The Power of Acupuncture – A Rewarding and Positive Experience:
Living in the Northwest all of my life I always have been surrounded by mountains, rivers, and the ocean.
“I never thought I would live in the midwest, and I can honestly say, “It’s not that bad.”
I enjoy the weather, I actually love the hot and humid summers, it feels tropical! There’s an amazing arts scene here. I was formally trained in San Fransisco and thought that I had left that scene behind. Some of the art shows here are among the best that I have experienced. The people are friendlier and more inviting than in most places I have lived. I have heard that was how it was going to be but to experience the kindness of this area has been very special to me.
For example, I was lucky to meet Dr. Shin, a fellow acupuncturist in the Kansas City area. He is formally trained in Oriental Medicine and is also a Chiropractor. From the very moment we met, Dr. Shin was excited to share his knowledge with me. He is very passionate and loving towards the profession and it shows in his actions. He has been practicing Acupuncture for the past 2 decades and shows a love for the profession that I have never seen before.
“Today he met us at our clinic, Mind Body Shen in Lenexa.”
I didn’t know what to expect, but he had a plan. The lesson was starting with the basics. Yin and Yang. The very fundamental elements of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. His excitement for the medicine is contagious and very engaging, but he explained that he didn’t always feel this way. He wondered if his treatments were making a difference and if he was helping his patients enough. I think practitioners of all types of modalities feel this way when they first start out. It takes practice and continued training to gain confidence. The Power of Acupuncture
We talked about the difference between yin and yang and why it is important to understand these concepts to be able to help your patient to the highest level. Most people have heard of yin and yang, usually as the black-and-white design that represents it. Well, it is much more than that. The symbol starts off as an empty circle, representing that there is no thought present. The moment there is a thought, there is a seed planted in the center of the circle.
The thought is the start of the relationship between yin and yang. Yang is considered the source of thought and information. It is the one giving energy from that thought. Yin on the other hand is receiving that energy and balances out the thought. When you look at the image, that is the reason for the smooth almost wave-like appearance that represents flow.
“How does this affect acupuncture?”
In this traditional form, the practitioner is yang and the patient is yin. So when the practitioner is working with the patient they observe how the patient is thinking, acting, and behaving. The more observant the practitioner becomes the greater ability they have to start to understand the patient. Once they start to understand the patient they create a thought about the patient which is the initiation of yin and yang. Once the thought is present the practitioner starts forming thoughts and actions toward that initial thought.
When the practitioner forms an image or philosophy of treatment they start giving energy “yang”, they are able to start treating the patient. If the practitioner is correct with the “yang” then when they apply the acupuncture technique there will be a receiving and acceptance of that treatment that brings ease to the patient. If that energy is accepted by the patient, they will start feeling changes start to happen in their body, mind, thoughts, and feelings. When yin is achieved there will be calmness that is noticed in the patient.
The Power of Acupuncture
About: Ashley Khemraj is a Licensed Acupuncturist and Certified Facial Acupuncture Specialist.