Under the guidance of Houng Lau at Eastern Therapies, I was introduced to Ikeda sensei’s work in Traditional Japanese Acupuncture & Moxibustion. Ikeda Masakazu is a preeminent teacher and practitioner in this field. I found his books challenging at first but over time have come to fully appreciate the clinical significance of his works, due to the detail and effort he has put into describing all aspects of this traditional art. When the chance came up to learn from Ikeda sensei in Japan, I was sure that I wanted to attend.
Ikeda sensei’s clinic is in Imabari, a couple of hours train ride from Osaka. We were given the opportunity to observe him treating his patients in his clinic. Many of my questions about the practice of this style of acupuncture were answered by observing Ikeda sensei working and experiencing an acupuncture treatment from him.
I found Ikeda’s lectures on the subtler aspects of acupuncture very inspiring. In particular, his lecture on the finer points of pulse diagnosis and how to use your inspiration or intuition to make a connection with the patient in order to ascertain the root of the patient’s issues.
Ikeda sensei’s generous hospitality, incredibly vast knowledge and warm heart made attending the seminar great fun. I feel very privileged to have met and learnt from Ikeda sensei and the other acupuncturists in attendance.
