Balancing Act

So where have I been for the last two weeks? I have been working in the clinic, I have been under a deadline for getting my classes for 2009-2010 finished with the NCCAOM, I have been getting things in place for my upcoming wedding in December, I have been cleaning house for a big yard sale next month, I have been putting together the flyer for the upcoming class series that is starting at the end of October… and I have been apple picking.

Acupuncture is only a part of what we do and who we are. “Balance!” is the cry from Traditional East Asian Medicine practitioners to our clients. And yet it is so tricky for many of us to practice what we preach. When I started out, I was working the better part of seven days a week. It was an unbalanced time for me, and I do not think, in retrospect, that my schedule helped me do the best job I could for my clients, either.

A balanced life brings joy into living, and helps us appreciate what health is really all about, and why we want to be healthy. With this understanding, we can see more clearly what is healthy in our clients, instead of just what is unhealthy. Having the skill to see when disease and disharmony are present or absent makes one a good clinician. Having the skill to see when health and joy are present or absent makes one a good healer.

And what is the difference between the two? A good clinician sees what has to be done in order to get a client out of a state of suffering. A good healer sees what has to be done to allow a client to live a more joyous and healthy life.