The Pulse of Balance

Winter Newsletter

From the Tan Academy of Balance team!

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IN THE WINTER NEWSLETTER:

• BSAP Mentorship Graduate profile
• January Balance System Acupuncture Learning Lab – January 26, 2026
• BSA Foundations – LIVE in Vancouver, BC – February 27- March 1, 2026
• Astrology Annual insights – February 2, 2026 (time TBD)
• Webinars levels 5 & 6 available now!
• Where in the world will Tan Shīfu be in 2026?

We look forward to connecting with you soon! 

Martina, Tan Shīfu, Suzanne Lǎoshī and the Tan Academy of Balance Team

See you online, in person, or on the Tan Balance Hub.

BSAP Mentorship Graduate Profile

Van Troi Pang, LAc

Meet Van Troi Pang, LAc, a proud graduate of the BSAP Mentorship program! Troi is currently working at Caulo Care, a private and community clinic in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, and separately at Housing Works – Positive Health Project – Harm Reduction Services, a non-profit organization with several locations in New York City. In this feature, Troi shares insights about the journey of finding out about Balance System Acupuncture and all the experiences, inspirations and takeaways.

What led you to Balance System Acupuncture?

Shortly after graduating from 3 years of training and obtaining licensure, I still felt pretty insecure with my TCM schooling acupuncture that produced mediocre results at best.  As I was seeking complimentary acupuncture skills in hopes of finding something that actually worked… my prayers, and then some, were finally answered in a recorded webinar taught by Dr. Sonia F. Tan – my first real introduction  (despite hearing whispers of Master Tung and Dr. Richard Tan in school) to Balance System Acupuncture. It blew my mind at how instantaneously applicable and effective in the clinic its methods are.

How has Balance System Acupuncture (BSA) changed your practice?

Balance System Acupuncture, through Dr. Sonia Tan’s meticulous teaching, along with the assistant teachers and community, has allowed me to grow more effectively, methodically, and intuitively. I am now able to practice acupuncture with greater confidence, based on consistent success in achieving the treatment outcomes I had initially hoped for when I decided to pursue acupuncture as a career path. The instant and verifiable relief my patients receive now are phenomenal, which never gets old. I feel I am now fulfilling what I am meant to be doing as a practitioner, and am on the path of making BSA not only a group of nifty techniques, but a cultivated art form in which I get to constantly develop greater skills and insights that in turn help my patients positively.

What made you decide to join the TAB BSAP Certificate Mentorship program?

Firstly, it should be mentioned that Dr. Sonia F. Tan is one of the best acupuncture teachers I’ve come across, hands down. While I was introduced to her through a recorded webinar, she was very responsive after I had reached out to her. These things and the immediate excellent results I began encountering at work were enough to convince me that I needed to continue going through the TAB BSAP Certificate Mentorship program.

Additionally, the program is reasonable and affordable, Tan Academy of Balance is better organized and accessible, and the support staff are super helpful, more so than many other full acupuncture programs I had previously investigated. At the same time I appreciate that it feels like you’re dealing with a dedicated and warm family business and not some huge institution or scams constantly trying to sell overly-priced lessons.

To reflect on the experience, Van Troi shared a few thoughts inspired by the mentorship and community:

The best part of the Balance System Acupuncture Certificate Mentorship program was participating and becoming a Tan Balance Hub community member.  The community, including Dr. Sonia F. Tan, assistant teachers and support staff are genuinely present to assist you in your growth as a practitioner whether it be helping you resolve difficult patient cases, clarification on concepts and methods, or encouragement in exploring dimensions of Classical Chinese Medicine and metaphysics that the majority of us love to nerd-out on!

The other thing that I love is upon entering the program, in a non-dogmatic way, you become part of a living tradition in the spirit of Classical Chinese Medicine. We honor the ancient wisdom, the classics and acknowledge the ancestral teachers that came before us and their contributions that we in our present time continue to integrate and build upon in our own cultivation. We develop a life-long benevolent bond with Dr. Sonia F Tan, who accepts the role of a dedicated and responsible Shifu (Sifu in Cantonese), committed to our development and carrying on these traditions with integrity. We in turn hold ourselves accountable to learning effectively, practicing ethically, and helping each other compassionately. And we manage to do all this while having fun and sharing laughter! 

The Balance System Acupuncture Certificate Mentorship program inspired me to want to delve deeper into Chinese metaphysics as they relate to practical and refined medical applications. In Balance System Acupuncture, we are introduced to the I-Ching and not only how it helps us strategize and select acupuncture points, but is integral to part of the origin story of how the ancients understood patterns and relationships in Nature and organized acupuncture meridians/channels as such. I know this is just scratching the surface but I’m excited to continue this journey!

The Balance System Acupuncture Certified program community is a great group of people that feels supportively familial. We stay connected through the Tan Balance Academy Hub (which also is available as an app) where we help each other with challenging cases, share and celebrate our clinic wins as well as lessons learned, attempt to clarify concepts and methods, share professional tips, related humour both good and bad, nerd-out over BSA and Classical Chinese medicine, and go down Chinese metaphysical rabbit holes.

Anything else you would like to say?

Do it. You won’t regret it and neither will your clients! 

It’s real and not a trick!

You get your money’s worth and then some, plus a lifetime of support (via the Tan Balance Hub subscription)! The program is roughly 1 weekend per month for 6 months and 1 life changing visit to lovely Vancouver, BC to bond with your new cool BSA fam.

See you on the Tan Balance Hub soon! 🙂

A sincere thank-you ❤ to Troi for taking the time to share this story and for serving as an inspiration to future graduates!

January Balance System Acupuncture Learning Lab

January 12, 2026!

Integrate Ancient Wisdom into Modern Practice: The I Ching for Clinical Change

In our January Learning Lab, Dr. Howard Chen, MD, MAc., will guide you through using the I Ching to facilitate profound physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual transformations in your patients.

This initial class, launching an occasional series, establishes the groundwork: creating hexagrams, consulting the text, and applying it directly in your clinic.

The I Ching (易经), or “The Classic of Changes,” is a cosmological text from approximately 1000 BCE used for millennia in decision-making. Although seldom taught in TCM programs, it offers immense clinical utility by directly aligning with Classical Chinese Medicine principles like Yīn and Yáng and the Five Phases (Wǔ Xíng).

Who should join? Students interested in diving deeper into Balance System Acupuncture, channel theory, holography and Classical Chinese medicine.

Strongly Recommended PREREQUISITE: A minimum of Balance System Acupuncture (BSA) Foundations – Level 1: Single Systems AND Level 2: Multiple System balancing, taken through Tan Academy of Balance (in person or by webinar), or an equivalent course through another provider.

Join online for one hour from wherever you are!

We’ll begin promptly at 1:00 pm Pacific time on January 12, 2026!

Fee: 50% OFF for premium members of the Tan Balance Hub (the private Tan Academy learning community). Coupon code is in the Tan Balance Hub Activity Feed. 

Non-premium members $15.98.

Register on the TAB Hub through the Events tile.

* Please note: CEUs are only available for those who attend Learning Labs live online and complete the feedback survey.

* Learning Labs are recorded and available on the Tan Balance Hub Members Area. 

Sign up as a premium member for discounted access!

BSA Foundations Levels 1 & 2

February 27 – March 1, 2026!

We are thrilled to announce that our 2026 IN-PERSON ONLY BSA Foundations seminar will be held February 27 to March 1, 2026.

Total Tuition (including textbook): $898 + GST

November “Tan Shifu Birthday” sale ($708 + GST) until Nov 30, 2025! Register now (see instructions below)! 

Venue to be announced. The course runs from 9:00am to 5:00pm all three days for a total of 21 CEU hours.

This is an IN-PERSON ONLY seminar with a practical component through hands-on palpation and needling practice with Dr. Tan and her teaching assistant(s).

The course offers knowledge and skills of Foundations of Balance System Acupuncture (BSA), Level 1: Single System Balance and Level 2: Multiple/Global System Balance.  

How to register:

Our registration system streamlines the process to view and register for all available TAB courses, make deposits, early-bird, and pay-as-you-go payments directly, and see course outlines and schedules at www.tanbalance.com!

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Click Here to Register for a TAB Student Account.

• After logging in, access the TAB Student Access page to view all available courses in the TAB Store.

• Select and register for “Balance System Acupuncture Foundations (Levels 1+2): Single + Multiple Systems – In Person.”

Email hello@tanbalance.com for more information.

Tan Academy of Balance Lunisolar New Year Celebration &

Tan Shīfu 师父 / 師父 Astrology Insights

Save the date… Monday February 2, 2026

 Join the TAB team for an exciting Lunisolar New Year celebration featuring insightful Astrology and Feng Shui for the new year, with traditional food and treats! 

This is a hybrid event (in-person and online options) of attendance. More information to come!

Email hello@tanbalance.com for more information.

Introduction to Balance System Acupuncture Levels 5 and 6 webinars available now!

Announcing our Level 5 and 6 webinars! These are shortened, condensed versions of our full, live BSA Level 5 and 6 courses. They’re the perfect introduction for new learners or a quick refresher/reference for alumni. Best of all? Once purchased, you’ll have lifetime access!

Click below to access the webinars:

Keep learning and growing, and make the most of these new resources – anytime and anywhere!

Email hello@tanbalance.com for more information.

Where in the world will Tan Shīfu be in 2026?

Tan Shīfu’s teaching journey continues! In 2026, she will be sharing the wisdom of Classical Chinese Medicine across the globe – here’s a glimpse at where her travels will take her.

BSA Foundations Levels 1 and 2 in Prague

• Hosted at Novotneho footbridge 200/5, Prague 1
• March 27 – 29, 2026

BSA Foundations Levels 1 & 2 in Ohio

• Hosted by the Ohio Acupuncture Association
• June 5 – 7, 2026

BSA Foundations Levels 1 & 2 in Montreal

• • Hosted by The Order of Quebec Acupuncturists, Quebec, Canada
  • June 12 – 14, 2026

BSA Foundations Levels 3 & 4 in Montreal

• Advanced levels of Balance System Acupuncture (BSA) in a combined three-day course of Balance System Acupuncture in Level 3 – Channel Conversion and Level 4 – 12 Magical System. 

• Hosted by The Order of Quebec Acupuncturists, Quebec, Canada from
• September 18 – 20, 2026

From every corner of the globe, the wisdom of Classical Chinese Medicine continues to spread. Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for being part of our journey!

Email hello@tanbalance.com for more information.

Continued Learning Resources

         Books

Tan Academy of Balance Books

Dr. Sonia Tan authored this book as a reference textbook for BSA Levels 1+2: Single + Multiple Balance. It is an essential clinical reference.

Available in English, Spanish & International French!

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~ Inspiring Confidence ~ Creating Balance ~ Motivating Evolution ~