Unpacking: A Pathway to Healing

In energy work, there’s a theory that every individual is a unique ‘face’ of the Whole. It’s a lot like being a piece of the hologram, or living the Blanket Truth (for those of you who love movies as much as I do). It’s not an uncommon theory; you can find parallels in fields ranging from physics to Buddhism. From this perspective, you’re considered already fundamentally healed, as you are considered fundamentally whole. But healing, in the moment, might look like the uncovering of this truth, the knowing of this truth. For a lot of people, this begs the question, “If we’re whole and already perfect, why wouldn’t we know we are whole and already perfect? Isn’t that an oxymoron?”

Yes, and no. How do we know anything in this life? If you took away your senses – if you couldn’t touch, see, hear, taste, or smell – what would you know about the world and its ways, its inhabitants? Not much at all! I might dare say all our thoughts are built from what we have experienced; they are the composite reaction/response to our conditioning. We think about what we like, dislike, want to do, want to avoid, choose to define and to communicate. But if we had no sense of an other, or of our receiving or of an other’s receiving, all these thoughts would be void. Pretty intense and awesome stuff!

We need a certain degree of objectivity – both for ourselves and as a gift for others to allow each to know the world and one’s self through our reactions and responses to this world experience. (I really like how Walsch describes this process.) The only way we can arrive at this very crucial step in the process is to (partially) split from the whole. Hence, we become as individuals a piece of the hologram, a finger under the blanket, a born seeming-separate self. So, yes – it does seem an oxymoron to be perfect and to not readily know it; but it makes sense if you had to step out of being to step into reflexive seeing, that it would take some mind-wrapping-around-the-weirdness to realize, “Oh, yes! I am unique, and I am the same as everything else I see, I know, I hear, I taste, I feel, I smell.” This is the healing – it’s the perhaps slow at times but methodical learning that we can be and are both.

I call this, “unpacking.” We have the opportunity in this life to unpack all the false beliefs we adopted over time about who we ‘really’ are, based on what we’ve experienced. And it’s not just (a) assumptions and interpretations that comprise ‘who we are’ based on how we’ve performed and been with ourselves and others (i.e. “No one praised my…; so, clearly, I am not good enough to deserve…), but (b) a slow fixing of who we are in what we believe we’re capable of, based on where we’ve been and what we’ve done (i.e. “Over and over again I am not praised for my…; I’ll never deserve…”). It’s a subtle difference – but I’m talking about (a) knowing you deserve the very best in life, and (b) being willing to accept something ever greater than you had ever imagined for yourself.

How to unpack, then? With help, with greater objectivity. With patience. With kindness. With diligent mindfulness. It’s for this reason, I often think about the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and I think, “Yea, it also takes a village to unpack that grown child’s baggage.” (Ha!!!) Seriously, though, it does! That’s what I love about holistic health – there are so many different angles from which we can approach the body-mind-spirit. Even within bodywork alone, there are seriously countless varied modalities. The more we can learn about what help is available, and how best to support ourselves, the more we’re able to bring that greater objectivity to our life, and to invite even greater possibility into our vision of how we see our life able to unfold. This is the juice! This is the good stuff!

Not sure where to begin learning about holistic health care practices? Come join us tomorrow, 04/20/13, at Ballard’s Umqua Bank for a Holistic Health Fair from 11a-2p, featuring educational pieces, discounts and demos from local Ballard practitioners:

• Reiki Master/Teacher Melissa Dana, EAMP (yours truly!)
• Naturopathic Doctor Debbie Whittington, ND
• Chiropractor Derek Strachan, DC
• Massage Therapist Jacob Caldwell, LMT
• Nutritionist Marley Braun, RD
• Acupuncturist Linda Phelps, LAc

I look forward to exchanging ideas with you and to answering any of your questions you might have about how Reiki energy work might support you in your process of unpacking, and in knowing your true Self!

The Leaning Tower of Your Body

As early as age 14 I was diagnosed with a ligament tear in my knee, and soft cartilage in both knees. Fast forward a few decades and the musculoskeletal issues continued–with ankle sprains, cervical subluxation, kneecap subluxation, and so on. Over the years I saw everyone from orthopedists and physiatrists, to acupuncturists/herbalists, massage therapists, energy workers, chiropractors, a postural therapist, and a podiatrist. So you can imagine my *genuine* surprise when I recently learned about something called Morton’s Syndrome (also known as Morton’s Foot), and realized I had never heard of it.

Let’s take a look:

You’ll see I’ve drawn a line on these sample x-rays to point to the lengths of what are called the first and second metatarsals (the long bones shown here in the middle of the foot). Morton’s Foot is when the second metatarsal is longer than the first (yes, it’s slightly more complicated than that, but this is the gist.) So, if you take a peep at the image to the left, you’ll see that second bone noticeably pops up over the line; whereas on the right image here, it doesn’t so much. Commonly, but not necessarily, an individual with Morton’s Foot will have a longer second toe than their big toe (as seen in the top image of this post).

Luckily for us, you don’t need an x-ray to see the heads of these long bones! To check your own feet, simply curl your toes downward; for most people this will be enough to allow the heads of the metatarsals to be seen clearly. If you need an extra push, just push from the underside of your feet (just under the second toe) while your toes are curled downward. Which one is longer, your first or your second?

At first, this may not seem like such big news. After all, you can’t even find proper stats on this phenomenon– sources will vary in saying anywhere from 10% to 20% to 25% of the general population share this structural anomaly. But, remember the story of the Princess and the Pea? The body can’t rest until everything is juuuuuuust right. Ideally, and I suppose technically “normally,” our weight is evenly distributed between the heads of the first and fifth metatarsals (this is the end of the bone by the line), and the heel. This creates a ‘tripod’ effect in the foot. But for us Morton’s Foot folks, our second metatarsal bone comes down first, because of its length. (Pea!!) The body then does some circus tricks and comes up with a brand new idea – a twist here, a turn here and voila! The body can put the weight back where it’s supposed to be, on the first and fifth metatarsals. So, picture an ankle that folds down and in (i.e. pronates), and a foot that points out like a duck– a position that forces the big toe’s long bone to come down first. I picture the body like Jenga here, that as we futz with the base, twisting our supports, everything above starts to lose it… slowly, but surely!

From the toes up, you can see the repercussions of our body’s circus act in twisted ankles, knees, hips, back and neck. Morton’s Foot could be the culprit in even fibromyalgia and chronic headaches. The truth is, strong power can come in small packages– and Chinese medicine is totally awesome at treating pain with its tiny needles and many herbs; and in this case, tiny pads that go in your shoes are equally recommended! The cheapest option can be to place pads under the balls of your big toe, affixed to an flat insole in the shoe (and slippers); this rightly makes the first metatarsal the first place of impact. Right now, I’ve just got those round felt pads that go under furniture legs in my shoes to see how it goes. So far – I really notice a difference in my gait and resting posture. (I’m quite excited, actually!!) My next step is to try out these fancy insoles that even accomodate for low and high arches.

How about you? Did you know about this already? (What did you do about it? Did it work?)

Bone-Tired

Adrenal fatigue. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve had people come in over the last few months complaining of adrenal fatigue. And yet, according to Mayo Clinic, a not-for-profit medical education and research organization, the condition isn’t even an “accepted” medical diagnosis. I am sure my Naturopath colleagues would have something radically different to say on the subject; but as for us Chinese medicine practitioners, we certainly understand what it means to feel bone-tired.

For everything that we do there is a give-and-take. There’s no exception here! You can’t cheat needing to give and you can’t cheat needing to get. It is just as healthy and universal a need to receive support as it is for us to contribute, and be recognized for our unique contribution. But how often do we find ourselves trying not to be ‘needy’? Trying to show we can do more with less? Trying to show we are more capable than the next guy because we can cut more corners? Our society demands almost nothing less.

We’ve started to notice a trend in our children – an inability to stay present and focused with a single task at a time. The National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) found that in just 4 years parent-reported cases [of ever having] Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children ages 3-17 increased by almost 22%. (Yowza!) Increased awareness of the issue has brought learning aid to millions of children. But what about adults?

On the job, adults are managing more information than ever. The landline rings, a colleague stops in to get an answer, the smartphone buzzes you have a new text, the computer pops up a reminder that you have a meeting; you need to get on Skype in 10 minutes to have a meeting with Japan. And forget business owners – who on top of doing their job have to then talk about doing their job on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, etc. One thing leads to another, and Bam!  About 75% of the US adult population find themselves working over 40 hours/week (2006). And guess what else? We also start to see Attention Deficit Trait in adults. More and more people are feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.

In Chinese medicine, we talk about two sources of energy in the body – one is like the gas we add to a vehicle, the other like the vehicle’s battery. Our fuel is our sleep, our food, our friendships, our alone time. Our battery is our deepest resource – our fuel to be alive.  Feeling bone-tired is deeper than having too much to do. It’s about not knowing when to rest (i.e. not enough fuel); and when we don’t rest we can start to lose touch with our drive for life– a sign that we’ve fully depleted our fuel and are actually starting to drain our body’s most precious battery.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are great tools to help your body get back on track; and knowing when to ask for help is integral to the healing process. So is listening to your body’s queues: Does your stomach feel tight? Have you been experiencing more headaches? Has your heart been racing? Is it difficult for you to fall asleep? Remember, sometimes actually doing less will help you accomplish more.

Interested to read more? I love this article on how long you’ll truly be productive at work (note to self: that’s only 6 hours/day for thinkers). In fact, they’ve shown folks who consistently sleep less than 6 hours/night have shown cognitive impairment equivalent to not having slept at all for two nights.

Go team!!

Adrenal Fatigue: Feeling Bone-Tired

Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal fatigue. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve had people come in over the last few months complaining of adrenal fatigue. And yet, according to Mayo Clinic, a not-for-profit medical education and research organization, the condition isn’t even an “accepted” medical diagnosis. I am sure my Naturopath colleagues would have something radically different to say on the subject; but as for us Chinese medicine practitioners, we certainly understand what it means to feel bone-tired.

Learning Balance

For everything that we do there is a give-and-take. There’s no exception here! You can’t cheat needing to give and you can’t cheat needing to get. It is just as healthy and universal a need to receive support as it is for us to contribute, and be recognized for our unique contribution. But how often do we find ourselves trying not to be ‘needy’? Trying to show we can do more with less? Trying to show we are more capable than the next guy because we can cut more corners? Our society demands almost nothing less.

Information Overload

We’ve started to notice a trend in our children – an inability to stay present and focused with a single task at a time. The National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) found that in just 4 years parent-reported cases [of ever having] Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children ages 3-17 increased by almost 22%. (Yowza!) Increased awareness of the issue has brought learning aid to millions of children. But what about adults?

On the job, adults are managing more information than ever. The landline rings, a colleague stops in to get an answer, the smartphone buzzes you have a new text, the computer pops up a reminder that you have a meeting; you need to get on Skype in 10 minutes to have a meeting with Japan. And forget business owners – who on top of doing their job have to then talk about doing their job on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, etc. One thing leads to another, and Bam!  About 75% of the US adult population find themselves working over 40 hours/week (2006). And guess what else? We also start to see Attention Deficit Trait in adults. More and more people are feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.

Draining the body’s battery

In Chinese medicine, we talk about two sources of energy in the body – one is like the gas we add to a vehicle, the other like the vehicle’s battery. Our fuel is our sleep, our food, our friendships, our alone time. Our battery is our deepest resource – our fuel to be alive.  Feeling bone-tired is deeper than having too much to do. It’s about not knowing when to rest (i.e. not enough fuel); and when we don’t rest we can start to lose touch with our drive for life– a sign that we’ve fully depleted our fuel and are actually starting to drain our body’s most precious battery.

Managing fatigue

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are great tools to help your body get back on track; and knowing when to ask for help is integral to the healing process. So is listening to your body’s queues: Does your stomach feel tight? Have you been experiencing more headaches? Has your heart been racing? Is it difficult for you to fall asleep? Remember, sometimes actually doing less will help you accomplish more.

Interested to read more? I love this article on how long you’ll truly be productive at work (note to self: that’s only 6 hours/day for thinkers). In fact, they’ve shown folks who consistently sleep less than 6 hours/night have shown cognitive impairment equivalent to not having slept at all for two nights.

Go team!!

Just Who Do You Think You Are?

In all our experience, there is what we see and what we don’t see; what we know, and what we don’t know. And how often do we let what we know be directly informed by what we see? Even in language what is actually said is worth less in communication than looks and tone. Most everyone has probably had opportunity to feel sarcasm and judgment in simple language. (I absolutely love a bit by Eddie Izzard talking about just this – the 70% is how you look, 20% how you sound and 10% what you say.)

So, with the body – there is what we see, which we call a human; but if you looked at what comprised that “human,” you would see we harbor 100 trillion microbes and that, in fact, 9 out of 10 “human” cells don’t even contain the human genome. In the gut alone there are 5600 known unique strains of bacteria just hanging out and loving life. Well, until you flush them down the drain, of course…

Antibiotics can do a serious number on our good bacteria – washing it out with the bad. We often see symptoms of diarrhea and electrolyte imbalance here. I get a lot of questions about how to replenish what gets lost and whether yogurt is a good idea. I am immediately reminded of when I had strep as a kid. It was so painful, and I felt like I could hardly eat anything. At the time, I don’t think anyone in my family had even heard of probiotics, but we definitely knew about yogurt. And I’ll say – sure, it felt great to have something easy to swallow and cool to the throat – but boy, not 2 minutes later came the awful feeling that I wasn’t sure I was able to breathe… oh, mucus! Truth is, yogurt is pretty low in probiotics, and while it may not actual increase mucus in the body, it may increase the viscosity of mucus. And anyone who’s felt the heavy hand of mucus on their breathing can tell you – increasing its thickness is not ideal!

Probiotics, on the other hand, offer the best of both worlds – ranging in number from 1 billion to over 100 billion cells per serving; and quite a few companies are now sourcing dairy-free options. While someone on antibiotics might take somewhere around 24 billion or more cells per day, folks with skin disorders, stress imbalance and low immune health may also benefit from taking these little critters.

In 2011 they did a study on Lactobacillus rhamnosus in mice and found that the strain was able to actually reduce stress-induced corticosterone and subsequently modulate behaviours associated with anxiety and depression. In fact, 95% of the body’s serotonin is in the gut. Want to feel groovy? Think bowels! Want your kids to stay in school? Think bowels!

In 2009 they showed kids who supplemented with probiotics for 6 months had fewer sick days and missed less days due to illness than their peers. And kids have the upper hand in disease prevention – if you want to prevent eczema or allergy, you know it… consider probiotics!

So if we are in part what we “aren’t,” consider where our lives might overlap with the lives of others. What do we share in common? How can we treat the lives of others–humans, animals, or other–with the same “humanity” each deserves? Be kind, and always consider that in any situation, there may be more there than meets the eye!

Does the Mood Strike You?

There can be such clarity in simple expressions. Mood: often we feel overwhelmed by how we are feeling, or how we want to be feeling, that we forget our moods simply come and go. How we feel in a moment is not who we are at heart. Nonetheless, our feelings give us great insight to our needs–and that is something well worth addressing!

Physically, our body is a well-oiled machine of incredible capacity. Caring for it must include an awareness of how we nourish it, what we demand of it, how we treat it, and how we think about it. “What the Bleep Do We Know” is a super cool movie that illustrates this point, that our thoughts can directly affect the function of our bodies. Dr. Masaru Emoto in Japan proved that using words to deliver intention to water can even physically affect the shape of its crystals. So what does that mean for us in how we talk to ourselves, think to ourselves about how we are and how we would like to be?

While moods may wash over us seemingly out of nowhere, there are a few fantastic methods to help get to the bottom of what’s going on. I love the Non-Violent Communication model set up by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg. It’s simple enough in its approach–it has four basic parts: (1) Everyone has the same, universal needs. (2) Our feelings indicate whether our needs are or are not being met. (3) We each choose strategies to ensure our needs get met. (4) Everyone can get their respective needs met by choosing cooperative strategies. For those who battle with anger, depression, and anxiety, this can be a very powerful tool. Just to be aware that it’s not being “needy” to have needs can be extremely liberating! It’s also empowering to start recognizing that in each action, we are always striving for the same thing — to get our needs met. So, when we don’t like the outcome our of choices, we can have clarity that it’s not our needs that are the problem, but our strategies. This can create space for the important shift out of pessimism (something internal, i.e. “What’s wrong with me?”) to optimism (something external, i.e. “This didn’t go well for me.”). The more and more we create a separation between what we experience and who we are, the easier it is to respond creatively to our situation, and remain open-hearted.

“The Pathway” is another fantastic resource I recommend to patients. In this book, author Laurel Mellin, MA, RD describes the method of doing what are called “cycles” as a method to move through the mood. The cycle roughly breaks down into asking one’s self: (1) How am I feeling? (2) Are my expectations reasonable? (3) Are my thoughts powerful and positive?  (4) What is the essential pain/earned reward? (5) What do I need? Do I need support? You’d be amazed what can get uncovered in a cycle with simply applying attention! I think about our brains like massive storage houses — with endless drawers for our experiences. We carefully and carelessly place and toss our happiness, our frustration, our being seen, our being forgotten, our hopes and our desperation. Each drawer deepens and widens with each year of our lives. Then we get a new experience — Uh! Goes in the drawer! But guess what? Each time we open it we’re reminded of all the junk and all the joy we’ve known before! That is, of course, unless we regularly empty the drawers…. All the more reason to parse out our feelings and needs daily!

Chemistry is no small part of it, too. Studies have shown vitamin and mineral levels do make a difference. Key players include chromium, phosphorus, zinc and an array of B vitamins among others. B vitamins in particular can be crucial in treating mood disorders; and supplementing with a methylated folic acid (i.e. B9) and B12 can make a significant difference to those inefficient at activating these vitamins. I mention this just as an example to remind everyone that we’re talking about the mind-body-spirit connection. Treating the body, we affect the mind. Working with the mind, we affect the body. The best healing works on all levels.

I personally love Reiki’s ability to listen deeply to the spirit while working with the body-mind. It’s a great avenue for cultivating awareness of what beliefs we hold, what fears we have, what holds us back from being our full, true selves. Honoring the sacred voice in each of us, Reiki can light the path when things have grown dim. I treasure the softness, kindness, and wisdom that come straight from the heart of each person I meet. When things grow dim, come on in!