Are there secret acupuncture points?

The idea of “secret” acupuncture points is greatly glorified by Eastern Cultures. This has greatly fostered the belief that all Eastern practitioners of acupuncture must have a knowledge above and beyond those of any other culture. The reality is that there simply aren't any “secret” acupuncture points for anyone who knows how to locate true acupuncture points via the radial pulses and is not misled by “lesser acupuncture points.” This is of great importance to a Classical True Acupuncture practitioner.

The location of acupuncture points in the “classical texts” of Chinese Medicine have always been vague. This has caused great misunderstanding in the acupuncture communities. Regardless of the descriptive locations given, a practitioner must learn to distinguish true points from points that have little effect. This can only be done through an understanding of the radial pulses.

A practitioner cannot accurately needle the center of any acupuncture point if they do not fully understand the energetic responses of the points that are reflected in the radial pulses, and know what to look for. This is the secret to acupuncture regardless of culture, lineage, or years of experience. Without understanding this secret fully, one cannot hope to practice True Acupuncture, but instead, simply and haphazardly “slap” in several needles with little consideration to the location and the responses in the radial pulses. Subsequently, a patient turns into a “pin cushion” with little, if any, benefit.

Comprehending acupuncture is the key, as it is with anything in life. Rote memorization can only take a practitioner so far, and regardless of lineage or years of clinical practice, if the practitioner does not understand the nature of the true points and relies on protocols and descriptive locations, then only a book has been mastered, but not acupuncture itself, and no “secret” can help.