konnichiwa
Hello. I’m Hannah Swift, an acupuncturist from Edinburgh, currently living in Kyoto, Japan. I graduated from the NCA in 2015 and prior to my Japan journey I ran a busy practice in Edinburgh.
I became fascinated with acupuncture following my own health crisis in my early twenties with a severe episode of chronic fatigue syndrome. Acupuncture offered solutions where all other medical systems were failing me.
I have long been interested in Japanese acupuncture because it is commonly delivered with great attention to palpation (what is felt in the practitioner’s hands), immediate feedback from the patient’s body, and an appreciation of subtle techniques. I enjoy learning about the huge variety of practices in Japan and how this enables a practitioner to find the path or style of treatment which suits their personal expression.
I am particularly passionate about moxibustion - this ancient plant-based heat therapy which can get to the root of so many issues. It brings all the five elements together in one simple treatment; it offers plant medicine to the body in a non-invasive way; it can be made with local plants almost everywhere on the planet; and it feels wonderful! I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching people to make their own moxa from local mugwort. Find out more about these workshops here.