What is the Balance Method?

The Balance Method, developed by Dr. Richard Teh-Fu Tan of San Diego, CA, is an acupuncture treatment system focused on balancing meridians to promote healing in the body. Renowned for its instant clinical efficacy, the Balance Method is rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) meridian theory and draws from classical acupuncture (Neijing) and the I Ching.

Dr. Tan, who passed away in 2016, continues to leave a lasting legacy through his seminar video recordings, uniquely powerful point prescriptions (available in our eLotus Clinical Manual of Oriental Medicine), and the numerous practitioners and patients he inspired and helped.

There's no better way to learn the Balance Method than from its legendary creator—start today with one of Dr. Tan's recorded lectures below.

Dr. Tan's "Acupuncture 1, 2, 3" is a straightforward three-step strategy that helps practitioners choose effective distal acupuncture points. This approach maximizes treatment results using fewer needles while preventing aggravation of local pain areas.

The Five Systems – Selecting Meridian(s) to Optimize Treatment

Dr. Tan utilizes five key systems to find the most effective treatment meridian(s) for the affected meridian(s) identified in Step 1. Each of the following systems is based on precise channel relationships that strategically pairs meridians, enabling them to harmonize and balance one another through targeted mechanisms. This approach enhances treatment efficacy and ensures optimal patient outcomes.

BALANCE METHOD: SYSTEMS 1-5

Applying the Five Systems to Master Tung's Acupuncture

We have integrated these five systems of the Balance Method into the Master Tung Acupuncture section on eLotus CORE. Now, when you explore any Master Tung points on our website, you can quickly identify its corresponding meridian and the channels it treats, based on Dr. Tan's systems. Harness these powerful resources to enhance your learning and elevate your practice to new heights.

Explore Master Tung Acupuncture Points

Mirroring and Imaging - Selecting the Best Points to Needle

Step 3 of Dr. Tan’s Acupuncture 1,2,3 protocol involves identifying the optimal locations on the selected treatment meridian for needle insertion to achieve the best results. Based on Dr. Tan's Strategy of Twelve Magical Points, effective point selection relies on the principles of mirroring and imaging. These principles highlight the body's interconnectedness, where pain in one area can trigger tenderness, weakness, or tightness in other distant regions. By addressing these projected areas, you can restore balance and heal the original source of pain.

To effectively treat the source of pain, apply the principles of mirroring and imaging to identify target areas of the projected pain (as tenderness, weakness, or tightness) for needle insertion. For the best outcomes, palpate for ashi points instead of directly using standard acupuncture points in the projected area.

I. MIRRORING: Upper Limb ↔ Lower Limb

Apply the mirroring principle to locate points on a limb to treat pain originating from another limb. Mirroring uses the upper limb to balance the lower limb, and vice versa. Refer to the following charts for the mapping between upper and lower limb areas through mirroring and reverse mirroring.

II. IMAGINING: Head+Trunk ↔ Upper/Lower Limbs

Apply the imaging principle to locate points on a limb to treat pain originating in the head and trunk, and vice versa. Through imaging, areas in the head and trunk can balance either the upper or lower limbs; likewise, the upper and lower limbs can balance areas in the head and trunk. Refer to the following charts for mapping head and trunk areas to the upper or lower limbs.