Q. What do you call an acupuncturist sitting in a room, with 18 other practitioners, with acupuncture needles in his ear?
A. Very relaxed, and I do mean very relaxed.
My needles were already in place while the rest of the practitioners were having theirs. This general milling around in no way diminished my growing sense of calm.
This is taking place on a NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) Ear Acupuncture course, hosted by the original college where I started my studies nearly 14 years ago. Do I use Ear Acupuncture already? Of course I do, but to stay on top and develop, you need to sharpen your axe and do your training.
This aspect of Acupuncture came from the work a Hong Kong Neurosurgeon, HL Wen in the 1970’s, then Dr Michael Smith at the Lincoln Recovery Centre, New York in the 1980’s and was introduced in the UK in 1990’s.
The work focuses on assisting clients with getting over addiction. The nature of the points make it great for potentially helping sleep, anxiety and relaxation.
With addiction, smoking, food, drugs, sex, exercise, whatever the addiction may be. It is not there to be a cure all but as a great support. It applications, however, have grown beyond this to other areas of health and are the subject of research into these other areas.
The work can then lead on to looking at the underlying causes that feed the addiction or to what the addiction is there to numb. Acupuncture can be a great way to continue working with the emotions and wellbeing, whilst remembering all the other types of assistance that’s out there.
The treatment is performed in a peaceful environment. Once the treatment begins, unnecessary talking is discouraged. The whole point is to sink into the treatment. Of course, there will always be background noise such as cars outside or people. This though is normal life and so you allow your mind to filter these noises out. Just like my room of people, it can become the distant background.
You do not need to have an addiction to come and experience this kind of relaxation and focus. It can be great to lie back and let the world drift away for just a while, and recharge.
Mark Shepherd practices Acupuncture in Chichester, West Sussex