“Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything” -Albert Einstein
Chinese Medicine (CM), no matter what it is addressing, views the human body as a microcosm of nature. In order to be in a prosperous state of balance, ALL aspects of a person must be in alignment—mind, body and spirit. Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine focuses on harmonizing each person’s internal “climate” as a means of healing. More specifically, CM is used to bring balance in seemingly small ways that have a profound impact on the body’s state of health. For example, sleep might not seem related to digestion, yet it has an important effect from a CM perspective.
The practice and treatment of CM takes a more gradual approach, especially when compared to a Western medical paradigm. Most Westerners (us!) are used to the “quick fix”—an antibiotic for infection or NSAID for pain relief. CM, on the other hand, takes time. A common analogy is that CM is used to “tend the soil and the root” so that our body can strengthen and heal. Not only does this include regulating the many subtle and more significant imbalances, it also includes creating a state of calm that lasts outside of the treatment room. Tending the soil literally means nourishing the root from which health grows!— Diet and lifestyle not only refers to the food a person consumes, but also the ideas we believe, our responses to daily stressors and reframing our approach to navigating difficult situations (Food choices are still important :)) Such changes take time to embrace as a daily practice but very much affect a person’s internal climate and state of well being.
Acupuncture is a therapy that is used on a weekly basis—it’s like going to the gym. If the goal is to get into good shape, one gym session every few weeks is not going to get you there. Each acupuncture treatment is a message sent to the body to move what is stagnant, support what is deficient and clear any resulting pathologies. Newer studies have shown that acupuncture is “dose dependent”—it’s not one single session but rather consistent treatments which address a person’s individual’s landscape that yield best results. Western medicine understands that our body has a natural balance or “pulse” and acupuncture redirects this pulsing into a healthy rhythm. When the body is balanced, optimal function is possible.
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