Commitment to the Path of Enlightened Healing

Commitment is key to success within any endeavor. "The Tao Te Ching" chapter 10, entitled "What Can Be Done?" teaches, "by concentrating his vitality and inducing tenderness, he can become like a little child. By purifying, cleansing and profound intuition, he can be free from faults."

Symptoms of dis-ease and dysfunction, coming from the mind or body, can be seen as a calling for greater exploration of the self. We can continue to walk blindly for so long before our bodies will demand introspective attention. Classical Chinese Medicine, based on Taoist and Confucian philosophy, believes life is a spiritual endeavor: this is true even for the least "spiritual" of us. I often hear people despair, feeling their bodies are "betraying" them when they are struck with a medical condition. The calm of health has been disrupted; their bodies are calling for attention, which, in many cases, they are not used to providing.

We live in a largely extroverted culture, which encourages us to direct our attention outwards. We are a Fire Element society: focused on conquering, exploring the outside world and enjoying the pleasures of the senses. When we are struck with a disease or disorder, it can feel jarring to our habitual way of living. The body and mind are asking us to direct our attention inward. Many times, the body and mind ask us to stop altogether. For someone in a Fire Element society, this can seem devastating, scary and frustrating. We feel as if we are being distracted from life.

The acupuncture channels are presented in a way to address this struggle. We are born, and the first years of our lives are devoted to survival: breathing, sleeping and learning to digest food from our environment. This stage is represented by the lung and stomach channels. If we can graduate from this stage in our development, we move into the interactive stage. As a baby begins to crawl and walk, she shows her desire to go out into the world and explore, as represented by the heart and small intestine channels. However, everything the child discovers in her exploration, she must bring back into herself. This process is represented by the bladder channel shuttling information into the kidney, where it interacts with the self. From there, a personality is formed, as are perceptions of the world through the "self-differentiation" stage of the pericardium and gallbladder channels.

The challenge of health concerns; brought about by ageing, genetic-predispositions, lifestyle choices or trauma; are part of the natural spiritual unfolding in life. It is through these challenges that we are able to learn about ourselves and develop the virtues. This is a natural process that occurs within the "self-differentiation" stage of development. It is written into the code of the body; as represented by the progression of the acupuncture channels; that something will come into our lives and direct us inwards to modify our way of seeing ourselves and the world.

Perceptions of the world and ourselves are molded through the pericardium channel. This is the channel frequently used to treat trauma. As we venture out into the world as children, the pure "water" of our kidneys (or self) can become clouded with external influences. Disappointments, internalized perceptions from others and physical trauma can create a marshy environment within "the water." The pericardium can create a "barrier" between the heart and ourselves. We may begin to see ourselves, or the world, through the filter of our clouded perceptions, based on the "heart pains" experienced during our development.

When health concerns stop us in our tracks, we are being asked to "concentrate on our vitality, purify, cleanse," and "listen to our profound intuition," as suggested by the Tao Te Ching. Within the channels of self-differenciation, occur a process where we are able to sort through accumulated perceptions, experiences and beliefs. Our Hearts have pulled much information, and many experiences, into our Kidneys throughout life. It is the Gallbladder that determines what promotes and supports our health and true sense of self, and what eats away at it.

Through the introspective period of the healing process, a purification and rectification occur. We are able to refine our experiences and discard the garbage. We are hopefully able to redefine how we see ourselves and the world in ways that promote and support our health and growth.

Commitment to the purification and rectification processes are key to transformation in healing. Symptoms often increase in intensity when we resist the body's request to slow down and direct our attention inwards. The Gallbladder gives us the choice: do we wish to address our past, our lifestyle choices, our beliefs; or would we prefer to keep them in a state of repression?

There is no judgement attached to our choices, but there are consequences. Anything kept in a state of repression within the body will generate heat, which will slowly consume the resources of the body, leading to degeneration and ageing.

Taoist, Confucian and Buddhist philosophy all believe that eventually we will have to deal with our "heart pain." These philosophies believe in re-incarnation. If something is not resolved in this life, it will be carried onto the next. And for those of us who do not believe in re-incarnation, there is also the image of inheritance. That which we have not resolved can be passed on to our children through the genetic line.

Commitment to honoring our bodies and minds comes from self-care. Allowing time to be quiet, reflect and listen to the messages our body is trying to convey. Acupuncture is a type of body-oriented meditation, where the mind is focused on the body through the treatment.

When patients come to me with symptoms, my job is to listen and interpret the messages. The acupuncture treatment is a type of ritual where symptoms are honored and acknowledged. I use my medical knowledge to identify the switches that are asking to be turned on or off via the acupuncture points at any given time. Each treatment focuses the patient's mind in a specific way: bringing up sublimated information, moving blockages and fortifying the body's energy. The sun is allowed to shine through the clouds, illuminating the pristine water. From there, the patient's mind and body can make choices as to what they wish to discard, transform or cultivate.

It is through commitment to this ritualized practice that healing occurs. As with meditation or martial arts practice, cultivation comes through practice. Devoting time and space to being quiet and directing the attention inwards allows the transformation to take place. Freedom from suffering, confusion and pain are the results.

I find this process very supportive when in the midst of a health concern. Seeing health and disease this way has helped me step away from feeling like a victim. It is empowering to think that my health difficulties are part of my spiritual evolution; as is understanding that the body is not "betraying" me when I get sick. The body provides us with symptoms to alert us that there is something we need to pay attention to. The symptoms come from love; not from punishment. Our spirits want to evolve. Disease can simply be a vehicle to achieve this.

Who Am I Anyway?

"This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." This wildly popular quote comes from Shakespeare's Hamlet. It is perhaps one of the most quoted lines from Shakespeare within our culture.

"To thine own self be true" is a lovely idea, often regarded as one of Shakespeare's pure lines of wisdom. However, when taken in context within Hamlet, it is ironic. This line is spoken by the character Polonius, who is neither known for his wisdom nor integrity. He is in-fact, seen more as an image-obsessed busy-body, mistaken in every judgement he makes throughout the play. It is interesting that our culture has adopted a line from this character concerning true self-expression as one of its most beloved, yet misunderstood, quotations.

What does it mean to be true to oneself? Who are we anyway? Are we what our parents have created us to be? Are we a product of our culture and environment? Or are we born with a seed of individuality that seeks to blossom and grow throughout our lives?

Classical Chinese Medicine has devoted the bulk of its medical philosophy to these questions. To the Taoists, life is continual interplay between the Shen (or spirit) and the Jing (the essence or genetic code). Confucian philosophy stresses the effect the social world has on the interplay between the "Jing Shen." Chinese Medicine is composed of theories from both of these dominant Chinese philosophies.

Within Chinese Medicine, we are created from the union of our spirit with the essential-genetic-code provided by our parents. The spirit chooses an essence to merge with so it may live out the life lesson it desires to explore. Within this "essence" is the family, ethnicity and environment.

Within Chinese Medicine, all phenomenal material, including personality types can be classified into the five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water.

Conflict is seen as a given and necessary component to growth. It is also seen as endemic to life. There are certain elements that are harmonious with one another, and others that are naturally in conflict. Some elements nurture, and others balance and oppose. Through these conflicts, the drama of life is played out.

Medically, patients come into my office, often with physical, mental and emotional symptoms that are manifestations of elemental conflicts. Sometimes the conflict is between their spirit and their environment. Sometimes the conflict is between the two aspects of themselves: their spirits and their essence.

There is a frequent theme within Chinese Medicine, relating to trauma and its potential to disturb the mind and body. Much of my clinical practice directly or indirectly relates to this theme. A common complaint from patients is "stress." When stress becomes overwhelming, it creates trauma, which can alter a person's body, mind and even personality.

An example of the effects of overwhelming stress is rheumatoid arthritis, where the actual physical structure of the body is altered and damaged. Western Medicine likes to call these types of conditions autoimmune, and often explain them as "genetically based." However, from a Chinese Medical point of view, rheumatoid arthritis can be seen as the body's response to overwhelming stress. When physical or mental-emotional stress become overwhelming and threaten to damage the form or function of the internal organs, the body, in its wisdom, diverts the "issue" into the joints, where it can be kept dormant. The joints are a far safer place for an "issue" to reside than the vital internal organs. Anything being held within the body will create inflammation as the immune system contends with it. The inflammation will literally burn up the tissues of the body the longer the "issue" is being held. To hold an "issue" within the internal organs can be potentially deadly. Whereas, within the joints, degeneration is slower. The body buys itself time, in hopes that the issue can be treated and resolved before it burns up the body.

I like to use the term "issue," to be as general as possible. The "issue" can be a physical pathogen such as virus, bacteria and fungus, or an emotion such as grief, anger, fear. Within Chinese Medicine, body and mind are not seen as separate.They follow similar pathogenic progression and cause similar destruction to the body and mind.

Western treatment of rheumatoid arthritis often focuses on cooling the inflammatory process. From a Chinese Medical point of view, this is treating the body's immune response instead of treating the issue itself. The inflammation is causing pain and tissue destruction. Yet, it is not the root of the condition. Drugs such as anti-inflammatory steroids actually weaken the immune system, potentially driving the issue deeper into the body, eventually to the internal organs themselves. This is similar to treating psychological issues with drugs that dull the emotions. The drugs do nothing to help resolve and release the underlying issues: they merely mask them, ultimately weakening the person overall.

Examples of mental disorders from overwhelming stress are personality changes and behavioral disorders. Both examples; physical and mental alteration; can come from the same source: stress. Stress can be defined as any force, mental-emotional or physical, that challenges the body. Overwork is an example of this, as are interpersonal and introspective conflicts. A person who physically pushes his body beyond its natural limits will create stress. This can include overwork, heavy lifting and improper diet. Mentally, stress is created when emotions are inadequately processed or expressed.

Why do we push ourselves beyond our body's limits? Why do we pretend to be someone we are not? Why do we hold emotions in, instead of expressing them? Many of us do these things because of the demands and expectations put upon us by the external environment.

This process can begin very early in our lives. We are born a certain elemental type. Our spirit chooses the family we are born into. However, the family we are born into can be composed of conflicting elemental types.

Here's an example: a water type girl is born into a family led by two fire personalities. Her natural tendency is to be introspective and quiet. She prefers to play on her own, and has a tendency to be rather fearful and controlling at times. Her parents, being outgoing, expansive, social and exuberant Fire types, think there is something wrong with their daughter. They wonder, "why is she so quiet? Why is she playing alone all the time?" They encourage her to be more social, more excited and outgoing; in other words, more like them. This puts stress on the young girl. Perhaps it even gets to the point where she is criticized for being quiet and introspective. Perhaps this causes difficulties in her social life as well. Maybe she was born into a Fire community. Overtime, this stress could lead to an alteration of the young girl's personality, as well as her body. Her psyche, conscious or unconscious, decides it would be better to change into a Fire type personality in order to fit in with her parents and community.

One could argue that the young girl's personality change was merely "evolution" within the "survival of the fittest" idea. However, years later, I see this girl in my office, complaining that she cannot sleep at night, has panic attacks and is incapable of maintaining a successful relationship. Something was thrown out of balance.

As I examine this young lady, and ask her questions, I am reminded that panic attacks are classical symptoms which can relate to a disturbance in the communication between the heart and kidney energies, or the Shen and the Jing. I have the feeling her symptoms relate to a constitutional trauma within the early years of her life. A different idea than that of Western Medicine, regarding genetics. In this case, the genetic code, or Jing-essence was traumatized, blocking its natural blossoming through her spirit. She exhibits other classical symptoms of this scenario: beam-like tension along her abdomen. These "beams" physically show the blockage between the area of the essence in the lower abdomen and the spirit in the chest.

To treat this young lady, I use constitutional acupuncture channels, to help her transform and expel the trauma blocking her true self-expression. Through this process, she will be reminded, from deep within, of her true elemental nature. She may gain conscious insight of the trauma, or she may simply release via physical and/or emotional detox. She may cry tears that lack a storyline, or expel via a common cold. Consciousness is not always necessary when releasing trauma.

The young lady may also begin to see the world more like when she was a young girl. Her eyes may lose the tint of the Fire elemental mask, and return to that of the Water. Her behavior may slowly revert back to being introspective and quiet. But, most importantly, she will become more comfortable being a Water personality, letting go of the stressful demands on her body and mind from being a false Fire personality.

"To thin own self be true" is a quote more brilliant and insightful than many people understand. Within the play, Polonius, is one of the people who least understand his own wise words. Hamlet in general is a mess of this theme: people acting against their own true nature, causing behavior and judgement problems, which ultimately lead to mass destruction.

This subject is one of the most misunderstood within our culture. I commonly see patients whose imbalances come from wearing a mask, putting their focus on the outer world instead of the inner, and acting primarily from another person's point of view.

To me, "to thine own self be true" hinges upon answering the question, what is our true self? Which self are we living? Herein lies the empowerment. To release any trauma, shed the masks and expel "issues" held in the joints: can set us free, and return us to the innocence of our younger days.

Acupuncture as Spiritual Cultivation and Self-Exploration Therapy

Acupuncture treatment is a way to alieviate symptoms, heal from chronic conditions, let go of sadness and anxiety, change thought patterns. Some patients come with specific ailments that they want gone asap! Others come to maintain health and a sense of balance. I have used acupuncture to support my own spiritual cultivation and mental processing. It has also been a powerful way for me to get to know my body and mind, and to connect to my spirit.

Chinese Medicine, as practiced within my tradition, sees acupuncture as a therapy to support the soul: the embodiment of the spirit. Taoist philosophy believes our spirit chooses the life we are born into as a way to live out its chosen curriculum. Our spirit chooses our parents, our ethnicity, where we live, the body we have, even the difficulties we endure through life. Addictions, health problems, relationships filled with conflict: all of this has been chosen by the spirit.

This is not the concept of Karma, as believed by Buddhism. There is no good or bad connected to the life we are given within Taoist thinking. We do not struggle with alcoholism because we commited some sin in our past life, for example.

The spirit desires completion. It chooses situations and experiences so it may transcend what it does not understand, or has not made peace with. The goal of the spirit is transcendence. Ultimately, this is the path to peace.

Classical Chinese Medicine is based on Taoist spiritual philosophy. Health and disease is seen as the spirit's movement towards transcendence, as played out through the soul. This process becomes our life.

We are born with a temperment: a personality, also chosen by the spirit. Personality profiling is popular within Chinese Medicine, especially within the Five Element Tradition. People can be divided in 5 basic personality types based on the 5 Basic Elements that create the universe: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. We possess all elements within our make-up, however each of us tend to favor one or two elements.

In looking at myself, my body is largely metal in its features. Astrologically, I was born a wood personality. As I was created into physical form, the energies from my parents merged to create my morphology (or physical attributes). This was combined with the energy from the cosmos, or my astrology.

Metal and Wood. There is inherent conflict between these two elements, which has created the conflicts within my life. Wood has a tendency to become stuck in the past, seeing the present through the eyes of the past. Whereas, metal desires living in the moment, and letting go. I often struggle with letting go of the past, which manifests physically as tension in my diaphragm and chest.

The Taoist belief system will not let me see myself as a victim, however. My spirit chose to be born into a Metal body under Wood astrology. My tendency toward weak lungs and overactive liver energy brings experiences into my life so this conflict can be played out, and my spirit can transcend the places I am stuck.

I started going to an acupuncturist many years ago to treat my lung weakness. My intentions were merely physical at the time, until I saw potential to work through underlying reasons for my weaknesses. I am a spiritually-minded person anyway, and the process of working with my temperament and addressing the conflicts within my life, appealed to me. It felt empowering. It gave me understanding and greater insight into who I am. I learned the parts of my self I should work on: to strengthen my constitutional weaknesses and balance the areas I was over-active in.

I've used acupuncture as a way to begin to understand myself. I've also used it as a way to clean up my life, create resolution, work through conflicts. It has been a positive by-product of this process that my physical body has also strengthened.

I no longer suffer from chronic asthma. My digestive problems have disappeared. My compulsive tendencies are easing. The deep, unconscious depression and sadness I lived with for years, is gone. I feel fully supported by the universe, in touch with my spirit. I am working through my poverty-minded belief system. I sleep well. I am able to be productive and successful in a world in which I no longer feel alientated.

These have been revolutionary, life-changing shifts for me. When I first went into acupuncture treatment, all of these areas were big problems in my life. I used to feel very weak. Now I feel strong.

It is a blessing to be able to support others through their transformative process. It is fulfilling to have a part in helping people's pain and physical symptoms disappear. It is truly joyful to witness someone transform their life, find their spirit and let go.

Endocrine Disorders and Acupuncture: Willingness to See the World Differently

Chinese Medicine has a great deal to offer within the understanding and treatment of hormonal-endocrine conditions. Classical Chinese Medicine sees the body, mind and spirit as inseparable; the endocrine system can also be seen in this way.

The endocrine system provides regulation of the body through hormonal secretions. Within Western Medicine, the endocrine system is acknowledged in its effect on structural aspects of the body, such as tissue growth; functional aspects such as metabolism; as well as mental-emotional aspects, such as mood.

The Western concept of the endocrine system can be seen as a body, mind and spirit mechanism through its widespread effect on the entirety of the human system. If we are injured playing basketball, the endocrine system responds to this. Also, if we just went through a trauma such as a breakup from someone we love, the endocrine system will also deal with this. It is the job of the endocrine system to manage the stress within our lives: be it on the physical or mental-emotional level.

Western Medicine is slowly integrating its understanding of the mind-body connection: how the mind and emotions effect the physical body, and vice versa. Classical Chinese Medicine, in its 2000 year history, has always acknowledged this connection.

As I've learned from my clinical practice, acknowledging the effect of the mind and emotions on the physical body is very important. Often patients will come to me with concerns that have not been successfully treated through conventional Western Medicine. More often than not, the missing elements within prior treatment were the mental and emotional aspects to their condition. Treating someone physically for something that is being perpetuated by emotional trauma from the past is likely to continue coming back (or never fully go away in the first place).

All systems within the body are seen as synergistic within Chinese Medicine. The Kidney energy supports the Spleen-Pancreas and Stomach energies. The Heart and Lung energies support the Kidney energy, ect. When trying to effect a therapeutic change within the Stomach for example, support from other systems is often called for. If the Stomach is weak, the Kidney energy may be called upon to help rebuild the fluids and/or function of the weak organ. If the Stomach is overactive with inflammation, the Lung or Pericardium may be called upon to help release the toxic heat.

A common criticism of Western treatment of endocrine disorders is the failure to acknowledge the synergistic relationship between the glands of the body. I frequently see patients being treated for thyroid conditions with medications that only focus on the thyroid. Sometimes they are even encouraged to undergo treatment to have their thyroids destroyed. From a Chinese Medical point of view, this type of treatment strategy is seen as insufficient, even harmful.

The thyroid roughly relates to the Stomach energy within Chinese Medicine. There are physical, mental-emotional and spiritual functions of the Stomach channel. The thyroid sits under an acupuncture point called "The Welcoming of Humanity." However, the thyroid is also seen as a gland relating to the adjustment of the adrenals to the pancreas. Translated into Chinese Medicine: the Kidney energy as adjusting to the Stomach energy.

The "spirit" of the acupuncture point "The Welcoming of Humanity" relates to judgement. The Kidney energy represents the true self, the Stomach represents the social self. The thyroid, as represented by "The Welcoming of Humanity" is the interface between these two aspects of the self relating to discernment and judgement. One can imagine the mental-emotional implications this relationship has on a person.

When a person experiences a trauma that violates the connection between the two aspects of the self, or the Kidney-Stomach connection, this can manifest through the point "The Welcoming of Humanity." It is interesting that symptoms of hyperactive thyroid: heat intolerance, palpitations, nervousness, increased bowel movements and fatigue, are also symptoms of the Stomach Channel. Philosophically, the Stomach relates to our primitive emotions: how we feel about something. When we are uncomfortable with an experience, the Stomach channel will become exuberant, manifesting its discomfort through heat signs and emotional discharge.

Treatment of someone within this scenario may involve supporting them to metabolize the uncomfortable experience, and/or come to peace with that which is unsettling about the inner self or the outer world. To achieve this "healing," the Heart, Spleen or Kidney channels may also be called upon to support the Stomach. To treat the Stomach channel on its own is probably not going to cut it, especially when working with the thyroid. The treatment must acknowledge the connection between the Stomach and its fellow channels, or the thyroid and its fellow glands.

To adequately affect endocrine conditions, one often has to work with a person's perception of the world. This strategy involves working with the sense organs. As acupuncture is mind-body medicine, this strategy carries both physical as well as mental-emotional connotations. This can include working on a person's environmental allergies, manifesting through the eyes or nose; or food allergies, as relating to the mouth and throat. Or, a person can be "allergic" or highly sensitive to the world. To treat all of these areas, one must work with the sense organs. It is the Stomach channel that travels to all of the sense organs of the face.

The Stomach is supported by the Small Intestine channel both physically and spiritually. After the Stomach has begun the initial assimilation of food or worldly experience, it is the Small Intestine that further "sorts and separates." Philosophically, it is the Stomach that "welcomes" and "feels" the stimuli. The Small Intestine gives meaning to the stimuli, judging it as "good" or "bad," as it relates to one's inner self (the kidney).

What all of this philosophical-medical imagery means is, changing perception of either oneself or the world can be key to treating endocrine disorders.

I will not discount the fact that people do come with conditions that are purely physical. Not everyone wants to work on the mental-emotional-spiritual level. What is nice about acupuncture is the fact that all acupuncture points treat both the physical and mental-emotional-spiritual simultaneously.

It must be said that it's not merely the application of needles into acupuncture points that creates healing: it is the rapport created through the therapeutic relationship between healer and patient. The acupuncturist may lead the way. But it is the willingness of the patient that allows the change. The body possesses a natural desire for health. The therapeutic work is often the process of clearing away all that blocks the natural capacity of the body to heal; be it thoughts, emotions, virus, bacteria, or stagnant blood and fluids.

The willingness to change and let go is the most powerful event within the healing process. To see the world differently can be life and health-changing.

The Body is a Self-Healing Mechanism

Years ago, I had a Reiki client who was an environmentalist by vocation. It was his job to heal the country's rivers. The river he was in charge of at the time was the Hanalei River in Kauai, Hawaii. I was always intrigued by his work. He told me rivers possess self-regenerative capacity. If they cease being poisoned, they will find their way back to health. Rivers will clean themselves, restoring their natural balance.

My friend and his work healing rivers came to mind in light of the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. I am heartened by the words of my friend, reminding me of the Earth's capacity to heal itself and restore natural order.

I'm also inspired by the story of the Hanalei River as a metaphor for the human body. We, as humans, are part of the earth. We are just as "natural" as the trees and rivers. Only, perhaps not as wise or "connected" all the time.

As an acupuncturist, I believe in the body's ability to regenerate and heal itself. Often, the process of healing is merely stopping behaviors or thought-patterns that are poisoning or blocking the rivers within the body.

There is a quote I particularly like from one of the medical classics, stating there is no such thing as "true deficiency," only relative deficiency from the misappropriation of the body's resources. None of us are truly weak or lacking. We may appear to be weak, deficient in blood, without adequate money, love or confidence. However, the classic Nan Jing would say this is only "our foolishness" obscuring, or blocking things.

Within my acupuncture practice, I support people to heal themselves. The acupuncture channels of the body were named after the 12 major rivers of China. They behave like rivers that dump into the "sea" or organ they are associated with. When blockages are removed, and poisonous behavior and/or thoughts are stopped, the rivers can restore natural balance, resulting in systemic health.

This is the true work that is done within my office: working to let go of that which damages the body. Thoughts created from past experiences, or emotions that have not been released can often be some of the most toxic offenders to the body.

It is believed within Chinese Medicine that unresolved mental or emotional material stagnates the blood and congeals the fluids. Stagnant emotions and thoughts create heat in the body. Heat can become so strong, it literally burns up the fluids and structures of the body. Heat also congeals blood and fluids into masses or tumors, called "fire toxins" within Chinese Medicine. This is believed to be one of the etiologies that cause Cancer.

Toxic heat can also be produced through inappropriate diet, smoking, recreational drugs, and other lifestyle choices incompatible with health.

Addiction and habit are two of the most challenging blocks to letting go of toxic thoughts and behavior. However the addictive behavior is only the symptom. The cause of addiction is frequently a trauma having occurred to the mind or body sometime in the person's past.

Acupuncture excels in helping people release trauma from the past, allowing them to let go of toxic behaviors or thought patterns. Once toxic material is released, the person can allow the rivers and seas within their bodies to regenerate and heal.

Acupuncture Before Surgery

Many people seem to undergo acupuncture treatment as a last resort, after conventional medical intervention has failed.

Yesterday, a patient of mine, suffering from severe and unrelenting pain, said he wished he'd known about acupuncture before he'd underwent surgery several months ago. The surgical process appeared to have caused further weakening to his body without helping the pain. I was happy to hear that the acupuncture treatment he received in my office greatly reduced his pain without any negative side-effects. He seemed upset that he'd underwent surgery before trying acupuncture first.

Many people have heard acupuncture works, yet distrust its effectiveness based on scant scientific evidence or its lack of support from their doctors.

It can be challenging to have full trust in a non-traditional therapy like acupuncture, as most Western doctors have very little understanding of the theory and potential of Chinese Medicine.

Clinical studies, which are rooted in the Western Scientific method are inappropriate in assessing the efficacy of acupuncture treatment. These studies focus on treatment of the disease or condition. Chinese Medicine focuses on treatment of the individual, and does not treat conditions. Three people with the same symptoms will inevitably be given different treatments by a competent acupuncturist. No two people possess the same physiological and pathological makeup. To treat the individual requires a tailor-made acupuncture treatment that will address the specifics of the person with the symptoms. This type of therapy cannot be measured in the standard Western scientific method. It is a very different process then proscribing pills or procedures based on symptoms.

To develop trust in acupuncture, the principles of the medicine must be understood.

I had a phone conversation the other day with a patient who was under the impression that acupuncture was merely palliative care for pain: most likely an idea given to him by his doctor. I understand why this thought exists. It can be difficult to wrap the mind around the concept of acupuncture. How can the insertion of needles into the skin have the power to alter the structure of the body? It is merely the orientation of the mind that causes this difficulty. In Chinese Medicine, the body is acknowledged as having regenerative capability. Incidentally, Western medicine believes this as well. The Liver can regenerate itself after alcohol abuse: this is acknowledged. Yet, somehow this capacity to regenerate is not extended to the rest of the body within the Western mindset.

Central to Chinese Medical theory is the understanding that function effects form. When the body's function is strong, the regenerative force will also be strong. The body can rebuild any damaged part of itself. However, if there is blockage within the regenerative force, this capacity will be weakened.

It can be quicker to have a surgeon cut into the body and manually rebuild a damaged structure. However, this process does nothing to strengthen the body's innate self-regenerative mechanism. The trauma of the surgery will cause further damage for the body to deal with. If the patient is strong, this may not be such a problem. However, if the function of the body is already compromised, the regenerative capacity will most likely also be weakened.

A strength of acupuncture is the capacity to strengthen the body's function, without causing the burden of further trauma. It frees any blockage to the regenerative force as it supports the expulsion of pathology.

I am not suggesting that surgery is a bad thing. A good friend of mine feels the back surgery he underwent saved his life. He felt instantly better after the procedure, and healed rather quickly. He obviously possessed a strong constitution, which allowed him to recover quickly from the surgery. However, I'm not confident that this is always taken into account when a doctor suggests surgery.

It is my hope that understanding of acupuncture will continue to expand within mainstream consciousness. A minimally invasive therapy such as acupuncture, with very little side-effects, can be a tremendous help to those suffering from pain and debility. I think many people would be happy to forgo the difficulty of surgery if they can avoid it.

West and East: Two Different Ways of Looking at the Body

Two weekends ago I was happy to see a major article about acupuncture in the New York Times. While the article provides greater exposure for acupuncture treatment, I was struck by the overall lack of understanding of the medicine. To understand eastern therapies such as acupuncture, one must become familiar with the way the ancient east viewed the body.

During my acupuncture studies, I quickly became aware that the western biological view is not the only truth relating to physiology and pathology within the human body. The ancient Chinese developed a method of viewing and understanding the body that is equally as valid as the west.

The main difference between east and west can be seen through the aspects of the body the medical systems focus upon. The west has developed its system based on the material aspect of the human body: that which can be seen. The Chinese model focuses on the part of the body that is immaterial: that which cannot be seen. Both of these aspects, however, can be measured. The west uses blood tests, machines, x-rays and microscopes to measure health and disease within the body. Chinese medicine uses the pulse to measure the flow of the invisible energetic chemistry of the body, able to discern health and disease based on highly sophisticated methods of measuring 12 distinct pulses on the radial artery.

To the Chinese, the superior medicine is that which can detect disease before it has manifested within the physical body. The pulse shows physiological disturbances before they have given rise to symptoms, changes in the blood, body fluids, or perhaps even cells.

When I refer to the "energetic chemistry" of the body, I am speaking of the "qi" that is the root of all movement, and therefore all life within the human body. I like to describe qi in this manner: we know that the heart beats and pulses blood throughout the body. Western medicine often refers to the beat of the heart as an electrical energy. This electrical energy is the qi. It is qi that makes the heart beat, the lungs respirate and the bowels have peristalsis.

The Chinese medical model has mapped out pathways of qi movement throughout the body. Each major organ possesses a channel that circulates qi throughout various parts of the body. For example, part of the Stomach channel flows through the stomach and pancreas organs up to the sensory orifices of the face. The qi of this channel can be measured on the right wrist. The qi of the Stomach channel governs all peristaltic activity within the body, as well as perceptive capability of the senses.

There is confusion surrounding the acupuncture channels. As qi is invisible, the channels of qi are also invisible. The channels do not travel along the nerves or within the blood vessels. Of course, there is qi within these structures, as there is qi within everything. However, the channels themselves are invisible structures that conduct an invisible humor that allows for all movement within the body. The qi moves the blood and body fluids; the qi rebuilds the tissues of the body. Food and air are converted into types of qi in the body that become the body's resources.

The networks by which qi flow can be felt, if not seen. It is common to feel the qi move through an entire channel during acupuncture treatment. When a popular Stomach point near the knee is needled, it is common to feel the qi shoot down the leg into the foot along the Stomach channel. The sensation is not travelling through the nerve, but through the invisible acupuncture channel. As points are needled during acupuncture treatment, the pulses will change, as the qi has been adjusted. The pulse may speed up or slow down, loosen or tighten up, become fuller or thinner, beady or thin, stronger or weaker. Each of these qualities indicates a change within the energetic chemistry of the body as relating to the qi, blood and body fluids.

As eastern and western methods of viewing the body are vastly different, it is impossible to use measurement from either system to validate or invalidate the other. Western medical tests are completely unsuitable to measure that which is invisible, therefore unsuitable to measure or validate the acupuncture channels of Chinese Medicine: just as one wouldn't use the pulse to describe what was occurring withing the cells of the Liver. The pulse can tell what is going on in the Liver, but it is an unsuitable method to describe the manner in which Western Medicine is looking at the body. The pulse cannot describe cell growth, cell division ect., just as cellular tests cannot describe whether there is stagnation or deficiency of qi within the Liver channel.

My greatest hope is that east and west will discover that they are two sides of the same coin. They are not in competition. They need not invalidate one another. Each describes an aspect of the body. Each have developed highly sophisticated methods of viewing and measuring human physiology. The West focuses on the material aspect of the human being, while Chinese medicine focuses on the immaterial as it becomes material. One cannot fully understand either system without honoring the unique way that system sees the body. To use Western medical tests to validate and understand Chinese Medicine is counter-productive. It would be more productive to understand the richness of pulse diagnosis, and open to the eastern view of the world. The Chinese have done this in regards to the West. In China, eastern and western medicine are practiced side-by-side in hospitals. In one such hospital, the stroke ward is made up of mostly acupuncture, while other areas of the hospital are highly western. Wouldn't it be wonderful to see Western hospitals taking a similar approach? I feel that the medical system in general, as well as its patients, would benefit.