About Us
Thank you for visiting the homepage for Body-Mind Acuity and Jamul Natural Medicine.
Derek French is passionate about the field of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the study of Tai Chi and Chi Gung. He is a California Board Licensed Acupuncturist with a Masters Degree in Oriental Medicine and advanced massage certification from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (San Diego), as well as Bachelor of Science from UC Berkely. He apprenticed Taichi and Ontology 5 years to Master Peter Ralston beginning in 1993, and has studied Taichi for over 25 years.
From our Mission Valley, and new Jamul (‘Jamul Natural Medicine’) clinics we offer sports and family medicine for all ages. In the clinic Derek implements a unique combinative approach to therapy, often utilizing advanced hands-on massage therapies, as well as topical liniments and heat therapy and in conjunction with Acupuncture.
The clinics maintain an extensive pharmacy of raw and prepared herbal medicines. Custom prescriptions are given for both internal and external application, for the vast scope of ailments Traditional Chinese Medicine is effective to treat.
Our Services
Treatments are typically 75 minutes and include adjunctive modalities such as auricular acupuncture, electro-stimulation, heat therapy, acu-taping, moxabustion, cupping, guasha, and massage when appropriate.
Meet Our Happy Clients
Tai Chi and Chi Gung
Tai Chi is commonly known as an exercise promoting calm, relaxation, and healthful support of the body, and though this is true, this is but a narrow representation of what Tai Chi is.
Tai Chi is a powerful martial art; originally a form of Chinese boxing. But more than martial arts and self-defense, taichi offers the potential of true mastery in physical/mental/emotional and spiritual capacities. It is a trained system of effortless and effective movement that, when taught in it’s original intended, undiluted form, will increase physical, coordinative and competitve skill, as well as increase awareness and articulation in mental/emotional domains to bring clarity, focus, breadthe in perspective and power to one’s entire life-experience. It is an art-of-life that connects the practitioner to a larger experience of wholeness. It is a martial art, and more- a practice to improve skill in athletics, coordination and balance, focus, awareness and calm. Taichi is for everyone.
Our Taichi program delivers the full range of benefits in study of Taichi, with more emphasis on the development of physical skill, coordination, and awareness than martial arts.
Veterans and Active Duty
As a San Diego native, Derek French grew up seeing the need for greater support in the Veteran community. Working with Veterans in the acupuncture clinic we see very positive differences made in the lives of these men and women. The soldier’s commitment to serve makes each individual case a unique story of sacrifice, consequence, and honor. So many of these brave men and women fall through the cracks and live with chronic pain, mental/emotional trauma, and end up fending for themselves because they don’t qualify for care, or don’t know what options they have. Often the Veteran truly needs help seeking out the care they need.
The Veteran’s Choice and PC3 programs connect Veteran’s with community acupuncture and alternative care providers when the VA cannot provide services in a timely period or within a certain distance. Beginning in 2019 the VA will begin rolling out the national ‘Whole Health Initiative’, which will offer Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Yoga, Art and Music Therapies as the ‘first line of care’ to address the health and well-being of our Veterans.
The Retreat Center
Cloud Mountain Retreat Center will begin a phased opening offering classes and workshops in June 2019. Watch for pre-opening events beginning in May.
The Center will host a variety of experiences, including Tai Chi / Chi Gung, Yoga, Mindfulness, Leadership and Personal Development Intensives, bringing in only the highest quality facilitation. Some of our additional offerings will include culinary, craft and art events, and fun skill-building events like ‘therapeutic massage for couples’.
Cloud Mountain Retreat Center is a multi-function venue and will include an airy 1,300sq’ indoor class space, as well as a large deck with attached kitchen overlooking a beautiful, private canyon, for outdoor meetings or taichi / chi gung / yoga events.
The various ‘view’ images you see through this site are on location here at the Center in West Deerhorn Valley (Jamul, CA), 40 minutes from downtown San Diego. Perched on a southwest facing ridge we see breathtaking views of the ocean and Coronado Islands, with the Lower Otay Reservoir in the foreground. Large open fields, massive granite boulders and mature oak trees, gentle ocean breezes and perfect silence make for a sanctuary like few know exists in Southern California.
Blog
Contact Us
We’d love to hear from you… Connect by Social Media using the links at the top of this page. Please feel free to call, email, or use the contact form here.
Resources
Peter Ralston
Empowering people in consciousness and skill. Author of; “The Book of Not Knowing.” If you want to ask Peter a question please contact him via his email by visiting http://www.PeterRalston.com.
Cheng Hsin
Cheng Hsin: Zen Consciousness and the Art of Effortless Power, founded by Peter Ralston in 1975. The content on this channel comes from his students in the hopes of giving viewers an idea of what Cheng Hsin is about. For more information please visit our website!
Michael Sealy
Hi, my name is Michael and welcome to my channel, where I hope you can stop by to relax, listen in, and see for yourself the power of positive hypnosis.