The Complement Channels Series
Five weekends. A complete clinical map of the channels of acupuncture. Auckland, June — October 2026.
Every acupuncturist learns the Primary channels — the entry point into the channels of acupuncture. But what we are rarely taught is this: the Primary channels do not deal with pathology.
They can, as a last resort — but they were never designed to. They allow the emotional and physiological expression of ourselves as human beings. When a threat — a pathogenic factor, an emotion, a belief — endangers the organs, the precious jewels of the body, the Primary channels triage and hand it over.
The Sinew channels defend the exterior: from cold, from physical trauma. Harnessing Wei Qi, they perform the physical expulsion of pathogens through sweating, coughing, sneezing, and evacuation. If that fails, the Divergent channels intercept — tucking the pathogen safely away within the body. If the pathogenic factor carries an emotional charge that threatens the organs, the Luo channels step in and contain it within the blood.
Theoretically, the Luo and the Divergent channels do not even exist without pathology. They exist only to protect.
The Extraordinary channels determine our destiny — and also act as reservoirs for the overflow of pathology from the other systems. For an immeasurable span of time they were considered so sacred that they were never needled, until it was deemed right for every individual to have agency over their own lives.
So I invite you on this journey — to discover the terrain of these other channels. The complement channels.
We begin with Pulse Diagnosis, which gives us the framework for where all the channels sit. We learn how Qi moving through the organs manifests when unhindered, and how to rectify it when it is not free. Then each weekend is dedicated to one of the four classes of complement channels: the Sinews, the Luo, the Divergents, and the Extraordinary channels.
With all of the channels at your fingertips, there is nothing that acupuncture cannot treat.This weekend sets the framework for where all the distinct channels fit together. We discover the directional pulses — how the organs are communicating with each other — and begin to understand how the body responds to pathology. Through understanding the movement of Qi between the organs, we also spend time learning how to rectify this using the Primary channels. This weekend forms the foundation for everything that follows.
Read more and book →The channels of Wei Qi and fluids. They allow movement, defence, and reception. We can use them in the treatment of pain, restriction, trauma recovery, and structural integrity. We learn to diagnose through movement, and work directly with the trajectories to restore the free flow of Wei Qi through the body.
Read more and book →These are the reservoirs of blood and emotion. We come to understand how the full emotional expression of the Primary channels can become stymied — and what it looks like when the body decides to use the Luo channels to store emotions away in order to preserve the organs. The body shows us exactly where to work when the Luo float to the surface as spider veins or nodules. You learn how to read this.
Read more and book →The Divergent channels are a triage system that allows latency — sometimes described as disease nemesis theory. When the body is unable to expel a pathogen, it is able to tuck it away safely within the body. This becomes our gateway to working with all manner of chronic illness and degenerative disease.
Read more and book →The deepest channels. The blueprint. Yuan Qi, constitutional expression, development, identity, and the deep patterns laid down early in life. For many centuries these channels were considered too sacred to needle. There is something in that history that asks for reverence in how we approach them.
Read more and book →Each Weekend Includes
- Classical theory and historical context
- Clinical application and case reasoning
- Pulse work specific to each channel system
- Live patient demonstrations
- Extensive supervised hands-on practice
- You will both give and receive treatments
- Feel the framework in your own body
- Leave each weekend ready to use it clinically
- Each weekend stands alone — attend one or all five
- Miss a weekend? Complete it in 2027
Illustrations of the Complete Acupuncture Channel System
This is essential for the class. You can use either a hardcopy or a PDF. It contains all the channel illustrations — the maps of the trajectories.
Get it directly from Ann Cecil-Sterman’s website →
Advanced Acupuncture: A Clinic Manual
Recommended (optional). This is the full clinic manual. Not required for class, but useful if you want to explore more in-depth reference material.
View or purchase here →Ada’s work is deeply rooted in the Classical texts and shaped through long-term study with Ann Cecil-Sterman and the teachings of Master Jeffrey Yuen.
She has spent many years integrating the Complement Channels clinically — particularly in chronic, complex, and emotionally layered conditions — and is passionate about helping practitioners bring these systems into confident everyday practice.
This series represents the complete framework Ada works with in clinic. She teaches it not as theory, but as a living system — one you will leave knowing how to use.
Who This Is For
This series is for acupuncturists, Chinese medicine practitioners, and students who want to deepen their understanding of pulse diagnosis, chronic and complex pathology, emotional holding patterns, musculoskeletal pain, constitutional treatment, and the full architecture of the classical channels.
This series is also open to energy workers looking for a solid framework to hone their craft.
The teaching will meet you wherever you are — whether you are newer to this material or returning to deepen what you already know.
The series will be offered again in 2027. Sign up below to be the first to hear when dates are confirmed.
It’s much better if you attend in person. The transmission happens in the room — this is oral teaching that’s meant to be received that way. If you live abroad or far from Auckland, then yes, join us on Zoom for Saturday. Saturday carries all of the theory. Sunday is hands-on practice — that happens in the room only. If you’re booking all five weekends but one clashes, you can join the Saturday session on Zoom for that weekend.
You can book individual weekends directly on the website at $600 each. If you book the complete series — all five weekends — the cost is $2,400. That’s a saving of $600. Email me at info@acupuncturesanctuary.co.nz and I’ll send you one invoice for the full amount, payable upfront.
If you book the full series and can’t make one weekend, you can either join on Zoom for that Saturday, or take that weekend when the series runs again in 2027.
If you’ve completed the entire series and want to return to deepen your practice, there’s a further discount available. Get in touch and we can discuss that.
Because the Primary channels do not directly deal with pathology, they are not the main focus of this series. However, in the Pulse Diagnosis weekend we will be learning the directional pulses — the relationship between the organs — and how to rectify disrupted organ communication using the Primary channels. So yes, the Primary channels feature within the context of the Complement Channels.
All of this material comes from the classical texts — the Huangdi Neijing (Su Wen and Ling Shu), the Nan Jing, the Mai Jing, the Shang Han Lun, and others — as transmitted through the lineage of Master Jeffrey C. Yuen to Ann Cecil-Sterman, and from Ann to me.
Jeffrey C. Yuen is an 88th generation Daoist Master of the Yu Qing Huang Lao Pai (Jade Purity Yellow Emperor Lao Zi School) and a 26th generation Daoist Master of the Quan Zhen Long Men Pai (Complete Reality Dragon Gate School). He established an acupuncture school in Manhattan in the 1990s — the Swedish Institute — which graduated 112 practitioners in New York. More about Master Jeffrey Yuen →
Ann Cecil-Sterman was one of the first students at that school and spent over 20 years in deep immersion with his teachings. She has been teaching classical acupuncture across four continents and is the author of Advanced Acupuncture: A Clinical Manual and The Art of Pulse Diagnosis. I have been studying with Ann for close to a decade. More about Ann Cecil-Sterman →
Classical Chinese Medicine (CCM) has its roots deeply entwined with the philosophies of Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, and has evolved from the classical Daoist medical texts of China, including the Huangdi Neijing, the Nan Jing, the Mai Jing, the Shang Han Lun, and the Jia Yi Jing.
Each of the channels of acupuncture carries a distinct resonance. As we intend to hold that resonance within ourselves, we can also intend to activate it within another person — whether they are in the treatment room with us or somewhere else entirely. This means that treatment can be offered remotely: by Zoom, by phone, or simply by holding the intention at a distance. The patient comes into resonance with the channel, wherever they are in the world. This is what we mean by transmission and remote channel treatment, and it is something you will experience and practise during the weekends.
No. Anyone can learn this. The channels exist within all of us — they are as much a part of the universe as they are of the human body. This teaching sits within the framework of Classical Chinese Medicine, so it has a strong theoretical foundation, but it is not limited to acupuncturists.
On the second day, participants practise on each other. Registered acupuncturists (CMCNZ) may give and receive full acupuncture treatments. Energy workers and non-licensed practitioners participate as Channel Practitioners — giving and receiving remote channel treatments and transmission. Everyone works within the scope of their own training and practice.
Stay in the Loop
Sign up to hear about future workshops, new dates, and series announcements.