Did you know that acu-points on your body can do truly amazing things?
For example, there are points that can help your body process hormones, so you are less cranky during your menstrual cycle (or for the guys reading this, for assistance, in surviving a woman’s cycle). As I’ve previously noted, there are also acupuncture points which boost your immune system or help you heal after an injury.
Here’s the kicker:
Did you know that there are even acupuncture points that can help with non-physical issues?
This might be when your heart is broken, or your spirit is weary with grief, or you are feeling depressed. Acupuncture points have the expanse of treating body, mind and spirit, if applied as such. However, not all practitioners are trained in mind and spirit level treatments. From my gifted, generous teachers, and from dogged years of study, I’ve learned ways of using acupuncture points as supports to mind and spirit, because sometimes your biggest complaint is not physical.
Here is an example of exactly that. My patient, “Emma”, is a bookkeeper and investor. She just completed a grueling tax season, had rested and taken adequate time off thereafter, but couldn’t seem to get back in the groove. At her last visit, she sat in front of me saying, “I’m messing around playing online solitaire and making tea instead of doing my work.” She jokingly continued, “Do you have a point that cures procrastination and lack of focus?”
Why, yes, I do! The 2 main acu-points I used for her were:
- Liver 13 aka Gate of Complete Works and
- Liver 14 aka Gate of Prospects.
The significance and correct translation of acu-point names is key. Chinese characters, which make up acu-point names, have detailed, and sometimes hidden, meanings for use.
The word “Gate,” as it is used for the above noted acu-points, does not simply mean a door or passage. “Gate” in Chinese medicine refers to swinging doors like saloon doors. It speaks to communication or flow of information in both directions to benefit both sides of the gate. It is seen as heaven communicating its wisdom to humans. Humans in turn can inquire with heaven when stumped about life. “Heaven,” as defined in the Chinese medicine system is not religious. “Heaven” is the universal storage house that readily shares with us divine information about how we can be successful, happy, and healthy.
So, Liver 13 Gate of Complete Works is about completion of something meaningful, such as in Emma’s case: needing to complete a business plan for a new side business. This acu-point gives you strength to finish a challenging task.
Liver 14 Gate of Prospects allows the patient to see the future with generous hope. It helps the patient visualize a successful endeavor and see the process as unfolding forward to fruition….as opposed to getting side-tracked with solitaire and tea making.
Acupuncture for the non-physical does not require disclosing a taxing, point-by-point description of life events either. If what is bothering you is not a physical complaint, stating a few key descriptions about what is up will undoubtedly have 3,000 year old, wisdom-filled, acu-point at the ready. It’s an amazing thing about acupuncture and one reason I love my job and love helping people.
