Summer is here!
The office is open again and I am so happy and grateful to see you again and meet new clients. Everything is going really smoothly and safely. Thank you to everyone for adjusting to the new screenings and safety procedures. It may seem like a lot, but safety is a top priority.
The Pulse Since Reopening
The themes that I am seeing this summer are energy depletion/low energy, stuck or stagnant energy, and imbalances in the heart and spirit. In Chinese Medicine this shows up as physical pain, irritability or moodiness, low energy, sleep issues, disturbing dreams, anxiety and a variety of other symptoms such as headaches, pain, digestive issues and more. Usually summer is the season of the fire element and the heart, where we experience joy and fullness. This year, many joys have been replaced by disappointments. We also have been experiencing a collective trauma during the pandemic with fears of the future. Even though many people are functioning well and adjusting, there are deeper effects on the body and spirit. Acupuncture or energy work/coaching is so helpful for reconnecting the body-mind-spirit, for supporting the integration towards living in a new reality with many unknowns. Herbs can help with the nervous system, sleep, mood and many other issues. Please be in touch if you need support; I’d love to help you clear that stuck energy, reconnect with yourself and get back to balance.
Finding Joy
It is so important during the summer to tap into that energy of expansion and fun, even if it may look and feel differently this year. Try some of these ideas:
- Celebrate little wins and completing small tasks. Turn completing your to-do list into a “ta-da” list. Do a happy dance or a shout out when something is done and you’ve freed up energy for something else. Feeling joy in your body activates and moves more positive energy.
- Enjoy the simple pleasures of summer: sitting outside in the evening, enjoying your garden or appreciating a neighbor’s or public garden, eating fresh fruits, veggies and other summer treats, swimming or wading in the water, reading “summer” books. Summer is here. Now. Enjoy the moment.
- Practice gratitude for the things you do have in your life and that are going well. “I’m so happy that…” “I’m so grateful for…”
- Take out a piece of paper and try to fill the whole page with things you are grateful for.
- Speak the gratitude out loud: tell another person you appreciate them, write a positive review, ask someone else what they are most grateful for and have a conversation about it. You might be inspired.
- Make a list of things that make you happy. Think about things you did as a child or in different stages of your life: interests, hobbies, habits, simple pleasures, self-care. Try to incorporate one or two doable things into your regular routine, or schedule a treat for yourself to look forward to. (The idea is to find things you can do now, not lament over things that you cannot, so focus on what is doable now.)
- Make a list of things you have always wanted to do, and see if any of them can happen during the pandemic. Learn something, grow something, take care of something, decorate something, build something, create something, join something, write something, donate something, offer something. Find seeds of joy or inspiration now that can be nourished during the coming fall and winter. Things that can’t logistically happen now can be put on your dream and vision list for the future.
- Enjoy the now while planting seeds of hope for the future
For inspiration, here is a photo of one of my garden beds. Working in and enjoying my garden brings me lots of joy.
I hope that you are able to enjoy the remaining weeks of summer and that you and your loved ones continue to stay safe and healthy. I look forward to seeing you soon in the treatment room or in the virtual world.
In health,
Lisa
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