Since writing this post the format of the course has changed to Online+ but the key principles still apply
Saturdays at HAC start at 10.30 and Sundays at 9.30. This allows people who have come from further away to get here on time. A typical day in the earlier part of the course would start with a presentation and discussion. For example the theme for the day might be the Metal element. We would talk about how it is seen and observed in nature and get a feel for its energetic character first. Then start to discuss the way in which people can be seen as manifesting aspects of Metal (everyone will at times reflect and see all the elements within themselves and those around them). One way to diagnose is by element so we would discuss the ways in which you can start to recognise imbalances within an element or that a person tends toward one more than the others. After a short break we would move on to talk more specifically about the organs/officials said to belong to Metal, namely the Lung and Colon (Large Intestine). This would bring us to discuss the functions of those organs as they are described in TCM and the most common patterns of disharmony that we see in practice. We would finish the morning with a short practical exercise like pulse taking or “running meridians” an exercise whereby we run our fingers and/or minds along all the meridians as the flow up and down the body.
After lunch we would have a practical demonstration and session locating acupuncture points, learning new ones, probably Lu/Co and revising those we had learned in previous sessions. Then we would have a discussion referencing the mornings lecture and talking about the uses and functions of the new points we had learned in relation to that. If we still had time we might be able to fit in a little needling practice or another skill like cupping.
If the course were in its later stages it would be slightly different. We might spend the morning on revision both mental and practical and the afternoon treating patients. Or we might be having one of our post grad days in which case the whole day would be on theory and practical techniques for one area. such as Ear Acupuncture, Fertility treatment or Cosmetic Acupuncture.