Sometimes life throws us off course and it feels difficult to appreciate what we have by Lorna Paviour
As a former teacher, I have always enjoyed the beginning of September as the
opportunity for a new start. It is a time for sharpened pencils and clean notebooks,
ready to be filled with the excitement of learning something new. To me, it feels more
like the start of a new year than the first of January.
The Ancient Chinese recognised this period as a distinct season - Late Summer.
The heat and intensity of Summer have passed, and we now enter a time of
abundance and harvest. This year the crops have already been brought in, the sloes
are ripening, and the days are shortening. It is a time to enjoy the maturing of our
surroundings and our lives, and to tap into a sense of gratitude for all we have; the
beauty of the countryside, the food on our tables, and the relationships that we
treasure. More than anything, Late Summer is how we appreciate our homes, and
the stability and security we get from a place of reassurance and love. A base from
which to venture into that new start.
However, sometimes life throws us off course and it feels difficult to appreciate what
we have. In my five-element acupuncture clinic, patients come with physical and
emotional symptoms, aches and pains, difficulties sleeping, and anxious minds from
which they can’t switch off. A difficulty to embrace the new. Pain, discomfort, illness,
bereavement and heartbreak can make it difficult to feel secure and content inside. A
course of acupuncture blends both listening and needles. It is a powerful
combination, and it can help patients regain their equilibrium and strength, and to
see life with a fresh perspective.
As one new patient recently reflected,
“I definitely feel more energised. I never knew acupuncture could make me feel like
this!”