needles and pins - part 3

Today we checked the balance of my meridians.  This involved taking small sticks of burning incense and passing them over several points on my fingers and toes.  I was supposed to indicate when I felt the heat.  Any differences in sensitivity between the left or right side indicate that something is blocked.

Needles were inserted into my calf, wrists, and hands to deal with the blockages.  Some spots were painful, some not.  Some took a few pokes, some only one.  Unlike the last treatment, these needles are inserted and removed rather quickly.  

My physician also did some craniosacral work - mainly pressure points on my skull and stretching of my neck to help with my cold and headache. 

I'll go back in a few weeks.

Time to Wii!

needles and pins - part 2

My next appointment focused on Wei Chi.  Much like our immune system, the Wei Chi is located in the skin and is designed to protect us. However, when Wei Chi has been taxed it can turn against us and hurt that which it was designed to protect - like an autoimmune disorder.

The Wei Chi treatment involves several needles entered along the sides of the spine.  If the skin around the needle turns red, toxic energy needs to be released.  This release involves sitting with the needles in your back "cooking" until the redness subsides which can take anywhere from 15 minutes to over an hour.

My areas of redness centered on the lungs and the liver.  The lungs are associated with grief and the liver with a variety of things like thinking too much, planning, etc.  It took about 45 minutes for the redness to subside.  It also took alot out of me.  Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably during most of the treatment.  I guess it's all part of the process.

I go back later this week for the next round.   

needles and pins - part 1

My follow-up appointment went well.  The needles were placed in my hands, wrists, and collar bone.  The left side was mostly painless. In fact it was more like scratching an internal itch I didn't know I had.  The right side was quite a different experience.  Every needle hurt.  Every place was tender.  

Bad news:  Apparently I am unbalanced.

Good news: My inner pulses responded well to the first treatment.

Whenever I feel blue I start breathing again - even if I don't want to.

At times the loneliness is overwhelming - thick and heavy.  The weight of my mistakes crashes down around me. There is no going back.  There is no going home. There is no learning.   

I went for my first acupuncture appointment this morning.  My doctor recommended it as a way to address reoccuring sinus infections.  During the intake process I assumed the physician would talk about sinus and allergy issues and eventually move on to the needles.  I actually had a dream the night before about the needles.  I hate needles.  As I sat down the woman informed me that we will be taking a holistic approach to the treatment.  Then she started asking questions.  At first the questions seemed pretty straight forward- even sinus related...but then the questions became more focused.  For 2 hours we talked about everything imaginable.  It was intense and draining.  I left with a headache that I did not arrive with and my head still hurts.  

I go back for the first treatment later this week.   The can of worms has been opened and there's no turning back...