Mothers are strange Beings, they are.  I say this lovingly, being a mother myself.  So in honor of Mothers’ Day, I dedicate this post to mothers everywhere, especially to mine, and anticipatorily to my daughter when she herself becomes a mother (insha’Allah, God willing). In order to understand mothers, you have to either be a mother, or get inside the mind of a mother to understand how they operate.  So this is my experience with the MIND of a mother, and things we say as mothers.

“MIND your manners”
This simple statement serves as a reminder to remember how you were raised and the values your mother tried to instill in you from childhood.  This includes being respectful to everyone that crosses your path, for example saying ‘good morning’ to anyone that you meet regardless of their age, socioeconomic status or stature in life; responding with “yes Sir” or “no Ma’am to those who are older than you; being polite; and saying ‘please’ & ‘thank you’.  It’s just common courtesy, what decent folks do.  Failure to observe this principle would result in a roll of the eyes and a shake of the head in disbelief and disapproval, while murmuring loud enough for you to hear: “Tsk, tsk, tsk.  No home training; no brought-upsy!”  Ouch!  Those words hurt more than the whip, because you knew it meant you had disappointed your mother, almost implying (far be it from the truth) that the household had failed to raise you right and you were probably raised by ‘hooligans’.

“My MIND told me not to go to the party”
This really is about precautionary intuition and trusting your gut instincts.  Mothers just seem to know who the ‘wrong crowd’ is, when trouble is afoot or something smells fishy.  I can tell you from my own experiences with the subtle warnings I’ve been given by my mother, that I have now learned to listen to her and to heed her advice, no matter how unwarranted they may seem at the time.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve avoided trouble, accidents, or being in the wrong place at the wrong time, just because my mum had a feeling about something.  Her intuitive mind also keeps her in tune with and connected to those to whom she holds dear:  “My MIND just ran across your cousin in Boise, Idaho” (only to be followed by a phone call from said cousin a day later).  I do wish my mother’s intuitive mind would give her the winning numbers to our lottery drawing….. Alas, apparently we have to work in this lifetime, she says.

“MIND your own business” (aka ‘MYOB’).
This doesn’t concern you.  Stay in your lane. What should be on your mind - that you’re giving attention to - should be your own issues and concerns. This is grown folks’ business.  All self-explanatory.  May or may not be accompanied by “Have you lost your MIND?!!!”  The first is actually a directive; the 2nd is a statement of sheer disbelief, not a question.  Either way, you don’t want to hear either of these too many times from a mother as it may result in some form of punishment :-)  Now because you’re not the only one with issues of the mind, you may also find her shaking her head in bewilderment, muttering under her breath: “I’m not sure where my MIND was, but I did or didn’t do x, y or z…......”  I get such a tickle out of this when my mother does this, because I get to gloat & screech with delight: “Aha! I knew you lost YOUR mind!” (ba ha ha ha! :-) Payback is sweet although short-lived).

“Never MIND, my dear”
When life seems hard or overwhelming and you just want to run away from the hurt, “Never mind my dear” becomes the most comforting sentiment you’ll hear from a mother. Most often it is followed by the rest of the sentence: “God never gives you more than you can bear”.  It means she understands and cares, and with her words she would wish away all your pain if she could.  It is simultaneously a  supportive attempt to remind you not to worry too much or carry a burden on your mind, as well as a prayer to a Power greater than us for strength, and the “peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

“You can do it if you put your MIND to it”
A mother believes in you and encourages you.  ‘Nose to the grindstone’, she reminds you. She knows how capable you are because she herself has survived the unthinkable or the impossible. She wants more for you than she had for herself.  That strength and perseverance is in your ancestral DNA, and is there for you to remember, to return to, and to call on.  With consistent and laser-like focus on the end result, you can achieve your ‘possible’.  Failure is not an option in her vocabulary.  She lives - not vicariously through you - but for you to live up to your fullest potential and for you to believe yourself to be the success that she knows you are.

I am mindful today of what it truly means to be a mother. Thank you, Mother, for believing in me, for supporting me, for pushing me, for protecting me, for nurturing me, for advising me, for being patient with me, for loving me.  All that I am I owe to you. “I remember my mother’s prayers for they have always followed me.  They have clung to me all my life” (Abraham Lincoln).
Audrey Steele, L.Ac.
Acupuncture Physician

I've been involved in Ritual work for almost as many years as I've walked this Earth (not including past lives). #Ritual #NewYear.  I was raised in Ritual... the Rituals of my people; those of the Church.... the Ones I was assigned to, and those of my conscious choosing. New Year's Eve & Day were all about rituals - rituals of release & letting go, and rituals of intention setting & manifestation. Many a New Year's Day would find me bemoaning all the hard lessons of the previous year, cutting energetic cords of attachment, clearing all the old, calling in the Powers-that-Be, trying to convince Them that I had learnt my lessons well, and that I was ready to move on from that mess from this point forward. I was never happy about those lessons. They all brought me some kind of pain that yes, in the end made me stronger, but felt harsh & consuming - unwarranted even - as I walked "through the Valley of Shadows". In the end I would think of the Temperance card in the Rider Waite tarot deck, and sigh: "Like irons in the fire, I am being molded". There but for the grace of God goeth I.

So what's different about this past year's ritualistic ending and today's New Year beginning? First of all, one of the most major lessons I've learnt over all these years is that we never ever truly know what we NEED, but we most certainly have an idea of what we WANT! I have yet to perfect the art of asking the exact questions that will result in me receiving EXACTLY everything that I truly want AND need. Am I asking from my Ego-Self? For my highest & greatest good? Per the Universe's divine plan? Scarily, when I look back on my thought patterns & my heart's yearning, everything I've asked for, I've gotten. Yet in hindsight it seems I was never specific or clear enough, for the biggest joke is me looking up at God & moaning "Seriously? Did I have to mention X, Y or Z to perfect this gift I asked for? Couldn't You just like, read my mind?"  So yeah, this New Year's Day I'm not doing any 'releasing & letting go' Ritual. I'm not going to downcastedly reflect, review, re-evaluate and revise the losses and lessons of this past year as per the ritual of Mercury retrograde. Nope! Not me! Not today. Not this New Year's Day! (I don't know about "not ever"). 

Today I am giddy; Giddy with amusement and wonder at the magic of the unknown as I embrace this New Year. No more sad, pensive, thoughtful New Year's release Ritual for me today. Instead of cursing & chasing away the old 2016, I'm going to laugh & dance & sing & welcome in the New Year! I'm going to remember all the wonderful gifts that 2016 brought - no hard lessons here, but a perfectly crafted lesson plan to help polish me - like that iron in the fire for the next upgraded & even-more-wonderful version of Me. I'm thinking if my cell phone & computer can get an upgrade, so can I!  

​Yes, I will still call in the Four Directions, but this time, instead of ‘planting seeds of intention’ in Mother Earth, I will welcome the sprouting of the seeds of all my dreams from the womb of our Great Mother.  Rather than imploring the power of Brother Fire to make my wishes come true, I shall twirl & dance around the flames of empowerment, and relish the passion awakened by its warmth.  Elemental Water this year will nourish and bring to life my ability to recognize and honor all my emotions, not just cleanse and purify me of any discomfort from my feelings.  And as always, I welcome the winds of change – may it sweep through every nook and cranny of this new year, breathing life into my very Soul.  And so it is with wanton abandonment that I throw my arms out to the Universe and in the dance of life, giggle joyously, loudly, and unashamedly: "Bring it on, Great Spirit! Gimme all you got! I welcome you & your gifts and this glorious New Year! I welcome my new Me!" 

Blessings, my Friends, as you continue on this journey. Ajo!  And it is so! 
Audrey Steele, L.Ac.
www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com​
"And now we welcome the New Year, full of things that have never been" (Rainer Maria Rilke)

​I sat transfixed to our local news station, watching the play-by-play commentary as #HurricaneMatthew bore down on the east coast of Florida.  On the west side of our side of the state, we weren’t profiled to be in the direct line of fire, but having lived over a decade in the “Sunshine State”, we have all come to know the unpredictability of Mother Nature.  And so, as always, I was prepared with my flashlights, bottled water, a full tank of gas, individual servings of prepared food items that didn’t need refrigeration or cooking, and a couple extra dollars cash in case the ATMs went out.  It’s our annual drill, from June until November - #HurricaneSeason.  I knew enough  to know not to keep too much frozen foods in my fridge  as one year after 2 weeks of no electricity,  I ended up throwing out 3 large (lawn-sized!) garbage bags of frozen meats & seafood. 
 
The weatherman was very descriptive of the wind, rains and lightning that railed down on us during the peak of this storm.  He was even amazed that we were seeing so many lightning strikes in the middle of the storm, and remarked that THAT - in & of itself - was an attestment to the magnitude & power of the storm as it approached our coast.  As if the wind itself wasn’t bad enough, with sustained speeds of more than 90mph, there was a strong potential for storm surges and floodings to everything in its path.   All of this was happening to our coast, after Matthew had already destroyed the southwestern section of Haiti, leaving hundreds dead in its wake.  The devastation was horrific.  I felt for Haiti, having done medical mission work there after their last hurricane.  I prayed again like I never prayed before, for all those who had been and were going to be impacted by this storm, and I prayed for understanding and acceptance of what we were witnesses to.  There were no explanations.   There never is for disasters of this magnitude.
 
We were spared on the West Coast of Florida, but the East Coast didn't do as well.  I shuffled my tarot deck and asked for 1 card to represent the symbolism behind what I was witnessing. That card?  The Tower (Rider Waite deck). Depicted on the Tower card is the imagery of a tower being hit by lightning, the building crumbling, people falling to their demise, and torrential rain & wind.  The symbolism was not lost on me.  I silently sat and prayed for what was going on over on the other side of town, while a gentle rain silently fell outside my home. Safe in my home, I looked again at the Tower card cradled in my palm, and remembered a promise I made to myself to move in harmony with the Moon & the Stars.  “Yeah tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil….  Let this lightning be reflective of that out-of-the-blue charge we need to change the dynamics of our present circumstances, to clear  the energy of what was going on our planet, to bring light to the darkness of fear; May this rain – the tears of Mother Earth -  cleanse  and purify us of all that was painful, stagnant and starved of life, and bring to us the nourishment that we desperately needed;  And oh that  the winds of change would blow through and release from us the chains of  binding thoughts and beliefs that hold us back from our Soul’s purpose”.  I prayed for the Yin to the Yang of the elements of this storm.  I prayed for release and for healing.  
 
Many people were left without power, and in the darkness of the hours and days that followed, were left to deal with their inner demons or take comfort in each other - and gratitude for all that was spared.   With no cell phones, TV or social media to distract us from was going on around in the world around us and in our lives, we were forced to rely on each other.  Neighbors who were strangers before the storm now looked out for each other.   By the time Hurricane Matthew had blasted its way up the eastern coast of Florida, we were numerologically at the number 9: the number of completion and endings.   The morning after the storm,   I woke up before dawn to an undeniably present stillness, the pulse of which was eerily present even on our side of town. The ground had been cleared and prepped  by the forces of Mother Nature in preparation for the new seeds of hope that were being planted - literally and figuratively - in our communities.  At time of writing today we are numerologically at the number 2:  the seeds have been planted and life begins anew.  There is a strong breeze today with cooler temperatures that beckon the ending of our summer season and the promise of change as we approach Fall in Florida. Yes, it is the season of change.  Let the healing begin.
“Mother Nature is always speaking.  She speaks in a language understood in the peaceful mind of the sincere Observer” (Radhanath Swami)
Audrey Steele, L.Ac.
​www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com

Happy Valentine’s Day and a very happy ‘month of love’ to you!  I was recently asked to speak at my church on the theme of “Love Revealed in Life”, and without hesitation I said ‘yes!’ deciding on the spot that I was going to title my sermon: “Life Teaches but Love Reveals”. My mind instantly thought of Whitney Houston’s song The Greatest Love of All, & I immediately burst into song, arms flailing and all, on my imaginary stage.  Now I’m not the best singer by any means, but that didn’t stop me from singing, and you couldn’t tell me I wasn’t marvelous, as I loudly belted out the lyrics at the top of my lungs.  Very funny sight….  “Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all” she sang. And so this month, especially at Valentine’s, we get to see how much we are loved, based on how much candy, chocolate, roses or Valentine’s gifts we receive.
 
We are at a very interesting crossroad this week however (at time of posting): We are 1/3rd  of the way between Valentine's Day and the end of the Lenten period which began Feb 10th & will end with the Feast at the Last Supper on March 24th.  This is a season of penance and prayer.   Having just celebrated our commercialized version of Valentine’s Day, I don’t even think anyone actually gives thought to the origin of Valentine's Day.  There are many stories around Valentines: the key to your heart, cards & sweets, but in the Anglican Church, it was originally an official Anglican feast day to honor Saint Valentine. It's also a day of celebration in the Lutheran Church as well. Somewhere along the way we’ve forgotten, and now it has become a hugely commercialized holiday.   I am reminded way back in December that Valentine’s Day is coming up, but unless you’re in the Church or some spiritual community, there is no commercial or advertisement reminding you that Lent is coming up. And so in this month’s blog, we’re going to look at Love, but not that sappy, romantic, passionate, sensual love that gets sold to us this time every year in February.  Instead, let's look at what life teaches us about Love - what it is, what it is not.  Rather than letting Man define Love, what Love is, what Love should look like, or should be, let us look to God instead whose very nature defines Love!
 
When I was a teenager, all my friends had boyfriends and they were all in love except for me.   I hadn't blossomed yet and so I naively felt I must have been the most unlovable person in the whole world.  I would secretly pick some cute boy in my school & declare him to be my boyfriend (unbeknownst to him of course!), and I would walk around my house swooning over this imaginary love of mine, dramatically quoting this vague definition of  Love: “Love is a feeling you get when you're feeling a feeling you've never felt before”.  I couldn't wait to feel this feeling that was indefinably wonderful that everybody else was feeling.  As the years progressed, I grew up chasing that feeling. I felt I came close many times but somehow I always fell short. Remember the song “Looking for love in all the wrong places”?  That was me.  And so I looked everywhere and at everyone.  Then one day I ‘woke up’ – so to speak - and came across a quote from Doreen Valiente that a dear friend of mine had included in one of her communications:  “If that which you seek you find not within, you will never find without”.  I had been looking in all the wrong places, when all I needed to do was to go within.
 
So this month, let's go back to the Source, the Creator and see what the Bible says about Love.  Love is what we all strive for, wish for, hope for, live for.  It’s been said that Love conquers all.  And the greatest Love of all?  How could it not be but the gift of Christ on the cross? This is perhaps the biggest Love lesson of all. In our lifetime we will have learnt many lessons.  Life teaches us to work hard, to achieve, to be successful.  But life also teaches us short cuts, white lies, looking out for #1, and actions that compromise our integrity.  Our role models are many, both good & bad - from the parents who out of Love created us and were our very 1st models of dutiful & loyal love of family.  From there, our role models extended out to the teachers and the people in our surrounding community, and to the world at large who taught us various versions of Love. But although life teaches us about Love, life also teaches us that it is all about choice. I remember bothering my mother for some random privilege that my friends had that I didn’t, but I needed/wanted.  Her practical (and wise) response was usually: "If your friends jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you jump too?”  It wasn’t until I became a parent myself, that I understood the wisdom of that statement.  If you were born into abuse, hate, poverty or ignorance, are you doomed to repeat those lessons & the lessons of your forefathers?  Or can you learn from the example of others what not to do, & how not to be? Can you use your adversity as a steppingstone to a different type of life?

Life teaches us that sometimes good people suffer unnecessarily and die way too early. Life teaches us that we all have the same needs - from the homeless person on the street to the heads of state. Life teaches us that charity begins at home. Developmental psychologists like Eric Erickson & Piaget¸ described in
their works, the stages of growth and development that take us from infancy all the way through old-age and death, where we have various crises/achievements we have to accomplish along the different milestones in our life. And though we all progress through the stages at our own pace and in our own time, we all face the same developmental tasks at some point along the continuum of our lives, and at every point, we will have to make a choice.  Life teaches us that life is short so live your life without regrets because tomorrow is not promised, and life’s lessons go on, and on, and on…. for as long as you are alive.  How does the power of God’s Love transform life's hardest lessons? 

This Godly Love that we speak of is not based on a feeling. It's an active will where we put the welfare of others above ourselves.  God’s Love is revealed to us in the way we love. We love because it is our nature to love, and we must be true to our nature.   “Caritas” is a Latin word meaning 'caring for others' (think ‘charity’). It is a Christian love of humankind & love for all. In the Bible, there are 4 different ways that love is demonstrated:  Eros, Storge, Philia & Agape Love.
 
◦ EROS is the physical, sensual love between a husband and wife as demonstrated in the book of Songs of Solomon. I encourage you if you are in a relationship or considering pursuing one, to read Songs of Solomon. Paul also in 1st Corinthians 7:8-9 said:  "It is better to marry than burn with passion", because he understood this type of love, although he himself had chosen instead to serve the Lord.  
◦ STORGE love is familial love - it's the bond between mothers & fathers, sisters and brothers, & a classic example of this is the love of sisters Martha and Mary for their brother Lazarus.  It’s the story of the love that Jacob had for his sons. The 10 Commandments  said "Honor your father and mother so that your days may be long on the earth that God has given you" (Exodus 21:12).  And perhaps my most favorite story of all is that of Ruth and Naomi, who believed strongly in the bonds and Love of family.
◦ Whether it's used as a prefix or suffix, the Greek word ‘PHILIA’ denotes fondness or affinity, but in its extreme - an abnormal love for a specified thing.  Philadelphia is called the “City of Brotherly Love”.  The Bible encourages us to love one another with brotherly affection (Romans 12:10), and advises us to
“show love to your enemies”.
◦ Then there is AGAPE love. This is a Greek word for empathy and concern. It is the highest form of Love - love of God for man and man for God.  Agape love is selfless, sacrificial unconditional love.  It is the love that Jesus Christ had for his Father and his followers, and He said “The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them" (John 14:21). Perhaps 1 of the most well known & quoted passages demonstrates this Love:  John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life".  To its extreme, we have people who are quick to kill others and who are willing to die for their country for their religious beliefs. This is played out in the news daily to the point where we're almost immune to it.
 
So my Friends, Love is not the sappy, romanticized or idealized Love that we think of on Valentine's Day when we give cards and chocolate and candy.   Love is not dependent on what a person has done for us. Love is not conditional. Love has no limits or boundaries.  We love the unlovable.  We love because it is our nature to love.  We love because we are commanded to do so.  I’ll end this month’s message with the message of Love from the epistle of Paul to the Corinthians in 1st Corinthians ch. 13: 
1. “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 
2. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.
3. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 
4. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5. It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs.
6. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
7. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, it always perseveres.
8. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge it will pass away. 
9. For we know in part and we prophesy in part;
10. But when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 
11. When I was a child I spoke like a child.  I thought like a child; I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put away the ways of childhood behind me. 
12. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror. Then we shall see face-to-face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully even as I am fully known. 
13. And now these three remain:   Faith, Hope and Love, but the greatest of these is Love".
Love & Light!
Audrey Steele, Acupuncture Physician
​

Today we celebrate National Oriental Medicine Day. The following info is excerpted from info provided by Acupuncture Media Work and The American Society of Acupuncturists, and will give you a background as to what this day is all about, how Acupuncture came to the US,and how Acupuncture can help you: 

What is AOM Day?
​"Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Day is observed on October 24 to bring awareness to acupuncture and Eastern medicine. Acupuncture has become increasingly popular with 1 in 10 adults having received acupuncture at least once, according to a survey done by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. The official commemoration for AOM Day began in 2002 and has been promoted by many organizations in the U.S. including the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. #AOMDay is also recognized in other countries such as Canada, Mexico and Pakistan. Annually on October 24, Council member colleges come together through activities to promote awareness and the benefits of acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

​The Council includes 49 accredited AOM colleges across the United States and welcomes other organizations to join in efforts as well. All Oriental Medicine -including acupuncture - is based on the idea of the flow of Qi throughout the body. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that when we are ill, there could be a blockage or stagnation in our body’s natural energy flow, which affects the organ systems. Acupuncture is used to correct this imbalance through the specific placement of needles on the body.

How can acupuncture help you?
#Acupuncture and Oriental medicine have been known to help treat countless health conditions - everything from digestive issues such as abdominal pain and indigestion, to addiction, sciatica and high blood pressure. This treatment has been used for adults and kids alike and is essentially harmless, with almost no side effects. Not only is acupuncture effective on its own, but it is one of the most popular complementary treatments combined with conventional methods. The National Institutes of Health Consensus has stated that promising results have emerged, specifically for postoperative and chemotherapy nausea, vomiting, as well as postoperative dental pain, low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and more  (Source: http://1.usa.gov/1eh3vxg, http://bit.ly/1JwvXWQ)

Quick Facts about AOM Day and Oriental Medicine:

• Oriental medicine, such as acupuncture, is a health care system that has been used for more than 3,000 years to treat illness and improve quality of life.  
• All Oriental medicine is based on the idea of bringing the body to balance and improving the the body’s natural energy flow, which is called Qi.  The World Health Organization has listed acupuncture as a useful treatment for more than 40 health conditions.
• Acupuncture is known to be helpful as a treatment on its own, as well as a complementary treatment.
• AOM day is comprised of international partnerships with professional associations, research organizations and educational institutions.
• The most common complementary and alternative medicines according to the NCCIH survey include acupuncture, acupressure, herbal medicine, Tai Chi and Q-iGong.
• The 49 AOM colleges and programs in the U.S. are all part of The Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, which was established in 1982 for the goal of advancing acupuncture and oriental medicine and promoting education.  

How Acupuncture Came to the United States:
Most people seek out acupuncture care for painful conditions. That makes sense, because it works extremely well at it, without drugs or medication. But you may be surprised by how many health conditions acupuncture has been known to help. Focusing on the whole body, one of the main goals of acupuncture is to return the body back to its natural balance and restore it to better health. By addressing the “whole” self instead of one particular part where there may be just pain or illness, acupuncture has the power to treat and heal a variety of ailments from nausea, sciatica to addiction. The most common effects you will feel after an acupuncture treatment include better sleep, relaxation, better digestion and more energy. Below are just a few ways acupuncture has proven to be beneficial:

• Acupuncture, cancer and immunity: http://wb.md/1R0hyoU
• Acupuncture and rheumatoid arthritis: http://wb.md/1xVxDTo
• Acupuncture and depression: http://bit.ly/SFReaB
• Acupuncture and allergies: http://bit.ly/1MJqH6G
• Acupuncture and fertility: http://bit.ly/1HCLEyc
• Acupuncture and insomnia: http://bit.ly/1iMtnE4  

​(Sources: http://bit.ly/1iyIBvF, http://bit.ly/1KTaSrT)"

Bye-bye September!  We’ll start this month’s blog with the beautiful melody of “See You In September” as originally recorded by the Tempos in 1959:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDKIs0v120s

September is Alzheimer’s Awareness month, and the statistics are frightening: This disease affects over 4 million people in the US alone, with a projected 14 million in the next 50 years as the Baby Boomers age!   But are we aware?  Or are we aware only when it becomes personal for us?  This month’s post is dedicated to the millions of families and care-providers who are impacted by the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease every hour of every day. It is a little bit more clinical than my usual posts, but it is very timely, and yes, the Elders speak…..

Pathophysiology:
Alzheimer’s Disease is caused by a degeneration of brain tissue as levels of acetylcholine decrease (a neurotransmitter in the brain crucial to memory, cognitive thinking & the ability to concentrate), and amyloid plaques develop in the brain.  It affects parts of the brain that controls thought, memory & language. It is more prevalent in (but not limited to) females over age 60, and is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States (http://www.alz.org/facts/downloads/facts_figures_2015.pdf). There is an associated link with a high fat diet, sedentary lifestyle, genetics, nutrient deficiencies, depression and brain injury amongst other things.  The cause is not known, and even though it’s associated with the aged, let me stress: it is NOT a normal part of the aging process!

Symptoms:
Patients may progress through the stages of Alzheimer’s from showing early warning signs  to severe Alzheimer’s where they lose bowel and bladder control requiring full-time care.  Unfortunately the symptoms of Alzheimer’s are not characteristic only for this disease and may be indicative of other conditions, so I would caution the reader to consult your physician for appropriate diagnostic testing to rule out other pathology.  Patients may demonstrate any of the following (list is not inclusive):
◦ Disorientation to time & place, getting lost in familiar places, mood changes, behavior changes, personality changes, difficulty finding the right words, loss of memory, cognitive dysfunction, decreased judgment, increased agitation, drooling, decreased focus or attention.
◦ Difficulty performing familiar tasks, misplacing/finding things, impaired activities of daily living (ADLs), disturbed sleep pattern (often becoming worse as the day progresses – a term we sometimes call “sundowning”).  Here is a downloadable PDF of 10 early warning signs of Alzheimer’s (source: www.alz.org from the Alzheimer’s Association national site):  http://www.alz.org/national/documents/checklist_10signs.pdf

Diagnostic Testing:
Unfortunately there is no definitive diagnostic test for Alzheimer’s except for autopsy, and so we look instead to do a differential diagnosis to rule out other causes (such as tumors, strokes, thyroid problems, toxicities, or blood vessel diseases).  It may take an entire team of neurologists, psychiatrists, psychologists and geriatricians before a probable diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can be made.  To determine a ‘Probable Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s”, various tests may be ordered including CT scan, MRI, EEG or labs such as CBC, CMP or  homocysteine levels, along with neurologic or psychological testing.

Western Medicine:
Pharmaceutical options may include cholinesterase inhibitors (like Aricept, Razadyne, Exelon patch), Namenda, anti-depressants (such as Prozac or Zoloft), antipsychotics (such as Abilify, Haldol, Zyprexa), and anti-anxiety meds (e.g. Ativan).  Your physician will best advise you as to a regime that will help to manage the condition.

Chinese Medicine:
There is strong clinical support that Chinese Medicine can and does play a role in the complementary role of preventing and treating Alzheimer’s Disease.  In Chinese Medicine, we say the brain is nourished by the Kidneys (which is a major contributor to our Essence/Life Force), but its cognitive functions (such as memory, wisdom & cognition) are regulated by the Heart, so we may use Heart & Kidney tonics to help with this condition.  There is also an emotional component to Alzheimer’s (the Liver is associated with our emotions), and some degree of “Phlegm stagnation” (this is not the actual “Loogies” phlegm that we think of – like when you cough up sputum or mucus from your lungs.  It’s described instead as a “consequence of the internal disruption of the body’s fluid metabolism… and is not visible”).  As such, our treatment goals in Chinese Medicine also include methods and herbal formulas that tonify Qi, Yin or Yang, suppress Liver Qi and transform Phlegm.  Acupuncture has been shown to increase blood circulation to the brain, improve mood and cognitive skills such as memory & concentration, manage pain and stress, increase certain neurotransmitters in the brain, and can even aid in stimulating nerve regeneration(1, 2).

Management Considerations:
The following is a small list of some of the products we may consider when working with patients with cognitive impairment conditions such as Alzheimer’s (*Author’s note:  THIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE MEDICAL ADVICE & is for educational purposes only.  Please consult your physician for accurate diagnosis & management of any condition!):

◦ Supplements: 
Vitamin C & E, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B12, Inositol (Vitamin B8) , DHEA (an adrenal hormone whose levels declines with aging), growth hormone, melatonin, anti-oxidants, fish oils (Omega-3 fatty acids, Taurine (an amino acid found in large amounts in the brain & heart and food sources such as meat & fish), Acetyl L-Carnitine (derivative of another amino acid - Lysine), CoQ10, and Zinc.

◦ Nature’s finest botanical herbs:
Research continues into the benefits of the following plant-based supplements:
- Turmeric (for its anti-inflammatory properties)
- Rosemary (improves memory)
- Cinnamon (great antioxidant)
- Gingko Biloba (said to promote blood circulation to the brain & improve memory)
- Huperzine A (“Chinese Club Moss” -  acts as an anti-cholinesterase inhibitor to help increase levels of acetylcholine in the brain)
- Rhodiola (Hong Jing Tian)
- Periwinkle (Vinca minor/Vinpocetine - enhances brain circulation and oxygen utilization and other neuroprotective and anti-ischemic effects)
- Ashwagandha (aka “Indian ginseng/Withania somnifera)
- Polygala tenuifolia (Yuan Zhi)
- Salvia (Dan Shen/ Salvia miltiorrhiza)

◦ Dietary recommendations: 
Try switching to an anti-inflammatory diet.  Bulk up on fresh fruits, veggies, whole grain nuts, seeds and foods rich in magnesium. Foods such as black beans, black sesame seeds, kelp, shitake & black ear mushrooms help support Kidney energy. Adding green tea and chlorella to the diet can also be beneficial.  As much as possible try to avoid milk, dairy, artificial sweeteners, processed foods and products containing aluminum.

◦ Lifestyle Changes:
Exercise daily to improve circulation & feeling of well-being.  Staying active and involved, even just socializing with others is a simple way to slow the progression of the disease.  Mind games such as SudokuÒ, crossword puzzles, and board games keep the brain engaged.   Encourage mental activities to keep the mind active.  The national website for Alzheimer’s has a great link for how to care for the patient through the various stages of the disease, and also includes suggestions for the family as well as caregivers: http://www.alz.org/facts/downloads/facts_figures_2015.pdf.

Hope this was of help to you.  For further information on Alzheimer’s, please visit the websites at the links provided below:
Alzheimer’s Associations:
www.alz.org
www.alzfdn.org
www.alzheimers.gov
www.alzheimers.net

Family Caregiver Alliance:
https://www.caregiver.org/caregiving-and-sibling-relationships-challenges-and-opportunities
Foods to help fight Alzheimer’s:
http://www.alzheimers.net/2013-10-15/superfoods-that-fight-alzheimers/
Foods that may contribute to Alzheimer’s:
http://www.alzheimers.net/2014-01-02/foods-that-induce-memory-loss/

I now leave you with this touching tribute to all those suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease:
Do Not Ask Me to Remember
Do not ask me to remember,
Don’t try to make me understand,
Let me rest and know you’re with me,
Kiss my cheek and hold my hand.
I’m confused beyond your concept,
I am sad and sick and lost.
All I know is that I need you
To be with me at all cost.
Do not lose your patience with me,
Do not scold or curse or cry.
I can’t help the way I’m acting,
Can’t be different though I try.
Just remember that I need you,
That the best of me is gone,
Please don’t fail to stand beside me,
Love me ’til my life is done.
- Owen Darnell
 
References:
1.  Emerson Lombardo N, et al.  Acupuncture to treat anxiety and depression in people with Alzheimer’s disease and with vascular dementia: a pilot feasibility and effectiveness trial. Presented at World Alzheimer’s Conference, Washington DC, July 9-18, 2000 and at Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, Wellesley, Massachusetts, June 7, 2000.

2.  Kao H.  Acupuncture enhancement in clinical symptoms and cognitive-motor abilities of the Alzheimer’s disease patients. Presented at World Alzheimer’s Conference, Washington DC, July 9-18, 2000.
 
3.  Szatmari SZ1, Whitehouse PJ.  Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;(1):CD003119. Vinpocetine for cognitive impairment and dementia.
 
4.  Kelley, BJ & Knopman, DS.  Neurologist. 2008 Sep; 14(5): 299–306. Alternative Medicine and Alzheimer's Disease.
 
5.  Sun et al. Translational Neurodegeneration 2013, 2:6 Traditional Chinese medicine: a promising candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
 
6.  Ping Liu et al. “History and Experience: A Survey of Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease,” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2014, Article ID 642128, 5 pages, 2014. doi:10.1155/2014/642128.
 
7.  L. Yu et al. “Chinese herbal medicine for patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease based on syndrome differentiation: a randomized controlled trial,” Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao, vol. 10, no. 7, pp. 76–82, 2012.
 
8. Xu, Yi et al. “Changes of brain myelin sheath structure and myelin basic protein content induced by amyloid β peptide (Aβ) and effect of GETO on these changes.” Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory & Practice 12 (2005): 004.
 
9.  Tian, Jinzhou, et al. “P4-302: Effect of GETO extract on expression of ChAT and NGF in the brain with AD model.” Alzheimer’s and Dementia 2.3 (2006): S605-S606.
 
10. Chen L, Huang J, Xue L. [Effect of compound Polygonum multiflorum extract on Alzheimer’s disease]. Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2010 Jun;35(6):612-5. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-7347.2010.06.012. Chinese. PubMed PMID: 20622335.
 
11.  Hou DR et al.  “Effect of polygonum multiflorum on the fluidity of the mitochondria membrane and activity of COX in the hippocampus of rats with Abeta 1-40-induced Alzheimer’s disease”. Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2008 Nov;33(11):987-92.
 
12.  Xu Yi et al.  “Effect of GETO on expression of protein in postsynaptic dense zone of Alzheimer’s disease model rats”. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2006 Jan;26(1):54-7.
 
13.  Yu L et al.  “Chinese herbal medicine for patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease based on syndrome differentiation: a randomized controlled trial”.   Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2012 Jul;10(7):766-76.

It is my personal belief that we ALL have the gift of intuition.  In our noisy world, we seek guidance and direction from multiple sources, and forget a simple yet profound truth:  Our truth lies within; we just have to be still and listen.   We all have the ability to connect to the Wisdom of Our Higher Selves.  This month we will focus on 3 areas: 
◦ 1st: ….What exactly is this ‘wisdom’ that we speak of & strive for?
◦ 2nd:  we’ll look at the definition of the “Higher Self” - not only what it is, but what it is not;
◦ And 3rd:  we’ll entertain some ideas about how we can connect to the Wisdom of our Higher Self, the wisdom within. 

First, what exactly is this wisdom that we are seeking?   In the Bible, James 3:17 states:   “But the wisdom that comes from Heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere”.   Now I don't know about you, but this sounds like something I would certainly want for myself.  Matter of fact, I am always praying for wisdom; I pray to be wise so I can make the best choices for me and the people I serve.  But how do you get wisdom?    First of all, we all know this wisdom isn’t just going to fall out of the sky & into our laps.  We’re not going to wake up one morning, having prayed for it overnight, & now all of a sudden we are wise.  We have to first LISTEN; even Solomon in the Bible says “Listen and accept Godly advice & in the end you will be wise” (Proverbs 19:20).  But it’s not enough to just listen…. First we have to listen, but then we have to act. 

Having said that, here comes the next question:   Since we’re supposed to listen, what/who exactly are we listening to?  How can we recognize Spirit’s guidance? And how do we discern between our own thoughts and the voice of God/Divine/Source/Spirit?  It’s not like God just talks to us out loud (think of the story of Moses & the burning bush); sometimes it’s in very quiet & subtle ways, and other times?  Perhaps not so subtle.  I remember growing up as a child in a Pentecostal church and almost every Sunday, someone would "catch the Spirit" (the Holy Ghost Spirit, none-the-less).  They would start speaking in tongues, & then another person in the congregation would translate the message.   As a kid, I was always excited by when this happened & I kept waiting for someone to catch the Holy Ghost Spirit & get me a message too. Anyway, I learnt through the Elders that this was the gift of prophecy.  Some of us call it channeling nowadays.  However the guidance comes, you then have to ask yourself “What do I do now with this new insight?"

Now here’s an interesting observation:  when we ask God for guidance and wisdom, when we get that which we ask for, do we really, really, REALLY listen?  Do we follow instructions or the direction in which we are being led and guided? Or do we act from our ego self and choose whether we want to follow that guidance or not?    I get calls all the time from my friends, coworkers, neighbors, family members, acquaintances etc.  who will tell me their specific story & then say: “What do you think I should do?” or “What would YOU do if you were me?”  In my mind, the answer is clear as day!   Sometimes when you’re the outsider & not caught up in the middle of a situation, the answers may seem pretty clear to you but not to them.  But I have learnt NEVER EVER offer advice because first of all, no one’s going to follow what you recommend.  Usually they go from 1 person to the next telling their story, almost like they’re advice-shopping, asking the same question:  “What do you think I should do?”  And if 8 out of 10 people say “If I were you, I’d do so & so”, they may consider doing it.  But then again they may not!  They’ve already in their own heart of hearts or Ego self decided what they’re gonna do.

Our Ego-Self will take action (or non-action) to either protect itself from further pain, to feed an addiction, for secondary gains, to nurse a wounded Inner Child, or to preserve status quo.  Status quo is familiar, you see.   Status quo is comfortable - even if status quo hurts or doesn’t work.  We often don’t choose what’s uncomfortable, out of the norm or different.  We choose to stay with what’s familiar instead.  The fear of the unknown is a powerful thing - sometimes even more powerful than the pain of the present.  Not knowing how the next alternative is going to work out can be scarier than staying in familiar yet painful territory.  After all, you’ve kinda learnt over time how to deal with a situation, how to cope with it, how to get by, how to get through, grin & bear..... Some of us can't even fathom that we have options.  And some of us are just contrary & will do exactly what we’re not supposed to do.  So when people ask me “what should I do?”  I can’t say.  I just know that if what you're doing isn’t working for you, then you are officially reinforcing Einstein’s unofficial definition of insanity:  “doing the same thing over & over again expecting different results”.    Have you heard that saying before?  That’s insanity!  So if your own inner Wisdom leads you to make a change, then do as Bonnie & Clyde would say:  “You gotta crack a couple eggs if you wanna make an omelet”.    Well a kinder, nicer more spiritual version in keeping with our spiritual teachings would probably be the story of Master Jesus who in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26: 36-46) prayed:  “Lord please take this cup away from me; Not my will but Thine”.  And he went ahead & served his Father.   This should be probably be our prayer, & serve as an example for us.  Don’t pray for guidance, wisdom and answers if you’re not willing to go where you are directed. 

Having talked about wisdom, let’s ask ourselves now: What is my Higher Self?  I have a couple thoughts, but let's start with what your Higher Self is not.  There's no right or wrong answer here.  Just like all the world's great Wisdom teachings have their own definition of a Higher Self, define for yourself what is true and right & resonates with your Soul and the will of your Father.   Who are you?  WHO ARE YOU?  How do you define yourself?  Think about that for a minute…. Who are you?  How do you define yourself?  What are the labels that make you “You”, that define you? ……  A couple months ago, I wrote a blog titled: “I am mother to my daughter & daughter of my Mum”.  This shows the dichotomy of how most of us are; I’d probably venture to say how all of us are.  Think of labels that apply to you: mother, father, wife, husband, nurse, housewife, babysitter, president, friend, boss, pilot, BUT the thing is you are not your label – you are not your job, the car you drive, the friends you keep or the places you go.  All those components, all those labels are the jigsaw puzzle pieces of your life that make up the patchwork quilt called “You”.  You can have all the money in the world, hobnob with the fanciest of people or hang in lowliest of places – but the Essence of who you truly are, is not defined by your possessions; it’s not defined by your title or your lot in life.   It’s not defined by the label or labels that you carry.  So who or what is your Higher Self?

WHAT YOUR HIGHER SELF IS “NOT”:
-  Your Higher Self is not separate from our  “self” Self;
-  Your Higher Self is not external to you ;
-  Your Higher Self is not a judgmental extension of your God-Self who makes you feel guilty if you don’t follow the rules, obey, do the right thing, conform, etc. 
- Your Higher Self isn’t anxious, Your Higher Self isn’t fearful, it’s not dramatic;
- Your Higher Self doesn't chase some elusive ‘end goal’, change directions willy-nilly, or focus on short term gratification.  That’s not your Higher Self.

You are a ‘spark of Divine’.    Inside of you is that part of you that is greater than all of your external Self parts & labels combined.  You are Great Spirit, You are the “I am Presence”; you are a child of God & Christ child.  It matters not your religion.   Your connection to Self is your ultimate connection to Source.

WHAT YOUR HIGHER SELF “IS”:
- Your Higher Self is you; it’s been described as ‘your total soul consciousness’. 
- Your Higher Self is that inseparable part of you that knows your spiritual soul contract.  “He/She/It”   (whatever your wanna call it) holds that little “instruction manual” for life: where you’re supposed to go, who you’re supposed to meet; And it does its best to try to keep you on track day to day. Unfortunately, we can get misdirected by our thoughts, feelings & external influences.  We have free will – and that changes things - because free will makes you do stuff that a 2 year old throwing a temper tantrum would do.  Then physically we get run down (from not enough sleep, unhealthy diet or poor lifestyle choices).  Emotionally, mentally & spiritually, we have Ego battles that pull us into the labels & habits of the Wounded Inner Child, victim, martyr, bully or warrior.   You (Self-you) are a lot of things.    Probably a good rule of thumb to help you recognize when your Ego-Self is talking is that the Ego-Self tends to be fear-based; the Ego-Self leaves you feeling guilty; the Ego-self keeps you 2nd-guessing yourself; you  feel unsettled, disconnected, out of alignment, and not at peace.  On the other hand, when you are in alignment with your Higher Self, you truly feel a sense of connection with all that Is, you feel on track, life flows with grace & ease no matter what kind of storms are going on around you; your thoughts are in alignment with your feelings, and your feelings are in alignment with your actions.  Or non-action.  NO feeling is wrong.  Everything feels on course, and you feel on purpose.  Your Higher Self is your guide to rightful living and gives you clarity to your daily life.  How awesome it is to meet & know & have a relationship with your Higher Self!

Connecting to the Wisdom of Our Higher Self:
So we’ve talked about what is wisdom, and what is your Higher Self, (and what it is not).  And now finally, let’s look at how we can CONSCIOUSLY connect to the wisdom of our Higher Self (for we’re not ever disconnected from our Higher Self).  We may at times feel abandoned & be filled with despair; we feel lost, unloved, alone, not worthy, not connected.  When you're feeling this way, your Cup is empty. You have nothing to offer when you have nothing from which to draw.  Your only recourse then is to return to Source, to go back to the Well, to fill your Cup with the love & wisdom of Source.  This is where you TUNE OUT the outside world, TAP IN to the stillness within, & TURN UP the volume of the wisdom of your Higher Self.                                                 

Tune out the outside world!
Our world is noisy.  We are constantly bombarded by external stimuli and EMF.  We’ve poisoned our food and water sources with toxins that numb our bodies & dull our senses.  The media inundates us with world events that make us uncomfortable so what do we do?  We turn off the TV & the radio.  We’ve become insensitive to the atrocities & calamities that our brothers & sister are experiencing in other parts of the world. Well, no wonder we’ve lost touch with our own inner voice, and ultimately our connection to Source.  Yet even more now than ever before, we need to be still & we need to return to center.     Tune out the outside world.  TUNE OUT THE OUTSIDE WORLD!  How can you do this? 
* Physically disconnect.  Walk away. 
* Have a "staycation".  I usually take a week off a couple times a year to pilgrimage to sacred sites specifically to do an intensive, to withdraw, reflect, and reconnect with Source.  You may not have that luxury so take an hour out of your day.  Take 5’ just to breathe and make a conscious choice to return to Source & reconnect with Spirit. 
* Be out in nature.
* Take a nap & listen to the wisdom of your Elders, the whisper of your ancestors & the wisdom of your dreams.  
* Play with the kids/grandkids/pets.  Cuddle. 
* Journal:  Develop this sacred practice of making time to speak your truth.  Write down your dreams, your monthly moon rituals, your annual birthday vision plans, your intuitive readings.  Then go back & review at specific anniversary dates & you’ll be amazed at how clear the answers were, where patterns are, common themes, repetitive lessons, accomplishments, promises, hopes & dreams fulfilled. 
* Talk with a friend, your chaplain, an Elder.   Tune out the outside world.

Tune out the outside world, & Tap in to the stillness within.
A long time ago, I was introduced to one of my favorite quotes:  “If the answers you seek lie not within, you will never find them without” (Doreen Valiente). I’m gonna repeat that.   “If the answers you seek lie not within, you will never find them without”.  Make time for solitude.   
*Practice mindfulness – you don’t necessarily have to be sitting in lotus pose with your hands in mudra position.  There are walking meditations.  I’ve heard Spirit speaking to me when I’m digging in the dirt or in a quick power nap where I wake up with the answers I need. 
* Meditate.  I still get asked “how do I meditate”?  There are many ways, sources, classes.  Seek & ye shall find.  Then practice.  And practice some more.   
* Follow your intuition.  Listen to your gut.  Your gut = Guidance.  Then follow that Guidance. 
* Look to the elements in Nature:  animal kingdom for example; or follow the smell of the rain on the way; listen to the whispers of your ancestors & Spirit Guides.  They present themselves to us in the sweetest of ways.  Angels show up in numbers, on license plates, and even on the face of the clock when you wake up in the middle of the night or early morning (do an internet search on Doreen Virtue & the meaning of multiple numbers).  When you wake up at strange hours in the morning, fret not.... Rumi, the Sufi poet wrote:  "The dawn has secrets to tell - don't go back to sleep".   When I first read that, I stopped worrying about why I am up so early, and began listening instead.  Psalm 46:10 says:  “Be still & know that I am God”.  Tune out the outside world & tap in to the stillness within.     

Tune out the outside world; Tap in to the stillness within & Turn on the volume of what you really should be listening to - the truth of your Soul.
A really great story comes from the Bible in 1st Samuel where Samuel who’s studying with old man Eli goes to bed on his cot & 2 separate times he hears a voice calling him.  He gets up & goes to Eli each time & says ‘Father did you call me?’  And Eli realizes that God is speaking to Samuel, so he advises him:  “The next time you hear the voice of God, say “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening”.  So Samuel goes back to bed & sure enough, there’s a 3rd time; the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak Lord, for your servant is listening."  Listen with your ears, your mind & your gut.  But more importantly, listen with your heart.  Your heart never lies.  Your heart contains the wisdom of your Soul, and with each heart beat, that wisdom is directed to every cell in your body. Listen to the wisdom of your heart - for in your heart lies your true North, & the heart never lies.  Tune out the outside world; Tap in to the stillness within & Turn up the volume of what you really should be listening to - the truth of your Soul and the Wisdom of your Higher Self.
Audrey Steele,L.Ac.
Acupuncture Physician
www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com

Mother’s Day is the one day we set aside to recognize Mothers, but I would ask that moving forward, we take a moment every day to bless & honor all those who are called to “mother” (verb).  Virtually anyone can become a biological Mother, but giving birth alone doesn’t constitute motherhood.  And so on this Mother’s Day, I’d like to pay tribute to all those who’ve ever been placed in the role of “Mother” (noun).  This includes the single dads, adoptive parents, surrogates, latch-key siblings who take care of each other, and children who now are caring for their elderly or incapacitated parent(s). And I honor and respect those who chose not to become a parent for whatever reason.  It is not an easy task, comes with a lot of responsibilities, and doesn’t stop once the kids are grown and gone.  Once a Mother, always a Mother.  I think back on the (few) times I tried to counterpoint my Mum; her response:  “If you live to be 95 and I live to be 100 and plenty, you are still my daughter”.   I chuckle at that now, but I am indebted to my Mother for her unconditional and lasting love for all her kids.   Her prayers are what keep us safe.  A Mother fosters independence in her children, not codependence - much like a mother birds teaches her babies how to fly.  The bonds are everlasting, regardless of how the relationship plays out.  Even the role made famous by Joan Crawford as a mother still has relevance and unfortunately rings true for some. 

Growing up in the Caribbean:
I can’t think about Mother’s Day without thinking of all the powerful women in my family and the community in which I was raised.  I grew up in Jamaica surrounded by my Great-Grandmother and a circle of powerful, spiritual women.  The example they (and pretty much all of the women I came across) set for me was that women were strong – not only for their family but for those who were less fortunate.  When one was unable to feed or care for their kids, the other mothers fed & cared for them as if they were their own.  They say it takes a village to raise a child and I can attest to this fact.  This includes discipline too, by the way, so I got whooped by the neighbors for some mischief or another & then I went home & got whooped again by my parents.  I learned that there wasn’t really a set “role” for a Mother.  Mothers did what they had to do to keep the home afloat.  They worked in the fields alongside men doing hard labor; they worked in whatever job they could; they worked at home, they went off to work, & they came back home to work. What was drilled into us was that as a Mother, you did whatever it took to take care of your family.  Mothers pushed for education & having a career so that you could have a better life than they did.  That was over 50 years ago and it is still the value they continue to instill in us.  The types of jobs may have changed over the years, but every Mother wants to see the next generation prosper, be healthy & happy.  They also called on their spiritual background to help them through rough times, and so religion & spirituality became the foundation of every family.  This is pretty much a common theme throughout the Caribbean.  The advent of television, cell phones, internet, social media, and the tourism industry caused a shift away from the traditional values so now we see the same social ills & challenges as other parts of the world.

Trends Affecting Motherhood:
We are seeing a growing trend towards women postponing motherhood until later in years.  This creates its own set of health challenges & psycho-emotional conflict.  As an acupuncturist, I’ve been privileged to work with women who come to me for help from Chinese Medicine to address fertility issues.  100% of the time, these women are successful in their professional lives; they’re executives, top in the field of sales & industry, they drive the best cars, live in gorgeous homes with landscaped yards; they are Cross-Fit Queens and Digital Divas, and by exterior appearances they are successful & the envy of their friends.  Yet these women will break your heart when you talk to them because they see themselves as complete failure because they cannot get pregnant.  Why is this?  Because for whatever reason, motherhood STILL remains a necessity, is STILL desirable and a marker by which many women define themselves. In my travels, it is a mindset that still permeates many cultures – that of how to be a good wife & mother, whatever that definition is for each. 

Women make up more than half the labor industry, and fulltime work is a financial necessity for many. Yet we still have the challenges of equal pay for equal work, adequate childcare, and we’re even missing out on the respect and bonding that’s seen in male-dominated careers that’s so important to our survival in the workforce.   Many kids are either home alone as Mothers work long hours, or left with inadequate and uncompassionate caregivers often resulting in very sad endings.   This has also created another trend – We’re seeing in the 21st century, women with graduate and professional degrees who are now choosing to stay home to be full-time moms, and many have also created home-based businesses or are home-schooling their kids.  Really, the traditional role of women as Mothers hasn’t really disappeared, but instead it’s been reinvented to fit the needs of today’s modern families. 

So what does this mean for us moving forward through the 21st Century?
Mothers of the 21st century have to be not only EVOLUTIONARY but REVOLUTIONARY.  What does this mean?
* Evolutionary:   It means as Mothers, we can’t stay stuck in the old ways of how we grew up, what ceiling or box we perceived held us back from our fullest potential.  We have to evolve with the changing times.  This is a generation of advanced technology and for our children to grow up and have kids of their own, they will need to have survival skills, education and preparation as well as the social skills necessary to live in our rapidly changing world.

* Revolutionary:  We now have role models for Mothers women like Michelle Obama & Hilary Clinton.  These are women who raise their children, have political careers, and advocate for social justice and health care reform.  We have role model for moms women like Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie & Beyoncé who (love ‘em or hate ‘em) make motherhood look easy & fun & glamorous and doesn’t leave a mark on their physical bodies. We see women being objectified through the media and in the music industry, and more and more it’s affecting our younger girls.

As 21st century mothers, we have to bring forth the next generation, and not stop there – we must then take it 1 step further:  prepare that generation, and the next, for the rapid phase of continued growth through and beyond the 21st century.  We have to nurture them, protect them, and instill in them the basic values of care for our fellow man, because Maslow’s hierarchy of needs says that we are more alike than we are different.   We have to prepare our children to be in this world but not of it.  We have to find a balance between the head and the heart – competent to survive in this ever changing world, yet compassionate enough to see the Divine in all.  More importantly, our work has to be done on a global level. 

It has been said that “The two most important things we can offer our children are roots to grow and wings to fly” (author unknown).  This is the toughest task for a mother, but it can be done.  I think of my very own daughter, Jessica - my biggest accomplishment and the one that I am most proud of.    I am grateful she chose me to be her Mother; I have learnt so much from her and she has made me a better person by her unconditional love, her big heart and generous spirit, and for  holding me accountable to the principles I harped on when I was raising her.  I am Mother to my daughter, but I am also the daughter of my Mum.  For both, I am eternally grateful.  I leave you with the beautiful melody of Boyz2Men - in tribute to Mothers everywhere: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tap90z44WR8
Love, Light and Radiant blessings;
Audrey Steele, L.Ac.
www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com

The Elders speak:  “When men on earth have done their best, angels in Heaven will do the rest”.  I don’t know the source, but I remember hearing those words growing up as the Elders spoke, and again in a song by one of my most favorite Conscious Lyrics Reggae artist, Luciano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9AuC1PvNx4 . 
The relevance of those words hit home again fairly recently as I sat at a local coffee shop and (inadvertently) overhead a conversation between a life-coach & her client.  Have you ever witnessed others go on & on about what they really deserve and should have had, but they didn’t accomplish and are still lacking?   You can encourage them as much as you want - from here to eternity and back - but if they are not absolutely convicted that there’s more to it than just wanting, wishing and waiting, then it becomes, as Langston Hughes would say: “a dream deferred”.   The life-coach had a tough time trying to convince her dreamer-client that she needed to do more than just dream, and it got me to thinking about my future dreams versus my present reality.

Over a decade ago when I was at a pivotal crossroad in my life, I created a specific vision board as part of a manifestation ritual I was doing for the New Moon.  It’s interesting to see how I have not had to change the content on that particular board after all this time, but on each New Moon, I always revisit my original dream to see if I am on target, or if I need to do something differently.  It’s almost like gardening:  with each season and even in between, you have to weed, dead-head, fertilize and tend to your crop.  Assuming nothing needs to change - if nothing else - you have to at least stop long enough to ‘smell the roses along the way’ or appreciate the fruits of your labor.  My vision board has representative pictures of what I wished to manifest in my life with a central theme of fulfilling my Soul’s purpose.  Yes, it included elements of my dreams, but I knew if I didn't do anything else but sit and look at it, nothing would ever come to fruition.  If I didn't develop a plan for accomplishing said wishes and dreams, they would never materialize.  


My present day reality is an attestation to the hard work I put in and the sacrifices I made.  Now that’s not to say that I was all work and no play.  I have played hooky and partied, napped instead of being “productive”, resisted and rebelled, got distracted and took a wrong turn, and I have kicked a can or two in disgust or despair or when I got super frustrated.  I am proud of my hard work and the progress I have made, but it doesn't stop there.  There are days when I still feel as if I haven’t done enough, that there is so much more to do, yet very little time.  I cannot rest on my laurels.  I think I can credit my ancestral lineage for my determination and drive, and my parents for raising us the way they did.  They instilled in us through their words and their actions, that if you wanted something, you work for it. “IT” wasn't going to be handed to you on a silver platter.  Their wisdom came in succinct but deeply powerful sentences such as: “You weren't born with a silver spoon in your mouth”, “Hard work never killed anyone”, and perhaps the other half to the above opening quote: “God helps those who help themselves” (Algernon Sydney).   

I am now in the process of learning how to manage my own business, and so the vision board that I created 5 years ago for the practice of my dreams continues to morph and change each month on the New Moon.  Its structure and foundation is driven by a step-by-step business plan, but what warms my soul and provides fuel for the fire is my vision for how I want to practice and the capacity in which I am called to serve.  It was Eleanor Roosevelt who said  “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”.  That space in which I live is where my dreams meet reality.  The Elders ask:  Where lie your dreams, and what steps will you take to manifest them into reality?
Audrey Steele, L.Ac.
www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com
“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work” (Colin Powell)  

In part one of this series, I reflected (as we often do when Mercury goes retrograde) on the memories I had of my last home and how very important it was in my spiritual development.  (*If you missed it, click link here http://tinyurl.com/n4gspv7).  

Although I talked about the importance of the plants and the people associated with my sanctuary, I didn’t delve into why selling this house was a stressful yet transformative process in my life.  For me, my breaking point was pulling up roots that had been planted deep (selling my home & moving). Leaving wasn’t easy, but staying would have been a whole lot harder!  Turtle had to go, but – like turtles do – this one unwittingly carried some of her baggage with her.  The specific details of my physical, emotional, mental & spiritual challenges are irrelevant at this point.  For you,  you, AND you, your stressor may be something totally different but equally (or perhaps, more) challenging.  Yet suffice to say, know that if you don’t take care of yourself when you are going through significant life events, the changes can bring you to your knees. What does any of this have to do with acupuncture or Chinese medicine? In part 2 of this series, we will explore further how change – whether you resist it or totally cave under its pressure - can result in physical, emotional, mental and spiritual symptoms, and we’ll look at ways in which Chinese Medicine and other forms of complementary therapies may help support you on the journey.  

Stressful Effects of Change
Change is inevitable - matter of fact "There is nothing more permanent than change itself” (Heraclitus), so let’s take a look now at some symptoms that may present themselves when the stress of change affects you:
◦ Body:
Headaches, fatigue, muscle tension, stomach ulcers, GI distress → decreased immunity → quicker susceptibility to illness & infection.  Most of the patients that come to me for acupuncture primarily complain of bodily symptoms that can be traced back to the stress of trying to deal with change.
◦ Mind:
Insomnia, cloudy thinking, forgetfulness, scattered thoughts, monkey mind, mood swings, impatience, easy to anger, and emotional lability/outbursts are often manifestations of trying to keep up with changes going on around you - changes that overwhelm to the point of not being able to shut off the mind or disengage from the causative factor – if only just for a minute to “reboot” your thought processes.
◦ Spirit:
Despair, depression (note I put depression in the category of “Spirit” versus "Mind" - I will explain later), feelings of hopelessness or abandonment by God… AND man.

Role & Response of the Chinese Organ Systems:
In Chinese Medicine, we speak of various “organs”, but these are more than just the physical structure/organ themselves.  The term is used to include the channel/meridian as well as the emotions, senses or element of each system.  These organ systems play an important role in Chinese Medicine, & yes, they too are affected by the stress of Change.  Here’s a little blurb about a few of the organs from a TCM perspective (it’s waaaaay more complex than this of course).

◦ Lungs
The Lung system is the Yin (wife) pairing to the Large Intestine (Yang partner), and is responsible for the emotions of grief.  It is appropriate to mourn your losses.  In our culture, we are told to be brave, be strong, suck it up, be a big girl (be a man!), and it’s  frowned upon when we show the emotions of grief.  We feel cut off, lifeless, disconnected, empty… I’m here to tell you, a good cry can be very cathartic. Inappropriately or perpetually holding on to grief or sadness serves no purpose other than eventually lodging in your cells and manifesting in dis-ease.   In Chinese Medicine we say the Lung is a “delicate organ” that is very susceptible to heat & cold (I won’t even talk about smoking!), and when the Lung channel is stressed,  you are more susceptible to coughs, colds & flu, asthma, all kinds of breathing problems, even allergies as examples (the Lung is also known as “the container for Phlegm” :-)    Let it go….. Breathe….  Breathe deep from your belly, and on each exhale ….. LET…. IT....GO.
Helpful tip #1: 
Massage, tap or squeeze these 2 acupressure points when you feel down/blue/sad: 
a) Kidney 27:   located just under the clavicle about 1 or 2 fingerbreadths on either side of the middle of your chest (poke around until you find the most tender spot).
b) Lung 3:  Stick your thumb in your armpit, place the other 4 fingers of that hand on the upper arm (about 3” down from the armpit) & wherever your pinky lands on that bicep muscle, poke around until you find another tender spot.  Massage, tap or squeeze this spot while you take some deep belly breaths (breathe in for a count of 5, lower abdomen expands out; exhale for a count of 5, lower abdomen returns to base).  Now I must emphasize the caveat here is to seek professional help if you feel you cannot handle your grief, sadness or depression.

◦ Large Intestine
The LI system is responsible for the process of letting go, literally & figuratively - much like a two-year-old who is in potty training and learns the art of selective control which (if taken to the extreme) can result in constipation as we hold on to what no longer serves us. For example, during my move, many of my Buddha statues, china & glassware broke, and I was sooooo tempted to glue them back together, but I had to remind myself to throw away what was no longer salvageable. It is according to the Law of Impermanence: nothing lasts forever, and very much like the Turtle, we can take our home with us wherever we go, but there are some things we will need to let go of to ease the burden that we carry. On the other hand, to the other extreme is feeling so overwhelmed by the change going on around us that we feel helpless, immobilized and  totally out of control that we may have diarrhea-type symptoms. 
Helpful tip #2: 
Constipation may be due to Heat (for example excess hot, spicy foods; or not enough fluids (“Yin deficient”) so watch your diet & liquid intake.  Practice the art of positive affirmations while setting intention to release that which you have no control over.  One of my favorite techniques to use when I’m stressing out about things over which I have no control, is EFT.  EFT aka “Emotional Freedom Technique” helps to repattern the neural pathways through tapping while repeating affirmations.  The technique comes from Gary Craig; Check his website here for further info:  www.emofree.com . 

◦ Heart
The Heart in Chinese medicine is known as the Monarch, and we say it is a reflection of the Spirit. If we are stressed by change, are not content or at ease, then we can end up having insomnia, palpitations, all sorts of chest discomfort as well as circulatory system challenges. There are Chinese herbal formulas that can be used to treat insomnia (for example Tian Wan Bu Xin Dan, Suan Zao Ren or An Mian Pian), but it is important to discuss these symptoms not only with your acupuncturist (who will select the right formula for you based on Tongue and Pulse diagnosis as well as a full system review), but with your PCP (western MD) as well. The caveat here of course is to call 911 in case of an emergency!
Helpful tip #3: 
A most wonderful method of breathing & visualizing that brings the heart, body, mind and Spirit back into a coherent state and promotes a harmonious feeling can be found in a program called “Heart Math”.  Whenever my Spirit (Heart) needs a boost, I take a quick minute to practice Heart Math’s Quick Coherence Technique and in just a few seconds of breathing from my heart space, my heart is warmed and I am brought back to a state of bliss.  Visit www.heartmath.com/quick-coherence-technique/ for your step by step guide to restoring balance and harmony from within. 

◦ Stomach & Spleen
I had problems eating, actually had no appetite, and I had problems digesting.  If you're not at peace or you're stressed, whatever you eat will challenge your Stomach and Spleen organ systems.  The 2 are perhaps the most important organ systems in Chinese medicine because the Stomach is responsible for digesting whereas the Spleen is responsible for transforming everything that you ingest to support the flow of Qi (energy), blood flow & nutrients to all of the organs and the cells in your body. While the Lung is the ‘container of Phlegm’, the Spleen it’s said ‘produces Phlegm’, and so poor dietary choices (like too much cold temperature/energy foods) can result in you coming down with cold & flu symptoms, GI distress or being more susceptible to viruses, allergies and infection. There are acupoints on the Bladder & Small Intestine  channels that we can needle  to boost your immunity & fight infection or inflammation, and there are points on the Stomach/Spleen channels that - when stimulated - will strengthen the transformative powers of these 2 important meridian systems. 
Helpful tip #4:
Practice mindful eating.  Eat with your senses & take some time to look at your food, smell its aroma, savor every mouthful.  Never eat when you’re stressed or on the run – simple steps, yet when the daily grind flares up around us, we scrimp on the time we should take to enjoy our meals.  Stomach 36 – an acupoint on the Stomach channel – is a great point to stimulate (through daily acupressure).  It’s located about  4 fingerbreadths below the lower border of your kneecap (patella) & about 1 fingerbreadth from the anterior border of the tibia.  Its Pinyin (Chinese) name is “Zu San Li” - Leg 3 Li (meaning:  if you stimulate this point daily, you can go another kajillion steps – okay, I exaggerate). It is an important one for strengthening your body’s energy, preventing fatigue, building immunity, and strengthening the Stomach, Spleen & Intestines.

◦ 2 Other Organs: 
¬ The Liver is in charge of planning & strategy; The Gallbladder is in charge of decision making. At their best, they give us the courage to follow through and take action on the choices we make, and give our Solar Plexus the strength to tackle the stresses of change.  At their worst, we become timid, indecisive, wishy-washy and namby-pamby when it comes to making decisions, or stay stuck in unfulfilled desires, frustration, anger and resentment.  Some of us women even get a bad rep for being PMS-ish when the Liver/Gallbladder is not in balance. 
Helpful hint #5: 
Move that Qi!   When you start feeling cranky & irritable, go for a walk, dance around the house, scrub the bathtub.  Ok, maybe not the bathtub thing.  And be kind to your Gallbladder – drink warm lemon water 1st thing when you wake up.  It’ll help flush toxins and wake up its bile-releasing function so you can digest food better.  Practice flexibility exercises (like yoga, Tai Chi or Pilates) that promote flexibility not just in your joints but in all areas of your life.

¬ The Kidneys are very important to life.  In Chinese Medicine, some of its responsibilities include reproduction, your life force, how much stamina or endurance you have, and how well (or poorly) you age as a few examples.  The adrenals – the 2 little organs sitting on top of the kidneys contribute to the stress response (“fight or flight or feed & breed”).  Change can be really stressful, which means it can tax your Kidneys leaving you feeling run down, develop low back/knee pain, premature grey hairs, decreased hearing, and bone/teeth problems.  Emotionally, we may even feel immobilized and stuck in fear mode if we don’t take care of our Kidneys, unable to move forward in life.    
Helpful hint #6: 
Eat foods that strengthen the function of your Kidneys:  black sesame seeds, black beans, black walnuts, seaweed and kelp.    Get enough rest so you can recharge & strengthen the Fire at the Gate of Vitality - Ming Men aka “Life Gate” is a point located just below the spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra. Give yourself a treat and massage the entire low back area & around this point to warm it up and keep your Qi flowing.

Helpful tips #7, 8, 9..etc, etc, etc….. 
There are many other ways that you can help support yourself during stressful events and times of change, and maintaining good health is key.  We must not forget the role of right nutrition, adequate rest, prayer or meditation, the comfort of friends, and any of the numerous energy modalities that are available.   Reiki, Healing Touch, chakra balancing, craniosacral work, rolfing, massage, journaling, color therapy and essential oils (aromatherapy) are some that come to mind.  
And finally, my acronym for Change:  which do you choose?
C: compromise vs. control
H:  harmony vs. hanging on
A:  agenda vs. adaptability
N: negotiate vs. negate
G: growth & gratitude vs. growl & give-up
E: embrace vs. endure.

What will be your #ChineseNewYear resolution? What will you do differently to deal with the stress of change?  Drop us a note in the comment section below for what works for you.  Kung Hey Fat Choy - Happy Chinese New Year! 
2015 – Year of the Goat.  *Now accepting patients at our new location in Seminole, Florida.  Call for appointment and a free consultation to discuss how Chinese Medicine can assist you in your best health yet!  
Audrey Steele, L.Ac.
Acupuncture Physician
(727) 417-8307
www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference” (Reinhold Niebuhr)

“I’m a traveler, a pilgrim. No one can hold or stop me, not the bonds of joys and sorrows, not the room I live in” (Rabindranath Tagore)

I've been told my posts are sometimes too long.  I laugh at this because it confirms for me how we live in a microwave society and everyone expects results immediately.  The same folks who tell me to make my blogs shorter, are the same ones who come to me with their chronic conditions complicated by multiple co-morbidities and expect me to "fix" them in 1 magical treatment - FOR CHEAP - and WITHOUT DISCOMFORT!  Well, Dear Friends, you'll have neither of that here, and I make no apologies for that.  When I speak, I speak from the heart, and when information comes from the Elders, I share it with you as it was given to me.  “He who hath ears to hear”….. as they say in the Bible (Mark 4:9).  And so in compromise, I give you this month’s blog as a 2-part series. It is my personal story of change, letting go and the Law of Impermanence.  It speaks to how resistance versus allowing can impact our lives on all levels – Mind, Body & Spirit – and how #ChineseMedicine can help you with any transitional challenges you may experience along the way.  It begins with me selling the home and sanctuary I had created, a space that had birthed many dreams, fed a village, nurtured many of my Kindred spirits and Soul Family…. A home that I had set intention that would be unlike any other home I had ever owned, as it would serve as a beacon of Light with intention to heal the world.  I invite those of you, Dear Friends, who are patient enough to read this blog and savor its words, if you have a personal memory or experience from having been to my home, to share your story – if you are so drawn – in the comment section below.  My story begins (as Mercury prepares to go retrograde AGAIN!) as I reflect on the day I bought this last house, 10 years ago….

It was a blank slate back then; there was nothing perfect about the house on the corner, bordered by an alley on 2 sides, and steps away from 1 of the busiest thoroughfares in the neighborhood. .  But I had a vision for the space I would create, and that in itself made it perfect. The only thing that was on the property were 2 palm trees in the front, and a Cherry Laurel & Brazilian Pepper in the back.  I didn’t even have a fence, but my sister Lesley (the designated Fence Builder in my family who has built a fence around almost every property I’ve owned) spent almost an entire weekend building me a fence that would delineate the boundaries of the property, and contain the energy of a crystal grid that I buried on the land.  I had a vision for the space that would serve as a beacon of Light and a sacred sanctuary from the outside world.  “Build it and they will come”, I was advised, and so I envisioned a Peace Garden in the front with an altar where we could congregate & gather for full moon drum circles, a feast for the senses and a balm to the Soul.  A “Shalom!” plaque hung between 3 wrought iron candle holders nailed to a stately palm tree on the front lawn.  The “Group therapy practiced here” flag with wine glasses appliquéd all over it I had brought back from a visit to a winery & friends in Indiana -  it waved unashamedly & gloriously in the breeze. One of my dear friends Robin brought me buckets of pea gravel (pea-stones à peace stones) that we put in between the pavers.  Pretty soon, each of my friends began to donate items to the space.  My friend Pam, when the house she grew up in was destroyed by a fire the night after we celebrated Obama’s inauguration, we had a blessing and release ceremony for her lost home. This 'DirtSister' of mine, before the contractors came to bulldoze the remnants of the house, helped me rescue pavers from her yard, and we recycled them to become the foundation for my outdoor altar.  It would be here that I would sit some evenings, sipping on a martini while watching the sunset, and thank the spirit of Olive (Pam’s mother) for donating these St. Pete pavers that were over 80 years old.  My friend Lois offered up a non-GMO lilac colored rose with the most beautiful fragrance, and a circular flowered paver that was placed in the center of the garden to mark the location of the firepit.  I credit my mother and all the members of my family who invested countless time & effort, as well as blood, sweat & tears in helping me create the space.

It was here that when he was a baby, I would papoose & bundle up my nephew Elijah, & take him out at night to see the moon & the stars.  “Where are you from Elijah? Which one is your home?” I would ask the little bundle.  He would look up, even then as an infant, and babble in his baby tongue.  “Then say goodnight to Moon; say goodnight to stars, Elijah; Tomorrow is another day”, I would say, and he would drift off to sleep.  The next day, we would wander around the yard, to “Peruse the Perimeter of the Property”.  I trusted his baby cells would remember these moments as he got older, and it would bring him comfort in his later years, much as I had from my early years with my Great-Grandmother in Jamaica.  It was here on the front lawn that he learned how to connect with Mother Earth, and ground into her healing energy.  As I watched him grow up, it was here on the front lawn that - with eyes closed, he sharpened his skills at sensing the color & energetic temperature of my crystals, and he would identify the plants based on their smell.  Along with the regular culinary herbs like basil, dill, oregano and thyme, I grew Jamaican allspice, cinnamon, cardamom, lemongrass, rosemary, and Ai Ye (moxa), all surrounding Quan Yin & Buddha.  Crystals got charged out there on the altar every full moon night.  Clearing & Blessing sprays matured for 9 days at the feet of Buddha & Quan Yin, amidst all that was planted for their spiritual properties, and with a central theme of attracting butterflies and tantalizing the senses. It was there that bees, butterflies, white egret, crow, frog, owl, possum and snake would visit, bringing with them the messages and wisdom of the Animal Kingdom.

On  warm summer nights, our nostrils were bathed with the scent of jasmine vines that clung to and crept silently along  the picket fence, along with citronella, gardenia, geraniums, cerassee, cinnamon, and Bay Rum.  Night blooming jasmine flanked either side of the front steps.  Birds of Paradise, day lily, ornamental ginger, Mexican petunias, Florida sunflower, purple & orange lantana, Hens & Chicks all grew side by side, like a band of gypsy travelers who find each other along the way.  A Barbados Cherry tree in the front gave us beautiful pink blossoms, an abundance of fruits that Elijah would pick, and I would gleefully watch as Lola - my friend Lois’ corgi would jump up to pick the low hanging fruits, and I would plead with the blue jays & mocking birds to please leave me some to make jam.  Squirrels danced in & out the branches of the Florida sunflower trees, & feasted on the seeds.  My cherimoya tree – like me (at times temperamental and moody)  – some years offered only 1 fruit all season, and then other years I was able to give to my friends so that they too could  partake of this exotic Caribbean fruit.  My Mayan spinach plants – the original of which was a gift from my ‘SisterFriend’, Carmen, grew to hedge height & provided privacy from the street while hosting numerous Monarch butterflies. I planted three flowering pear trees that sheltered the sparrows; a scraggly twig of an oak barely 5ft tall, donated by my neighbor, and a discarded 6ft Laurel from Lowe’s – all grew  to majestic heights & became THE spot on my block where everyone (including myself) fought to park under because they had grown to offer shade from the afternoon sun.  They had anchored in nicely and grew to become a living testimony and symbol for the magic of transformation that occurs when One is cared for, and they reminded me to stay centered and grounded no matter what storms prevail around us.

In the back yard, the 2 jasmines I planted as babies had grown up to become sturdy trees and the place that supported my colorful Costa Rican hammock.  Imagine them in bloom… combined with the heady scent of frangipani, tangerine, lemon & orange blossoms; who wouldn’t brave the mosquitoes to bask in this seductive glory on a full moon night.  Then there was the water fountain my daughter Jessica built me for Mothers’ Day when she was about 17 years old – she dug a hole & sat in it to make sure it was deep enough to hold the fountain, and I will never forget that moment of silence as we turned it on and waited for the 1st bubbling sounds to appear at which time we squealed & applauded in delight.  Avocados from my neighbor’s tree would fall on my side of the fence, and if I was lucky enough, I would get them before the squirrels went shopping & sampling each one before it would hit the ground.  Bird baths abound.  A very special mango tree now grows along the western fence – as much as I wanted to take it with me when I moved, it had rooted itself in, and I couldn’t budge it to save my life.  My dad had planted a mango tree back in Jamaica way before we were kids, and on a visit to my homeland several years ago, I snuck a mango through Customs and now it was growing nicely, a testament to the invisible strength, support, perseverance, and connection of family.  Tamarind – glorious, exotic, deliciously sweet Tamarind – flourished beautifully, providing shade from the scorching afternoon sun, and loads of fruit to the point where they just fall off the tree. 10 years ago when I planted it, it was a mere 2 feet tall, grown from seed and a gift from Tita-Lola, my adopted Filipino Grandmother who lived behind me. 10 years later, it towered above the roof of my house, and carpeted the ground beneath with a blanket of fine delicate leaves.  There’s cardamom & turmeric & Hand of Buddha (a citrus tree whose fruit is shaped just like Buddha’s hand),  sweet Sambo lemon, a Kefir lime tree that I mixed with lemongrass for my Thai curry dishes, numerous variety of mints, leeks, callaloo, and a recently planted yam and sugar cane my Hunny – himself an Earth Man – had planted that luckily bore fruit before we sold the house.

This was where my tribe would gather – we had “Dolly-Momma” retreats where my Soul Family sisters helped me make dollies to take on my medical mission trips to Guatemala & Haiti (and I got hooked on Chick Fil-A chicken minis); we had fundraisers for my birthdays where all proceeds went towards the Fistula Foundation,  an orphanage in Kenya, or a particular charity (you get to a certain age, & material things mean nothing to you when your Universal family is lacking the basic necessities to survive); we had Poetry Night, where my friends shared their favorite piece & my 5 year-old nephew Elijah became the Town-Crier who would sound the gong to announce the next featured “poet”.  There was my 50th birthday party where many were invited but exactly 50 people showed up for my Croning & spiritual naming ceremony (Sanân Nariah Shafäth – at your service), and got (temporary) tattoos that reflected their God/Goddess self.  We hosted Magda from Poland who attuned us to Reiki, and we got together every month for energy healing (Caregivers must care for Self), and Spiritual Cinema night where the ladies wore tiaras & a boa and carried their own magic wand, and Charlie – the only gentleman in the group – became “King” for the night & got to wear a Burger King crown.  We watched & discussed movies like The Secret, Blue Butterfly, Peaceful Warrior, Spiritual Warrior, Celestine Prophecy, 7 Years in Tibet, 5 People You Meet in Heaven, and the Moses Code.  This is my Soul family, and the community that became a pillar of support for me during my spiritual journey – this wonderful band of fellow sojourners like myself, who over a decade taught me the lessons of connection and kindred spirit.  Ten years later, many of us have moved on to different places, different roles and responsibilities, different relationships, yet we remain connected by the unseen Web that has no Weaver. I am grateful to them for the many lessons they taught me, for the gift of their time and friendship, for being my teacher, for loving me kindly, for holding me in their hearts yet all the while willing to let me go.   And now it is time to turn the page… Remembering always that home is where the heart is, and Turtle takes her home with her wherever she goes.   I come because I was invited; I leave when it’s time to go.
*In part 2 of this series, learn how change can manifest in bodily symptoms, and how Chinese Medicine can help you on your personal journey.
“We leave something of ourselves behind every time we leave a place… we stay there even though we go away” (Pascal Mercier). 
Audrey Steele, L.Ac
Licensed Acupuncturist
www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com

 I have a conundrum: I have to have blood work done and I want to impress my PCP with some normal numbers for a change, but this past Thanksgiving ruined it right off the bat.  Mac-n-Cheese, oyster stuffing, smashed potatoes, turkey with gravy and pies stayed on the agenda (menu) up to a week after "T-Day".  And then there’s our #Christmas Day smorgasbord which includes eggnog, pot roast, shrimp cocktail and corn casserole.  My sneaky, conniving plan was to eat healthy for 2 weeks out, then get my labs drawn the week BEFORE my Thanksgiving feast, and waaaaay before Christmas dinner.  I love Christmas, but Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday of the year; not because we have a smorgasbord of food, flag football and board games, but because it's a time to gather without the guilt of gift-giving often associated with Christmas (yeah I said it;  perhaps you know/have seen the Syndrome). I was also feeling proactive about my fitness goals, and had vowed to start my New Year's resolution early.   

Well, in the middle of this fairy tale, I decided to overwork, over stress, overthink and over-exhaust myself into a little bout of "Mama-said-knock-you-out" headachy, flu-ish, stomach virus of sorts that kept me bed bound for more days than I would ever wish for . I had no appetite or energy to eat, yet I knew I needed to nourish my body back to health. To the rescue:  *don't laugh*....;  **wait for it**....... Ramen noodles!  Yes, you heard me right; I ate a bowl of Ramen Noodles!  I forcefully dragged myself outside into the fresh air, braved the warm Florida sun, and picked a Kefir lime leaf, a blade of lemongrass, a nub of gingerroot, and a branch of Thai basil growing on my front step.  Five minutes later, I was well on the road to recovery after boiling it all up with a packet of said noodle soup ("shrimp flavored"), and I sat huddled over the warmth of this yummy aromatic broth, imagining I was somewhere in the South Pacific, tanned, healthy, giddy and stress-free. My fantasy unfortunately came to a screeching halt when I realized I had eaten the entire bowl (1st REAL meal in days!), and I seriously contemplated having seconds but decided, eh, "moderation with the sodium, Grasshopper!"

 And so, here's my point (which can also help you prep for your resolutions next month):
a) Yeah, you can follow the guidelines and eat a "healthy" diet based on the latest craze, but sometimes you have to break your own self-imposed rules.  I know several people who are strict "non-meatarians" (my made up word) who could most certainly benefit from a couple bowls of marrow soup.  I eat red meat once a year, specifically on my birthday when I celebrate with a yummy well seasoned T-bone steak (trust me; I have no guilt about enjoying that). Although you can get iron from other food sources (like quail eggs, Medjool dates, red berries, spinach and beets), to me nothing beats a juicy grilled steak or beef liver smothered with onions. Caveat:  this is my personal opinion; although I may make suggestions when solicited, I am not and will not push any particular diet on anyone at anytime.

b) There’s a time & place for everything.  I wouldn’t personally eat my noodle soup every day, as much as I love the yumminess of it when I dress it up with extra spices & herbs.  I used to knock back hot sauce like crazy until my hot flashes & personal summers got too intense & 1 of my teachers cautioned me:  “Don’t be a slave to your taste bud".   On the same token, eating too much dairy or cold foods is probably not the wisest thing to do when you’re all phlegmy (“Cold congeals”).  Everything in moderation, my Friends.
c) Speaking of moderation, don’t do like a lot of us overachievers do.  Superman (Woman) exists only in the comic books so quit doing it all, running yourself ragged, and wearing yourself down into the ground.  Pacing yourself is advised and way better than overtasking yourself which can make you ill in the long run.  Take frequent breaks – they’ll recharge your spirit, energize and inspire you.  And as much as we love hanging with family and friends at Christmas, take the time to find your “alone-time” to commune with Nature, breathe, nap, be silent – whatever it takes to reboot your inner computer.  Have a fabulous Christmas, anticipate a glorious new year, and exercise moderation in all that you do.   And because 80% of diseases begin in your gut, eat healthy, wholesome foods that nourish your Body, Mind and Spirit.    Ask your local acupuncturist how Chinese dietary therapy can help you meet your health and wellness goals.  “Let food be your medicine, and medicine be your food” (Hippocrates).  Many blessings, and here's to a healthy, happy holiday!
Audrey Steele, L.Ac.
Acupuncture Physician
www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com

Are you grateful to be here?  Are you grateful for all that you [have] and all that you are?  This Thanksgiving, are you grateful for the many blessings in your life?  Or are you reminded of how much you still lack, and have your Black Friday list/route planned?  I invite you to take a moment now to close your eyes, take a deep breath, and feel your feet connected with Mother Earth below. Breathe in through your crown chakra the Divine light from above, and let those energies meet in your heart space,  as you reflect for a minute on the fact that you are here - this is now ... and you will never have this moment again. And for this and more we give thanks.

The following content is excerpted from a sermon I did at Temple Of The Living God on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  I thought it fitting to include it here in the “Wisdom of the Elders” blog series because it poured forth after a meditation at my Shustah class there one afternoon.  I offer it here – to you – with gratitude for your continued interest in, and blessings for, the information that is brought forth from Spirit each month.  Your feedback and words of encouragement are most appreciated, and continue to feed my soul. This month we will look at the Attitude and Spirit of Gratitude.

I don’t know how many of you reading this are “old enough” to remember Robert Schuller’s “Hour of Power” that came on every Sunday morning on TV? I remember as a teenager growing up in my parents’ house having the TV on in the background and listening to Robert Schuller's "Hour of Power" while we all went about our morning rituals. He always began with the verse (Psalms 118:24):  "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!”   I never understood how he always looked so ... rejoicingly-full (my made up word) when *in my eyes* there was so much wrong with the world. I felt for sure he was too rich to know what regular folks went through and probably too rich to do anything but rejoice. Then he would go on to say "Be thankful unto Him and bless His name" (Psalm 100:4).  I would mutter under my breath & call him names like “Suzy Cheerleader”, & secretly roll my eyes at him when my mom wasn’t looking. Now I'm sure he and his family had their challenges as well, just like the rest of us and the rest of the world, but he never one Sunday appeared to be “suffering”. 

One thing I learned and I still remember from my Buddhist studies is there are no degrees of suffering.  Your experience, no matter how painful, or terrible, or devastating, is not in any way less or more than the suffering of another Being.  There is an infinite energy of Universal connection with all other Beings in this time & space,  and it is because we share the ripple effect that when one person suffers, in a sense we all suffer, because we ARE connected - no matter where we are in this world by that “Web that has no Weaver”.  The same could be said for universal Peace; the same could be said for Gratitude. And so this month, let’s look at the Attitude & the Spirit of Gratitude, and how we can move from a place of  ‘suffering’ or lack, to one where we can do as Robert Schuller did every Sunday morning: rejoice and be grateful.

Here’s an exercise for you to do if/when you can take/find the time:  On a blank sheet of paper, write the title:  “My Imperfect State”, then draw a line down the middle, and on the left side of the line, jot down all the things that bothered you this morning when you woke up, that bother you today as you are reading this, this week, this year, this lifetime even…  Include on here all the people, circumstances, or situations that really test your patience, your faith, your last nerve.  List them all on your sheet of paper; just 1 caveat:  you have to stay on the left side of the line. You can flip the paper over if you'd like, but always, always stay on the 1 side of that line.   Put them all here, as we're going to get rid of them once and for all, and you don't want to hold on our skip any of them.

Now looking at that list (or thinking about what you would have written if you had written them down – or had enough paper AND time to list them all), what on earth do you have to be grateful for when you have this list in front of you - with all the things that are wrong in your world? How can you have a spirit of gratitude when your day to day world is far from perfect? And if you can't feel (or don't have) the Spirit of Gratitude, how could you even possibly have an Attitude of Gratitude?  Let me ask you this: what does gratitude look like? What IS the Spirit of Gratitude?   And perhaps more importantly, what is YOUR personal definition of gratitude?  Let’s look now at gratitude from a Body-Mind-Spirit perspective:

Definition of Gratitude
Gratitude by definition is "the spirit of being thankful".  When you feel grateful,   you feel "thankful for what somebody did for you, and (physically) you're also pleased by the results". This of course is according to Merriam Webster.  So if this is the definition of  #gratitude, there's really no reason to be thankful for any of the things that you just put on your list, now is there?  Those things that you put on your list are not things that you wanted, asked for, or even prayed for! Yet in the Bible it says:  "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1st Thessalonians 5:18).   And in Acts 24:3 we read: "In every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude". 

As an ICU nurse, every shift that I work, I have patients & family members who pour their hearts out to me, about the pain & grief of illness or death.  These 2 passages are often very difficult for the people I talk with when they're going through situations that bring them no peace, leave them feeling abandoned or forgotten, or are far from joyful.  Those circumstances create nothing but heartache, despair and suffering.  I am therefore very careful when I try to offer words of encouragement, because in those moments of suffering it is very hard to think that there is anything in their circumstances that they could possibly be grateful for.  And trust me; the last thing they want to hear is that others are worse off than they are, that it is the will of God, or that they have to be grateful for it.

Now let’s look at gratitude from the Mind perspective.  According to the psychology experts, gratitude from a psychological perspective “is a short-term experience of the emotions around being thankful”. When we are thankful (or grateful) we express it through our facial expressions: that same joyous facial expression that Robert Schuller had every Sunday on TV.  We see it in the laughter and smiles around us, we glow, we radiate, we hug, we cheer people on, we encourage, we even cry tears of joy sometimes.  In the Bible it even says we dance.  When you came through those Temple doors this morning, deep inside, perhaps unbeknownst to you, from a Soul level, you probably had a moment of gratitude for the freedom and the ability to choose to spend your morning here with your Temple family.  You could have been anywhere else, but you CHOSE to be here today, and for this we are grateful.

The spirit of gratitude can leave us speechless with joy. It is a wonderful state to be in and one that we all strive for.  It is brought to our awareness even more so around this time - this week of Thanksgiving - as we gather family and friends together to feast & celebrate those things & people that we are grateful for. Today we will celebrate with potluck after service; we will feast on all the goodies everyone brought to share.  Yet, there are people here in our town - in our land of plenty - who don’t have anything to eat, and we pray “Give us this day our daily bread”.  We mumble about our Florida “cold snap” or our notorious heat and humidity, yet we have the ability to adjust our thermostats as we see fit, where many remain homeless and without shelter from the elements, the security of 4 walls, or a roof over their heads.  On Thursday, around the Thanksgiving table we will pause to say thanks for the year so far, for being able to get together, the food before us, etc.   And then there’s the next day, “Black Friday” (which reminds me of a joke I recently read:  “What is Black Friday?  The day where we trample each other for sales exactly 1 day after being thankful for what we already have” – author unknown).  Having the Spirit of Gratitude or an Attitude of Gratitude is not a state that should be experienced or emphasized on only 1 day of the year, annually on Thanksgiving Day. It is a state that should permeate every waking moment of every day.

Neale Donald Walsch just did a webinar series last month about gratitude and he says:  “It is your job is to be grateful for every circumstance & every situation in your life no matter how imperfect it appears to be".  He tells the story of how he lost his job, his home, his family and his health all at the same time, and in his despair he talked to God over & over again.  Many times he had these “Conversations with God” (which, by the way is how his book with the same name came about), until one day, I guess you could say God ‘talked back to him’, and he finally understood the reason behind his circumstances & the meaning of his imperfect state.  And that is I quote: "Only in a room full of darkness can a candle experience its own light".  He explained that it’s very hard for us to see the “perfection” behind losing your home, your family, your health, you name it – all those imperfect things on your list – but once we can see beyond all that, then and only then can we be released from the pain of our sufferings.  He says: ‘If we pass judgment on our daily life challenges & make them wrong, or resist them, we end up feeling trapped by them & cannot see the possibility of having a life of joy’.    

Do you still have your list there in front of you? Take a look at your list again – look at everything that you’ve listed on the left side of the page; all those bits of darknesses in your life.   Be reminded that in a room filled with darkness, all it takes is the spark of a single match to bring in the Light, and ask yourself:  how can I lighten the load of all the burdens I bear?  How can I move forward from feeling trapped in a place filled with despair and suffering, to one where I can walk in blind faith, with grace and ease, knowing that there IS Divine Order in all things?  How can I shine a light on this darkness of my life?  I invite you to see yourself being that Light. And as we close with Josh Groban’s video song “Thankful” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPDimGnpv4g), I pray that you will remember always that our strength cometh from Above and Below.  I pray for God’s Divine guidance in your life, and for peace in your heart.  See, feel and know that your darknesses can be transformed into blessings and opportunities, instead of adversities and calamities, and give thanks that it is so.
Audrey Steele, L.Ac.
Licensed Acupuncture Physician
www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com

 Creator Source, Infinite Spirit:
We are so grateful for everything that you have given us – not just those gifts that we perceive as our blessings, but the opportunities and challenges that remind us to walk in faith. 
Thank you so much for the loved ones in our lives,
For the many ways in which we are cared for and supported.
Thank you for the many ways we can serve and give to others.
Thank you for the rich tapestry of  colors  in creation,
For the beauty which is all around us,
For the skies and the ever changing cloud formations,
For the breathtaking sunsets and early morning mists.
Thank you for walking with us through the seasons of our lives.
Grant that we may continue to grow in our grateful enjoyment of your abundant creation, to the honor and glory of your Name, now and forever. Amen.
(adapted from: lords-prayer-words.com )

Acupeeps & Acupunks, unite!!!!
Today - October 24th - marks the day that we recognize, honor & celebrate National Acupuncture Day.  Truth be told, for me every day is Acupuncture Day, but  I prefer to call it “Oriental Medicine Day” because the Western world needs to know our medicine is more than just #acupuncture. 

By definition Acupuncture is a term commonly used to refer to the insertion of filiform needles into specific points on the body (“acupoint”) to access the energies that flow through our body. When these energies are blocked from flowing freely, our cells don’t get the proper blood flow, oxygen or nutrients required for them to perform at their optimal function, and this may result in pain, stress or even diseases.  Through the process of acupuncture, we can therefore unblock those energetic channels and support the body’s own natural healing abilities. 

“Acupuncture” is often used as an umbrella term for the practice of “Oriental Medicine”, Traditional Chinese Medicine, or Classical Chinese Medicine, but it also includes the use of other modalities in combination with acupuncture needling, such as Moxibustion, cupping, Gua Sha, Tui Na, Chinese herbal therapy, Qi Gong or Tai Chi, or Chinese dietary therapy. Besides traditional Chinese acupuncture, other therapies I may use during your session may include:   Japanese acupuncture, auricular therapy (Ear acupuncture), Acupuncture Point Injection Therapy, hand & scalp acupuncture, E-Stim (electroacupuncture), acupressure, ear seeding, or Homeopathy.  Personally,
I have used (and still continue to use) acupuncture and Oriental Medicine therapies to treat my low back pain after years of ICU nursing, a recent wicked case of lateral epicondylitis (aka “tennis elbow”), migraines, “Personal Summers” aka “power surge” secondary to hormones gone wild, weight loss, stress, sleepless nights and monkey-mind….. I could go on.  I wouldn't be such an advocate if I didn't personally believe in the efficacy of our medicine, or experience its healing benefits myself.  The most frequent questions I get related to acupuncture are:

I’m scared of needles! Does acupuncture hurt? What can I expect to feel?
This is the 1st question I usually get after “what is acupuncture?”   Our clients all have varying degrees of sensitivity and pain threshold, but in my experience, no one has said that acupuncture is painful.  Instead they describe it as an awareness of a sensation comparable to heaviness, dullness or tingling around the point, indicating enhanced energy flow.  Mostly all will agree that they do feel a wonderful difference in their mood and general feeling of well-being within 5 minutes of the needles being in (I'm happy to say I feel it the minute the 1st needle goes in!). You have to realize the size of an acupuncture needle is much smaller than the tip of a pin so if hypodermic needles have left you scared of an acupuncture session, fear no more - the needles are gently placed by the expert hands of your acupuncture physician.  Safety is our concern and as such, when we needle, we do so observing anatomical structures as well as principles of Clean Needle Technique. 

What is “Qi”?
Like the blood that flows through our arteries and veins, Qi (pronounced “Chee”), is that invisible Essence of our life, and has been called by other names such as “Prana”, “Life Force” or “Vital Energy”.  It flows in and around us and is found in every living thing.  When stress and tension knots up our muscles, for example, our tissues aren't able to get the nutrients they need and we feel this as pain, stiffness or soreness.  Through acupuncture needling or any of the modalities incorporated by your acupuncture physician, we are able to unblock that stuck energy to restore your body’s innate abilities to self-heal through the release of naturally occurring chemicals and hormones such as endorphins. 

What is an acupuncturist’s training?
The requirements to become a licensed acupuncturist includes a minimum of 3-4 years post-graduate studies in acupuncture at a school that is recognized by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). Licensed acupuncturists have more than 2,000 hours of education and training, including 1,000 hours of clinical experience plus  hundreds of hours of hands-on clinical training and observation hours.

If you would like to find out more about Oriental Medicine and how it may support your health, please feel free to navigate through this website, drop me a line (DrAudreySteele@gmail.com), or contact your nearest and most favorite acupuncturist.  We are all here to be of service to you.  In the meantime, here are some links that you may find helpful if you need further information about acupuncture and Oriental Medicine:
Links:
a) World Health Organization’s list of diseases and  disorders that can be treated with acupuncture:  
http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js4926e/5.html
b) NCCAOM: 
www.nccaom.com  (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine)
c) Finding a licensed acupuncturist in your state:
http://www.nccaom.org/find-a-nccaom-certified-practitioner
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/acupunct/acu_lic_req.html
d) Information on research and acupuncture: 
* NIH:  http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/ 
* WHO: http://www.who.int/topics/traditional_medicine/en/index.html 

To your health!
Audrey Steele, L.Ac
Acupuncture Physician – www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com
“All that man needs for health and healing has been provided by God in nature; the challenge of science is to find it” (Paracelsus: 1493-1541).

CONTINUATION OF THE “SEASONS SERIES”: 
FALL/AUTUMN FROM A CHINESE MEDICINE PERSPECTIVE 
“I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion” (Henry David Thoreau)
Fall is by far my most favorite season of the year.  It brings us the best of both worlds – warm days, cool nights; and even here in Florida, we do get some color changes in the leaves.  Big fat mums replace impatiens, marigolds and day lilies; apple cider, squashes & pumpkins take over for watermelon & strawberries;  and for true Floridians  (like I’ve now become) – we stay out of the water if it’s less than 80 degrees, while the Snowbirds (visiting northerners) find any excuse to frolic in the waves. As we move through the seasons, we migrate away from the burst of energy and forward movement of Spring (Liver/Gallbladder), the scorching heat & passion of summer (Heart/Small Intestine), to the somewhat more reflective, preparatory phase of Autumn (Lung/Large Intestine).  Here is where we begin to get ready for the “harshness” of winter (we don’t have harsh winters in Florida; that’s why I moved here from New York a decade ago :-).   Now we look forward to canning our excess summer produce, stock up on firewood (in the colder regions), and hanging out by the firepit with friends.   In #ChineseMedicine, the representative Yin organ for the Fall season is Lung with its paired system and Yang counterpart, the Large Intestine.

Organ Pairing:  Lung/Large Intestine
Large intestine is all about control and the process of letting go, or holding on to crap (literally & figuratively) that we have no control over.  Patients who present to me with Large Intestine channel pathology usually complain of constipation or diarrhea, or label themselves with IBS (Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome).  Those with Lung channel issues frequently have pulmonary symptoms such as allergies, asthma, sore throats or colds (hence the increase in sale of flu vaccines around this time of the year).  Energetically, they often suffer from unexpressed sadness & grief that – having been bottled up over time – can lead to the physical symptomatology seen in the respiratory system. The sense organ for Fall is the nose (“Lungs open into the nose”) and the representative body part is the skin (“Lungs manifest on the skin”).  During autumn we also tend to see a rash (no pun intended) of skin issues such as rashes, eczema, and psoriasis.  Probiotics help boost immunity, so we can try adding this to our diet to help prevent infections by maintaining the integrity of the gut.  A good healthy regime that is in sync with the nature of the seasons can do wonders to stave off seasonal disorders, and especially so in the Fall.  Since Fall is about letting go (leaves know this when they carpet Earth’s floor for us in a blanket of golds, reds and browns), now is the perfect time to get rid of clutter around the house (ideal time for a yard sale!), deadhead old flower blooms, weed out the gardens (our grounds here in Florida are soft from all the Summer rain so weeds come up easily now), and clean out our colons from too much barbeque and margaritas
:-)  Detox anyone?  The representative element of Fall is Metal, color is white, direction is West, climate is Dryness, and the representative time is 3am-7am
(3-5am = Lung time; 5-7am = Large Intestine time).  Metal constitution people tend to be organized and upright, precise and direct (think “sword”), while folks who wake up between 3-5am (not because of an alarm clock) probably have some loss, sadness or grief that needs to be processed.

Representative Flavor/Taste/Food:  Spicy/Pungent
In keeping with the inward (and downward) nature of Fall, we now trade in our watermelon and strawberries for apples, figs, fat Concord grapes and root vegetables.  Those beautiful Autumn squashes, carrots, beets and pumpkins are not just for decoration y’know?  Roast them & sprinkle with a little olive oil and some warming spices, or warm them up in a stew with some beans.  For a seasonal treat, bake up an apple “pie-let” or fig tart (skip the crust & just chop up the fruits with a smidge of brown sugar/molasses, jazz it up with a dash of cinnamon or ginger & warm up in the oven (there are so many quick & simple recipes out there on the Web).  Or enjoy Nature’s sweetness  by tossing back a handful of luscious Concord grapes while lounging around like the Emperor/Empress that you are (while reflecting of course). I can’t have enough of black Mission or brown Turkey figs this month; thank goodness they’re available and on sale everywhere I go.  White mushrooms nourish Yin, and pears are perfect this time of year as they nourish Lung Yin and relieve Dryness, but you definitely want to limit cold temperature (& cold energy) foods like ice-cream, milk, yogurt etc. as they produce Phlegm (Lung is “the container for Phlegm” – you wouldn’t want to do that to Lung, would you?).

Representative Emotions:  Grief/Sadness; Representative Sound:  Crying
Now is the time for being introspective - turning inward & for reflection.  Ask yourself:  who or what do I need to let go of?  What losses have I refused to mourn and release so I can move on?  Many people have what’s been termed “Seasonal Affective Disorder” or SAD syndrome, and legitimately don’t like this time of year (and even further into the winter season) because the days are shorter so with less sunlight around, they tend to feel a little blue.  Acknowledge this, take 15 minutes walking around in the fresh air (if you’re able to do this early in the morning, your Lungs will LOVE the crisp coolness of the clean Autumn air), and watch how Nature honors the Fall.  Be sure to avoid too much wind though, especially on the back of your neck, so nice idea to carry a scarf with you (my daughter is a pro at wearing a scarf that she deftly tosses around her neck with the ease & expertise of a 5th Avenue Fashionista - *you go, Girl!)

As Fall begins (at time of writing, yesterday actually marked the first day of the Autumn season), we have a chance to reflect on all the wonderful, seasonal/celestial events going on this week: Pluto went direct (thank goodness!),  Fall Equinox  was 9/22/14, and today there’s a New Moon in Libra - official time was 2:13am this morning. See your local #Acupuncturist for a Fall tune-up to prepare you for the upcoming winter.  In the meantime enjoy these last few days of September; October’s gonna be a doozy with 2 eclipses lined up to help move things along.  Check back in October for more on THAT!  For now, let’s reflect…….
Audrey Steele, L.Ac
www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com 

"Love the trees until their leaves fall off, then encourage them to try again next year" (Chad Sugg) *Image complements of moi - taken on my '1st Day Of Autumn' walk around the park :-)

The Elders speak… “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns.  Yet your heavenly Father feeds them – are you not of more value than they? (Matthew 6:26)… “Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31). 

The rains have stopped, and the silence that follows our afternoon summer thunderstorm is suddenly broken by a steady “twit, twit, twit” - a sound I quickly recognize as that of Cardinal.  At this time of the year, my cherry tree is loaded, and there is usually a daily feeding frenzy as cardinals, sparrows, blue jays, and doves fill up for breakfast.  More recently a Crow and a Mockingbird have been the loudest partakers of this feast, & I have watched for the last 3 days in a row as this unlikely pair screech loudly at each other with a cherry between them.  Hmm…. There’s enough to go around, yet I wonder at the significance of this 3-day message from the Winged Ones.    Messages come to us in all forms, and so listening to the cacophony of my two feathered friends bickering over a single cherry, I watch from the privacy of my screen door and wait….. And then I hear the song my Great-Granny would sing:  “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches over me”. 

His eye is on the sparrow
This song, if you’ve ever heard it, is a beautiful gospel hymn sung by many and is a great source of comfort for those who understand (see link below).  And so today I hear Granny softly humming to me: Yes, my child; you are not alone. Take comfort knowing that you are watched over and cared for.  I smile at the memory of her voice, and turn away from Crow and Mockingbird as they finish their debate, knowing that all God’s creatures - even the sparrows - are cared for.  I pause by the table in the foyer, and there is my sand bowl, feathers collected from my daily walk proudly displayed with donations from the Winged Ones in my neighborhood.  There’s blue jay, duck, geese, egret, ibis, wild Florida parrot, and yes, Crow and Mockingbird.  I remember my then 5 year-old nephew pausing at this same table, inspecting my feather collection.  “Whaddya think, Elijah?” I asked.  He contemplated for a minute before wisely replying: “I think you have enough to make a bird”.  I laugh to this day, and whereas a moment before, I was feeling lost and alone, my heart is again warmed by a love I know is ever present - even in the innocence of a child (he still brings me feathers, by the way :-) 

Lessons from the Winged Ones
Each bird brings a message. For me, these messages have personal significance, just based on my daily observations and the passage of time (you can read about my experience with Anhinga here: http://tinyurl.com/md9ze3r). Crow tells me to take a closer look at what lies below the surface. Blue Jays are fierce when it comes to their territory and will fight back at birds larger than they are when their home or loved ones are threatened (I learned the hard way mowing the lawn one day!).  Ducks advise me to not let things bother me & just let it “roll off my back”.  Owls remind me to trust the wisdom of my inner knowing.  My lovebirds demonstrate unconditional and lasting love.  I love listening to the sound of the morning doves – they remind me of the first sound I heard when I woke the morning after my move to Florida a decade ago.  I know I will miss the sound of the seagulls; wherever I am and I hear them, I immediately taste the salt of the ocean, smell my piña colada flavored Coppertone, and feel the warmth of the Ft. DeSoto sun.  That familiar “twit, twit, twit” of  Cardinal encourages me to be my unique, colorful self, and the squawk of our wild parrots declare “speak your truth!”  And then there’s sparrow:  the sunflower trees in my garden shelter several families of these delicate little birds, and they reward me with a frolic in several birdbaths placed around the property. 

A Gift from Above
Next time you’re out and about, see which bird calls to you during the course of your day, and if you should look down and “find” a feather, consider it a message from the Winged Ones.  Pay attention to not only the type of bird who gifted it to you, but also whether the feather is that of a wing feather (strong and stiff to support the bird in flight), secondaries (that allow the bird to soar), or coverts & down feathers (on the underside & lower body) that provide insulation. If you are interested in the hidden meaning and symbolism of the Animal Kingdom, start your search with 2 great reference authors on the wisdom of birds (and other animals): Steven Farmer and Ted Andrews.  For now, enjoy Lillie Knauls and friends with my favorite rendition of Granny’s song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kaxliheB7w. 
Audrey Steele, L.Ac
www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com

His Eye Is On The Sparrow (Civilla D. Martin & Charles H. Gabriel)
Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart be lonely
And long for Heaven & home?
When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches over me.
I sing because I’m happy!
I sing because I’m free!
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches over me.

“There may be a great fire within our hearts, yet no one ever comes to warm himself at it, and the  passer-by sees only a wisp of smoke” (Vincent Van Gogh)

Continuation of the Seasons Series - Summer from a Chinese Medicine perspective:
Five Element (Wu Xing) theory helps us understand the world around us through a series of phases (seasons) and their associated correspondences and interrelationships. This month, we focus on how to work within the Summer season for best balance and harmony of Body, Mind and Spirit.   The nature of Summer is Yang, high energy and expansion, which means this is the time when excitement abounds: kids are out for the summer; you can hear their excited squeals as they tear about, blissfully ignorant of the heat of the afternoon sun.  We feel light and airy and free – rising as heat from a flame, or wilted and scorched when done to excess.

* Representative Organ System for the Summer Season:  
- Heart (aka The “Monarch”, “Emperor” or “Ruler”).  Organ time = 11am – 1pm
- Heart opens to the tongue and controls speech:  Have you ever wondered why your Acupuncturist looks at your tongue?  The tongue tells a lot about particular organs and their pathology, Heart included as well.  Because the Heart controls speech, we also pay attention to the content and the pattern of your speech.  On one hand, people may have pressured, rapid speech or appear to speak incessantly, whereas others may be somewhat aphasic or stutter when the Heart is in disharmony. The Heart “hates” (doesn’t care for) Heat so the Pericardium (Heart Protector) does serve to some degree to protect the Heart from this pathogen.   There is also a relationship between the Heart and Small Intestine (another Yang “organ”), and it is said that the 2 work together to ensure clarity of the Mind in order to have proper judgment and right decisions.  San Jiao (Triple Burner) is associated with the Fire element also, but is a puzzle to the general public as it is not an anatomical “organ”, but this is the beauty of Chinese Medicine:  the interrelationship of the various systems. 
- Heart governs Blood and blood vessels.  At its worse, think the physical disease of heart attacks or circulatory disorders; at its best, our circulatory system is able to meet the body’s needs as the heart pumps out blood and life-giving nutrients to every cell.  Energetically, the Heart is poetically said to be the “residence of the Mind (Shen)”,   although several of the other organs affect our Spirit-Mind as well.  When the Heart is in harmony and functioning at its best, we have great spirit & vitality, are able to fall asleep easily and have deep, restful sleep.  A disturbed Heart causes difficulty falling asleep, interrupted sleep, and vivid dreams that bother you long after waking up.

* Representative Color of Summer is red; Heart manifests in the complexion & controls sweat. 
We see this clinically when our patients present to us with red complexion (although other organs can cause Heat as well), or a red tongue tip.  Some may even have a scorched smell to them, while a lot of Heart patients will complain about the heat.  A common complaint I often hear has to do with spontaneous, random sweating, or having to change pajamas from waking up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat. One of the reasons for this may be because Heat injures Heart-Yin and causes sweating which weakens the Yang aspect of the Heart, or just really poor Heart Qi (other organs can act up too & cause problems with sweating so talk to your Acupuncturist about this).
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* Representative Sound:  laughter; Representative Taste:  bitter; Representative Emotion:  joy. 
Laughter is the best medicine they say, and I have laughed till I cried; but people with a Heart disharmony usually have inappropriate laughter (like the nervous kind), or disruptive loud outbursts and “joy” that almost seems manic.  On the other hand, when we hold on to feelings of frustration, resentment, jealousy, or guilt for too long, we can also injure our Heart.  These patients often complain of palpitations, forgetfulness, insomnia or a really bad night’s sleep, and waking up with a bitter taste in their mouth.  Some may swing to the other extreme and actually feel depressed – joyless.

* Representative Element/Climate of Summer:  Heat. 
Excess Heat in our bodies will dry up our Yin fluids, and may show up as acne, headaches, constipation, fever, irritability, heartburn; some may even literally have a heat stroke. 

Recommendations for the Summer season:  
- A normal state of joy is necessary for life, so go ahead: en-Joy life! It’s okay to live a life of pleasure, but remember anything in excess can be of detriment so appropriate moderation versus wanton abandonment is advised :-D.  With more hours of sunshine available during summer, it’s easy to lose track of time and go-go-go all day, but get up early, take an afternoon nap if you can (I love visiting countries that have siestas), and hang out a little later at night.
- Foods that are considered hot in nature (e.g. red meat, chicken, greasy fried foods, heavy or spicy hot sauces, even alcohol!), should be minimized as much as possible during the summer months (Rutrow! There goes the family barbeque! =D).  Eat foods that are cooling, light and easy to digest like watermelon, cucumbers, berries, bok choy, summer squash, cilantro and mint.  A small amount of bitter foods like dandelion or chicory leaves, and even a little spice (pepper, ginger, horseradish) can also be beneficial in the summertime.
- It’s easy to visualize the concept of  “water puts out fire”  - in Five Element theory, this is the “Ke” or “Control” cycle and so no wonder we are drawn to the beaches or swimming pool (just avoid hanging out too long in the sun as this creates another form of Heat problem (sunburn).  We just recently had a water fight with the garden hose, and I am famous for dancing in a summer’s rain - probably to the amusement of my neighbors :D.  It is highly recommended to drink lots of water to prevent dehydration and replenish any fluids lost through excess sweat; just be sure to avoid sweetened beverages in excess.  I don’t particularly care for electrolyte enhanced water no matter how good they say they are for you (blech!).  I much prefer water infused with slices of fruits, cucumbers, lemon or mint – these are the latest rage, and they make a refreshing and healthy drink alternative in these dog days of Summer. Be careful though as we get into the later days of Summer as too much cold, sweet or damp foods can create more problems.
- See your Acupuncturist for a Summer tune-up.  With Chinese herbs, dietary therapy and acupuncture we can help you clear Heat, nourish Yin or calm Shen (settle the mind).  Not only will you have more energy and feel more vibrant, but you will sleep better, awaken feeling more refreshed and joyous to greet the day, and your Heart will thank you for it.   Here’s to your health! May your Fire continue to burn bright within!
Audrey Steele, L.Ac
Acupuncture Physician
www.Acupuncture4YourHeath.com

Simon & Garfunkel knew what they were talking about when they sang those words.  Our world is a busy, noisy, erratic place, and often it’s only when we are pushed to the limit that we vow to find a moment’s peace.  Sadly, not everyone knows that this is even an option.  We go/go/go and then we go some more, all the while listening to the voices inside our head that subliminally demand of us to do more/be more/live less.  Live less?  Yes – when we spend all that time listening to the ceaseless chatter of the monkey mind, we miss the silence of this moment.  For some of us, when we’re not listening to the voices in our heads, we resort instead to speaking without filter.  As a kid, when we got too rowdy or pestered my mum with a kajillion questions, she would say “Please let my ears eat grass!”  My Granny would calmly look at us and quietly murmur: “It is better to be silent & thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt”  (aaaah, the wisdom of our elders!).  I remember too when I was in Acupuncture school, if any of us students whined too much about one test or another, a particular teacher would caution us: “If you don’t stop on your own, then I will personally sedate UB 10”.  In other words, “Be silent please?” Apparently, silence is golden; apparently silence is thing to be desired.  In silence is where our Truth lies.  What does the sound of silence look like to you?

All different kinds of patients present to me looking for Chinese Medicine to provide a quick fix answer to their latest health challenge.  I explain to them there is no quick fix (surprise!) and more often than not they walk away with homework to do.  One such exercise I assign them is to take 5 minutes of every day until their next visit to be in silence.  This doesn’t mean they have to be sitting still; it could be in the form of a walking meditation, a mindless task, just before dozing off, any 5 random minutes will do.  And in those 5 minutes of silence, they ask no questions, they look for no answers; they’re tasked with “just Be”.  Most find this very difficult.  Many can’t even make the time.  Several feel guilty when they do.  By day 4, they report they start to anticipate taking the 5 minutes.  At the end of the 1st week - on their own accord - they add another 2 minutes.  By day 10 they smile going into their 5 minutes, and beam coming out.  They thank me profusely on their next visit, and then they get another silent task – I call this “Grasshopper Training”. 

Grasshopper Training came about when I was growing up in New York City.  We learned to not stare at people on the train; instead, with our eyes closed we listened for the energy, emotions and unspoken words behind the conversations around us.  With our eyes closed we noticed the smells, felt the rhythm of the train tracks, and imagined how that hoagie, pizza slice or knish the guy 2 seats over was having for lunch actually tasted.  In Grasshopper Training, my patients now are instructed to take those 5 minutes & be active in the silence.  In this silence, they cannot listen to their minds’ chatter; instead they now must discern the sounds around them:  that chirp or tweet – is it of a cardinal, blue jay, crow, mocking bird or dove? Is it a blue jay mocking a mockingbird or a mockingbird mocking the blue jay? Is that helicopter zipping by overhead our local Coast Guard, news station or Trauma Center?  Just before the afternoon thunderstorms pop up, can they hear the change in the pattern of the wind, the silence of the birds, or that sudden stillness just before the rains begin? They leave flabbergasted at the impossibility of the task, but then I get an email or phone call excitedly telling me about their latest accomplishment or discovery.  I share this now with you hoping that you too will take the time to make this your practice, and that you too can find the benefits of being still.  One of my favorite passages from the Bible offers this counsel:  “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).  I am a very busy, Type-A personality who used to stop when it was time to sleep.  Now I like being still.  Being still is the grownup’s time-out, except this is a treat, not a punishment.  My perspective shifts, I’m like a new person, and I always feel better after 5 minutes of silence.  My 5 minutes now can involve cloud watching, listening to fishes swim in the koi pond at our local Sunken Gardens, watching a slug leave its shimmery trail, or a lizard breathing in the heat of the sun. 

When you come to me for an acupuncture treatment, somewhere between when I first put the needles in and when you catch yourself snoring, you too will have those 5 minutes of silence.   This is where you let down your guard, you release all expectations, and your mind gives up control of writing your body’s agenda.  It is in this silence that the Healing begins.  What is your experience with silence?  If you currently have no similar self-care routine, I invite you now to give yourself a 5 minute gift of silence.  Try my Grasshopper Training exercise above for a week and then let me know how it goes (comment below or shoot me an email). I now give you permission to hum along in your mind’s eye the tune of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence” as noted below. Om Shantï!
Audrey Steele, Acupuncture Physician
www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com

"The Sound Of Silence"
(Simon & Garfunkel)
Hello darkness, my old friend,
I've come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping,
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence.

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone,
'Neath the halo of a street lamp,
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence.

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence.

"Fools," said I, "You do not know –
Silence like a cancer grows.
Hear my words that I might teach you.
Take my arms that I might reach you."
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made.
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming.
And the sign said, The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sound of silence.

This month’s blog is dedicated to those who Mother (verb), to my biggest inspiration – my daughter Jessica (pictured above), and comes from the wisdom of the Winged Ones, specifically Butterfly.  Those of you who know me, know I love, respect and follow the symbolism of numbers, and so again it is no coincidence I’m posting today: 5/5 (5 = change!).  And boy am I ever ready!  Taking a mental health break today, I decided to ‘peruse the perimeter of my property’.  I had had enough of being locked up for hours on end behind the technological demands of a computerized world, ringing phones, 12 hour shifts, and gloomy wet rainy days that never seemed to end.  My physical, mental, emotional & spiritual ‘Selves’ longed to be free of the demands placed on me…. I wanted to be carefree, unfettered by responsibilities, to awaken just 1 morning without an agenda or an obligation – to just…. “Be”. 
 
Dance of the Butterfly
And so, sitting on the grass, basking in the warmth of today’s long-awaited Sun, I connect with Mother Earth, Father Sky & Spirit all around me.  I have no agenda.  There is no deadline.  I am still….. And Butterfly approaches, cautiously at first; then it playfully decides to tease & flirt with me, delightfully dancing in between the leaves and flowers of my garden, then soaring gracefully to the blue skies above.  I can’t help but feel happy.  My face breaks out in smiles, I feel like skipping, and my heart is full.  I want to grow delicate wings and dance among the petals like Butterfly. Silently I wait, knowing the lesson was still to come.  And then it hits me:  the natural order of the circle of life is for the Caterpillar to experience 1st a state of being an egg, then it is restrained by the ‘chrysalis-tic” trappings of the pupa stage, until finally it emerges transformed into that which it was destined to Be: Butterfly. I don’t know if at any point, She just decided “That’s it! I’m tired of being Caterpillar.  I’m tired of crawling around on leaves.  I’m ready to grow wings &  dance amongst the flowers!”.   It  IS  the nature and timing of Divine Creator that – much as our Ego Self allows us free will – our destiny is as it is supposed to be.  Caterpillar can at no point skip the period of dormancy in preparation for the next phase; it  must endure the process and natural order and timeliness of growth and transformation.  Neither can it at any point decide to not BE Caterpillar, and strive instead to become an Eagle. 

And thus whispers (screams) my lesson today, Friends:  I will respect the role of Divine Creator in the Universe’s plan for me, while accepting full responsibility for my part (action or anticipation) in the necessary and orderly steps of its unfolding, and I will cherish the transiency of the Truth of this moment, and just “Be”.  Happy #Mothers'Day, Om Shantí, & Namasté!
“The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.” (Rabindranath Tagore)
Audrey Steele, L.Ac.
Acupuncture Physician
www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com