In my practice, I treat people from all walks of life. Those undergoing cancer treatment, those in remission, those in active sobriety. Those trying to live with grief and loss. I often hear the sentence:” My doctor told me to go home and take care of myself..”
What does it mean for any of us?
One transformative component of this journey can be regular acupuncture treatment. I offer this in my practice for 60 minutes once a week in a serene treatment room designed to foster healing. The intricate patterns of acupuncture points and gentle stimulation of needles create a new equilibrium, evident in the profound change on the faces of my clients before and after each session.
The second, and perhaps most crucial, component of your healing journey is self-discovery.
One powerful tool for self-knowledge and healing is understanding your sensory preferences.
What do you like?
In terms of sense, taste, sound, texture, and sight. What brings you joy? By what do you feel nurtured?
Often, many of my clients feel baffled by that question.
So first, I go around five elements in nature and ask. Where do you love to be?
Around water? In the woods? Sitting around a fire? Dance? Sign? To laugh with people? To dig on Earth? To garden? To plant? To preserve vegetables by canning? To cook or bake? To be in a yoga studio? To hike or climb in the mountains?
Answers to those questions will give us an idea of where to start.
Next, more on a granular level, is self-discovery in your senses.
What kind of music do you like? Is it for relaxation, inspiration, reflection, cheering you up, celebrating, or remembering?
What kind of taste is nourishing to you? Can you cook it for yourself? Can you take a class? Is there a restaurant around that offers what I like? Taste preferences are often the most clear to many.
What textures do you like? Do you want to be touched? Are there classes or activities where you can safely explore that? Dancing, couples, yoga, massage, Thai massage, shiatsu?
Many years ago, when my son died. I stopped sleeping. My life completely changed. Among the activities that pulled me through at the end were these:
I started weekly acupuncture treatments, and my sleep shifted within a couple of weeks.
I went on a bike ride several times a week, sat by the river, and allowed myself to cry.
I walked around the neighborhood with a friend, and we could talk about anything. I learned about a powerful healing method when someone listens without judgment.
I could not read, so I started listening to books on tape. I went back to Homer, old fairy tales, Tolstoy, Salinger, Remarque, and Mary Oliver.
At that time, I had a 2-year-old son to care for, so every evening, when everyone was tired, I would just put on Cher, and we “ danced” together in the kitchen. He is now a grown man and has very fond memories of that. And yes, it was the most challenging time in my life…
The last sense is olfactory preference. I like cooking freshly made rice in a rice cooker, newly baked bread, or a blooming Linden tree. Yes, Linden. The tree is common in my homeland, the Czech Republic. Until today, I frequently used it in my office to greet visitors and, with a first inhalation, say, “ You are at home.”
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