Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine

In the shelter of each other the people live

Dia duit to all my precious people!!

Dia duit (dee-ah gwit) is the traditional and common greeting among Irish nationals who speak Gaelic and it translates as “may God be with you”. This phrase is used in much the same way as the English word “hello”. Traveling the West Coast of Ireland for the past week, we heard that phrase time and again as we meandered in and out of shops, pubs, and country festivals.

The Wild Atlantic Way offered us the most magnificent experience of land, sea and air, with the waters and the wild evoking the poetry of William Butler Yeats. During a walking tour in Galway City, our guide reminded us to pay the faeries with a coin before we crossed certain bridges – and we respectfully obliged!

We spent almost all of our time outdoors. The days were a combination of misty rain – which is common, and sparkling sunny blue skies, which we claimed we carried with us from New York! From the towering Cliffs of Moher to the Aran Islands where the beach water is turquoise, the hours were filled with walking, chatting, stopping in the pubs and shops, enjoying a scone and a cuppa, and then realizing the sun sets at about 9:45pm!

Our drive through The Burren National Park felt very otherworldly with prehistoric monuments created by the glaciers 12,000 years ago. The Burren is renowned for its remarkable assemblage of plants and animals, and over 70% of Ireland’s species of flowers are found there. The region supports Arctic–alpine and Mediterranean Basin plants side-by-side, due to the unusual environment.

One of the more sobering adventures was to Uggool, The Lost Valley, a working farm in Louisburgh now run by Gerard Bourke and his family. They manage a flock of over 500 sheep, and we met many of them during our 3-hour walking tour. Accompanied by Gyp, the Border Collie who kept us in line, Gerard shared with us stories of the people who had been forced to live in this remote area during The Great Hunger (1845-1852), many of whom were Gerard’s ancestors.

Gerard grew up in this location before heading to England but felt compelled to return and create this living testament to the history of the Famine and the people who perished. For those of you who have visited other sites of great tragedy and human loss, you will understand that the land itself speaks in a haunted way. When you are standing on this undesignated sacred site, there is a sorrowful heaviness permeating the air and the dirt under your feet – hard to describe but true nonetheless.

Croagh Patrick, known as the Holy Mountain, is a true sacred site where pilgrimages have been made for centuries to honor St. Patrick. Most recently, archaeologists found evidence of Neolithic art there, suggesting it has been a sacred site for thousands of years. I must admit I have not yet climbed to the top!! The mountain overlooks Clew Bay, filled with over 365 islands, and the views are spectacular.

It is in the tiny village of Murrisk below the mountain where some of my ancestors lived, and the sensation in my heart when I visit this location is tender and familiar. I am always struck by how the physical body has memory and connection to places – for certainly the DNA in my blood resonates with this location and there is a feeling of both longing and belonging. I feel blessed to retrace the steps of my ancestors, and yet, the haunting of the people who were forced to leave, or forced to stay, lingers. There is still the heartbreak that continues to vibrate in the ancestral lineage of my people.

More importantly, that tender, familiar feeling in my heart space is one of BEING HOME. This homecoming is of course not only to Ireland, but to any and all the lands from where our ancestors bravely traveled. All of us have the guiding light inside that vibrates to the connection of the generations of family that have gone before us. These are the roots of our being – tended and nurtured so that we might continue to prosper.

So what does all of this Ireland travel have to do with Chinese medicine?

EVERYTHING.

The tenets of Chinese medicine are rooted in the traditional term of ‘yangsheng’. The term is made up of two Chinese characters: yang (to nurture or nourish) and sheng (life or vitality) and translates as the art of nourishing life, with historical references dating back at least two thousand years. The art of nourishing life draws from a wide range of spiritual, cultural and medical traditions including Daoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, classical medicine, the martial arts and folk knowledge.

The aim of yangsheng is not only about physical health. Instead it aspires to harmony, the seamless integration of mind and body, physical and mental balance, serenity, detachment from excessive emotions, health and fitness into old age, wisdom and ultimately an egoless identification with the Dao (everything that is). Simple health behaviors, such as moderate eating and drinking, regular exercise, restful sleep and cultivating the mind and emotions, are considered the most important practices in the nourishment of life tradition.

According to Peter Deadman, globally renowned author, Chinese medicine practitioner and teacher, “… the belief in an afterlife is not part of Chinese religious, spiritual and philosophical traditions. This life is the only one we have or will ever have.” Hence, we are asked to appreciate how rare and precious it is, and protect and preserve our life during its entire natural span. In his book, Live Well, Live Long, Deadman reminds us: “And this body does not even belong entirely to us. It was brought into being through the embraces of our parents and grandparents who then nourished and cared for us. To stay healthy and keep the body undamaged was a debt owed to one’s family line.”

So how can we begin to promote our own yangsheng – cultivating health and longevity while honoring our ancestors? What can we do to reconnect our internal guidance systems to the wisdom of the generations before us? How can we bring ourselves back to the tender heart space of BEING HOME, of feeling settled, to the place of belonging?

The answer is not a new exercise routine, or the latest supplements and superfoods being touted on social media. It will not be found in a singular thing from the outside. Instead, the answer resides within us, but we need to find a quiet space – in our head, or heart, or home, where we can begin to listen and reconnect to the sources of Life.

We need to REST to allow the body-mind-spirit to align and reset the connections.

We need to choose to step out of our schedules, away from the hustle and bustle.

We need to be INTENTIONAL about how we spend our time, and who we spend it with. We need to have fun. We need to let go of being productive and efficient all the time.

We need empty space on the calendar so that Divine inspiration can visit us.

We need to reconnect to our unique and unrepeatable Self.

Indeed, it is about restoration and the infusion of LIFE experiences that are filled with wonder and awe. It is about learning how to listen to our Self, how to fall deeply in love with our Self again, or perhaps for the first time. It is about choosing to be in the flow of the river of life and trusting that we can manage what comes, keeping the faith in ourselves and in the way of the cosmos. Above all, it is about remembering that we are part of a community, be it in our family, towns, or places of worship – we are meant to be in the shelter of each other, so no need to be alone or lonely in the journey of Life.

My OURA ring delivered a surprise during my Ireland adventures. Certainly, there were time differences, sleep disruptions and a total shift from my daily routines of exercise and food choices. And yet … my ‘readiness’ scores (based on resting heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, body temperature, sleep and daily activity) were consistently good to optimal and my daytime stress was negligible. Imagine that! Seems the magic of vacation, filled with enthusiasm and curiosity, sprinkled with laughter and spending time with my cousin and niece for 8 days was the medicine for resetting the nervous system. Well, OK, maybe Guinness, chips and good craic were also part of the alchemy!

Acupuncture and herbal medicine are some of the tools I use to support the health and wellness of my patients, but the healing that occurs is always prompted from the inside.

The answers to health and wellness reside in your heart. I help people learn how to listen to their body’s wisdom and reconnect the unconscious mind to nurture the mind-body connection. Doing this work allows people to realize their full capacity and choose to live a life aligned with their values, nourished by their dreams and desires. Together, we co-create opportunities for healing as the process unfolds.

I offer compassionate, attentive care. I see you. I hear you. I celebrate your journey. As an experienced clinician, I support patients as they come home to themselves, reconnecting the mind, body and spirit. This is my greatest passion: to serve as a facilitator, navigator and coach as you transcend old patterns and come into alignment with your best self. Are you ready to choose your Self and celebrate your gifts? Are you ready to manifest your Authentic Self that is abundant with health and vitality? Commit to being present and living your life with intention. Schedule an appointment today and begin to step into your power of self-directed practical magic.

I leave you with one of the most famous Irish proverbs and send you blessings for your continued life journey.