I'm happy to be here today. Are you? So many people have lost the vision of feeling good. The question becomes how to find lost threads in the haze and confusing cacophony of our modern experience.
Taoism to the rescue
When I started acupuncture studies back in the early 1980's, fellow students who, like myself, came from fields of Western medicine and science, tried to translate the ancient Taoist principles into terms of modern science. I resisted that tendency. I felt the venerable traditional model should be held as a cohesive paradigm. I was all in with the "new" ancient. Acupuncture and related disciplines seemed the perfect choice to rescue the occasional misguided efforts of emerging modern practices.
As a new practicing acupuncturist, the help I offered my clients was good most of the time. But the principles of acupuncture and herbal medicines didn't work on some of the difficult conditions that came to me. At first, these were rare but the number of cases continued to grow. For years I sought to find the groove I was missing. As I deepened my commitment to the oldest Oriental standard that used 5-Elements and the movement of qi through the body, clarity was still missing. At that time, I couldn't appreciate how our world conditions were morphing. I was caught up in a cobweb of confusion.
A fresh look at illness and disease was needed because neither the ancient nor the modern Euro-tradition systems were working to stem some of these newly emerging disease patterns. They were both chronic and progressive. Typically only one member of a family would be affected so there didn't seem to be the expected patterns of contagious illnesses. Pain could be experienced constantly and since healthy activities are suppressed by pain, the entire condition of the patient would spiral downward. Many of these conditions affected the sense organs. Energetic activity would be out of the question.
Too many have suffered unimaginable damage to their bodies, their energy, and their spirits. The culprits range from molds, Lyme, AIDS, (maybe COVID), asthma, poisons from microwaves, chemicals, and misguided attempts to redefine food, environment, and human connections. We have witnessed the deterioration of our natural instincts for self-preservation, procreation, and individual expression. If you don't see it too, you haven't left the 20th century.
Time for clarity
I was captured in the cobweb of confusing symptoms, myself. I don’t mind exposing my previous blind spots because it means I'm trying to grow and understand. We have to cast our nets in new waters.
Patients deserve a completely fresh assessment based on their reality. "Flinching", "withdrawal", and "blaming" haven't been working. You may want to join me in examining and not flinching. We can learn to reflect and not withdraw. We must choose new ways without blaming the past.
Act of courage
If conditions have made this active approach difficult or impossible, no worries. Many, many people are just trying to keep breathing, which, given the state of affairs these days, is an act of courage.
I'll continue to pursue this difficult topic and pull back the layers in this blog space. Investigations are leading me beyond my hands-on work of acupuncture and homeopathy. Since I can't resist expressing and sharing, I'll include you in these threads, if you don't mind.
