Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction), said “As long as you are breathing, there is more right with you than there is wrong, no matter how ill or how hopeless you may feel.” Take a moment to reflect on this. As humans we often focus on the things that we have done wrong. We could be better, smarter, richer, thinner... fill in your own adjective. I encourage you to begin a practice of remembering and acknowledging all that is right with you. Do it now, as you read this. 1. Focus on your body. Write down all the things that are right about it. For example,
2. Focus on your actions. Write down a list of all the things that you have done to take good care of yourself and those that you love. 3. Focus on your thoughts. Write down all the thoughts that lift you up. Look to your favorite quotes for inspiration. 4. Focus on your emotions. Make a list of times when you felt complete, happy and at peace. 5. Focus on your connections. Make a list of all the positive connections that you have had with people in your life.
6. Focus on your accomplishments. Make a list of your accomplishments over the past year. Include projects big and small. You are an amazing being! Revel in this. Take your list of all that is good and right with you and post it on your bulletin board or on your refrigerator. Acknowledge yourself fully and completely. When you find yourself being critical about something that you have done, switch to being gentle. Surround yourself with love and kindness. Lift yourself up when times get hard. Look at your list of all that is right with you EVERY DAY. I promise that this practice will transform your life.
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Acupuncture plays close attention to the cycle of the seasons. As shown in the diagram, each season corresponds to a particular element and organ. Balance between these entities is key for achieving harmony in the world and health in the body. The earth element comes into play at this time of year. This element is a central one. It is activated in late summer and also for short periods of time at the end of the other seasons. The earth element is associated with transformation. It's perfect in helping us make the shift from the relaxing, playful days of summer to the busyness of work and school. Each element in the five element system has a corresponding organ, emotion, color, season and tissue. For the earth element, the organ is the spleen-pancreas (our digestive system), the emotion is ruminating or over-thinking, the color is yellow, the season is late summer and the tissue is muscles. Here are ways to keep your spleen energy strong and improve your health at this time of year:
Use the wisdom taught by Oriental Medicine over the ages to help you in your life today.
We each have approximately 206 bones in the body. Bones are living things that are constantly being broken down and rebuilt. Bones are strong – ounce for ounce they carry as much weight as reinforced concrete. Unfortunately, our bones tend to weaken as we age. Until about age 30, we make new bone faster than we break down old bone. After that we lose more bone mass then we gain, which can result in osteoporosis, a condition where bones become brittle, porous and subject to fracture. Here are a few things that you can do at any age to keep your bones functioning well. 1. Include weight bearing exercises in your daily routine. These exercises cause small amounts of damage to the bone. Osteoblasts, cells in the bone marrow, respond by creating new bone to repair the damage, which results in denser, stronger bones. 2. Get sufficient amounts of calcium. The body doesn't produce calcium, so we need to get it from our diets. There is some controversy about the appropriate amount of calcium that we need on a daily basis. I tend to side with Dr. Walter Willet, Chair of the Nutrition Department at Harvard University School of Public Health, who recommends getting 500-700mg of calcium daily for adults, a little lower than the US recommended daily requirement. Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches that dairy, a high source of calcium, weakens the digestive system. Instead include spinach, broccoli, bok choy, almonds, kale, sardines with bones, soy products, quinoa, amaranth and parsley in your diet. If you take a supplement, take no more than 250mg at a time with meals since the body has difficulty absorbing more than this. 3. Don't forget about Magnesium and Vitamin D. It's important to have sufficient amounts of magnesium to help with the absorption of calcium. Aim for approximately 400 mg a day. Foods rich in magnesium include whole grains, dried seaweed, soybeans and soy products, foods with dietary fiber, nuts and seeds, beans & legumes. Vitamin D increases the intestinal absorption of calcium. In earlier times, when we spent more time in the sun and before the advent of sunscreen, our bodies manufactured enough of this vitamin. Today, particularly during winter months, you might need to take a supplement. Recommended amounts are 2,000 and 4,000 IUs a day of vitamin D3. If you have a deficiency, correct it with 5,000 to 10,000 IUs of vitamin D3 a day for three months—but only under a doctor’s supervision. (Higher doses should ideally be combined with vitamin K, and many better supplements combine these two vitamins.) 4. Limit caffeine and alcohol. These can lead to bone loss. Have no more than 2 cups or glasses of each per day. 5. Avoid long-term use of steroids. These can lead to lower bone density. 6. Massage the acupuncture point Kidney 7. Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches us that the kidneys are associated with bones. Find this point two finger widths above the ankle. Headaches come in a variety of forms from tension headaches to migraines. Causes include structural, hormonal and immune system imbalances, sinus congestion and one of the most common culprits – stress. Whatever the cause, headaches can be debilitating – wrecking havoc with the best of lives. Here are some simple suggestions to get relief:
The most important thing is to begin to find relief. On your calendar, write down the day and time of day when you have a headache. See if you notice any patterns. Start practicing the above suggestions. See if they make a difference. Keep track of how you are doing. By paying attention, YOU can become a healthier, happier person!
Oriental Medicine teaches us that we need to rest. Our active yang side needs to be balanced by our receptive yin side. Just as day turns into night, activity gives way to rest. This is one of the primary rhythms of our lives. Western science is finding evidence that this can be verified by studying the brain. Scientists have known that memories are formed and consolidated during sleep. In addition, a study published in the journal, Science, provides evidence that waste products that accumulate in the brain are removed to a much greater extend during sleep. Those zzzzs are truly important. Most people need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep. For some of us, we just don’t allocate that much time. In our fast-paced culture, it’s easy to burn both sides of the candle. So it’s important to ask, “Am I allowing myself to get sufficient rest?” If not, it’s time to take a look at your calendar and make some adjustments.
Other people are in bed at a reasonable hour, but have problems falling asleep and/or staying asleep. Here are some suggestions.
Here's to sweet dreams!
The Emotional
In Oriental Medicine, each of the seasons corresponds an emotion. The fall is associated with grief. It's a good time to process and let go of any sadness you may be feeling. The Spiritual Take stock. Has this year's metaphorical harvest been a good one for you? Think of the things that you have reaped and sowed. What do you want more of in your life? What no longer serves you? As you notice the seasonal change outside, take a moment to reflect on what inner changes you would like to make. Write down your thoughts in a journal and look over them each week. Advice for all Seasons Practice gratitude. At the end of each day, write something you are grateful for. This is one of the simplest and most powerful exercises. A shift in focus can create a richer and more fulfilling life. When we are living a life that reflects our core values and are moving with ease through the day, we can’t help but bring other people into our lives. When we find our own rhythm, we connect to the rhythms of others. The most amazing thing about the rhythm of connection is that it reminds us that we are not alone. It allows us to be with, to learn from and to teach others. As miraculous as this connection may be, it also presents certain challenges. How can we stay true to our own rhythm and also allow for the rhythms of others? How can we maintain autonomy and control of our own lives while we seek out community and connection? Here are 12 suggestions for facilitating the rhythm of connection:
None of these ideas are new. Yet they all come alive again and again as we make them part of our lives. In Oriental Medicine, the summer is the season of the heart and the corresponding emotion is joy. As you go through the next few warm weather months, remember the heart, feel the joy and practice the rhythm of connection. A healthy rhythm helps you to move in the direction of your dreams. This takes commitment, intention and a certain amount of effort. In the short-term this process may seem time-consuming and anxiety-provoking. But, what if you began living a life that supported your core values? What if it became easier to set and incorporate new goals? Here are some ideas for you to try out: • Make use of natural rhythms and listen to your body. Get enough sleep. Rest when you feel tired. If you’re a morning person, start your day with the things that are most important to you. Alternatively, set aside time in the evening if that’s when you work best. • Each week make a list of things that you want to accomplish. Review the list each morning and schedule in the most important items. This will help you stay focused and on track. • Keep things that are important to you on your list, even if you have trouble getting them completed. It can take time to incorporate new activities. Keep reminding yourself of the things that you want to do. • Fifteen minutes is better than none. My life revolves around this. I never have enough time to do everything – particularly exercise. Instead I fill in 15 minutes here and 15 minutes there. It adds up. Beginning is 90 percent of life. • Learn to choose wisely. There is never enough time to do all the things you might want to. Don’t fall into the trap of trying to do everything. As you add things to your life that you truly love, let the less essential things fall by the wayside. • Learn to say no. It’s important to honor commitments that you have made, but you needn’t feel obligated to do things simply because others would like you to. Unschedule the things on your calendar that are not so important to you. • Create rituals that incorporate your favorite activities. Schedule them at regular times. This way you’ll know that every Monday at 7, for example, you’ll swim or listen to your favorite music. As with growing a garden, cultivating a healthy rhythm takes place over time. We wouldn’t expect an apple tree to bear fruit right after we plant the seeds. Be patient with yourself. Remember that there are outside forces that affect our lives. Some seasons the weather cooperates and there is sufficient rain and sun. Other times we are less fortunate. Part of being a successful farmer, is the ability to survive the lean seasons. It’s important not to get discouraged if life events wreak havoc with the best laid plans. Find joy in the planting and cultivating. Keep a certain healthy detachment from the results of your endeavors. Finding your rhythm gives you something even greater than accomplishing goals. It gives you the courage and strength to get through whatever life throws your way. It provides you with a safe harbor during unexpected storms. Most importantly it puts you in touch with your truest self. And so I encourage you to look for your rhythm, to practice living in connection with it and to be the person you were brought into this world to be. If you threw away your computer, Iphone, calendar, would you still know how to live? Talk to any baby boomer and you will find memories of a childhood without play dates and arranged activities. We reminisce about simpler days when we played out in the street and knew to be home for dinner. So, am I suggesting we turn back the clock and surrender to a simpler past? No, not at all. We can use technology to help us live in sync with ourselves, as long as we view technology as a tool. We needn’t be slaves to our computers and hi-tech gadgets. For a moment put aside the messages to be more productive. Toss aside expectations that don’t suit you. Life is a journey and the journey, the path is uniquely yours. Lao Tze Tung wrote, “When the shoe fits the foot is forgotten, when the belt fits the belly is forgotten.” By living in harmony with who we are, life becomes easier. Here are some exercises to help you get in touch with your rhythm.
Spend the next few weeks putting this information together. In the next newsletter in this series I’ll talk about how to begin to integrate the data you’ve collected with your current life. For the moment, focus only on the exercises themselves. The process of thinking about what you want is in and of itself a powerful one. Give your mind room to explore and contemplate new experiences. Relish your proudest and most complete moments. Think of memories that you created. Witness your power. Treasure the person you are. Find your “why”. Life pulls us in many different directions. We have job and family demands. We can become slaves to our “to-do” list and be overwhelmed by obligations. We may eat erratically and get too little sleep. We may get bogged down in constant errands that need to be run. We may over commit and feel ourselves being run ragged. We may use caffeine to keep us awake and alcohol to help us relax. We may find ourselves feeling stressed, angry and resentful. Or, perhaps we have too much time on our hands. We let hours pass by filling with mindless activities. We watch too much television and sit around waiting for the phone to ring. We feel lost, bored with our surroundings and discontented. Both of these scenarios can take a toll on our health, relationships and work lives. Caught in vicious cycles, we find it easy to feel completely powerless and unable to change. Often we feel that we must simply do more to gain control of our lives. We put ourselves on rigid schedules, diets and self-improvement plans. But these don’t address the core issue at hand – that we are letting our lives run us. If you have fallen into any of these patterns, I urge you to take a breath, step back, slow down and find your rhythm. Each day we wake up, eat, expend energy and sleep. If we live to be eighty, these days add up to 700,800 hours of life. Start to think about how you want to spend this time. What do you treasure or value you the most in life? What moments do you want more of? What books do you want to read? What tasks do you want to accomplish? What people do you want to meet? What is it that you absolutely want to do before you die? If I were to tell you that you had $700,800 to spend, my guess is that immediately images of houses, cars, vacations or beautiful new clothes would come to mind. We live in a society that focuses on money and we are inundated with images about how to spend it. We think about money constantly and worry about not having enough of it. There are financial advisors, stockbrokers, banks and accountants to help us figure out how to invest and save. We are told to put money away for retirement and for our children’s education. The more altruistic of us may think about how to help others with our money and may donate to charities. There is even a whole season each year dedicated to figuring out how much money we have earned and how much we have to give to the government. And, we are told there are only two certainties in life – death and taxes. Conscious management of our finances can be powerful and rewarding. But it seems to me that time is a more valuable resource. It is also a more challenging one. We can’t take out a time loan or store up time. We can’t add extra hours to our busy days. We can, however, develop a healthy rhythm that helps us move through life. Our rhythm can be a guide when our lives gets busy and stressful or when we feel we have too much time on our hands. Rhythm can help us deal with loss and change. We don’t have to constantly be making decisions about what to do next or what is most important to us. But how do we develop and nurture a rhythm that feels comfortable and authentic? Oriental Medicine offers advice. It describes the way energy moves through our bodies over the course of the day. It describes the changes in seasons and how these changes affect us. It speaks of the life cycle and the changes the body goes through as we develop and age. It describes different personality types and the challenges people of each type face while going through life. My newsletter series for this year is about the rhythms of our lives. If nothing else, it will get you to think differently about time. It will get you to respect time as your most valuable resource. It will make you think about how to best make use of the natural rhythms of the universe and the daily, weekly and yearly cycles of time. I have no magic answer about how to make the best use of our days here on planet Earth. But I can offer ideas, suggestions and exercises to practice and different perspectives about viewing life. I’ll talk about how to become in touch with our own individual rhythms and how to bring these rhythms into sync with the rhythms of the universe and the rhythms of those we come into contact with. I’ll talk about how to more fully experience the moments that we have. The beginning of this exploration starts with connecting with our most basic rhythm, the rhythm of the breath. Take a moment, right now, to breathe in and breathe out. Put aside any worries. Let go of thoughts. Just for a moment, be fully present and feel the rhythm, your rhythm. Just breathe. |
AuthorIn practice for over 20 years, Bonnie Diamond offers individualized, heart-centered care using a pain-free, Japanese style of acupuncture. Her work is influenced by her nine year struggle with and complete recovery from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Archives
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