Chasing the Dragon's Tail: The Theory and Practice of Acupuncture in the Work of Yoshio Manaka

At the culmination of their professional careers, great Oriental physicians often write books setting forth the mature versions of their clinical vision, their creations and accomplishments. Chasing the Dragon's Tail is a book in this tradition, but one that also charts a course for future explorations. Thus, while it details Dr. Manaka's clinical system in its fullest and most effective form, it is also an invitation to further investigation by one of the most inventive Oriental practitioners of the preceding generation.

The text introduces Dr. Manaka's major clinical and theoretical accomplishments by describing how the "X-signal system'' is the foundation of human topology, function, and response. In essence, the X-signal system defines qi, yin-yang, and the five phases as clinical events, just as traditional Oriental thinkers recognized these ideas through right-brain pattern recognition. While Dr. Manaka references some of the most advanced scientific thinking of our era-information theory, holographic models and new paradigms-his explanations are full of practical tests which readers can use to confirm his ideas for themselves. The core of the text is a complete description of Dr. Manaka's treatment system. This is of great importance, not only because Dr. Manaka was recognized in both Japan and China as one of the foremost practitioners of his generation, but also because the system has already proven itself adaptable to many others. It is thus a clinical manual of unique value because it describes Dr. Manaka's most important techniques: ion pumping and other root treatments, as well as his distinctive use of fire needles, channel stimulation techniques, sotai, moxibustion, and other modern Chinese and Japanese clinical developments. Beginning with a step-by-step template for formulating and confirming a diagnosis, Dr. Manaka provides the instructions necessary to apply these techniques quickly and with confidence. The text concludes with case histories and appendices that provide supporting technical details.