January 2, 2025 - Let’s Do This!
As 2024 closes out and we look ahead to 2025, it's clear that the coming year holds many uncertainties. Now more than ever, self-care is essential. I was recently listening to my favorite astrology podcast by Molly McChord (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUJZYX2dpljq-VEEZIstTxA), and she mentioned that the astrology of 2025 bears some similarities to that of 2020. If you recall, 2020 pushed us to our limits, and the importance of self-care became more evident than ever. As we approach another challenging time, I encourage you to dust off those self-care strategies and explore new ones. Acupuncture is one excellent option, but there are many others, and each of you will have your own unique methods. My message for 2025 is: **Let's Do This!** Let's navigate the year by focusing on how we can take care of ourselves and each other.
What is Going On in the Clinic
I've been back in practice now for two years. 2024 was a big growth year. I'm incredibly grateful for each of you who have entrusted me with your care. Whether you're receiving treatment or simply part of my community, your support means the world to me. I love what I do and am thankful every day for choosing this path. The power and subtlety of this medicine continue to amaze me.
Acupuncture treatments are highly individualized, and it's essential to find the right practitioner. There's an energy exchange in hands-on therapies like acupuncture, massage, or craniosacral therapy, etc... If the energy exchange isn't right, the benefits may not be as impactful. However, when you and the practitioner are aligned, magical things can happen. If my treatments haven't been beneficial, please don't think that acupuncture isn't for you—it may just be a matter of finding the right practitioner. I also appreciate your feedback and strive to learn from it. I am a science geek at heart and more information is always what I seek.
Self-care Products for Sale!
I've started carrying self-care products in the clinic or online. I want to offer products that will benefit my community, and especially ones that I personally use and find helpful. You can find these products on my Instagram and Facebook pages, as well as in the clinic.
Google Reviews
Apparently, one way to grow a business is to have an active Google business profile with lots of 5 star reviews. To those of you who have already left a 5-star review, thank you so much! If you feel inclined to leave a review, I would be incredibly grateful. As a token of appreciation, I'm offer an Essential Oil blend to anyone who leaves a 5-star review. My goal for 2025 is to increase my 5-star reviews, and any help you can provide would be fantastic!
Small Intestine Channel
Small Intestine is a small and powerful channel, as is the organ.
The Channel Pathway
The Small Intestine channel starts at the tip of the little finger and ascends along the outside of the hand, arm to the back of the shoulder. It zig-zags across the scapula and meets all of the Yang channels at the base of the neck. From there is goes internally and connects with the Heart, goes through the diaphragm to the Stomach and then the Small Intestine.
"The Small Intestine is the official in charge of receiving, being filled and transforming." - Simple QuestionsFrom a psychological point of view, the Small Intestine has an influence on mental clarity and judgement. On our capacity to take decisions, but in a different way from the Gall Bladder. Whereas the GB has influence on the capacity and courage to take decisions, the SI gives us the power of discernment, that is the ability to distinguish relevant issues with clarity before we make a decision.
Functions of the Small Intestine:
Controls Receiving and Transforming
Separates Fluids
Relationship with the Heart
The first two are mostly reasonable to understand, so I'll talk about the third one, Relationship with the Heart.
Relationship with the Heart
Each Yang channel has a Yin pair. The Small Intestine channel and organ system is Yang in nature; it's Yin pair is the Heart channel. The main connection of the Heart & Small Intestine is psychological. The Heart stores the Mind and governs our mental life as a whole. Our mental activities all rely on our capacity of clear judgement and decisions, which in turn are dependent on the Small Intestine. Conversely, the capacity of clear judgement must rely on our mental capacity as a whole, which is dependent on the Heart.
Small Intestine 3 - Back Stream - Houxi
There are many great points on the Small Intestine channel that I use quite bit. The ones that zig-zag across the scapula are amazing for stiffness and pain of the shoulder, scapular area, and neck. The one I want to talk about is SI 3, Back Stream (Houxi). It is on the side of the hand just below the pinky finger joint. The actions are:
Benefits the occiput, neck and back
Activates the channel and alleviates pain
Clears wind and heat and treats malaria
Calms the spirit and treats epilepsy
Clears heat and benefits the sensory orifices
The indications are:
Stiffness and pain of the neck, difficulty in turning the neck, one-sided headache, pain of the shoulder, elbow and arm, pain of the fingers, lumbar region and knees.
Malaria, night sweating, cold shivering, chills and fever.
Epilepsy;
Tinnitus, superficial visual obstruction, redness and pain of the eyes, swelling of the eyes, nosebleed, toothache, swelling of the throat and cheek.