Prof. JR Worsley and JB Worsley, DAc
J.R. Worsley
Professor J.R. Worsley (1923 – 2003) is credited with bringing Five-Element Acupuncture to the West.
Jack Reginald Worsley, known as “JR”, was born on September 14th, 1923 in Coventry, Warwickshire. The son of an engineer, he was first introduced to acupuncture through his father’s interest in ancient Chinese philosophy. Educated locally, he left school at age fourteen to work in a factory but joined the armed forces when war broke out in 1939.
After the war Worsley practiced physiotherapy and began to study osteopathy, naturopathy and acupuncture. In the early 1950s he traveled to Taiwan, Singapore and Korea to further his studies and was awarded a Doctorate in Acupuncture. It was during his time there that he first came across the Five-Element system of acupuncture and was drawn to the way it looked at every aspect of a person’s physical, mental and spiritual well-being in order to diagnose the root cause of his or her imbalance.
After studying under his Five-Element teachers Ono and Hsui, in 1955 Worsley was awarded the title of “Master” of Five-Element Acupuncture. The following year he returned to Britain and founded the College of Traditional Acupuncture in Kenilworth, Warwickshire. This was followed by the setting up of a number of institutes in America, including, in 1988, the Worsley Institute of Classical Acupuncture in Miami, Florida.
In 1971 acupuncture became something of a cause celebre in the United States after the official visit to China of President Nixon’s then Secretary-of-State, Henry Kissinger. James Reston, a journalist covering the trip had developed appendicitis and during an emergency operation, Chinese surgeons used acupuncture to anaesthetize him. Suddenly it was all the rage.
While there was a great deal of attention given to symptomatic treatments, Worsley’s methods were rooted in the study of anatomy and Chinese philosophy, which he taught and practiced all over the world in conjunction with countless hospitals and western doctors.
Throughout the 1970s Worsley’s popularity grew and he traveled extensively, conducting seminars and consultations. His teaching inspired many others to adopt the Five-Element system which he taught, could benefit people of any age.
Despite two heart attacks, Worsley continued to travel to and from the United States and was still seeing patients two weeks before his death in Miami, Florida, on June 2, 2003.
As well as his numerous articles for medical journals, Worsley published many books including Is Acupuncture for You?, Talking About Acupuncture in New York, Meridians of Ch’i Energy-Point Reference Guide, The Five Elements and The Officials, and Traditional Acupuncture (Traditional Diagnosis).
J.B. Worsley
Judy Becker Worsley has been a devoted student of Professor JR Worsley’s since 1973. He designated her to succeed him as Master of the lineage upon his death, which was in June 2003.
She was born in 1947 in Augusta, Georgia, had an idyllic childhood spent mostly outdoors in Coral Gables, Florida, and graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1969. In May 1969, she traveled extensively throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. In September 1970, her travels were abruptly cut short by news that her mother was dying. Judy returned urgently to the States to be with her mother and, after her mother’s death, committed to staying with her father. She enrolled locally in the University of Miami Law School.
In 1972, although having successfully completed law school with a high rank in the graduating class, she knew Law would not be her career path. In her search to find something more meaningful to her, she happened to read a book on acupuncture which galvanized her to travel across the United States, searching for the best possible teacher. The search led her to England in the spring of 1973 where she finally found the inspirational, master teacher she had been seeking and began her training with JR in early 1973.
Between 1973 and 1983, she received her Licentiate, Bachelor, Master and Doctorate Certification from JR at the College of Traditional Acupuncture (CTA), Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England.
In 1978, JR surprised her with a most important and unique acknowledgment. In appreciation of her service and commitment, he bestowed upon her the title of “Fellow” of the College of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture and arranged for Sir Alec Douglas-Home, former Prime Minister of England, to present the Certificate a special ceremony.
Judy practiced, taught, supervised and served as Director of Clinic Studies at the CTA until 1995. During this time, Judy and JR founded the Worsley Institute of Classical Acupuncture (WICA), an undergraduate program in the USA.
JR and Judy worked professionally side-by-side for years and in 1991 wed, thereby formalizing their personal union as well. They were inseparable and remain so.
In 1996, JR & Judy created the Master Apprentice Program (MAP™) for ongoing postgraduate work and co-founded, with members of MAP, the Worsley Institute (WI). WI has continued since its inception as an autonomous entity in a contractual relationship with Worsley Inc (WInc), JR’s and Judy’s private company. The JR and JB Worsley Intellectual Property Trust, administered through WInc, has an exclusive contractual relationship with WI to use the JR and JB Intellectual Property. WI and WInc work together collaboratively and successfully.
In 1998, JR publicly announced that Judy had accepted his request to succeed him as leader of this tradition, should he pre-decease her. In his final years, he intensified his work with her, preparing her for the responsibility that would follow.
One of Judy’s designated responsibilities is to be affiliated with teaching organizations that are in a current professional relationship with her and that practice and/or teach Worsley Classical Five-Element Acupuncture in both content and spirit as taught by Professor JR Worsley. Inspired by the momentum and successful efforts of the current WI Board and strong leadership, she continues her work with WI with even more passion and commitment than ever.