It took awhile for me to get my groove back. My leg didn't really begin to feel better until around Sunday, but by then, I'd received some bad news.
About a year ago, I began seeing a new Reiki client. Her name was Shelly. We worked together for a few months before I made the move to Portland. After my move from Salem, I sent her distance Reiki. It became increasingly difficult to find out what was going on with her after my move.
It's hard to genuinely describe this complex, stubborn, and infectiously positive woman. Sometimes she made me crazy because I felt she needed to be more open to Western medicine in her healthcare. On the other hand, her constant positive attitude and belief in the beauty and mystery of life was deeply inspirational.
When I found out that she had passed, I discovered that underneath the sadness was the gnawing guilt that I hadn't done enough for Shelly. The last time I'd sent her a full distance Reiki treatment was two weeks before school started. Things didn't look good when I worked on her. (A side note, often when I do Reiki, whether in person or distance, I "see" things going on in the person's body or energy field). I e-mailed her. She didn't respond.
About a week into school, she e-mailed to request more distance Reiki. I continued to send it once in awhile, but I was too caught up in school to really send more than a little burst here and there. I had no idea she was getting so much worse.
Shelly passed away last week. I found out through Facebook. In one of those perfect coincidences, I was to be in Salem during her wake. I was there only long enough to talk to her brother, David. He was warm, wonderful, and seemed to intuit exactly what to say to make me feel better.
He let me know that my work with Shelly meant a lot to her--that she spoke highly of me. I told him that I wished I'd been with her at the end, to help ease her passage. He was very kind and told me that he sensed my work with her through out the year had helped her at the end. It was very comforting to hear and dissipated the gray cloud hanging over me.
I thought about how as an acupuncturist, I will probably lose patients now and then. I don't know if it gets easier, or if we learn how to let go and let God. I know this was Shelly's path, but it's still difficult for me not to argue with God, or with Shelly.
I think her spirit and her inspiration will be with me for the rest of my life. I hope that all I learned from her will help me be a better practitioner.
Right now in school, it's like we're just learning the alphabet as our teachers take us through point locations, muscles and bones, and organ systems. Later, we'll learn to write sentences, and eventually, before we graduate, I hope we'll know how to create a full story of what's going on our patients' bodies.
I've already seen glimpses of our teachers trying to prepare us for the emotional and spiritual aspects of healing. I sometimes fear that in this regard, I'll never know enough.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Losing My Religion
I've had a rough couple of days. I've written about the academic ups and downs of being an acupuncture student, but I haven't written about the personal ones.
To be honest, one of the reasons I was drawn to acupuncture was because of my frustration with Western medicine. I think that is probably the number one reason most people seek out CAM, or Complimentary and Alternative Medicine.
Strangely enough, my very first acupuncture appointment, about 11 years ago, was horrific. An ancient practitioner, who barely spoke English, cascaded my back with needles. He then attached little diodes so that minute electrical currents could run through the needles giving the Qi a little extra stimulation. It was so excruciatingly painful that I sobbed, loudly. The currents ran painful spasms all through my body. Despite my loud crying, no one came to the room or ever checked on me. I had never had acupuncture before so I had no idea that this was not within normal protocol.
When an attendant finally came to take out the needles, I asked if it was supposed to hurt that much. She seemed embarrassed and nodded silently. I limped from the room, my face red and swollen from crying. I never saw the practitioner again.
Later, still wanting to find relief from the chronic pain I had, I did more research about acupuncture, read some studies from the NIH, and got recommendations. I went to another acupuncturist, Dr. Kim. I told him about my first experience and he said he'd heard stories but promised to not use electro-acupuncture on me. It was a much more pleasant experience. It didn't alleviate my pain as much as I'd hoped, but Dr. Kim did tell me that there was something wrong with my nervous system and that I should get an MRI. That was the beginning of finally getting a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
Here I am, eleven years later, learning how to become an acupuncturist myself. I've had lots of negative experiences in Western medicine. And mostly, positive experiences with Naturopathy and Chinese medicine.
Most Westerners seem attracted to CAM modalities because Naturopathy and Chinese medicine treat the patient as a whole person, linking together all the symptoms into a whole treatment plan--not just looking at a single symptom as separate from all the others.
I'll be honest, I've put Chinese medicine on a pedestal. This past weekend, the pedestal got knocked out from under me. It was a tough lesson.
On Sunday, I went to a special clinic at the school for people with auto-immune illnesses. I was needled for the spasticity in my right leg. When I left the clinic, I felt great. As soon as I got home and tried to sit down, it felt as if a knife was tearing into my hip and outer thigh. It was excruciating. I called the clinic and went back in.
After all was said and done, I spent Sunday evening on the couch, alternately icing and heating my hip and leg. I took a double dose of my muscle relaxer and tried to study. Simmering under the fog of drugs and dull pain, my anger and disappointment grew. It was hard to focus on the TCM theory book.
I was no longer sure that acupuncture was for me. Something had gone wrong during the treatment and now I was in a lot of pain. I wanted to believe that I was experiencing a healing crisis and that within a day or two, my leg would be in great shape.
On Monday, the sharp pain was gone and I was left with just a stiff, aching leg. Someone from the clinic called to check on me. It did not go well. I couldn't understand much of what she said because of background noise. What I did hear was, "you should have told us you were sensitive..."
I responded that it's in my notes that I'm sensitive and I mentioned it during the palpation part of the exam. I was in pain, I was angry, and probably worst of all, I was losing faith in this medicine that I've dedicated my life to.
To hear a practitioner say, from my perspective, that it was my fault the treatment had gone badly infuriated me. I try very hard to advocate for myself. Western medicine taught me that. I encourage others all the time to advocate for themselves in managing their health.
Today, my leg is better. Just a little stiffness, achiness, and footdrop, but I'm walking much, much better. I've talked to others at school, including the acupuncturist who normally treats me. It seems the needles were left in too long for my ability to tolerate them. It won't happen again, because I'll be much, much more vocal than I've been in the past.
The experience also left me terrified about the possibility of one day hurting one of my patients. All I can do is remain aware and sensitive. I hope we get the training in our program to help us deal with issues like mine when they come up.
Despite my meltdown yesterday, I'm staying in school. I try to believe that all I've been through with MS will make me a better practitioner. It's gifted me in so many other ways, perhaps becoming a competent healer will be the best gift of all.
To be honest, one of the reasons I was drawn to acupuncture was because of my frustration with Western medicine. I think that is probably the number one reason most people seek out CAM, or Complimentary and Alternative Medicine.
Strangely enough, my very first acupuncture appointment, about 11 years ago, was horrific. An ancient practitioner, who barely spoke English, cascaded my back with needles. He then attached little diodes so that minute electrical currents could run through the needles giving the Qi a little extra stimulation. It was so excruciatingly painful that I sobbed, loudly. The currents ran painful spasms all through my body. Despite my loud crying, no one came to the room or ever checked on me. I had never had acupuncture before so I had no idea that this was not within normal protocol.
When an attendant finally came to take out the needles, I asked if it was supposed to hurt that much. She seemed embarrassed and nodded silently. I limped from the room, my face red and swollen from crying. I never saw the practitioner again.
Later, still wanting to find relief from the chronic pain I had, I did more research about acupuncture, read some studies from the NIH, and got recommendations. I went to another acupuncturist, Dr. Kim. I told him about my first experience and he said he'd heard stories but promised to not use electro-acupuncture on me. It was a much more pleasant experience. It didn't alleviate my pain as much as I'd hoped, but Dr. Kim did tell me that there was something wrong with my nervous system and that I should get an MRI. That was the beginning of finally getting a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
Here I am, eleven years later, learning how to become an acupuncturist myself. I've had lots of negative experiences in Western medicine. And mostly, positive experiences with Naturopathy and Chinese medicine.
Most Westerners seem attracted to CAM modalities because Naturopathy and Chinese medicine treat the patient as a whole person, linking together all the symptoms into a whole treatment plan--not just looking at a single symptom as separate from all the others.
I'll be honest, I've put Chinese medicine on a pedestal. This past weekend, the pedestal got knocked out from under me. It was a tough lesson.
On Sunday, I went to a special clinic at the school for people with auto-immune illnesses. I was needled for the spasticity in my right leg. When I left the clinic, I felt great. As soon as I got home and tried to sit down, it felt as if a knife was tearing into my hip and outer thigh. It was excruciating. I called the clinic and went back in.
After all was said and done, I spent Sunday evening on the couch, alternately icing and heating my hip and leg. I took a double dose of my muscle relaxer and tried to study. Simmering under the fog of drugs and dull pain, my anger and disappointment grew. It was hard to focus on the TCM theory book.
I was no longer sure that acupuncture was for me. Something had gone wrong during the treatment and now I was in a lot of pain. I wanted to believe that I was experiencing a healing crisis and that within a day or two, my leg would be in great shape.
On Monday, the sharp pain was gone and I was left with just a stiff, aching leg. Someone from the clinic called to check on me. It did not go well. I couldn't understand much of what she said because of background noise. What I did hear was, "you should have told us you were sensitive..."
I responded that it's in my notes that I'm sensitive and I mentioned it during the palpation part of the exam. I was in pain, I was angry, and probably worst of all, I was losing faith in this medicine that I've dedicated my life to.
To hear a practitioner say, from my perspective, that it was my fault the treatment had gone badly infuriated me. I try very hard to advocate for myself. Western medicine taught me that. I encourage others all the time to advocate for themselves in managing their health.
Today, my leg is better. Just a little stiffness, achiness, and footdrop, but I'm walking much, much better. I've talked to others at school, including the acupuncturist who normally treats me. It seems the needles were left in too long for my ability to tolerate them. It won't happen again, because I'll be much, much more vocal than I've been in the past.
The experience also left me terrified about the possibility of one day hurting one of my patients. All I can do is remain aware and sensitive. I hope we get the training in our program to help us deal with issues like mine when they come up.
Despite my meltdown yesterday, I'm staying in school. I try to believe that all I've been through with MS will make me a better practitioner. It's gifted me in so many other ways, perhaps becoming a competent healer will be the best gift of all.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Mindfulness
I'd like to take this moment to plug my classmate, Lydia's blog, Reflections of an Oriental Medicine Student.
She's also writing about her experience as a TCM student. She gets all the credit for informing us about H.R. 646.
Go, Lydia!
Back to our regularly scheduled blog: On the roller coaster that is school, this week has been great! I studied like a mad woman and aced my practical exam in Living Anatomy. I was nauseous when I went into the room for the test. It went so much better than I expected.
It began simply enough. "Where is the sternoclavicular joint?"
Easy!
Then it got it a little harder from there, but it was over pretty quickly. Great relief!
I also aced my pericardium and heart points quizzes this week. I'm a very happy woman. It seems so up and down, one week I fail a quiz and I feel devastated, the next week I make a few A's and I'm at the top of the world. Will I get to the point where I'm not so deeply affected by letter grades?
After the practical exam, I still had too much adrenalin running through me. I was still feeling very anxious even though I knew I'd passed. It was a gorgeous day. I came home, put Kieran into the car, and we drove to the 1,000 acre park. The sky was crystal blue clear, there was a strong wind blowing high in the trees, and we found a new trail through some woods. It was heavenly. The perfect way to end a really stressful couple of days.
The following day in Research class, the professor, Ryan Milley, led us on a mindful meditation before beginning the lecture. It's really wonderful to begin a class with a few minutes of meditation. We've been looking at published studies on acupuncture and other CAM modalities. We're learning how to read scientific studies, critique them, and use them to support our practice.
What's interesting is that in some of the studies, the acupuncturist tells some of the subjects that there is going to be a good outcome from the treatment. It's been proven that if the patient gets this little positive plug from his acupuncturist, the results are more positive than for those who get a practitioner with a flat affect who gives very little explanation of the treatment. On the upside is that those who receive both kinds of treatments do better than those who receive no acupuncture at all.
Establishing mindfulness in us while we're still first year students teaches us experientially how much we can benefit ourselves and our future patients. By being mindful and present with patients, we help them create a better outcome from their treatments.
I hope that mindfulness will also get me to a place where the highs and lows of my academic career don't take me on such an emotional roller coaster ride. I believe meditation and Qigong will continue teaching me balance.
I know for certain we can rewire our brains. My healing path has proven that. We have the power within us to accomplish so much. It all starts with a few quiet moments, some deep easy breathing, and a focus inward away from the busy bee-hive mind. If you're truly present, it makes the ride so much more manageable.
Namaste
She's also writing about her experience as a TCM student. She gets all the credit for informing us about H.R. 646.
Go, Lydia!
Back to our regularly scheduled blog: On the roller coaster that is school, this week has been great! I studied like a mad woman and aced my practical exam in Living Anatomy. I was nauseous when I went into the room for the test. It went so much better than I expected.
It began simply enough. "Where is the sternoclavicular joint?"
Easy!
Then it got it a little harder from there, but it was over pretty quickly. Great relief!
I also aced my pericardium and heart points quizzes this week. I'm a very happy woman. It seems so up and down, one week I fail a quiz and I feel devastated, the next week I make a few A's and I'm at the top of the world. Will I get to the point where I'm not so deeply affected by letter grades?
After the practical exam, I still had too much adrenalin running through me. I was still feeling very anxious even though I knew I'd passed. It was a gorgeous day. I came home, put Kieran into the car, and we drove to the 1,000 acre park. The sky was crystal blue clear, there was a strong wind blowing high in the trees, and we found a new trail through some woods. It was heavenly. The perfect way to end a really stressful couple of days.
The following day in Research class, the professor, Ryan Milley, led us on a mindful meditation before beginning the lecture. It's really wonderful to begin a class with a few minutes of meditation. We've been looking at published studies on acupuncture and other CAM modalities. We're learning how to read scientific studies, critique them, and use them to support our practice.
What's interesting is that in some of the studies, the acupuncturist tells some of the subjects that there is going to be a good outcome from the treatment. It's been proven that if the patient gets this little positive plug from his acupuncturist, the results are more positive than for those who get a practitioner with a flat affect who gives very little explanation of the treatment. On the upside is that those who receive both kinds of treatments do better than those who receive no acupuncture at all.
Establishing mindfulness in us while we're still first year students teaches us experientially how much we can benefit ourselves and our future patients. By being mindful and present with patients, we help them create a better outcome from their treatments.
I hope that mindfulness will also get me to a place where the highs and lows of my academic career don't take me on such an emotional roller coaster ride. I believe meditation and Qigong will continue teaching me balance.
I know for certain we can rewire our brains. My healing path has proven that. We have the power within us to accomplish so much. It all starts with a few quiet moments, some deep easy breathing, and a focus inward away from the busy bee-hive mind. If you're truly present, it makes the ride so much more manageable.
Namaste
Monday, October 11, 2010
Mama said there'd be days like this
I got my last Living Anatomy quiz back, today. I didn't do well, not well at all. I knew I didn't do great, but a total fail? Wasn't expecting that.
I wanted to run home, hide in my room, and cry. I've had lots of moments like that in the past few weeks--I want to scrunch up my face and weep. Instead, I pulled up my big girl panties, stepped out of the tide of despair pulling on my ankles, and returned to class.
I really like TCM theory, so it was easy to fall into the lecture and learn.
I'm a nervous test-taker. I learned all kinds of tricks to calm down, focus, and do okay on tests way back as an undergrad. But something strange happened on my way to medical school. I forgot those skills and now, in a rush of throat-clenching anxiety, I speed through my tests, miss questions, and don't read as carefully as I should.
As an undergrad, I accepted that I wasn't a good test taker. I made up for it by being a good writer. You want a paper, an essay, how about a presentation? I can do that and usually do it well. But multiple choice? Fill in the blank? True or False? The black and white, the obvious, escapes me. Lately, more so than usual.
After TCM Theory, I went to Qigong class. I love Qigong. It has turned into a movement meditation that soothes my anxiety and quiets the voices of doom. It seems to be a natural extension of Reiki. The practice lives in my body and emotions. I can't yet put words to the experience. I want to stay in the powerful and gentle flow. The words will come later.
So with the yang comes the yin, with the fear comes the release and peace. Despite my anxiety and doubt, my heart continues to feel joy learning this medicine. Some days, that's all the assurance I get.
A link to the Shirells singing "Mama said..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQlImg2bm28&feature=related
I wanted to run home, hide in my room, and cry. I've had lots of moments like that in the past few weeks--I want to scrunch up my face and weep. Instead, I pulled up my big girl panties, stepped out of the tide of despair pulling on my ankles, and returned to class.
I really like TCM theory, so it was easy to fall into the lecture and learn.
I'm a nervous test-taker. I learned all kinds of tricks to calm down, focus, and do okay on tests way back as an undergrad. But something strange happened on my way to medical school. I forgot those skills and now, in a rush of throat-clenching anxiety, I speed through my tests, miss questions, and don't read as carefully as I should.
As an undergrad, I accepted that I wasn't a good test taker. I made up for it by being a good writer. You want a paper, an essay, how about a presentation? I can do that and usually do it well. But multiple choice? Fill in the blank? True or False? The black and white, the obvious, escapes me. Lately, more so than usual.
After TCM Theory, I went to Qigong class. I love Qigong. It has turned into a movement meditation that soothes my anxiety and quiets the voices of doom. It seems to be a natural extension of Reiki. The practice lives in my body and emotions. I can't yet put words to the experience. I want to stay in the powerful and gentle flow. The words will come later.
So with the yang comes the yin, with the fear comes the release and peace. Despite my anxiety and doubt, my heart continues to feel joy learning this medicine. Some days, that's all the assurance I get.
A link to the Shirells singing "Mama said..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQlImg2bm28&feature=related
Friday, October 8, 2010
Acupuncture Goes Mainstream
Our classmate Lydia forwarded a notice to us all about H.R. 646, The Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2009.
It means that Social Security will cover many acupuncture treatments under the Medicare Program. That is just huge. If Medicare is going to cover acupuncture, then the insurance companies will have to follow suit. There are some wonderful comments on the site about the effectiveness of acupuncture, many written by MDs.
Please go and cast your vote for passing this bill. So far TCM is winning!
It means that Social Security will cover many acupuncture treatments under the Medicare Program. That is just huge. If Medicare is going to cover acupuncture, then the insurance companies will have to follow suit. There are some wonderful comments on the site about the effectiveness of acupuncture, many written by MDs.
Please go and cast your vote for passing this bill. So far TCM is winning!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
The Cure for Mean Girl Syndrome
It's a human need to belong to a group. We have groups for every category of human interaction: work, family, religious, political, and school. We all, whether introverted, extroverted, or somewhere in between, find ways to connect with other human beings. It's part of our survival. We're hard-wired for it.
Even the misanthrope would be lost without a group to project his or her abhorrence upon. At the very basic, groups help us to survive, and at the most, they support our growth as human beings moving through this lifetime.
I have what my best-friend calls, "new girl syndrome." We moved a lot when I was growing up. It was never easy being the new girl at school. When ever I get into a new social group, I feel a lot of anxiety. In talking to others, I've found that a lot of people feel this way.
The first week or so at OCOM, we were all cautious with one another, friendly, accepting. It felt as if there was a giant cloud of new girl syndrome floating over our 74 person, male and female, class.
Now that a few weeks have passed and we've gone through the rigors of our first few tests together, and have had to partially disrobe and palpate one another--we're still navigating the tricky waters of friendship and classmate interaction.
Though we've overcome normal social boundaries by groping one another's muscles and bones, or sticking little colored dots on each other's acupuncture points until we look like human dot candy, we're still all so new to each other that real friendships may only just be starting.
What I've noticed is that even though we've grown more comfortable with one another, there don't seem to be any cliques forming. I haven't heard a shred of gossip about any fellow classmates. There are certainly people who have more things in common and gravitate toward one another, but never at the exclusion of others.
I think about the movie, "Mean Girls." When I watched that movie, some of it felt true, but mostly, it fell short of capturing the incredible cruelty that can destroy an adolescent's self esteem. Lately, we've see that truth in the recent headlines about bullied teenagers killing themselves.
I don't expect anything like that will happen with our class. I mean, we're all too self-actualized, right?
Honestly, I feel optimistic about us as a group. I can't say I've ever felt more welcomed and energized by a new social/school group before. We all want each other to succeed. If there is any competition, it seems to be internalized. I know when I'm feeling competitive, I have to look at my own insecurities and change my definition of success.
I like believing it's because as a group, most of us have chosen a profession where we want to put wholeness of body, mind, and spirit into practice. We're walking the walk.
Maybe all it takes to cure new girl syndrome is choosing a path of wholeness and staying on it.
Even the misanthrope would be lost without a group to project his or her abhorrence upon. At the very basic, groups help us to survive, and at the most, they support our growth as human beings moving through this lifetime.
I have what my best-friend calls, "new girl syndrome." We moved a lot when I was growing up. It was never easy being the new girl at school. When ever I get into a new social group, I feel a lot of anxiety. In talking to others, I've found that a lot of people feel this way.
The first week or so at OCOM, we were all cautious with one another, friendly, accepting. It felt as if there was a giant cloud of new girl syndrome floating over our 74 person, male and female, class.
Now that a few weeks have passed and we've gone through the rigors of our first few tests together, and have had to partially disrobe and palpate one another--we're still navigating the tricky waters of friendship and classmate interaction.
Though we've overcome normal social boundaries by groping one another's muscles and bones, or sticking little colored dots on each other's acupuncture points until we look like human dot candy, we're still all so new to each other that real friendships may only just be starting.
What I've noticed is that even though we've grown more comfortable with one another, there don't seem to be any cliques forming. I haven't heard a shred of gossip about any fellow classmates. There are certainly people who have more things in common and gravitate toward one another, but never at the exclusion of others.
I think about the movie, "Mean Girls." When I watched that movie, some of it felt true, but mostly, it fell short of capturing the incredible cruelty that can destroy an adolescent's self esteem. Lately, we've see that truth in the recent headlines about bullied teenagers killing themselves.
I don't expect anything like that will happen with our class. I mean, we're all too self-actualized, right?
Honestly, I feel optimistic about us as a group. I can't say I've ever felt more welcomed and energized by a new social/school group before. We all want each other to succeed. If there is any competition, it seems to be internalized. I know when I'm feeling competitive, I have to look at my own insecurities and change my definition of success.
I like believing it's because as a group, most of us have chosen a profession where we want to put wholeness of body, mind, and spirit into practice. We're walking the walk.
Maybe all it takes to cure new girl syndrome is choosing a path of wholeness and staying on it.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Relief
I'd been having a lot of trouble getting my web site uploaded. It was really, really stressing me out. I took a web design class about two years ago, but we didn't really work with Dreamweaver, my web design tool, as much as we did with outdated software. When I'm in Dreamweaver, I'm usually at a great disadvantage, trying to guess my way through it.
It meant a lot to me to take the web design class so I would be able to have more control over my small Reiki business and how I presented myself to potential and current clients. I'll never be a professional web designer, but I know enough to keep my business going and to talk to people who know more than I do--in other words, I ask for professional help and gladly pay for it when my business needs it.
I'm writing about this because this has been an undercurrent of anxiety for me as I begin my career as an OCOM student. I've wanted to continue working with clients, but not at the expense of my schooling. It's been a balancing act and the web site updates felt like a necessary part of smoothing out the transition for me and my clients.
I know all of this work on my Reiki business will someday translate into how I run my acupuncture business. I think our Community Outreach teacher, Jason Stein, said that running a business is like having a relationship. You have to put as much work into it as you would with a spouse, child, or friend.
I really want to thank my dear friend, David Martin. He runs NolaFlash in New Orleans. He hosts my site and generously and kindly talks me through my mishaps with web snafus. I honestly don't know what I'd do without him.
I guess the lesson is that we're all training to become medical professionals. We'd hope that our patients would come to us with their ailments before sticking themselves with needles, or concocting their own herbs. I think, if our businesses is ailing, or needs a little boost, it's necessary to call in professionals. Wouldn't you do that for the other relationships in your life?
It meant a lot to me to take the web design class so I would be able to have more control over my small Reiki business and how I presented myself to potential and current clients. I'll never be a professional web designer, but I know enough to keep my business going and to talk to people who know more than I do--in other words, I ask for professional help and gladly pay for it when my business needs it.
I'm writing about this because this has been an undercurrent of anxiety for me as I begin my career as an OCOM student. I've wanted to continue working with clients, but not at the expense of my schooling. It's been a balancing act and the web site updates felt like a necessary part of smoothing out the transition for me and my clients.
I know all of this work on my Reiki business will someday translate into how I run my acupuncture business. I think our Community Outreach teacher, Jason Stein, said that running a business is like having a relationship. You have to put as much work into it as you would with a spouse, child, or friend.
I really want to thank my dear friend, David Martin. He runs NolaFlash in New Orleans. He hosts my site and generously and kindly talks me through my mishaps with web snafus. I honestly don't know what I'd do without him.
I guess the lesson is that we're all training to become medical professionals. We'd hope that our patients would come to us with their ailments before sticking themselves with needles, or concocting their own herbs. I think, if our businesses is ailing, or needs a little boost, it's necessary to call in professionals. Wouldn't you do that for the other relationships in your life?
Monday, October 4, 2010
The beauty of irony
This morning, I skipped going to yoga to make a client call. Since my Reiki article was published I've been hearing from people all over the United States looking for treatments or just insights into their own quest for wholeness and health.
As I've mentioned, Uma Carter is the person leading our wonderful Qigong and yoga class at school. She's a great teacher and it really pained me, literally and figuratively, to miss her class this morning. But, I had a new client, also named Uma, who had left a message for me a week ago.
Now that my respectful touch and community outreach classes are over, it's time to figure out how to fit clients back into my schedule. I called Uma in Virginia and we talked about her husband's recovery from a heart attack. His neurologist is also a licensed acupuncturist and uses acupuncture in his treatments for Uma's husband's tremors.
I encouraged Uma to find a Reiki practitioner in her area and to start getting treatments. She was really enthusiastic, warm, and assertive about being healthy. Uma wants to become a Reiki practitioner herself, so she's on the right path.
She told me that while she was on chemo 8 years ago for breast cancer, that she kept up with her daily yoga practice. I told her that yoga has also helped me a lot and I felt I couldn't live without it. Uma is from India and I thought about all the connections between India, China, and the west and how all of us are searching for wholeness.
Now that I've given some guidance to Uma of Virginia, I'll do some yoga here at home before class starts. My achy body will be so happy.
Have a great day, everyone!
As I've mentioned, Uma Carter is the person leading our wonderful Qigong and yoga class at school. She's a great teacher and it really pained me, literally and figuratively, to miss her class this morning. But, I had a new client, also named Uma, who had left a message for me a week ago.
Now that my respectful touch and community outreach classes are over, it's time to figure out how to fit clients back into my schedule. I called Uma in Virginia and we talked about her husband's recovery from a heart attack. His neurologist is also a licensed acupuncturist and uses acupuncture in his treatments for Uma's husband's tremors.
I encouraged Uma to find a Reiki practitioner in her area and to start getting treatments. She was really enthusiastic, warm, and assertive about being healthy. Uma wants to become a Reiki practitioner herself, so she's on the right path.
She told me that while she was on chemo 8 years ago for breast cancer, that she kept up with her daily yoga practice. I told her that yoga has also helped me a lot and I felt I couldn't live without it. Uma is from India and I thought about all the connections between India, China, and the west and how all of us are searching for wholeness.
Now that I've given some guidance to Uma of Virginia, I'll do some yoga here at home before class starts. My achy body will be so happy.
Have a great day, everyone!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Time, time, time
I've just spent three hours updating my web site. I still have a few hours more of work to go. One of the anxieties that has been riding my back like an monkey with halitosis is how I've had to neglect my business and my clients since beginning school.
I had a grand plan this summer; I would see as many clients as possible, teach a lot of Reiki and clairvoyant classes, and get my web site updated with all kinds of new gadgets and features for the user.
I hired a business consultant, Erin Donely, who helps people with new-agish type businesses really get focused. She was truly brilliant, insightful, and I know her guidance will help when the day comes to create my acupuncture business.
I hired a web designer to smooth out the kinks in my web site and eliminate the "fat" code. Drew Soske did a marvelous job.
The classes I taught went really well. Clients seemed happy. Many were okay with the idea that I was going to have to disappear for a month to get acclimated to school. Well, it's October 2nd and the changes to the web site still aren't posted. Homework and studying have forced me to neglect client calls and e-mails.
And, I have three tests to study for this weekend. I feel as if I've been carrying a tray full of loaded dishes and the chef keeps piling on more. Spaghetti is about to crash in a fantastic tomato mess on the floor and walls. How do I take care of my clients and still do well in school?
I'm getting to the point where I have little routines and feel like I can manage all my classes. But when I think of taking out an hour and a half to talk to a client, anxiety fills my chest and a tight ache creeps up my back, into my neck, and ends as a nasty head ache.
Thing is, I love working with my clients. There is so much joy in connecting with another human in an emotional and psychic space. I feel as if I can take this weird ability to "see" things and use it like a viewing screen to "show" clients how to clear their path toward wholeness and happiness. To feel as if I can't even manage one or two client calls a week fills me with dread and guilt.
But, I love school, too! It's overwhelming, plunges me into moments of panic, but I really do love what I'm learning and how it all fits together. The more I study Chinese medicine, the more the elegance shines through.
Qi gong, yoga, and meditation help. Laughing with friends helps. Playing with my dog and cat helps. And getting just a little bit more accomplished each day feels great. Breathe...
I had a grand plan this summer; I would see as many clients as possible, teach a lot of Reiki and clairvoyant classes, and get my web site updated with all kinds of new gadgets and features for the user.
I hired a business consultant, Erin Donely, who helps people with new-agish type businesses really get focused. She was truly brilliant, insightful, and I know her guidance will help when the day comes to create my acupuncture business.
I hired a web designer to smooth out the kinks in my web site and eliminate the "fat" code. Drew Soske did a marvelous job.
The classes I taught went really well. Clients seemed happy. Many were okay with the idea that I was going to have to disappear for a month to get acclimated to school. Well, it's October 2nd and the changes to the web site still aren't posted. Homework and studying have forced me to neglect client calls and e-mails.
And, I have three tests to study for this weekend. I feel as if I've been carrying a tray full of loaded dishes and the chef keeps piling on more. Spaghetti is about to crash in a fantastic tomato mess on the floor and walls. How do I take care of my clients and still do well in school?
I'm getting to the point where I have little routines and feel like I can manage all my classes. But when I think of taking out an hour and a half to talk to a client, anxiety fills my chest and a tight ache creeps up my back, into my neck, and ends as a nasty head ache.
Thing is, I love working with my clients. There is so much joy in connecting with another human in an emotional and psychic space. I feel as if I can take this weird ability to "see" things and use it like a viewing screen to "show" clients how to clear their path toward wholeness and happiness. To feel as if I can't even manage one or two client calls a week fills me with dread and guilt.
But, I love school, too! It's overwhelming, plunges me into moments of panic, but I really do love what I'm learning and how it all fits together. The more I study Chinese medicine, the more the elegance shines through.
Qi gong, yoga, and meditation help. Laughing with friends helps. Playing with my dog and cat helps. And getting just a little bit more accomplished each day feels great. Breathe...
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