Hello and welcome to Deepest Health!
My name is Eric Grey and I’m a classical Chinese herbalist, teacher, small business owner and aspiring independent scholar. I created this website to be a point of connection and information for East Asian medicine practitioners who are passionate about their profession and committed to lifelong learning.
Why “Deepest Health”?
The name, and the images of roots & icebergs I use throughout the site, reflect my priority on looking beneath the surface. I want to delve deeply into everything I study, to come from a place of depth in everything I do. Deepest scholarship, deepest medicine, deepest practice, deepest business execution.
Icebergs and root systems demonstrate that most of the action goes on underneath – in the depth and (sometimes) darkness of what most just skim over. So, on the site, I’ll try to avoid superficial treatments of important topics, and always look for the deep rootedness that brings authenticity and strength to everything we do.
A little about me
I now practice classical Chinese herbalism in Astoria, on the coast of Oregon, after practicing in Portland for many years. My partner and I have a very busy, successful and joyful clinic with massage therapists, acupuncturists, an esthetician and a Naturopath all referring to one another and creating a harmonious whole. Medically, my primary interest is in using classical Chinese herbalism to treat chronic digestive, endocrine and immune disorders. I am currently ending the acu-moxa portion of my personal practice in order to focus 100% on herbs.
I began my higher education career interested in employment in the sciences and ended up receiving a BS in Biology from Oregon State University (OSU) while doing grunt work in a fish virology lab (it was fun!). About halfway through that degree, I encountered Philosophy as a discipline for the first time and promptly fell in love. I received a BS in Philosophy from OSU as well. I was accepted to a PhD program in Philosophy at Purdue University and intended to specialize in environmental philosophy – a wonderful marriage between my two degrees.
Unfortunately, I found the path of academic Philosophy to be incompatible with my raising my young daughter while also maintaining some standard of wellness and balance. So, I investigated other options. I eventually found my way into the natural medicine professions almost by chance and learned that it was an even better fit for my interests. It marries science with philosophy and makes it actionable – directly affecting the everyday life and health of human beings. That’s where I’ve been for the last 10+ years.
A brief history of the site
This is the third iteration of this website. I created it in 2006 as an outlet for exploration
during my early education in East Asian medicine at National University of Natural Medicine. By blogging frequently and interacting with students and practitioners worldwide, I could create a much richer educational environment for myself than I would have had otherwise. Over the years, the site has been a place for my teaching work in East Asian medicine, business and ethics, and a place for fruitful discussion among peers and students.
In 2009, I started Watershed Wellness (WW) with my wife and business partner. The same year, I was honored to accept a teaching position at NUNM. Those two commitments, and the demands of ongoing clinical learning, kept me away from research and writing far too often. In 2016, I left my teaching position at NUNM and moved to the coast of Oregon. My goal in doing so was to simplify, to destress my nervous system from years of urban living and above all to build a bridge to having time to devote to scholarship again.
Our diligent work on WW has resulted in a business that works efficiently, betters all who touch it, and brings us not only a lot of personal satisfaction but also enough income that I’ve been able to make space in my life for the simple pleasures of reading, thinking, writing and teaching.
In 2019, I reverted the name of this site back to the original Deepest Health from Chinese Medicine Central and began planning my next steps. The COVID-19 pandemic and political turmoil in the US of course altered my plans, as everything was altered, but despite the crisis wearing on, the site continues to develop and grow.
My interests and work here
I am absolutely smitten with classical Chinese herbalism. As I already said, I am transitioning my practice to herbs-only, I continue to study with the Institute of Classics in East Asian Medicine, where I am an instructor in training, and I think about and use Chinese herbs every single day. In 2010, I developed a course called the Shennong Relational Herb Learning Method. I am currently working on a completely updated version to be released and nurtured throughout 2022. I hope, one day, to start a farm growing Chinese herbs so I can add to the domestic production of this important resource.
I have recently reengaged my long time ambition to learn to read classical Chinese texts in Chinese, rather than relying on English translations. I wrote a bit about the Chinese language Intensive I’m taking with Sabine Wilms in this article. I’ve also recently embarked on an extended exploration of the Jingui yaolue, which I think is my favorite classical Chinese text.
I am earnestly exploring my scholarly interests in history and philosophy of medicine, feminist epistemology, deep ecology and similar topics. I am passionate about beginning to develop a series of philosophically grounded practical resources for acupuncturists who are trying to navigate the often confusing landscape of moral and legal issues that come up in acupuncture practice management.
If you’re interested in reading about my history and background in more detail, you can get started with the first article in a series on that topic.
Finally, I am committed to sharing what I’ve learned in the last eleven years of running a successful acupuncture clinic.
We’ve weathered a recession, a pandemic, several moves, expansions and contractions and a variety of mishaps, all while staying married and with our senses of humor reasonably intact! The series of courses I taught about acupuncture business and practice management at National University of Natural Medicine were always popular and drew excellent reviews.
Those courses form the basic foundation of my vastly expanded Whole Life Practitioner acupuncture business training
This is a series of 13 courses intended to teach acupuncturists of all levels how to run a successful and resonant practice. I’m actively developing these courses beginning in summer of 2021. The first course just opened for registration! If you’re interested, read more and learn about registration options here.
You can follow me on Instagram and Twitter.
If you would like to contact me, please use the form below
I will get back to you within 2 business days if a response is warranted. I do NOT accept guest posts at this time, and especially not from non-acupuncturists. Likewise, this is not an appropriate place to ask for medical advice, for you or a patient. For that, please visit my clinic website and reach out to me that way.
If you are a NUNM or Chinese Medicine Central student, and want access to your previous course materials, get in touch and I’ll make sure you’re all set up. If you do not receive a reply to your inquiry within 2 business days, assume your communication has been lost and try a different method or email address to reach me.