ACUPUNCTURE
                               What's the Big Deal About Acupuncture?  I Just Don't Get It!


    Anyone can pick up a cheap little introductory book on quantum physics at the book store and come to
    a rudimentary understanding of energy.  It's not difficult.  And after understanding this information it
    should be painfully obvious why treating only symptoms is a waste of time.  Furthermore, it should be
    obvious that balancing the energy system of the body is one of the first steps to long-term, permanent,
    deep healing.  And of all the techniques out there that are effective, acupuncture is one of the oldest
    and best.

    So what I mean by the phrase, "What's the big deal about acupuncture" is, very few people utilize
    acupuncture, still others who use it under-utilize it (in other words, they only go when they have a boo-
    boo).  And most physicians "just don't get it".  They don't refer to acupuncturists, they just continue
    being drug pushers.

    And here's the problem, (one of them anyway).  In our western culture, we do everything fast.  We are,
    for the most part, looking for the bottom line....what's in it for me?  Give it to me now, I don't want to wait.  
    If I can't see it, it ain't there!  We are driven by the material world.  If someone asks how successful
    someone is, we are actually asking, how much do they have in the bank?  How big is their home?  And
    what kind of car do they drive?

    There is nothing wrong with money, big homes or nice cars, the problem with all this is that it can,
    many times, make us overly rely on the "5 senses" world only.  We begin  to believe if we can't see
    something, then it's either not there, or it has no relevance.  And it's this mentality that makes it difficult
    for people to understand acupuncture.

                                                      Are You Dialectical or Dichotomous?

    Basically, there are two types of people.  Type one is the group that has to see it to believe it.  The other
    group believes they'll see it when they believe it.  Put another way:  the first group believes we are
    essentially physical beings, here, having (sometimes) a spiritual experience.  The folks in this first
    group are dichotomous thinkers.  They tend to use black-or-white thinking.  In other words....it's either
    all or nothing with them.  The second group would say, we are all spiritual beings, here, having a
    physical experience.  These folks are dialectical thinkers.  They see things in shades of gray, they can
    see the big picture, are flexible, and tend to be more holistic.

                                                          It All Comes Down To Priorities

    It's possible to have several homes, several cars, and have lots of money in the bank AND be a very
    spiritual person.  In other words, you can have all these things and enjoy them because, after all, we
    are here to experience the physical world.  But we aren't here to "worship" physical things.  We need to
    keep in mind why we are here.  And it's the first group, the materialists, that seem to have a lot of
    trouble understanding an energy medicine healing approach such as acupuncture.

                                                               Anyone Up For A Swim?

    So back to understanding acupuncture.  The best analogy I've come across is the analogy of the
    blocked stream.  Think of a stream that is flowing very nicely through a woods like the one below.  As
    long as the water flow continues, all the trees and flowers downstream are nourished.  In our bodies,
    energy flows in an organized fashion as well.  Just like the blood that flows in arteries and veins,
    energy flows in channels called meridians.  (If you wish, you can call them energy channels.)











    Now, if for any reason an artery is blocked, we say there is poor circulation.  If the blockage is small, the
    person may not notice any symptoms for a long time.  A large blockage can cause death within a few
    seconds in some cases.  All organs need a blood supply of some kind.  When blood is blocked, the
    organ becomes sick, then dies.  And all those tree and flowers will also become sick, then die without
    a flow of water.  And without energy flowing to all of our organs, we will first become ill, then die.  This
    isn't rocket science.    











    Now many things can act as a blocking agent for energy.  But what ever it is, the down stream trees
    and flowers will die from not enough water, and the trees and flowers that are up stream from the
    blockage will get sick and possibly die by drowning from the excess water that will build up ahead of
    the blockage.  So which stream do YOU want to swim in?

    To help the trees and flowers, you simply remove the blockage in the stream, whether that be a fallen
    tree that was struck by lightening, or a giant boulder that tumbled down into the stream, or perhaps a
    beaver dam.  And to help heal a sick person, (on a deeper, causal level) you must remove the blockage
    within one or more of the energy channels or meridians within the body.  If it's too late and the organ is
    past a point of no return, then surgery might be necessary.  And if the blockage reaches a critical stage
    where the person is thrown into a medical crisis, then a pharmaceutical might be needed.  But
    remember, the only problem that happens instantly, is TRAUMA.  Everything else is on a continuum...
    the problem started out small, then grew and grew and grew, and then...WHAM!.  Those trees won't die
    instantly when the water stops flowing.

    So in summary....for one reason or another, the energy flow within our bodies is disrupted.  One or
    more channels become blocked to some degree or another.  The organs that were receiving 100% of
    that energy flow is now receiving much less, let's say for the sake of argument, 75% of the energy.  The
    organ or organs were created to function with 100%....so....the organs involved are now still doing their
    jobs, but not at peak capacity.  The liver isn't manufacturing up to speed, it isn't detoxing the blood as
    quickly.  The kidneys aren't filtering out poisons as efficiently.  The pancreas isn't taking care of the
    blood sugar balance like it used to.  The heart is not pumping the blood quite the way it used to.  The
    brain doesn't remember as well, the stomach doesn't digest as well, the eyes don't see as well, the
    ears don't hear as well, the lungs aren't taking in enough oxygen, etc.

    Energy medicine procedures including acupuncture helps restore health to the sick individual by
    balancing energy in the body...in other words, removing blocks so that energy can once again circulate
    to all the organs.  When all the organs are healthy....YOU are healthy.  What's the big deal with
    acupuncture?  There IS no big deal, other that the fact that it can save your life.  It can increase the
    quality as well as the quantity of your life.