Founded in 1995, The Ling Shu Instute was born out of the desire to preserve the clinical techniques and teachings of Dr. Cho Yan So (also know as James Tin Yau So), and to deepen the understanding of the relevance, importance and applicability of the classical Texts (Ling Shu, Su Wen, Mai Jing, Nan Jing, Jia Yi Jing) for modern clinical practice.

Donald Halfkenny is the founder, director and senior lecturer of the Ling Shu Institute for Classical Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. Though he is internationally active as a lecturer and clinician, since the late 90’s the focus of his teaching and clinical activities have centered around the Ling Shu Institute of Classical Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, the Xin Bao Institut – Köln, AGTCM  and its cooperation schools, especially the former European Institute of Oriental Medicine (EIOM) in Munich where he was a founding faculty member. He is a practice member of the orthopedic group practice Dr.s Beck and Seiß in Munich, co-author of the 6th and 7th editions of the “Leitfaden Chinesische Medizin” (Compendium of Chinese medicine) and contributing author to various medical publications and journals including “Naturheilpraxis”.

He is also an active member, Prefect, and Preceptor of the Shri Ram Chandra Mission (Sahaj Marg), a United Nations NGO dedicated to the spiritual uplift of mankind, and a Heartfulness and Raj Yoga meditation Instructor / Trainer.

Born in Boston Massachusetts in 1947, Donald Halfkenny BSc. CMD is, with over 52 years of clinical and teaching experience, an internationally respected and sought after lecturer, teacher, and clinician of classical acupuncture and Chinese medicine. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree, medical degrees in both acupuncture and Chinese medicine and is an M.I.T. Fellow (CFP).

Donald Halfkenny’s most important and intense period of professional development was from 1974 to 1984 where he was a student and the assistant of his teacher and Master Dr. James Tin Yau So. Donald was one of the first three teachers of acupuncture and Chinese medicine certified by the State of Massachusetts.

He served for a total of 7 years (2.5 Terms) as President of the Acupuncture Foundation of New England, was co-director of the New England School of Acupuncture from 1977 – 1980, Founding member and Regional Vice-President of both the National Acupuncture Association and the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

He was a founding member of the Acupuncture Detox unit of the Boston Mayor’s Coordinating Council on Drug Abuse and the acupuncture detox unit of the Massachusetts Mental Health Department. Donald is a member of the Intercultural Cancer Council, the American Association of Integrative Medicine, the International Association for the Study of Traditional Asian Medicine and a member of the AGTCM in Germany.