) reviewer, you'll be frustrated and disappointed. Understand that Traditional Chinese Medicine as it is taught to beginning students today is a relatively narrow and highly censored body of knowledge that was compiled for communist China under Mao. Not unlike Chinese martial arts, Chinese medicine comprises many systems, styles, schools, and lineages that were suppressed, hidden, or kept secret. Those 29 basic pulse images that you learned for licensing exams represent only a small and rather arbitrary sample of data agreed upon by a handful of government selected (directed?) "experts". If you've been in practice for a while, you've likely found maybe a dozen of those pulse images that consistently fit your patients' conditions or constitutions. Shen/Hammer Pulse Methodology, or Contemporary Pulse Diagnosis, is deeply rooted in Classical Chinese Medicine and synthesized from several time-tested systems, adapted for application to modern human beings in modern industrialized society. Think about it: unless you're practicing in an underdeveloped part of the world, you're not likely to treat disease conditions indicated by the basic TCM pulses; further, you are likely to feel many pulses today that do not fit those descriptions at all. We live in a modernized world, with new kinds of external pathogenic influences and rapidly evolving/mutating body systems (nervous, immune, endocrine, digestive, etc.), and it logically follows that confounding pulse images will show up in contemporary practice. Which TCM pulses, for example, will tell you that your patient's various systems are taxed by overexposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, EMF, allergy-like symptoms secondary to leaky gut syndrome, decades-old psycho-emotional trauma, or neoplastic activity? Shen/Hammer pulses offer the possibility of all this and more. Again, this book is NOT an exposition of TCM pulse diagnostics, so sure, go ahead and call it "Worst book on TCM Pulse diagnosis ever". The Shen/Hammer system is highly advanced and continually evolving to suit the needs of today's clinician. Just be willing to embrace a paradigm shift that is not based on TCM but on the origins of TCM. My first pulse teacher referred to TCM pulse examination as "the ancient Chinese MRI"; along those lines, in skilled hands the Shen/Hammer Pulses might reflect findings consistent with MRI, ultrasound, CT scan, blood panels, bronchoscopy, mental health assessment, angiogram, colonoscopy, hair tissue mineral analysis, ANA testing...Of course, only the actual exams would verify these, but the point is that the level of refinement and discernment that could be developed by a dedicated practitioner with this system is limitless. With qualified instruction and proper study materials, your pulse-taking skills will become highly sophisticated. This book is essential to that process. As with anything next-level, this material will speak to you when you're ready for that level. Until then, cultivate as much skill as you can with the tools you currently have. And like advanced methods in any field, this system is not for everyone. But intelligent readers and serious learners should not be dissuaded from it by reviews from those who fail to see it for what it is.

A very in depth and useful pulse diagnosis book.

Good to learn about a decent diagnosis method.

Excellent condition. Arrived on time (maybe a bit early). Thanks!

Good Job.

I found it strange that this had no reviews for quite a while...so it's necessary for me to write one, to let you know how awesome it is! To be clear: it won't be very good at teaching you basic pulse diagnosis. It's an advanced book. The best use of this book is for students/practitioners of Chinese medicine who are already comfortable with pulse diagnosis (of any style)...this book will then give them additional insights, as well as share a very unique style of pulse diagnosis that involves a lot of finger rolling and alternate positions and qualities. But even if you choose not to go so in depth into this "Shen-Hammer" style, you will still gain quite a bit of insight into the basics of pulse diagnosis, as well. For instance, the basic idea of a rapid pulse quality is that it can mean internal heat...but this book goes into more depth with it, and it could actually mean quite a few different things! You can view the different finger rolling methods on youtube, although it won't enable you to practice, necessarily. The best bet for learning this style is likely to attend one of their seminars in person. Then I'm assuming you would use this book as your reference. So overall, an advanced pulse diagnosis book that's good to check out in order to improve your skills. Beginners might want to first check out another book that simplifies the basics.

Do not wast your money on this book. It is by far the most incomprehensible book on TCM pulses I have ever read. One can literally feel the complete arrogance of the authors as you are reading the book. They write simply because they like the sound of their own writing and the arrogant display of how smart they think it makes them sound. I disbelieve the authors can do half of things that they claim. Furthermore if you are looking for a book to give you usable and comprehensible information about how take, understand, and use the various pulses qualities in TCM as a physician it will not. I bought this book honestly because the title mislead me to believe it would be a complete guide to TCM pules diagnosis lol. Much to my disappointment I found the book to be useless to help deepen my understanding of taking pulses in a TCM understanding. I came to find out that someone can literally write page after page after using ridiculous vocabulary presenting so much useless information without really saying anything profound or just really without saying anything at all. Save your money and dont buy this book.

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