I attended a class on nature-based medicine rooted in ancient Chinese medical texts. At its heart is a simple but profound idea: we are not separate from nature…we are nature.
Read moreWisdom of the Fool
This is the heart of alchemy.And also the heart of acupuncture.Where something is stuck, overfull, or depleted, we don’t force change, we restore flow. We bring parts into relationship.
Read moreAre You Bracing… or Moving Through?
Through acupuncture, we focused on creating movement. Her sleep deepened. Her jaw softened. A few weeks later she smiled and said, “My son is still being a teenager… but I’m not bracing all the time.”
Read moreImplicit Order + Flowing rather than Forcing
The I Ching reminds me that order doesn’t need to be imposed. Even in difficulty, even in the messy middle, something is already forming. Quietly. Beneath the surface.
Read moreWhat I learned from the Edward Gorey house
“There are so many things we’ve been brought up to believe that it takes you an awfully long time to realize that they aren’t you.”
—Edward Gorey
I visited the Edward Gorey House over the weekend in Yarmouth, MA. Gorey, described as humorous, complex, serious, and provocative, created work that wove joy with melancholy and light with shadow. Being immersed in his world felt refreshing. He moved against the grain of societal norms, trusting his own vision, and in doing so he revealed how opposite qualities can coexist in harmony.
His work made me think about, and deeply appreciate, the season we’re entering: Winter, the time of the Water Element. A season of darkness, mystery, ancestral knowing, trust, and patience. The darkness wants to be honored just as fully as summer’s light. One cannot exist without the other. Through cycles of death and rebirth, we grow closer to who we truly are and the self that rises from the heart.
What are you noticing surfacing for you at this time of year?
Is there resistance to stillness? To slowing down and reflecting?
Can you allow discomfort to sit at your table without needing to resolve it immediately?
I feel a combination of all these things, and I’m learning that acknowledging them is the way in. I would love to hear your reflections on going against the grain to honor your truth and what begins to emerge when you do. Comment and let me know.
11 Unexpected Benefits of Alchemical Acupuncture
As the veil thins this Halloween, nature reminds us that transformation is part of every cycle. The air grows colder, leaves decay into the soil and light gives way to shadow. The ancient texts say a good spring is made in autumn, but only if our energy has gone home to its roots.
In my own life, I am noticing the seasonal shift calling me inward. I find myself wanting to get cozy in bed earlier in the evening and linger under the covers a little longer in the morning. I am craving the slow simmer of soups and stews on the stove, the comfort of warm tea, soft light, and quieter evenings. There’s a natural pull to turn toward what nourishes and restores, getting more introspective with journaling and dreamwork.
This is where Alchemical Acupuncture becomes such a beautiful ally. Beyond relieving pain or stress, it helps us work with the subtle energies of change, the same kind that nature demonstrates all around us right now.
11 Benefits of Alchemical Acupuncture
1. Heighten sense of self awareness and connection
2. Steady focus and energy
3. Remember dreams and begin to get insights from them
4. Deep emotional release and processing
5. Improve capacity to live one’s purpose aligned with own values
6. Shine a light on resistance patterns
7. Facilitate transformation rather than only symptom relief
8. Balance the nervous system, energy flow and natural rhythms
9. Invite creativity
10. Sense of an embodied presence
11. Support in life transitions, crises or times of intense change
Consider stepping into your own inner laboratory, the sacred space where healing, magic, and mystery meet.
What I learned about pain and letting go at the peak of Mt. Liberty
An interesting observation occurred to me. A few weeks ago we went on our first backpacking trip with the kids. As in carry everything on our backs, hike in, camp and all the wonderful and challenging stuff that comes with that. As some of you know I have had a stubborn pain in my low back and leg on and off over the past year. So I worried the heavy pack and sleeping on the ground would worsen my pain. But something surprising happened: I felt no pain all weekend.
This experience reminded me how much of our emotional and daily stresses get lodged in our bodies and manifest as pain. When it comes to healing, there is no separation between physical, emotional and spiritual. All levels need to be addressed, otherwise the relief doesn’t last. We don’t always want to go there, it is uncomfortable however necessary for meaningful change.
When I came back home and returned to my usual routine, those familiar twinges in my leg crept back, whispering a question:
What am I carrying that no longer serves me?
Autumn’s Invitation to Let Go
Autumn, with its falling leaves, is nature’s reminder to release what’s no longer needed. In Chinese Medicine, this season aligns with the Lung and Large Intestine meridians, organs of surrender and transformation. As the cosmic wheel shifts from yang to yin, it is a time to slow down, grieve what’s past, and make space for new possibilities.
Take a moment to reflect:
What habit, belief, or situation are you ready to release?
What new possibilities might emerge if you let go?
It’s okay if the answers take time to surface.
A practice
I invite you to sit with a tree trunk supporting your back and breathe deeply, imagining air filling your lungs. Exhale slowly visualizing stress and burdens leaving your body.
Repeat 3 to 4 times
Notice the shifts