Classic of Difficulties: Difficult Questions in Medicine, Acupuncture, and Beyond
31 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsYou have some deep questions about health, medicine, and alternative medicine. We do, too! Join your host, Dr. James Mohebali, doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, as we ask some of these difficult questions. Through clinical experience, deep study, and interviews with some of the best professionals in alternative and mainstream healthcare, we try to get to the bottom of these questions, finding out what we know, what we don’t know, and what’s at stake when it comes to our thoughts and our decisions about health, wellness, disease, and medicine itself. Our goal is that at the end of every episode, you will have a new way of relating to medicine, to health, and even to your own body.New episodes every other Monday morning.
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Episodes
Interview: What Acupuncturists Feel When They're Needling You
June 27, 2022 23:00 - 24 minutes - 16.7 MBSee Part 1 Here: https://youtu.be/WbDDJ8b7PmE See Part 2 Here: https://youtu.be/TY9TL5BVbeI 🔔 Subscribe for more 🔔 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJzqmnRkGkUJF8HQYZ8gifw?sub_confirmation=1 Join Dr. James Mohebali and Brian Huwe in the third and final installment of their interview together. They cover topics that are important to acupuncturists, bodyworkers, massage therapists, doctors, energy workers, and anyone who is interested in making a healing contact with others. They talk about ...
Interview: Brian Huwe: Psychedelics, Trauma, & WHY DOES HEALING TAKE SO LONG?
June 11, 2022 12:00 - 24 minutes - 16.8 MBSee Part 1 Here: https://youtu.be/WbDDJ8b7PmE See Part 3 Here Next Week: https://youtu.be/W5EOiw2LA6o 🔔 Subscribe for more 🔔 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJzqmnRkGkUJF8HQYZ8gifw?sub_confirmation=1 What does Chinese medicine have to say about psychedelic therapy for trauma, PTSD, and personality disorders? What's the difference between pain and suffering in medicine? Is Chinese medicine the fruition of Aristotle, Galileo, & Newton's natural philosophy? Join Dr. James Mohebali as he inte...
Interview: St. John's College Grad & Acupuncturist Brian Huwe
June 01, 2022 16:00 - 23 minutes - 16.1 MBSee the Second Part Here Next Week: https://youtu.be/TY9TL5BVbeI 🔔 Subscribe for more 🔔 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJzqmnRkGkUJF8HQYZ8gifw?sub_confirmation=1 Join Dr. James Mohebali as he interviews his friend and mentor, Brian Huwe, L.Ac., to get to the bottom of some of the difficult questions facing doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists, massage therapists, and other health practitioners. Brian Huwe is a fellow St. John's College alumnus ("Johnnie") and a fellow student of Jeffre...
How Should Orthodox Christians think about Hospice & Dying?
May 10, 2022 00:00 - 37 minutes - 26 MBWatch Part 1 Here: https://youtu.be/VcSkm3LDVw4 COOL STUFF I MENTIONED IN THE SHOW: Erwin Schrödinger's "What is Life?" — https://amzn.to/3vyRi1y J. Mark & Elizabeth J. Barna's "A Christian Ending: A Handbook for Burial in the Ancient Christian Tradition" — https://amzn.to/3MJtuOA As the Boomer population of America ages, questions about death & dying have come to the forefront of our cultural experience. From books like Atul Gawande's "Being Mortal" to L.S. Dugdale's "The Lost Art of Dyi...
The 4 Questions EVERYONE Should Ask Themselves About Death
May 01, 2022 03:00 - 29 minutes - 20.4 MBWatch Part 2 Here Next Week: https://youtu.be/dxz1fesg5MA COOL STUFF I MENTIONED IN THE SHOW: Schrödinger's "What is Life?" — https://amzn.to/3vyRi1y J. Mark & Elizabeth J. Barna's "A Christian Ending: A Handbook for Burial in the Ancient Christian Tradition" — https://amzn.to/3MJtuOA As the Boomer population of America ages, questions about death and dying have come to the forefront of our cultural experience. From books like Atul Gawande's "Being Mortal" to L.S. Dugdale's "The Lost Art o...
The 4 Questions EVERYONE Should Ask Themselves About Death
May 01, 2022 03:00 - 29 minutes - 20.4 MBWatch Part 2 Here Next Week: https://youtu.be/dxz1fesg5MA COOL STUFF I MENTIONED IN THE SHOW: Schrödinger's "What is Life?" — https://amzn.to/3vyRi1y J. Mark & Elizabeth J. Barna's "A Christian Ending: A Handbook for Burial in the Ancient Christian Tradition" — https://amzn.to/3MJtuOA As the Boomer population of America ages, questions about death and dying have come to the forefront of our cultural experience. From books like Atul Gawande's "Being Mortal" to L.S. Dugdale's "The Lost Art o...
The Road to the Arnold 2022 w/ Francesca (Olympic Weightlifting)
March 21, 2022 23:00 - 24 minutes - 17.2 MBDR. JAMES' TOP 3 LIVER RECIPES: Liver Stir Fry with Chinese Chives — https://bit.ly/3KYCNsU Chopped Liver (Dr. James' Wife's Favorite!) — https://bit.ly/36CYno4 Liver Ragu — https://bit.ly/3u8L0Us 🔔 Subscribe for more 🔔 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJzqmnRkGkUJF8HQYZ8gifw?sub_confirmation=1 Join Dr. James as we go on the first inaugural "Classic of Difficulties" road trip! Dr. James and Francesca are off to the Arnold Sports Festival 2022, where olympic weightlifters, strongman, bodybu...
I can't do this anymore... (1st Annual "State of the Difficulties" Address)
January 23, 2022 18:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MB🔔 Subscribe for more 🔔 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJzqmnRkGkUJF8HQYZ8gifw?sub_confirmation=1 "Classic of Difficulties: Difficult Questions in Medicine, Acupuncture, and Beyond" is a new podcast and YouTube channel by Dr. James Mohebali, doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. We try to ask difficult questions from both a philosophical and a practical perspective about medicine, health, alternative medicine, and everything in between. We hope to deepen the conversation about medic...
Interview, Pt. 2: DEEP Healing through Drinking WINE with John Heers
December 13, 2021 12:00 - 47 minutes - 32.6 MBJohn Heers does international aid. John throws great parties. Both can help you heal from your trauma, depression, and isolation. 💪 Support our channel! — http://patreon.com/classicofdifficulties John Heers is the co-founder of an international aid organization, First Things Foundation, based off the Peace Corps model, that sends young people to five different countries to immerse themselves fully and completely in these cultures in order to attempt to offer genuine, humble, and meaningful...
Interview: DEEP Healing through Drinking WINE with John Heers
November 29, 2021 12:00 - 59 minutes - 40.8 MBJohn Heers does international aid. John throws great parties. Both can help you heal from your trauma, depression, and isolation. 💪 Support our channel! — http://patreon.com/classicofdifficulties John Heers is the co-founder of an international aid organization, First Things Foundation, based off the Peace Corps model, that sends young people to five different countries to immerse themselves fully and completely in these cultures in order to attempt to offer genuine, humble, and meaningful...
Pharmaceuticals, Part 2: Are Generics and Supplements Bad for You?
November 15, 2021 12:00 - 42 minutes - 29.3 MBThe drugs don't work...and people are searching for a solution. But are the vitamins and supplements just as bad as the drugs? 💪 Support our channel! — http://patreon.com/classicofdifficulties People everywhere are trying to turn away from big pharma, and take control of their health using natural and naturally derived substances. From nootropics, to psychotropics, to herbal medicine, people are waking up to the possibilities. But what if some of the new solutions are just as bad as the dr...
Pharmaceuticals: Are They Bad For You?
October 25, 2021 11:00 - 41 minutes - 28.2 MBGet sick... Go to your doctor... Get some pills... You know the drill. But is there a better way? 💪 Support our channel! — http://patreon.com/classicofdifficulties Prescription drugs are the most common way that people treat, prevent, and manage disease. But are they bad for you? What about all those "natural" vitamins, minerals, supplements, and nutraceuticals? Are they bad for you too? Join Dr. James Mohebali as we take a look at some of the issues that surround the prescribing and consu...
Sex?, Pt. 2: Love, Lust, and Ghosts
October 05, 2021 11:00 - 29 minutes - 20.5 MBStill have questions about sex? From guilt & shame, to childbirth, to horny ghosts, you'll find your answers here. Sex is one of the biggest topics in the modern age, and one of the most divisive. Join Dr. James Mohebali to take a Chinese medical perspective on sex, and see how a deep understanding of our bodies can reveal deep spiritual truths about the nature of people, and the nature of sex. 🔔 Subscribe for more 🔔 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJzqmnRkGkUJF8HQYZ8gifw?sub_confirmation...
What's the Deal with Sex? Ancient Chinese Wisdom about Sex
September 20, 2021 11:00 - 49 minutes - 33.9 MBSex: People like having it. But what if it's actually bad for you? Sex is one of the biggest topics in the modern age, and one of the most divisive. Join Dr. James Mohebali to take a Chinese medical perspective on sex, and see how a deep understanding of our bodies can reveal deep spiritual truths about the nature of people, and the nature of sex. 🔔 Subscribe for more 🔔 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJzqmnRkGkUJF8HQYZ8gifw?sub_confirmation=1 "Classic of Difficulties: Difficult Question...
Heart Series, Pt. 3: Two Hearts of Chinese Medicine
September 06, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 48 MBCirculation is more complicated than you thought! Between the Heart and the Pericardium, Chinese medicine has a lot to say about blood. Running an empire can be a complex task! In Chinese medicine, the functions of the heart are divided between two separate organs, the Heart and the Pericardium. But, as with all of the organs in Chinese medicine, the functioning of the body is a springboard for a deeper discussion into mental health, spirituality, and more. Join Dr. James Mohebali as we loo...
Earthing Shoes: Everything You Need to Know about Footwear
August 23, 2021 11:00 - 51 minutes - 35.1 MBTake a practical and surprisingly philosophical look at how to go Earthing, and what's behind our decisions about footwear. Earthing/Grounding is a new, effective method devised by Clint Ober, written about in "Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever!" Influenced by Arthur Firstenburg and "The Invisible Rainbow: A History of Electricity and Life," Clint found a simple solution, both inexpensive and freely available to everyone—get your feet in the dirt! But is being barefoot the ...
Earthing Shoes
August 23, 2021 11:00 - 51 minutes - 35.1 MBTake a practical and surprisingly philosophical look at how to go Earthing, and what's behind our decisions about footwear. Earthing/Grounding is a new, effective method devised by Clint Ober, written about in "Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever!" Influenced by Arthur Firstenburg and "The Invisible Rainbow: A History of Electricity and Life," Clint found a simple solution, both inexpensive and freely available to everyone—get your feet in the dirt! But is being barefoot the ...
Earthing/Grounding: How It Works, and How it Doesn't Work
August 09, 2021 11:00 - 44 minutes - 30.3 MBEarthing is a new, effective method of maintaining and improving health...But how does it work? And what if the theory is wrong? Earthing/Grounding is a new, effective method devised by Clint Ober, written about in "Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever!" Influenced by Arthur Firstenburg and "The Invisible Rainbow: A History of Electricity and Life," Clint found a simple solution, both inexpensive and freely available to everyone—get your feet in the dirt! The results are great...
Live at First Things Summit 2021: Channel Progression & How to Become Fully Human
July 26, 2021 11:00 - 45 minutes - 31 MBLike what you're hearing? 💪Support our channel! "Classic of Difficulties" Patreon 💪 Can't find a clean shirt? BUY A NEW ONE — 👕Classic of Difficulties Merch 👕 In this live talk given at the First Things Foundation 2021 Summit, Dr. James Mohebali talks to an audience of First Things Fieldworkers, who spend two years overseas, fully immersed in the culture and lives of the people they're trying to help. He leads us through the deeper meaning behind the acupuncture channels, and how the channe...
Live at First Things Summit 2021: Channel Progression & How to Become Fully Human
July 26, 2021 11:00 - 45 minutes - 31 MBLike what you're hearing? 💪Support our channel! "Classic of Difficulties" Patreon 💪 Can't find a clean shirt? BUY A NEW ONE — 👕Classic of Difficulties Merch 👕 In this live talk given at the First Things Foundation 2021 Summit, Dr. James Mohebali talks to an audience of First Things Fieldworkers, who spend two years overseas, fully immersed in the culture and lives of the people they're trying to help. He leads us through the deeper meaning behind the acupuncture channels, and how the channe...
What's the Deal with EMF (Electromagnetic Fields)?
July 12, 2021 11:00 - 53 minutes - 36.9 MBElectromagnetic fields—THEY'RE EVERYWHERE! What do they mean for your health? How can we use Chinese Medicine to understand them? Electromagnetic fields are a major health concern in the 20th and 21st century. Never before experienced by mankind, the dense electromagnetic haze has become the defining feature of the modern age. How can we use an ancient medicine to understand this modern problem? What can you do about EMF sensitivity? What are some acupuncture treatments that can help? Join ...
Is it Wrong to Eat Meat? What if Veganism is Unhealthy?
June 28, 2021 11:00 - 41 minutes - 28.5 MBVegan? Carnivore? Who's right and who's wrong? Is meat evil? Or is it necessary for your health? Join Dr. James Mohebali as we take a deep dive into the positives and the negatives of a plant-based diet, and the possible spiritual consequences from meat consumption. Like what you're hearing? 💪Support our channel! 💪 Can't find a clean shirt? BUY A NEW ONE — 👕Classic of Difficulties Merch 👕 COOL STUFF I MENTIONED IN THE SHOW: ZUO YUE ZI/SITTING THE MONTH BOOKS "The Postpartum Recovery Plan...
How Do I Become a Master?
June 14, 2021 11:00 - 39 minutes - 27 MBWe all want to be the best at what we do. But how do we get there? We look at some of the best to learn their secrets. Chinese medicine and Chinese martial arts—like shaolin kung fu, ba gua zhang, xing yi chuan—are all known for their sages and their masters. Many of us dream of being able to study with someone who is truly a master. Unfortunately, traditional apprenticeship has been on the decline during the 20th and 21st centuries. What can we learn by looking at great masters in music, m...
What You Need to Know to Craft the Perfect Diet for You
May 31, 2021 11:00 - 44 minutes - 30.7 MBThere's more to food than just calories and macros. Figure out how to pick the best diet for you, and how to get ahead of the next big thing. There are a lot of factors that go into understanding the perfect diet! From social to geographical, economic to cultural, join Dr. James Mohebali as he explores some of these considerations, and helps you understand how to sift through all the contradictory information that's out there about diet. On the way, we take a look at why Italians love tomat...
Heart Series, Pt. 2: How Do We Know What We Know / Epistemology
May 17, 2021 11:00 - 37 minutes - 25.6 MBEpistemology is more than a four letter word! How does the WAY we seek truth influence how we see our bodies, and our health? In an age where science is constantly overturning what we thought we knew about the body, and new theories come out every day trying to explain new phenomena, one theory remains unchallenged. Since 1628, when Harvey published his seminal text on the circulation of blood, we have believed more or less the same thing about the heart. But what if the heart isn't a pump ...
What is the Ideal Diet?
May 03, 2021 09:00 - 37 minutes - 25.7 MBThree simple laws will change the way you think about food, whether you're keto, vegan, plant-based, carnivore, paleo, or anything in between. There's a lot of conflicting information out there about what you should be eating. Never before has there been so much knowledge so readily available to so many different people about food. And never before have we had such tremendous accessibility to a seemingly endless variety of foods. But, on the other hand, never before have we seen so much chr...
The Heart is Not a Pump? Pt. 1: The Evidence
April 19, 2021 09:00 - 35 minutes - 24.4 MBIt's been 400 years of thinking the heart is a pump — isn't it time for a change? Let's look at the evidence, the history, and the way forward. In an age where science is constantly overturning what we thought we knew about the body, and new theories come out every day trying to explain new phenomena, one theory remains unchallenged. Since 1628, when Harvey published his seminal text on the circulation of blood, we have believed more or less the same thing about the heart. But what if the h...
Baby Puke Trilogy Pt.3: Acupuncture Channels
April 05, 2021 09:00 - 32 minutes - 22.5 MBIn the final episode of this three-part series, Dr. James takes you on a tour through the acupuncture channels. We talk about the primary channels, the extraordinary vessels, and some of the classical channels that have been glossed over in the annals of time. We ask - what is an acupuncture channel anyways? On the way, Plato’s theory of recollection comes up, as well as Daoist meditation and shamanic dancing, and we ask ourselves about the special connection that babies have with their moms...
Baby Puke Trilogy Pt.2: Yin-Yang & 5 Elements
March 22, 2021 13:00 - 30 minutes - 20.7 MBIn episode two of this three-part series, we talk about the foundations of Chinese medicine. Doing a deep dive into yin and yang, and five element/five phase theory, we run into some deep questions about medical ideas and their relationship to society at large. Charles Darwin makes a reprise, and, spoiler alert, Nazi Germany shows up on the scene. Babies - they’re cute. But why are they so bad at doing everything? Join Dr. James Mohebali, new dad and doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medici...
Trailer
March 22, 2021 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.56 MB"Classic of Difficulties: Difficult Questions in Medicine, Acupuncture, and Beyond" is a new podcast and YouTube channel by Dr. James Mohebali, doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. We try to ask difficult questions from both a philosophical and a practical perspective about medicine, health, alternative medicine, and everything in between. We hope to deepen the conversation about medicine, taking it beyond the questions of "what's good" and "what's bad," instead trying to figure out ...
Why Do Babies Puke So Much? Pt.1: Darwin's Giraffe
March 22, 2021 09:00 - 22 minutes - 15.3 MBBabies - they’re cute. But why are they so bad at doing everything? Join Dr. James Mohebali, new dad and doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, as we take a deeply philosophical and unexpectedly practical look at what’s the deal with our favorite tiny humans. And, of course, try to ask some questions about their digestion. In episode one of this three-part series, we talk Western medicine vs Chinese medicine, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) vs. Classical Chinese medicine, and, o...