Attitude of Open-Mindedness and Acupuncture

For years I’ve been wanting to try acupuncture. I’ve seen multiple events where it’s being offered, but I never made it to any of those events. Maybe it was my busy schedule, or maybe it took me a while to be fully open to trying it out. So often we close ourselves off to try new things, that not trying them becomes works into our subconscious. Well this past Friday I was able to attend an event with acupuncture and did so.  Plus, there was a bonus in that it was held in conjunction my favorite yoga class, Yin.

Many of us have heard the benefits of acupuncture such as these listed below:

• Decreased anxiety

• Relief for:

  • arthritis

  • headaches

  • back pain

  • neck pain

  • nausea

  • sciatica

  • sinus congestion

• Aids in decreasing depression

• Improving insomnia

• Mitigating migraines

• Relieving stress

Yet, many people are still skeptical and/or have a fear of needles. I wasn’t either of these so when the acupuncturist came to me, I was excited. I had no idea how my body or mind would react to it, but dealing with so much stress lately, I was up to try just about anything.

WHAT WAS DONE

Only five needles were placed; at the third eye, chest, above the belly button, below the belly button, and between the big and second toe on my right foot (it was left foot for men). Each of these points was chosen to help release the energy from the coordinated organs of the body. The ones near the belly button are said to help with digestion and the point on the foot is to open the liver.

HOW IT FELT

Upon the initial prick of the needles, of which I only really felt two (at my third eye and foot), I didn’t feel much sensation. I practiced the yoga breath of deep inhales and longer exhales. After a few minutes I began to feel a cooling sensation cycle throughout my body. It was like drinking a big glass of cold water on a hot summer’s day and feeling that coolness work its way down. Only this was a cycle of coolness. It was relaxing and calming, which was exactly what I was hoping for. As it approached the time limit of 30 minutes, I began to feel a floating sensation, a little like that in a float spa. Again, this wasn’t scary at all, it was extremely calming. After the needles were removed my foot was colder than usual, but otherwise I felt great. The combination of a Yin Yoga practice and a 30-minute savasana with acupuncture was exactly what I needed after a stressful week.

Understanding that everyone’s experience and sensations will be different. If you’re open to it though, I highly recommend scheduling an appointment with an acupuncturist, or look for local events. Many yoga studios and healing centers like Angel Attic Holistic Haven in Plymouth, MI, host sessions.

It all comes back to being having an attitude of open-mindedness. When we try things that are positive and out of our comfort zone, we continue to grow.