This morning I'm reminded of a line, or two from a poem by Danna Faulds;
All you've ever longed for is before you in this moment,
If you dare to draw a breath and whisper - yes!
Some years ago I attended a Shaman's Journey Workshop and did one of the most scary things I've ever done... I broke this arrow on my throat! This morning I decided to come back to the blog with one of my favorite practices, however I needed a push! So, I went looking for the arrow, found it and smiled. It takes great courage, and grace to wake up and choose to live, and love life fully. Warrior spirit is a short sequence I practice on days when my mind handcuffs me, and holds me back from appreciating and living life fully in the present moment.The invitation is to open the mind and allow each breath to bring present moment awareness. Appreciate the "in" breath as energy/ prana, then phase, soften, and settle into whatever is happening within. Let the prana work its magic. Each " out" breath can be a letting go, a release of tension or holding on to past experiences. Now... find that moment of stillness at the end of the exhalation - a home coming and wait with patience for the next breath of life to be born. Nemaste
I found Acupunture to be a great support to me over the last year. Nick Power gave me a treatment after each cycle of Chemotherapy, in the comfort of my own home. He has written this post explaining the role of Acupuncture in the treatment of Cancer.
I have been using clinical acupuncture professionally since I qualified in 1989/1990.During this time I have acquired extensive experience working daily with a wide variety of health issues including cancer. In recent years I have also qualified as a psychotherapist using one the most up to date methods of counseling and psychotherapy, known as Human Givens Psychotherapy. This means I can also help people with the emotional stress associated with cancer and its treatment.
Acupuncture?
Many people do not understand the function of Acupuncture when treating illness. Because of misinformation and the perception that it is a traditional medicine over 3000 years old with no place in the modern world.
The opposite is true, the practice of acupuncture over this time means a vast body of knowledge and experience puts it at the forefront of many health issues.
More recently hundreds of randomized control trials (RCT’s) have been performed to test the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of various medical conditions (nausea,vomiting,addiction,gynecological,gastrointestinal,neurological,migraine).This research has resulted in a greater awareness of the benefits and applications of acupuncture in treatment.
What to expect from Acupuncture
Acupuncture does not cure Cancer, it supports your health while you progress through the medical treatment of cancer. The optimum condition of our health is referred to as homeostasis, this is when our mind and body is in good health and we experience a sense of physical and emotional wellbeing.
Acupuncture treatment has two main areas of benefit to offer you while you receive chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
1) Symptomatic Relief
When you receive cancer treatment you may experience a range of symptoms due to the illness or the side effects of the drugs being used. This can range from fatigue, nausea, vomiting, pain, depression, loss of appetite, eodema, diarrhea or constipation, headaches, and dizziness. Acupuncture is used to reduce these symptoms.
Not everyone will experience the same symptoms and because acupuncture can be structured to adapt to the individual symptoms as they present, it is ideally suited to compliment your chemotherapy. Acupuncture does not use drugs and as such will not interfere with the drugs being used for your treatment.
2) Systemic Benefit
What I mean here by “systemic” is the total effect on the balance of your health mind and body, in other words the homeostasis referred to above. Acupuncture is used traditionally to treat and prevent illness, this being the case it has vast experience in how to promote your complete health and well being. When you combine these benefits it makes sense to use acupuncture to support you on your journey through cancer treatment.
The Sandycove Clinic
I have run The Sandycove Clinic since I qualified; you can access the clinic details online at www.thesandycoveclinic.ie
As well as myself you can also contact my colleague Mr David Miller for the provision of acupuncture treatment and advice.
Mr. Nicholas PowerPh: 0868879449Mr. David MillerPh: 0873290529
