Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture

So your thinking of trying acupuncture for the first time or maybe you want to revisit this beautiful medicine again!  GREAT!!  You may be interested to know that Acupuncture (along with Homeopathy) is cited in A New Earth as one of the two viable alternative therapies that will become more prominent in treating disease going into the 21st century.

“According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, medical treatment is the third-leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer in the United States.  Homeopathy and Chinese medicine are two examples of possible alternative approaches to disease that do not treat the illness as an enemy and therefore do not create new diseases.”  A New Earth, Eckhart Tolle

What is Chinese Medicine?

Chinese Medicine is a system of diagnosis and healthcare that has evolved over the last 3,000 years. It is a system of preserving and balancing the mind, body, and spirit as a whole. The goal is to maintain or restore harmony in all aspects of the individual. Chinese medical theory explains that human beings have a natural flow of energy through the body, and that pain and disease are caused by an imbalance or blockage of this energy. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are used to restore harmony to one’s energy flow, returning one’s body to a healthy state.

Chinese Medicine for the 21st Century

As the global human population struggles with creating strategies to heal our planet, it’s comforting to know that Chinese medicine is available ‘right here, right now’ to help with the process. Chinese Medicine originated from observations within nature including environmental influences such as seasonal changes, weather conditions, physiology & biology, and the natural cycles of life.  Our ancient ancestors were able to pause in their daily lives and observe how we are inextricably linked with nature.

In today’s busy lifestyle we hardly takes a step back to observer our very own movements.  We spend a great deal of our day with excessive thinking (caught in our minds with conditioned thought), worrying (rehearsal of problems), over-working and over-indulging. The modern world moves at an incredibly accelerated rate; we are so busy that it is difficult to pay attention to what is happening. We hardly have quiet time to contemplate Life or quiet the mind. Amid such daily hectic occurrences, Chinese Medicine can offer us balance, perspective and strength. It helps us realize the imperative need to pay attention to our “selves”. Chinese Medicine helps us look into: “Who am I?” “Why am I here?” “What am I doing about it?”  Contemplating these questions deeply has a great healing potential and can allow us realize our original nature.

Diagnostics

Historically, the practitioner was the only diagnostic instrument in Chinese Medicine. Today, the practitioner remains the most essential diagnostic component. Although modern western medicine tools aids in one’s diagnosis, your acupuncturist’s intelligence, intuition, experience, common sense and sensory awareness are the tools with which she accesses the inner human patient. The tradition of Chinese diagnostics (asking, looking, listening, and touching) remain the essential part of determining one’s imbalances. Assessing the Chinese pulse and reading the tongue along with a comprehensive directed doctor-patient dialogue will determine organ and emotional imbalances.

The Tongue

Examination of the tongue is one of the principal methods of Chinese diagnosis. The shape, color, texture and ‘coat’ of the tongue yield specific information about one’s organs and bodily functions to the skilled acupuncturist. If you are one who likes to brush the tongue, you would do your acupuncturist and your acupuncture visit well to forgo the brush!

The Pulse

Pulse diagnosis is one of the jewels of traditional Chinese medicine. The Chinese medical assessment of the pulse delivers a tremendous amount of information about the true state of your health. In a typical session, pulse taking may span 20 minutes, allowing for in-depth assessment of your health issues. Following this assessment, you will receive an individualize acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture, in and of itself, is a fascinating medicine and an experiential treat. But don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself. Come in for a complete diagnosis and treatment.