acupuncture as a spiritual practice

"To keep our bodies less defended, to live in our body right now, to be present to others in a cellular way, is also the work of healing of past hurts and the many memories that seem to store themselves in the body. The body seems to never stop offering its messages; but fortunately, the body never lies, even though the mind will deceive you constantly... It is very telling that Jesus usually physically touched people when he healed them; he knew where the memory and hurt was lodged, 

and it was in the body itself."

~Richard Rohr, 

"Breathing Under Water: 

Spirituality and the Twelve Steps"

"God comes to us disguised as our life" 

~Paula D'Arcy

I read about it ad nauseam. I asked friends to describe it. I was truly afraid of the idea of it. I imagined what the needles would feel like going into my skin. But I also dreamt about the possible benefits in helping me manage my pain. Finally, I decided to try acupuncture with a doctor recommended by my friend Pat.

Stepping into his office is like stepping into a movie set: plush velvet leather seats; a Chinese receptionist who is also the person who mixes the herbal teas that he “prescribes”; walls of bottled herbs of colors unknown to the western world; clean austere patient rooms; and an honest to goodness Chinese doctor! Dr. Li begins his examination by taking my pulse at each wrist and asking unusual questions, like what is your biggest trouble in life right now? He asks me to stick out my tongue, and tells me that my skin looks too tight.

“You hurt everywhere, yes?” he says, walking around the room preparing the table with assorted pillows and towels. He immediately begins a lengthy explanation about diet, emphasizing the impact of meat on my system: “Eat meat today, hurt tomorrow. “

The session itself is not painful, even with the electric lines Dr. Li connects to many of the needles. He also sheds some light, literally, on the area where I often experience the most severe pain– my neck and shoulders. As he inserts each needle I find myself practicing conscious breathing, much like I do at prayer. I know it’s hard to believe, but I even fall asleep with the needles up and down my spine.  As I leave, Dr. Li prescribes a drink that he calls a “tea” and that I hesitantly agree to ingest twice a day. It smells like grass, and not in a nice way. It tastes like grass, and not in a nice way.

A popular saying in Spanish recommends: a Dios rogando y con el maso dando, which basically translates as, I do my part—as I ask God to help me. 

[this post first published October 3, 2012]

the newest addition to our family: Sofia Maria... and happy feast of los Tres Santos Reyes!

 “Every child, begins the world again.”

  ~Henry David Thoreau                      

“God does not reveal himself in strength or power, 

but in the weakness and fragility of a newborn babe.”

~Pope Francis via Twitter [@Pontifex] 

on January 2, 2014

Sofia Maria, on her birth day

On the morning of Thursday, January 2, we welcomed to our family and to the world baby Sofia Maria! Sofia is the daughter of my oldest daughter Anamaria and her husband of almost two years, Travis.

Having a newborn baby breathing on my chest changes everything, including the depth of my own breaths!

I have so much that my heart wants to say, but not much time to sit down and put the words together. so until then… thank you for continuing to pray for Sofia and her sleep-deprived parents!

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Today the world celebrates the wonderful feast of los Tres Santos Reyes, a feast that is very dear to my heart--and that I hope to write more about, soon! 

For now, from last year's blog:

I grew up in Puerto Rico, where everyone celebrates los tres Reyes--today's feast of the Epiphany.

On the eve of the día de los Reyes, my brother and I would fill a shoe box with grass and a container with water and set it under the Christmas tree for the camels that would bring the Magi to our home that night. In the morning, the grass and water were gone, and in their place we would have gifts, just as the Magi brought gifts to Jesus in Bethlehem.

In Hispanic countries throughout the world, in fact, January 6 is the day that children receive their Christmas gifts, in commemoration of the Magi's visit.

In our own blended family (Cuban and Texan!), Michael and I seriously considered making January 6 our family's sole day for receiving gifts. Ultimately we opted to join in the Santa tradition of December 25, and in addition, to pass on the Puerto Rican style Epiphany celebration--with shoe box and grass, gifts, a special Epiphany meal, and of course, the traditional song de los tres Santos Reyes [to read more, click here!]

the 3 kings (including the turtle added by my children)
finally made their way across our living room to our crèche today!

Acupuncture

I read about it ad nauseam. I asked friends to describe it. I was truly afraid of the idea of it. I imagined what the needles would feel like going into my skin. But I also dreamt about the possible benefits in helping me manage my pain. Finally, I decided to try acupuncture with a doctor recommended by my friend Pat.

Stepping into his office is like stepping into a movie set: plush velvet leather seats; a Chinese receptionist who is also the person who mixes the herbal teas that he “prescribes”; walls of bottled herbs of colors unknown to the western world; clean austere patient rooms; and an honest to goodness Chinese doctor! Dr. Li begins his examination by taking my pulse at each wrist and asking unusual questions, like what is your biggest trouble in life right now? He asks me to stick out my tongue, and tells me that my skin looks too tight.

“You hurt everywhere, yes?” he says, walking around the room preparing the table with assorted pillows and towels. He immediately begins a lengthy explanation about diet, emphasizing the impact of meat on my system: “Eat meat today, hurt tomorrow. “

The session itself is not painful, even with the electric lines Dr. Li connects to many of the needles. He also sheds some light, literally, on the area where I often experience the most severe pain– my neck and shoulders. As he inserts each needle I find myself practicing conscious breathing, much like I do at prayer. I know it’s hard to believe, but I even fall asleep with the needles up and down my spine.  As I leave, Dr. Li prescribes a drink that he calls a “tea” and that I hesitantly agree to ingest twice a day. It smells like grass, and not in a nice way. It tastes like grass, and not in a nice way.

A popular saying in Spanish recommends: a Dios rogando y con el maso dando, roughly translated as, I do my part—as I ask God to help me.