This living
breathing body
always waiting
to greet you
at the door,
always prepared
to give you
the rest you need,
always,
no matter
the long
years away,
still
wanting you,
to come home.
~~ David Whyte
(From ‘The Edge You Carry With You’)
Greetings to all my precious people!!
The Full Snow Moon reached its peak illumination at 8:53 am EST on Wednesday February 12. This February Full Moon appears in the constellation of Leo, the sign of the Lion. According to Lorna Bevan of Hare in the Moon Astrology, we are now caught in the days when timelines jump and things feel mismatched. The roadmap of 2025 is filled with twists and turns and nothing resembling “business as usual” will be showing up on the horizon. The only way forward is through, as we learn to recognize and negotiate the unprecedented inner and outer experiences and phenomena.
Suddenly, or perhaps not, all the things we believed were fixed and permanent are colliding and crisscrossing with the misty edge of the future. Nothing is clear on the landscape and all things are now in play. Our identity, our place in the world, our creative inspirations, our voice of lived experience and possibility—now smashing up against the wild and untamed links of tomorrow. And yet, when we recall what Carl Sagan, the astronomer, stated: “We are a way for the cosmos to know itself… we are made of star-stuff,” we will remember that we are made for these times, and choose optimism as our medicine.
The Full Snow Moon in Leo sparks a heightened awareness of our feelings about what matters most to us. The shattering of the self-image we thought was true and a rupture in our identity disturbs our equilibrium. We grapple with trying to understand the swift changes, and cling to what is familiar, hesitating to release our grip, our attachment to beliefs and habits. And in the midst of this tension of push and pull, there is discomfort in our chest, our heart space, as an ancient cosmic Truth requests permission to emerge. Revelations will appear only after the release and surrender of our mind, and Truth will enter along the cracks where glimmers of light pass in and out. Over the coming weeks, we will discover what all of this means for us.
A few things to consider:
What truth has your heart been whispering?
What part of you has been waiting for the chaos in order to break through?
Are you ready to co-create and collaborate with the forces of disruption?
The world is filled with possibility and there is no question that change is upon us. We have the opportunity to write our next chapters. But how do we navigate the journey?
We must return to the body.
We must return to our senses.
We must remember that we are made of star-stuff.
Our precious body is our original house—the one we arrived in on the day of our birth, the one we will be with until the end of our days. It is our amazing, miraculous, mysterious vessel that has taken care of us with its quiet DNA wired magic. It has nourished and repaired us while we stayed busy and engaged. This body prompted us with gentle whispers as well as screaming alarms when disharmony occurred. This body—your body—all of our bodies—began when a sperm and an egg fertilized and created a brand new individual. We all carry the DNA from a sperm and egg, with likeness akin to the people who contributed their genes. And yet, we became a totally separate, unique being, with a personalized unrepeatable fingerprint and gifts to share with the world. Remember this: we are made of star-stuff.
The body is wise. It sends us signals all the time, guiding us on how to calibrate, how to navigate, how to return to an ease and flow of our original nature. Symptoms are, in fact, data points indicating something is amiss, something is out of sync in the system of our systems. These symptoms can also be our teachers, if we pay attention. The body shares its wisdom and speaks its language and we need to learn how to listen and respond. The body is the compass, and everything is connected.
When our bodies break their silence, they speak through dis-ease. Dr. Gabor Maté, MD unearths the wreckage of our most treasured delusions in his book When The Body Says No. He says that while we want to believe our emotional world is separate from our physical existence, the price to be paid is that of chronic dis-ease and inflammation. Dr. Maté believes chronic illness is rooted in trauma, made worse when combined with a society that values material pursuits over human needs.
Chronic illnesses, like diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and more, reflect a systemic imbalance of the whole person, not just a constellation of physical ailments. Clinical evidence suggests that ongoing stress, trauma and poverty significantly contribute to the development of chronic illnesses and autoimmune diseases. Research indicates a link between experiencing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and increased risk of autoimmune conditions in adulthood. Chronic stress associated with poverty can also play a role in immune dysregulation which can potentially lead to autoimmune diseases.
Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD also speaks to the need to pay attention to the body in order to bring about healing. In his book, The Body Keeps The Score, Van Der Kolk shares findings from both clinical experience and neuroscientific research studies. There is a correlation with chronic stress from trauma that can lead to chronic pain, fatigue, headaches, and other physical illnesses. Trauma defined by Van Der Kolk is: “Not the story of something that happened back then, but the current imprint of that pain, horror, and fear living inside [the individual].” The events leave us stuck in a state of helplessness and terror, and result in a change in how we perceive danger.
The body stores stress and distress, which can alter the nervous system and disrupt hormonal functions, resulting in chronic inflammation. Many people who have experienced trauma may feel unsafe in their bodies and numb their awareness of their feelings. The following link offers an insightful 12 minute conversation about the body-mind systems between Van Der Kolk and Dr. Howard Schubiner, MD, the Director of Mind Body Medicine Center, Michigan: The Best Ways to Heal Pain without Medication. I hope it inspires you!
The system of Chinese Medicine is based on a holistic approach to being well in the human body–mind. The clinical practice of Chinese Medicine is focused on the body–mind connection with a deep understanding and appreciation that the body–mind holds the answers. The body–mind does not represent separate entities—it is a contiguous system of systems, all interdependent on each other. The body–mind concept is the holistic view of us as human beings, interacting not only with each other but within the environments we inhabit. Remember, we are made of star-stuff.
As Chinese Medicine clinicians, we take the pulse, we examine the tongue, we palpate the body, while inquiring about the lifestyle habits and rituals of the patient. We encourage the person to tell us their stories of how the symptoms unfolded, so that we might begin to construct a roadmap of sorts. Within our Chinese Medicine systems of pattern identification and differentiation, we begin to plot the data in order to address the symptoms as well as identify the root cause.
One of the highlights of acupuncture treatment happens when the person is resting comfortably and quietly on the table. The needles provide gentle stimulation, prompting the body systems to awaken and recalibrate. The body knows how to respond, working its innate intelligence via electricity and the peripheral nervous system. The acupuncture needles promote blood flow and increase vasodilation, while releasing natural biochemicals such as endorphins, norepinephrine and enkephalin. The sympathetic nervous system, focused on the ‘fight, flight, freeze, fawn’ response is adjusted via the needles, and typically within 25 minutes, the parasympathetic nervous system of ‘rest and digest’ mode comes online. The relaxation response begins, with slower breathing and the release of muscle tension. The body requires this ‘downtime’ to begin the physical work of repair and restoration.
The treatment room also allows for the space of time and reflection, respecting the body as it does its mysterious healing work. That of reconnection, of supporting shift and change, of connecting the parts and systems that are necessary to thrive. It is a time to remember we are made of star-stuff and trust the ancient inner cosmos.
While a diagnosis of chronic illness can be a wake-up call to take care of oneself, it is also a time to reframe the situation. Healing is not about ‘fixing’—it is instead about inviting all of your experiences to reconnect to the body in a way that supports and celebrates the unique human self. It is about returning to our senses. It is about remembering that we are made of star-stuff.
Some of the best ways to reconnect with the body is to engage with it, allowing Kindness and Curiosity to be the guideposts. Celebrate your inner cosmos and star-stuff by choosing to nourish your Self, because when you feel nourished, your resources for managing daily life multiply!! Simply choose one of the ideas listed below and implement it on a daily basis, to build the new habit as you observe the subtle changes that follow. Remember: we are made of star-stuff!!!
Love your body all the time. Your body is where your soul lives. It is truly a temple. Acts of love toward your body can be as simple as flossing your teeth, exercising and stretching, eating slowly and sensually, and breathing fully.
Do things that comfort you. Remember that honoring your body is about giving it what it truly needs. Take a nap if you are tired. Relax with a cup of tea. Go for a walk in the fresh air. When your body feels nourished and comforted, you are more likely to achieve the goals you are seeking.
Bring pleasure into your life. Taking time for pleasure decreases the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Take time to experience something pleasurable every day. This can be anything that feels good to you. Commit to a minimum of fifteen minutes of true enjoyment every day. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll be able to approach tasks with more energy and a better outlook.
Honor your emotions. We cannot heal negative emotions with our minds. Instead, we must acknowledge and fully feel our emotions, including the difficult ones. These emotions reside in our bodies, and need to be processed and released to keep our systems flowing.
Ask for help. Everyone needs help and support. Asking for help is about putting yourself first. When you do, you give others the gift of being of service to you.
Invoke the Divine. We are Divine beings living in physical form. This means the perfect solution for ALL of our problems and all of our requests has already been chosen. When we simply relax into being guided to the right action, things fall into place easily.
Breathe fully. Breathing fully in through your nose and out through your mouth is a great way to reset your body, mind and spirit. Physically, breathing properly balances your nervous system and effectively calms any excess stress.
Smile at yourself in the mirror. This may sound difficult at first, especially if you are used to looking in the mirror critically and “fixing” the things you don’t like. Instead, take a moment to smile and imagine your smile being directed into every cell in your body. Say I LOVE YOU out loud to your reflection. Then close your eyes and send well-being and acceptance to all of your body parts, one by one. Do this once per day.
Enjoy nature. Get outside and walk for 15 minutes. This can help shift your mood, as well as put you in the healing space of all of Nature’s elements. Enjoy the sun, the snow, the rain, the chirping birds. Allow your senses to be engaged.
Expect magic and miracles. Try greeting each new day with the anticipation of a young child. Remember what it feels like to be eager to see what wonders await you!
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. Treatment in my healing sanctuary goes beyond the needles—they simply serve to prompt the body to do its own mysterious and miraculous work.
I help people learn how to listen to their body’s wisdom and reconnect the unconscious mind to nurture the mind-body connection. 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 your consultation today!
