black turtle medicine is run by baylen sky, L.Ac. baylen’s undergraduate studies were in art which included dance/movement, calligraphy, and pottery. baylen holds a masters degree in acupuncture and traditional chinese medicine (MATCM) from yo-san university where he studied with the ni family as well as other teachers in the tradition of tao.

baylen’s acupuncture teachers include douglas eisenstark, yue-ying li, david cohen and others who supervised his clinical practice for more than 4,000 hours of training before he gained his license to practice. additionally he is trained in tui-na (chinese therapeutic body-work) as well as thai style bodywork and watsu, among other healing touch therapies. his training includes the use of far infra-red heat therapies such as traditional mugwort cigar “moxibustion” therapies and others. along with acupuncture, baylen has been trained in pneumatic cupping and has studied percussive therapies with master free jazz drummer milford graves, as well as russell buddy helm.

for NCCAOM certification, baylen completed over 2,500 hours of academic training in herbal medicine (including more than 1,000 clinical hours). he has been tested in the use of over 350 specific medicinals and more than 150 specific clinical remedy formulas. in addition to masters study at yo-san university, baylen self directed and completed a 4 year postgraduate ‘residency’ at three of los angeles’ premier integrative pharmacies where he learned to use common modern/western folk medicines including vitamins, supplements, nutraceuticals, homeopathic remedies and essentials oils in addition to TCM raw herbal medicines (“twigs, sticks and leaves”) prepared tinctures, and tea-pills in the contemporary practice of medicine.

baylen’s formal tai chi practice grew out of modern dance and theater explorations at bennington college in 2000. at yo-san university in 2003 he began studying tai ji chuan intensively with seth leon (MATCM) and became proficient in 64 posture “harmony style yin-form” tai chi in 2005, and the additional 64 posture “harmony style yang-form” in 2007. he also studied dao-in “taoist-yoga” extensively at yo-san university. he is certified by the college of tao (COT) and master ni, mao-shing as an instructor of both forms.

baylen began practicing with the i ching in 2001 and continues to use it for medical and personal divination with the guidance and oversight of master teacher kathy bousquet. his formal training in the i ching deepened at yo-san university where he studied with james tuggle who receive direct mentorship from master ni, hua-ching, the author of the book written directly into english titled: i ching, the book of changes and the unchanging truth, and dr. mao-shing ni who deepened baylen’s understanding of the i ching for medical use.

baylen’s training in emotional process work began at the age of 8 at which point he began 8 years of immersive training in psycho-spiritual bonding therapy and emotional release techniques along with his mother guided by the reverend george rynick. george built on the lineage and work of dr. dan casriel who developed a vocal emotional release and bonding therapy as part of his work with people struggling with addiction. immersion in this work helped baylen develop an emotional intelligence and facility to interact and understand disease energy patterns in the body from a young age. this continues to inform his work in TCM to this day.

baylen is ordained by the integral way society (IWS) as a power of constructive life coach. in 2016 he completed training in ear acupuncture detoxification protocol and holds a certificate from the national acupuncture detoxification association (NADA). he has also been initiated in reiki, as well as medical qi gong practices.

baylen has developed his medical practice in various integrative settings in california, new york, and vermont. he works in collaboration with chiropractic care, massage, energy work, and western conventional allopathic medicine. he has deepened his practice by working closely with food systems and permaculture designers in new york and vermont. in 2016 baylen founded black turtle medicine.

baylen is licensed as an ‘acupuncturist’ (L.Ac.) by the states of VT and CA. he holds national certifications in acupuncture, oriental medicine, and chinese herbology (NCCAOM).