The Possibility of Your Healthiest Self

I see many different types of people and medical issues come through my door, and I often wonder what it is that has some people experience such incredibly dramatic, positive results, and others not as much.

Obviously some problems inherently will respond better than others. This is true for all therapies and conditions. But even with the same condition in similar types of people, I can often see wildly varying results.

I have come to the conclusion that it has to do with the future “possibility” that the person is holding in their mind, and “living in to,” meaning they are taking the appropriate inspired actions to create.

What do I Mean by Possibility?

Let me back up for a minute. In this context, when I say “possibility,” I am using a very specific concept from Landmark Education that I will do my best to describe. It is at once a vision, a goal, a dream, and a choice to make one’s life what they wish it to be. But, it is more than wishful thinking or day dreaming, because it involves purposefully moving toward that condition or situation with specific actions that create measurable results.

It is similar to the idea of setting goals and creating an action plan to achieve them, but with the additional spark of inspiration, which infuses the goal with power and passion. A possibility that we create for ourselves may seem completely unrealistic or pie-in-the-sky to others, but it doesn’t matter, because we are truly inspired by this possible future reality that we’ve created for ourselves. So much so that any obstacles we encounter on the way become trivial in our minds, even the doubts of other people.

In fact, often our own inspiration becomes contagious and inspires others to not only cheer us on, but to consider possibilities for themselves that they may not have entertained before.

How About a Real Life Example:

I will use a bit of my own history to illustrate:

At age 23, recently out of undergrad school, my boyfriend of 4 years and I were splitting up, and I wanted to get out of my home state of Ohio. I had recently been intrigued to learn about massage therapy and natural wellness, so I picked up a Massage Magazine and thumbed through the school listings in the back.

Without realizing I had done so, I had created the possibility of moving to a completely different place, learning massage therapy and creating a whole new and great life for myself.

I was drawn to a school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, (you can’t get much more different from Ohio!), so I packed a chest full of clothes, a few of my favorite books, my cat, and my bicycle into the back of my boyfriend’s pick-up, and he dropped me off in Albuquerque on his way home to California. He stayed long enough to help me find a dumpy 150 sq ft studio apartment attached to an old house in the University’s “student ghetto.” West Mesa Albuquerque, Spring ’97

I didn’t know a single person in New Mexico, or have a car, or any furniture except for a small, thin futon on the drafty wood floor. It was winter. My cinder block apartment was not insulated, and I had to keep the heating bills low, so I slept in 2 layers of clothes under blankets, with hat, scarf and gloves. My water pipes often froze, rendering my tiny shower useless, so I had to sponge bath with water that I warmed on the rickety gas burner that served as a stove.

And most people thought I had completely lost my mind.

But none of this mattered to me. Why? Because I was living in the possibility I had created: going to massage school, meeting new friends, and creating a great life for myself. I knew these unpleasant things were not my life; they were a temporary nuisance.

I worked 3 part time jobs, all within walking distance, to make ends meet and put myself through massage school, plus I pulled extra hours in the massage school internship clinic for tuition assistance. Not a problem; none of this seemed like drudgery or burden.

The possibility that I had created for myself was so compelling and inspiring, that my attitude was one of adventure. I didn’t consciously set out to have a good attitude, it was just present as a result of the possibility that I had created for myself. And, as a result of my attitude of adventure, adventure showed up in my life! Hiking in Pecos, Summer ’99

I purchased an old used car, and when my apartment lease ran out, I took the opportunity to move into a nicer house with 2 roommates, one of whom had become a good friend and massage school classmate.

I fell in love with another classmate. Eventually, we got an apartment together, and later a house outside of town, on a small organic farm. He was an outdoor adventurer, so we hiked, camped and backpacked all over New Mexico and Arizona.

After that relationship ended, I moved into a community house with a wonderful group of massage therapists and natural healers. We did yoga every morning at 6 am, and we never locked the door to the house; all of our friends knew they were invited anytime, so like-minded supportive community was ever-present. It was here that I created a new possibility…to attend acupuncture school and become a Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

Looking back, my entire 6 years in Albuquerque was one adventure after another, far more than I ever could have imagined: befriending many diverse and amazing people, learning wonderful new information and skills, wrestling demons from my past, connecting with spirituality, falling in love, breaking a few hearts, and having my own heart broken several times, working various jobs, and changing residences (my cat and I lived in 10 different places in those 6 years). Backpacking in Gila Wilderness, Oct ’01

Other adventures in New Mexico included: spontaneous midnight road trips to the Jemez mountain hot springs; countless hiking and backpacking trips through mountains and streams discovering magical, isolated oases of nature and beauty; writing notebooks full of poetry and journal entries; living the night-life and traveling around the country with my sister-friend Laurel; taking Landmark Education classes that gave me whole new perspectives on life and the world and relating to others; and, eventually, sharing in a new possibility with another set of friends, of moving to Florida to start my acupuncture practice and settle down into a family.

To look back now, the life that I created during those years in New Mexico really shaped who I have become, and my life path ever since, all because that day back in Ohio I had created a possible future for myself, of massage school and a new life, and I didn’t let inconveniences or setbacks get to me.

How Does This Relate to Health?

The point is that I think the same is true for health. The things that I dealt with during those first years in Albuquerque could have really gotten me down and sent me slinking back to Ohio with my tail between my legs. But, because I was “playing a bigger game” by living into a future possibility that inspired me, those things seemed small; they were just situations that needed to be handled to get where I was going.

The same can apply to health. It is my experience that those people who “play a bigger game” by creating for themselves an inspiring possibility of vibrant health gladly do whatever is necessary to make their health the best it can be. These are the people who are so inspired by their vision that they willingly make the dietary changes, the lifestyle modifications, the commitment to regular acupuncture treatments, stress relief activities, exercise, etc, without feeling  deprived or burdened, and are not derailed by setbacks.

These are the people who see the most dramatic changes in their health and realize the most benefit.

Those who don’t create this vision of future possibility often muddle along, not really changing anything in their lifestyle or taking the appropriate actions, because the game they are playing is a small one, only focused on momentary pleasures, where they might feel deprived or burdened by the actions necessary for a real transformation. Because they have no inspiring vision creating the attitude that will get them the results they are looking for, they want the proverbial “magic pill” to fix everything for them.

So, How About You?  What is Your Possibility? 

I challenge you to create a possibility vision for yourself. What do you want to feel like when you wake up in the morning?  How do you want your body to feel while you are going through your day? How do you want to look?  How do you want to experience life in and through your body?

Sometimes, in order to know what we do want, we need to know what we don’t want. What are the health issues that are getting you down? Are they stopping you from feeling vibrant, joyful and free in your body? Or maybe you wish to be an inspiration to others? Your children perhaps?

Really envision your healthiest, most vibrant, energetic, joyful self, and know that it is yours, if you just keep choosing the appropriate inspired actions. What is your ideal vision of yourself and your health? Play a big game! Get so inspired by your vision of your possible future, that every day you are excited to take another step toward it.

I can’t wait to hear your stories about living into the possibility that you create for yourself. And if you need some help getting there, or figuring out the appropriate actions for the possibility of vibrant health that you’ve created for yourself, just give me a call.

Happy Adventuring Onward to Your Healthiest Self,

Dawn Potter, AP, Dipl.OM

#mentalshift #possibilities #vision #bodymindconnection #inspiration

Reflections, New Perspectives & Wishes for New Year

I just returned from an unexpected trip to New Mexico to help a good friend who has just been diagnosed with cancer. When I lived in New Mexico, over 10 years ago, this friend was a sister to me, and her parents my family. So, when the news arrived of her diagnosis, and that she could use some assistance following abdominal surgery, I wanted to be there to help in her day-to-day care, to be a moral support, and to share with her the information I have learned over the last 3 years regarding diet and lifestyle for cancer care.

Much time was spent happily preparing organic, vegan meals for her and her boyfriend, while listening to jazz on Pandora, cleaning out her kitchen cupboards of expired or unhealthy foods, preparing her Chinese herbs, driving her to various medical appointments, taking advantage of a bit of energy she had to go shopping when she felt stir crazy, catching up with each other’s life events, watching comedies together (laughter is healing!) or educating the family on the merits of a whole food, organic, vegan diet, especially for bodies fighting cancer.

But, in the quiet moments, I did a lot of reflecting.

Simply being in New Mexico, a place that is dear to my heart, provokes introspection, as does being away from my everyday life for a week. These were compounded by this time of year – winter holidays – which always trigger reflection for me. And to further deepen this contemplation, of course, was my friend’s diagnosis.

I thought about her, our friendship, what she meant to me over the years that our lives were intertwined, and the years that have passed since then; the ways in which she helped me to grow and develop as a person; my ever expanding appreciation of the incredible person that she is; and the profoundly difficult journey she is now required to make.

I also found myself contemplating what it means to have a cancer diagnosis. How it instantly asks you to scrutinize your priorities; life looks wholly different when you must make your healing your number one daily priority. And when, at age 35, you realize all of your plans now must be put on hold, and may never be the same.

She is doing an amazing job of staying optimistic and positive, for which she has every reason, since her type of cancer usually responds very well to treatment. While I cannot speak for what my friend is finding during her own introspective moments,  I can say that some questions are standing out for me:

What if I were diagnosed with cancer tomorrow? What would I change about my present life? And why? And, perhaps more importantly, why would I need to have cancer to re-evaluate my priorities and make changes? I think these are worthwhile questions for all of us to consider.

As a rule, my friend has always been a great teacher for me, simply by her own example. My pondering of these question found her life to be, yet again, a great teacher:

Friendships.  

I was struck by the number of visitors that my friend had during the week. She has cultivated so many beautiful friendships with people who brought meals, groceries, gift cards, flowers, hugs, smiles, laughs, babies, moral support and love. I was floored, pleased, and a bit envious of the community she has built around her. This was in stark contrast to my life: though I know many people, I only have a few close friends, and those I rarely see. My life is very busy, I work a lot, and I’m an introvert, which means I need alone time to recharge. So I don’t find much time for socializing, making new friendships, or deepening existing ones. If I had cancer, would this change?

Being in Nature. 

One reason for my love of New Mexico is the mountains and the desert. It is difficult to explain, but this landscape feeds my spirit in a way that no place else yet has. When I lived there, I could go to the mountains whenever I needed to reconnect – with my own center, with universal love, with God – to gain a higher perspective on my life. The mountains and their view over the valley “fill my cup” so to speak.

I’ve not yet found a place in Florida that does this for me as powerfully. But, I have now resolved to try. It must become a priority to find the natural places near home that feed my spirit. It is when my cup is full that I am the happiest, at my best, and the most effective in my contribution to others.

Having Fun. 

Again, my friend is a teacher for me. She and her boyfriend partake in many activities they find enjoyable, completely outside of their jobs: taking and teaching dance classes, renovating their house, running a booth at a consignment store of mid-century furniture and décor (and shopping for items with which to stock it), looking at houses for sale, traveling around the world, making and selling beaded jewelry, hosting parties and entertaining at their home. These things bring them obvious pleasure.

While I will probably never take on as many different activities as they have, I certainly feel an obvious lack of enjoyable activities in my life, for too much time and energy spent working. It isn’t that I don’t enjoy my work, I do. But one needs to create balance in life. It is time to reconnect with “play” and find those activities that bring me joy.

Focus on Health. 

Like most healthcare providers, I am not as good about taking care of my own health as I should be. While I eat a healthy diet, get regular acupuncture and massage, and take herbs, which keeps me feeling good, there are things that could be improved: I often eat sugar when I am stressed, I don’t always get enough sleep or drink enough water or exercise enough, and sometimes I rely too heavily on caffeine.

During my stay in New Mexico, my friend treated me to a massage from a deep-tissue therapist with whom she works. It was amazing and very intense. I knew I needed the deep work, so I let myself breathe, laugh, grimace, resist, release and sob through it. I felt completely emptied out afterward, like a wet washcloth that had been wrung dry.

The therapist encouraged me to continue to get deep tissue work, reminding me of the importance of releasing emotions that get trapped in body tissues (“cellular memories”). I was already familiar with this concept: it is not uncommon for patients to shed some tears or experience emotion during or after their acupuncture treatment.

But this reminder had me wonder about my friend and her cancer. Was there an emotional component to the development of her cancer? There exists research that says many cancers are diagnosed or develop shortly after an emotionally traumatic event in the person’s life. It is an important possibility to explore, and it underscores the need for routinely releasing emotions in a healthy way as another aspect of health care.

Being Present. 

A short time ago, I read a quote on Facebook that says something to the effect of:  if you are depressed, you are living in the past; if you are anxious, you are living in the future; it is only in the present moment that you can experience true peace, contentment and joy. Since reading that, I’ve been “trying on” this bit of simple insight in my life.

Every time I feel melancholy or blue, I examine my thoughts, and they are, in fact, dwelling on times or events that have passed and in some way wishing for their return, in order to experience them again, or change something that happened. And when I feel nervous my thoughts are on something that hasn’t happened yet – something I must do, haven’t completed, or am fearful might happen. And, usually, when the actual event does occur (if it does), it was not worth all the worry and anxiety that I created around it.

But, when I get present – become aware of my surroundings, see what is around, listen to sounds around me, sniff for any aromas, feel the temperature of the air, notice the position of my body, and how it is feeling right now – it has an immediate calming effect.

I am beginning to realize that this moment is no less magical than any of those times in the past for which I am longing. And, it is in being present that I am able to enjoy myself. I notice that I have the most fun when I am completely present, and not giving in to the “hamster wheel” that my mind can spin ad nauseum. It certainly takes practice, but it seems that being in the present moment is giving myself permission to be happy.

Gratitude. 

As an extension of the previous point, I find that being present is the only place from which to notice all the wonderful people, situations and things in my life, that I could be grateful for. I think that gratitude is a powerful agent of healing on many levels and is important to make into a daily practice.

Love. 

Lastly, I notice that when a crisis is going on, like serious illness, that I appreciate people more. I become less self-conscious about telling my friends and family that I love them. When something makes me stop long enough to remember that we all have a finite amount of time here together, it becomes more important to let others know they are loved and appreciated. Why wait until something major is happening?

So, once again, I thank my friend for being a great teacher. Life is a canvas of many colors, textures, shadows, lights, connections, and puzzle pieces, and she always seems to help me gain a new perspective on it. She is an amazing person; I am very grateful for her, I love her deeply, and I wish for her a speedy recovery and profound healing.

May your 2013 be full of friends, fun, experiences that “fill your cup,”  good health, happiness, gratitude and love.

Dawn Potter, AP, Dipl.OM

#health #friendship #priorities #perspective #cancer #love #gratitude #bodymindconnection #beingpresent

Perceptions of Acupuncture: How to get the most from Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

As I see more patients I notice an interesting set of perceptions & attitudes around acupuncture. Even after reading basic information on acupuncture, for most people there still isn’t a clear understanding of what acupuncture is, what it isn’t and how it works. So, many come to acupuncture with some erroneous ideas.

Unfortunately, these ideas often hinder their ability to take full advantage of what acupuncture and Oriental medicine has to offer. My intention in this article is to help people adopt an attitude toward this medicine that serves them best.

The “Fix Me” Perception:

The first common attitude is the “fix me” attitude, where a patient presents with an ailment they would like fixed. As though they were a 1982 Honda Accord, and I was their mechanic.  This attitude assumes that once the problem is “fixed,” acupuncture is no longer beneficial. This attitude is to be expected; after all, in this culture, this is how we were taught that bodies and medicine work.

In some instances, such as acute injury, this approach is appropriate. You sprained your ankle and want me to help alleviate the pain and speed the healing time…sure, no problem.

You are not a machine:

The problem with the “fix me” attitude is in regard to long-term illness or pain. First of all, the paradigm under which Oriental medicine operates fundamentally says that you are not a 1982 Honda Accord; you are not a machine at all. You are a living complex of dynamic interrelated systems, energies, nutrients, functions, thoughts, ideas, attitudes, feelings, fears, experiences, desires and behaviors that ALL have an impact on EVERY part of you. Your body, mind and spirit are inseparable; you cannot affect one without affecting the others.

So, what you do in your life, how you feed and care for yourself, who you surround yourself with, and the beliefs that you hold about yourself, your body, your illness and the world around you all have as much of an impact on your long-term health as I can have with my acupuncture needles, massage and herbs.

No, I cannot “fix” you; but you can heal, if given the right circumstances.  This is where I come in…I can facilitate a shift into a state that is more balanced and conducive to health and healing. The body wants to heal, but it is blocked from doing so, for any number of myriad reasons. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine helps remove those blockages to your own natural ability to heal.

You are responsible for your health, too!

The second problem with the “fix me” attitude is that it takes away your responsibility to take good care of yourself. For example, I cannot help heal your irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn’s disease if you continue to eat foods that are inappropriate for your condition. The quality of your nutrition is just as much a part of your healing as my acupuncture and herbs. I can guide you to the healthiest foods and practices for your specific condition, but the responsibility for your daily nutrition rests solely on your shoulders.

The last problem with the “fix me” approach is that the ailments that people come to me with are usually symptoms of a larger pattern of disharmony. Often, symptoms will clear up quicker than their underlying cause will. Just because your chronic headaches are gone doesn’t mean that the reason you had the headaches to begin with is completely healed. In the words of Dr. Richard Tan, “It can be easy to chop down the tree, but digging up the roots and clearing the debris requires much more time and work.”

If you stop acupuncture care before the underlying causes of the issues are addressed, the headaches could return, or some other symptom take its place. This is why I always recommend tapering down your treatment frequency until you get to a maintenance level. Maintenance level, for most people, is once every 4 to 6 weeks.

The “Magic Needle” (aka “magic bullet”) Perception:

The second perception I observe is the “magic needle” attitude. Again, because there isn’t a clear understanding of acupuncture, all that is known is some story heard about a distant acquaintance who was cured from years of debilitating back pain after one acupuncture treatment.

People also hear the media, several popular celebrities and high profile MD’s touting the benefits of acupuncture. When you add in its foreign nature and seemingly mystical ideas about body energies, people have a tendency to place a subconscious aire of “magic” around acupuncture. And, in the human mind, once acupuncture is associated with “magic” it becomes associated with “miracles” and having to “believe in” acupuncture, and from there, for some people, it is only a short leap to “acupuncture is a religious practice.”

There are people who refuse to even consider getting acupuncture because of these “magical” associations that were never meant to be there.  And, many of those who do come for treatment have minds full of these notions. They are skeptical, but desperate. They are willing to try it, but have extremely unrealistic expectations, flip-flopping back and forth between “this will never work” and “I’m so excited for my miracle.”

But what about those who do get instant results?

On occasion, acupuncture does seem like magic: sometimes one acupuncture treatment will relieve 5 years of back pain permanently. On occasion a single visit to my office will result in a complete reversal of a year of knee pain. But, this is not the norm, and almost always these types of results are only achieved with patients who are extremely healthy otherwise, and have a very healthy lifestyle, where they have already eliminated any causative or aggravating factors, and just need one or two acupuncture treatments to “seal the deal.” Or on occasion, I will pinpoint a specific behavior, food, supplement or medication that is directly causing the symptom; the patient eliminates that cause, and “poof” like magic, the symptom disappears.

Acupuncture is not Magic:

But, let’s put this to rest right now: Acupuncture & Oriental medicine are not magic, miracles or religious practices. Energy is scientific. Quantum physics tell us that everything is actually pure energy, even solid matter. Everything has an energy field; and all energy fields are influenced by other energies.

Studies show that plants grow better when their owners talk to them. And micro-photography shows that patterns of water molecules rearrange themselves, depending on the energy that is around them: the energy of a baby laughing creates a different pattern than that of heavy metal music. Of course it does…you can feel that difference in your own body, can’t you? You are energy. (By the way, you are also 70% water.)

In the same way, acupuncture points are actually shown, with scientific equipment, to have more electromagnetic conductivity (energy) than other points on the skin. It isn’t magic. It is science. It is just not a science that we are familiar with and taught as a culture.

The fact that the ancient Chinese understood all of this illustrates how extraordinarily perceptive they really were.

Acupuncture takes time to work:

But, in general, people don’t know any of this, so they think acupuncture should work like magic. Many people get disappointed when they find out that acupuncture takes time to help correct the body’s energy imbalances and enhance the body’s own healing abilities. They get frustrated when the herbal medicine doesn’t mask and suppress their symptoms like pharmaceuticals do. And they don’t want to hear that they are likely going to have to change some things about their lifestyle. So, at that point, a number of people assume that since it doesn’t work like magic, acupuncture doesn’t work at all, and they stop treatment before they realize any benefits. They’ve missed out on what acupuncture and Oriental medicine can offer them.

The “Lifestyle” Perception:

The approach that allows people the most benefit from this medicine is what I call the “lifestyle” attitude.

Lifestyle is the whole kit-and-kaboodle. What people feed themselves, what they drink, what they breathe, how they care for themselves, when they rest, how they handle stress, how they think about themselves and their bodies, how they move their bodies, what kind of people they surround themselves with; all of these factors play a role in the state of health and wellbeing.

The ancient Chinese knew this: Oriental medicine actually has 8 branches, of which acupuncture and herbal medicine are only two. The other 6 are:

1. nutrition (your diet is the foundation of good health!) 2. massage & bodywork (traditionally this also included adjustments similar to chiropractic.) 3. exercise (something that you enjoy; healthy bodies crave movement.) 4. feng shui (this is how you arrange your environment; is your home and workplace a joyful and comfortable place for you? Is it uncluttered, non-toxic and contain things that make you smile?) 5. spirituality (finding your place in the universe; do you have a positive spirituality and/or purpose in your life that brings you peace?) 6. location (does the geographic location that you live in suit you well? Are you hot all the time, but live in Florida anyway? Does wind give you headaches, but you live in Chicago?)

Most Doctors of Oriental Medicine don’t provide services dealing with the last 3 branches listed, but, you can see how comprehensive Oriental medicine actually is, and how vast the concept of health can be.

Oriental medicine is a Lifestyle medicine:

Oriental medicine is meant to help guide you toward healthier choices for your life, and to help you back into balance and health when things go awry. And, once that condition is resolved, acupuncture is a great preventive therapy to stave off recurrence or other types of illnesses. In this way, Oriental medicine is meant to become part of your new, healthy lifestyle. If you aren’t actively experiencing symptoms, maintenance treatments of once every 4 to 6 weeks are invaluable to help you stay well. (And, they are a great way to relieve stress.)

The people that get the most from this medicine are those that use it for everything, for their whole lives. They get maintenance treatments to stay well, and if they do start to catch a cold or flu, they call for some herbs and a treatment. Are you getting a bladder infection? Some arthritis pain in your ankle? Stressed for a big exam? Insomnia after a divorce? Does your child have a fever or cough? Call for a treatment and some herbs. We treat it all, and acupuncture can work amazingly fast and well when it catches the early stages of an illness or symptoms.

Oriental medicine is an incredible gift that you have available to you that is very safe, very effective, views you wholistically and provides multitudes of benefits. I encourage you to take full advantage of it.

Dawn Potter, AP, Dipl.OM

#mentalshift #acupuncture #bodymindconnection #understandingacupunture #orientalmedicine