During this time of year I am always amazed how nature knows just what to do and how to be. How is it that the daffodils come just before the final snowfall every year? How do the cherry blossoms become themselves on cue? How does the world “know how” to become itself over and over year after year?
A beloved mentor of mine talks about health and healing as connecting to this universal “knowing how.” We are who we are because of our innate intelligence, this is what plugs us into the universe and turns us into ourselves. It is this “knowing how,” that wakes us in the morning and tucks us into bed at night. It is this wisdom that transforms food, air, and water, into “us” over and over again.
We begin to feel sick when we stray from this path. This can happen suddenly, with a trauma, shock, or injury. If we are not resilient or the event is too powerful, we get knocked far off course. It may also begin subtly, with poor eating or sleeping habits, overwork, etc. But as months and years go by, even a slight deviation can lead us very far from our intended place.
What is important to remember during times when you might feel out of balance, sick, weak, or even sad, is that the key to feeling better does not necessarily lie in a a cure or magic potion but rather in a return to yourself, your needs, and what your body is already asking that you do.
As an acupuncturist and herbalist, my job is not to “heal,” or “fix” you but to plug you back in to your body’s innate intelligence and remind you of what you already know.
