The Eastern Way of Wellbeing

The Eastern Way of Wellbeing

Many people hear of acupuncture and think of its ability to treat pain conditions. Few however, have been educated about acupuncture's potential to treat organ related issues as well as mental, emotional and spiritual instabilities. The theories of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are woven with poetry, mystery and clinical experience. These theories are predominantly based on the laws and cycles of nature. These cycles are governed by the I Ching, the Dao and the Five Elements.

The I Ching is a classical text on divination and wisdom, translated as The Book of Changes and it regards the natural law of constant change and how to react to it. The Dao is a non-denominational philosophic classic with the idea that health and happiness comes from following The Way, which is living as closely to nature as possible and following those laws and cycles of change. The Five Elements clarifies and organizes the cycles of nature and of life and helps one to understand the connection between all things.

Of course YinYang is a constant in all three of these theories as it is the simplest representation of constant change, balance and relationships. TCM strives to see the patterns, cycles and connections of disease therefore being able to discover the cause. Acupuncture has the amazing ability to assist patients in breaking those patterns and assisting one to follow the cycles of nature.

If there is one main difference between the theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, it is that TCM comes from a time before scientific technological experimentation, before a time of separation between body and mind and the ideas of reductionism. It is based on the relationships between objects, events and experiences. TCM focuses on how all the parts work together and creates one thing-this is holism. There are 12 most commonly used pathways where the acupuncture points lie on the body. These pathways connect the entire body/mind, organs, as well as flow in and out of each other. In this way we are able to affect the entire being.

There is no line drawn between body, mind or spirit as they are all an expression of Qi or the Vital Breath of Life. For example when we experience physical pain there is always a mental and spiritual reaction as well. In TCM, each organ has not only a physical function but a mental/emotional and spiritual function. The Lungs are responsible for breathing in oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide and mentally responsible for taking the world in and letting it go. The spirit of the Lungs, Po, is about trusting and listening to our animal instincts. It is about being able to process and let go of old emotions and experiences and being inspired by the world around us.

Most people, who have experienced acupuncture, speak of the deep relaxation sensations during the treatment. It has a calming and balancing effect on the body and many times after treatment people will feel the desire to have a long deep sleep. When the body is in balance and at rest, it is able to heal itself; to fight a cold, to build strength, battle free radicals or rebuild tissue. There are also few adverse side effects with acupuncture as it activates balanced function in the body. In my experience, many people from the western world express fear or anticipation of pain from acupuncture.

There are some thoughts that it is because people of the west often direly contend to ignore painful emotional feelings. Truthfully, acupuncture is generally not painful as the needles are very thin and sharp. However, there are some locations that can be uncomfortable for a moment and is then replaced with a new sensation. It can be helpful to remember that "there is no coming of consciousness without pain", (Carl Jung).

Acupuncture continues to have new and interesting studies granting proof of not only its effect on treating dis-ease but also of the actual pathways and points and their reactions on the nervous systems, brain as well as endocrine and immune systems. Most recently, the Bonghan Channel Theory has been proven and states that the acupuncture meridians are in fact threadlike microscopic anatomical structures. As modern science continues to support Traditional Chinese Medicine, the world is at a tipping point to expand the expectations of acupuncture and acknowledge that "we are tapping into a unique system of organization" that has the experience of thousands of years, (David Milbradt).