Acupuncture as Internal Teamwork Building
“Instead of Chinese medicine concerning itself with minutiae, it concentrates on the innate ability of our cells to work together and function cooperatively.” -Dr. Daniel Keown
In Chinese medicine disease can be defined as the result of one or more parts of our selves no longer functioning as a unified member of the whole, but rather separate or individualized. Take a rowing team, for example, and imagine all of the scullers or rowers functioning in complete harmony, except for one. No matter how in sync the other scullers are, that one sculler is rowing to their own rhythm and timing, therefore causing the entire shell or boat to drag against the movement of the majority.
In the west, we are adept at compartmentalizing, at separating the minutiae, at individualizing, and at othering in general, which has its pros and cons. Thankfully Western medicine has been able to hone in at a cellular level, for example, to see how each component of a cell functions and creates the building blocks of life. The marvels of surgery, for example, are of the greatest achievements of human kind, however, Western medicine can sometimes lose the perspective of the whole person, of the whole system, and of nature, which we are inextricably a part of. We are incredible when it comes to building houses with fences separating us from nature, nature thought to be something we go to, rather than something that is everywhere and that governs our health. We in the west are also great at replacing a knee when it ceases to function properly, or prescribing medication to help with sleep or depression, unfortunately however, we can sometimes lose sight of what other factors in our whole being may be contributing to these illnesses or can use support as preventative measures to maintain the health of that joint, of the mind, and the whole body.
In Chinese medicine, each of the body’s organs and functions is taken into consideration - not only how they function individually, but moreover, how they are interconnected to form the whole, and how an imbalance in one system therefore affects the entire system. Further, just as a field will over time naturally sprout plants that will heal the soil and it’s own ecosystem, acupuncture and Chinese medicine recognizes that being a part of nature, when we are in balance, our bodies have an innate ability to heal themselves. As Chinese medical practitioners, acupuncturists are able to ascertain where disease is coming from, and to gently remind that sculler, or rower, for example to reorient, and once again begin rowing as a part of the team. When internal harmony is achieved, nature and the body resume as a unified whole with more energy and vitality to achieve homeostasis or balance and health, which is a needed step towards healing when disease or imbalance has occurred.
