So, I do actually really like being used as a pin cushion…honestly, but what I love more about acupuncture and what I find really interesting are the approaches and how they overlap with other art forms.
For those wondering what acupuncture is, ‘It is a treatment derived from ancient Chinese medicine. Fine needles are inserted at certain sites in the body for therapeutic or preventative purposes’ – NHS
There are 2 approaches to acupuncture: The Chinese medicine approach (TCM) and the Western Approach.
TCM refers to and is all about energy or Qi as it is known. Basically, it is the belief that we have different flows of energy through our body and that when one flow is broken there is a side effect, such as migraines.
The Western approach is more about reducing pain or increasing movement in an injured body part.
Coming from a martial arts and somatic dance background I really resonate with this whole concept of energy, flow and holistics. How if there is a break in the flow of energy within the body, it can have a knock-on effect to something else.
We see this all the time in the skeleton when a joint is slightly out of kilter that effects a different body part and causes pain, discomfort or hinders performance. We can see this visually and its tangible to the western world.
With energy we can’t see it and so find it more difficult to comprehend. We like to fix things we can see. You can not see energy (unless you have the gift of the 6th sense).
Through my somatic dance-work I use touch and sensation a lot and how something as simple as a feeling of touch can help to calm or heal. I feel it’s on the same vein as acupuncture. We are jabbed with needles or we jab someone with needles to find Di Qi (a funny sensation that can not always be explained) so that it sends messages to our brain to help fix our physically problem/pain.
I love using acupuncture on its own and as apart of other treatments and I am really excited to see where my acupuncture journey takes me.