This course is designed to bridge the divide between modern western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine by bringing to light popular misconceptions around the foundational concepts of qi and the acupuncture channels. The teachings of the Huang Di Neijing and of physics and biophysics in the West are brought together to create a language around acupuncture practice that patients can easily relate to and that deeply honours the origins of Chinese medicine theory. Several lines of scientific inquiry on the acupuncture channels are covered and evidence for the neurovascular theory of the channels is proposed. The final part of the course delves into the exact mechanisms of acupuncture by looking at how the brain interprets signals coming from the nervous system. Focus will be given to a small number of papers to illustrate mechanisms clearly. Students will learn to describe three ways acupuncture exerts its effects on the body that they can use to win the trust of all potential clients.