Pulse Diagnosis
A two-day foundation workshop — the framework that unlocks everything that follows. You place your fingers upon the pulse, and you listen. It is an embodied practice, and one that anyone can learn.
entry via Waller St
The pulse
It is often said that it takes years to master the pulse. That is not true — it is simply a matter of how we listen. We strip it back to the most simple thing: what is the sensation? What do you feel, see, hear?
Is the pulse running rapidly or slowly? Is the river of the pulse big, or fine? Does it feel as though there was once a grand rapid running there, and now it feels like the Grand Canyon? Is it sparkly and effervescent? Or deep and heavy and murky? There are as many pulses as there are individuals.
We are not interested in finding or seeking pathology. We are simply listening to the sensation. We can place a lens on the pulse — listening to what is happening in the Wei, in the Ying, or in the Yuan — and sometimes we just have to strip back to what the sensation is. That is where we begin.
Over this weekend we build the framework. Then over the following four weekends — as we move through the Sinew, Luo, Divergent, and Extraordinary Channels — we unpack what it all means, channel by channel.
What you’ll learn
The pulses are a reflection of the channels. This weekend you will be taught that framework — the relationship between the five classes of channels (Sinew, Primary, Divergent, Luo, and Extraordinary) as they are expressed through the pulse. There are 26 distinct pulse qualities. We will explore all of them.
A key feature of this class is learning the directional pulses — applying and releasing pressure on the radial artery to feel how Qi moves between organs. Each organ expresses itself along one or more vectors: the Stomach’s vector is downward, the Spleen’s is upward. When these vectors are disrupted, the pulse makes it clear. These are not taught in TCM school.
- Pulse textures — depth, width, tempo, and tone — and their clinical significance
- The 26 distinct pulse qualities
- Directionality — how to determine whether an organ is expressing its intrinsic function or whether there is interference
- Organ energetics — distinguishing between the organ pulse and the channel pulse
- Dynamic pulses — the interrelationship of organs across the three levels (Wei, Ying, and Yuan) in the Cun, Guan, and Chi positions
- Pulses of the channels of acupuncture — Sinews, Luo, Extraordinary Vessels, Primaries, and Divergents
- How the Primary channels communicate with each other through the directional pulses
- Hands-on practice on ourselves, on each other, and by transmission
Weekend structure
- The framework — five classes of channels as expressed through the pulse
- Pulse textures — depth, width, tempo, tone
- The 26 pulse qualities
- Organ energetics and the directional pulses
- Hands-on practice on ourselves and each other
- Dynamic pulses across the three levels
- Pulses of the five channel classes
- Practice by transmission
- Supervised peer practice — giving and receiving
Who this is for
This weekend will meet you wherever you are. It will provide a strong foundation for those newer to pulse diagnosis, and new depth and richness for seasoned practitioners. If you have ever found pulse taking daunting, longed to deepen your skill, or wished to rediscover its boundless potential with each patient — this weekend is for you.
It is also the recommended foundation for the Complement Channel series. The four weekends that follow — Sinews, Luo, Divergents, and Extraordinary Channels — build directly on what is taught here.
Reading for this workshop
Recommended (optional)
The Art of Pulse Diagnosis by Ann Cecil-Sterman — Introduces the ancient practice of Dynamic Directional Pulses, with detailed Chinese medical theory, organ interactions through the pulse, and over 100 diagrams and illustrations. Not required for class, but a wonderful companion text. View or purchase here →
About Ada Sobieszczuk
Ada holds a BSc (Hons) in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Middlesex University, London, and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. Early in her training she was drawn to the Classical texts. A single workshop with Master Jeffrey Yuen became a turning point — someone who could hold the most complex Western medical theory as if it were the simplest thing, and yet it barely scratched the surface of the depth he carried in Classical Chinese Medicine. She left completely hooked, and has been immersed in these teachings ever since.
That immersion deepened through almost a decade of study with Ann Cecil-Sterman, whose work gave Ada the clinical framework to fully understand and apply what she had glimpsed. This shaped her approach as a way of seeing through multiple lenses at once — like light moving through a prism — where different perspectives coexist and inform one another.
The series
This weekend is the foundation for the Complement Channel series — four further weekends exploring the Sinew, Luo, Divergent, and Extraordinary Channels. Together they form a complete clinical map, offering a coherent and effective way to treat every person who walks through your door.
Terms & Conditions
Payment
Workshop fee: $600 per workshop (incl. GST). Full payment is required at time of booking. Booking does not constitute enrolment in the full series; there are no package deals or payment plans.
Attendance & transfers
If you are unable to attend, you may request to attend the same workshop in a future round, subject to availability and at the instructor’s discretion. This is a courtesy, not a guarantee.
Cancellations & refunds
- More than 7 days before the workshop: refund (less any processing fees) or credit toward a future round.
- Within 7 days of the workshop, or non-attendance: no refund available.
Refunds, where approved, are processed via the original payment method.
Workshop changes
The instructor reserves the right to make reasonable changes to dates, content, or location. Participants will be notified as early as possible. If a workshop is cancelled by the instructor, a full refund or credit will be offered.
Practice during workshops
Registered acupuncturists (CMCNZ) may practise on each other. Non-licensed participants may participate as Channel Practitioners — receiving treatment and performing massage, Gua Sha, and remote channel treatments. All participants practise within the scope of their professional training.
Liability
Workshops are for educational and professional development purposes. The instructor and The Acupuncture Sanctuary are not liable for any loss, injury, or damage arising from participation or practice exercises.
Acceptance
By enrolling, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to these terms.
Paid parking and free street parking available nearby.