Health is a natural state of being –
Acupuncture has become known throughout the world as a treatment modality. There are many different styles and methods. The basic principles of Acupuncture are simple to understand. Health is a natural state of being, and disease is a disruption or distortion of that state. Disease is an un-natural state, and symptoms are the evidence that there is a problem that needs attention.
An Acupuncturist has learned how to observe
Just as hunger or thirst are indications that there is a need for food or water, it is possible to understand what is needed by carefully considering the pattern of symptoms and the context in which those symptoms are experienced. An Acupuncturist has learned how to observe and inquire about the experience a client is having, and sift through the information to discern a pattern. This is how it is determined what points and treatment methods will be helpful.
Acupuncture points are named locations
Just as a person has fingers which are able to grasp things and toes which help them to balance as they walk, Acupuncture points are similarly correlated to physical and psychological processes that we all experience. Acupuncture points are named locations on the body which have been identified as having the potential to influence the physical body and psychological experience. Acupuncture points are used according to the intention for the treatment – to produce specific effects.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years, and there are many opinions about how it was discovered, and the way it works. Like the blind men examining the elephant – each describing it according to their experience and interpretation – paradoxically these different opinions are all correct but incomplete. Just as a person does not need to know the internal anatomy of their fingers to be able to use them we do not need to “prove” how Acupuncture works.
Your experience is what matters
The reason Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years is because it has made a difference in the lives of people and helped them to feel better, physically and in other more subtle ways. It is my view that the experience of Acupuncture, and the study of Acupuncture, is able to support a person in their search for a deeper understanding of who they are and what the experience they are having means. Just as hunger is related to a need for food, all our experiences are inherently meaningful, and related to things we need, or need to focus our attention on.
Acupuncture as a method of treatment is an intervention, an interruption in the pattern of experience. This shift in the dynamic of the experience a person is having is an invitation to adjust or change the pattern. This can be a subtle process but it can also be very dramatic. The most important thing is what happens next. . . . . .
About Jeffrey Goodman LAc