Pain in the...Acupuncture's unique understanding of Pain, and how to resolve it!

PAIN- As an Acupuncturist I see a lot of it. Often, it’s the person that’s tried everything and now as a last ditch effort is turning to Acupuncture. While some might shake their heads, and say it’s hopeless, Acupuncture is not only a highly effective modality for pain treatment, it also offers a unique understanding of the etiology of pain. This in itself can bring both relief and greater understanding.

The truth is, the experience of pain differs greatly from person to person. Pain is not only physical, but also emotional and psychological. Often, people with a history of complex trauma have created highly evolved coping mechanisms to cover up their suffering. They might be dealing with excruciating pain, but outwardly seem to function just fine. These “coping strategies” helped get people through very difficult events. However, once the traumatic events have passed, these coping strategies are no longer supportive for people’s well being, and need to be re-examined in order to bring about healing and freedom from pain.

We can also consider how the context of pain changes our experience of it. For instance, the intense pain of childbirth is also accompanied by feel good hormones like oxytocin and endorphins, and usually the joy of welcoming a new life into the world. In contrast, the pain of breaking a leg in a hit and run accident is accompanied by shock, isolation, distress, and fight or flight hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine. Just FYI, studies show that people who have given birth and fractured a femur (not at the same time) rank the femur fracture as more painful than childbirth.

Truly, pain is a complex experience.

Fortunately, Taoist medicine offers a simple and profound understanding of pain which is universal, no matter what the cause or circumstance.

“If there is free flow, there is no pain. If there is pain, there is no free flow”

Another way to understand this is to say, where there is pain there is blockage. When there is no blockage, there is no pain. In other words, blockage is what causes pain, by impeding circulation and the free flow of blood and other vital substances in the body. A blockage could be physical or structural, such as damage to a joint. The damage then blocks the flow of blood and oxygen through the area, causing contstriction and pain. Or, take for example, a person with gallstones. The agonizing pain of a gall bladder “attack” ocurrs when these stones block the proper release of bile from the gallbladder.

Blockages could also be emotional, and this is just as much a valid cause of physical pain. Different emotions tend to act differently on the bodies’ qi, or energy flow. For example, fear descends the qi- hence involuntary urination and weak knees under extreme fear. Anger tends to heat the qi and make it rise, causing headaches. Emotions can and do cause physical pain in the body. For example, a person experiences severe anxiety accompanied by chest pain and heart palpitations. They go to the ER, only to find nothing is “wrong”. But a Taoist perspective would tell us that anxiety, an emotion associated with the heart and chest area, is blocking the free flow of qi, causing chest pain and impeding the proper movement of the heart. A few well placed needles on points like Heart 5 and Pericardium 6 can do wonders here, by increasing blood flow and circulation to the chest, relaxing the heart muscle, and releasing the blockage that is causing pain.

So, we can use Acupuncture to treat pain by opening these blockages, whatever level the blockage originates: body, mind, or spirit. In fact, as of 2017, the CDC now recommends Acupuncture as the #1 treatment for pain. If the pain is longstanding and deeply entrenched, then it may take ongoing treatment to retrain the body out of the pattern of pain. Like relearning or changing a bad habit, we need to retrain the body back into its optimal energy flow.

Our natural state is actually one of ease and harmony! The body knows this, but sometimes needs help remembering. Often, the “blockages” we encounter in life- injury, trauma, sorrows, and betrayals leave us feeling as though we don’t have a choice. In response, we stay stuck in pain and blockage. Acupuncture can help us choose something different, a new way of relating to ourselves, our pain, and the way we may have allowed it to block us in life. As people “unchoose” these blockages and create more free flow, they feel lighter, more at ease, more here in the present. Over time, this can become real, lasting relief.

The Practice of Foraging

Humans have been gathering wild plants and consuming them since the dawn of time. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of this ancient practice. Once again, even here in the urban Bay Area, human beings can be seen with baskets in hand, joyfully tromping through the spring hills in search of green bounty. Hooray! Gathering plants is part of what it means to be human. Through the simple act of picking and eating wild plants, we recover an ancient part of our souls. But what does it truly mean to forage responsibly?

What if we are not here to “get” anything? What if instead of getting, we are seeking to return to a sacred circle? Maybe what we give is more important than what we “get”.

Wild Arnica

 Because we don’t know better, we treat the natural world like a grocery store- we are here to “get” a commodity- our elderberries, our turkey tail mushrooms….Being responsible people, we don’t overharvest, take only what we need, and “pay” something in return. We say thanks as a form of payment. That’s a great start. But perhaps responsibility goes beyond just the transaction. What if we are not here to “get” anything? What if, instead of getting, we are seeking to return to a sacred circle? Maybe what we give is more important than what we “get”.

 So we need to examine what kind of exchange we’re actually having. Why are we harvesting and how does that obligate us to this land and all its inhabitants? Wildcrafting is a deep practice reflecting our personal relationship with the land, the seasons, and the plants who share their gifts with us. We take the time to learn a plant well enough to identify it hands free, without an app. Learning its ways, courting it, season after season, so we might say, “Oh, here’s my dear friend Angelica. I know where to find you, in rocky, seasonal streams. Of course you’re here. Hello! I can see it’s still a little early to harvest- your flowers haven’t gone to seed yet. But I’ll pull some of these non-native weeds nearby while I’m here, so you can get the brightest sunshine like you like.”

Fall Root Harvest: Angelica brewerii

Botanists call a plants’ appearance its’ “habit”. And knowing a plants “habit,” how to recognize and call it by name, is how we can begin. To linger in the details like leaf arrangement and probe the number of stamens, to notice the unique patterns of veins, to twirl the stem between our fingers and ask if it is square or round?  As we take the time to truly learn and observe, we abide more and more in that plants consciousness. It’s habits. Habits are also the plants way of life.

We see how a plant chooses a particular environment, the dappled edge of a forest, a mucky ditch, as part of its medicine. We learn its rhythms, when it comes out in spring, what it looks like when it first emerges as a tiny seedling, and how to recognize it when it has withered and gone to seed. We seek the plant out for its own sake to commune with it, rather than going just once a year to take something.

As a self taught Wildcrafter, (for over 25+ years), I learned without internet searches and apps. I walked alone in the woods and took the time to discern if it was Doug Fir or White Fir, Violet or Starflower, until I knew them and they became my friends. There are stands of plants I have visited and tended for more than half my life. Finding these stands and caring for them is a central part of my practice. It’s also the heart of wildcrafting. There’s an initiation created by the time and energy we give to the plants. Our attention, willingness, and discipline become food for the plants, and in turn the plants feed and grow us too. It’s a journey over time. And it is 100% humble. This is another one of the plants’ gifts, beyond just the simple act of sharing berries or fiddleheads.

Nettles: From Forest to Table

A stand of plants is a special relationship that develops over time. Just as traditional ways of learning always take place in a circle, so too, does the learning with plants. When we enter back into the circle it becomes both an initiation and another form of responsible harvest. So how do we reenter the circle? harvesting responsibly is just the beginning- we can also grow local plants, donate to local indigenous groups, pick up trash when hiking, save seeds and share them, visit plants during every season and learn about their ecology, and educate others. The gifts we give are the true medicine.

STAY TUNED for PART 2: ethical harvesting

Spring Herb Walks with Athene!

According to the Taoist 5 Elements, Spring is the season of the Wood Element, making this the perfect time to get out in nature and learn about our local plants! Come spend a beautiful day exploring our local California medicinal herbs and learning how to identify and use them. Athene offers an integrative medicine perspective- incorporating Eastern and Western schools of Herbal Medicine, as well her background as a professional Field Botanist and years of study in the Plant Spirit Healing Traditions of the Amazon. In the spirit of reparations, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to support local indigneous peoples.

Two different walks to suit your skillset and interest:

2 day Intensive on Mount Tam (for Licensed Acupuncturists):

Native California Herbs in the Clinic and in the Field

April 2-3 2022

Native California Spring Herb Walk (for all levels of experience)

Redwood Regional Park, Oakland, CA

April 16th 2022

Back at last....Upcoming Sound Healing Events with Athene

The language of sound is universal. We don’t have to explain or understand. In the intensity of these times, more and more of us are returning to the most ancient medicine of all- sound. Ancient Chinese culture knew this already- that’s why the characters for “medicine” and “music” are the same.

After a 2 year hiatus, I am delighted to share some healing sounds on didj and flute with you! Hope to see you in the sound….

SOUND HEALING SANCTUARY WITH LORIEL STARR

Sat 2/26 7-8:30pm

The Center SF

tix here

Longtime Sound Healer Loriel Starr brings her magic to The Center in SF, accompanied by Athene on didjeridoo and flute. Loriel’s vision and artistry as a Sound Healer are unparalelled. Athene and Loriel are both original members of the renowned “San Francisco Sound Healing Symphony” which played to sold out crowds in Grace Cathedral.

KINDNESS OAKLAND Friday 3/11 8pm

Athene opens the evening with didj, flute, vocals and bowls to take you deep into the sound. Exclusive event by invite only, from the KINDNESS collective.

FROM THE BONES TO THE MOUNTAIN foundational ground with Capricorn

“The journey of Capricorn begins in the depths of the ocean and climbs to the highest mountain peak. It requires the sure footedness of the mountain goat and a perseverance that transcends time.”

The sun’s entrance into Capricorn on the winter solstice marks the return of the light, and along with the beginning of the gregorian New Year, and today’s new moon in Capricorn, is a powerful time of beginning. It’s actually more like that instant before we begin, the deep breath before we make the big plunge…yet in a sense, Capricorn has already taken the plunge- it is the embodiment of our highest potential.

Capricorn is said to represent “career”, but that can also mean our peak achievements, our offfering to the world. Thus, Capricorn realigns us with our greatest capacity, to the very bones of who we are. Capricorn lays the crucial preparatory ground that will support us on the journey to our highest potential, and also offers the opportunity to upgrade existing foundations we have already created.

So, what is the journey? it’s up to you my friend, but the journey of Capricorn begins in the depths of the ocean and climbs to the highest mountain peak. It requires the sure footedness of the mountain goat and a perseverance that transcends time. It is our own climb up the spiritual mountain to the pinnacle of our highest possible embodiment on the physical plane.

Capricorn asks us to drop in deeply to our foundations, and feel the integral structure of who we are- in other words, to have a physical experience of our deepest identity, not just think about it or concieve of it only mentally. (if you missed the new moon, don’t worry, the sun is Capricorn til January 22nd) Capricorn is an earth sign, at times stodgy, but always steadfastly asking us to first establish ourselves in the physical aspect of whatever we are undertaking....we can understand this in the same way that we approach the yoga pose of Tadasana, standing tall mountain, which first grounds us with our feet on the earth and then expresses our true essence and purpose in a strong upright posture. Similar to Tadasana, Capricorn is depicted as the goat who climbs the mountain of our own potential to reach the pinnacle of our highest expression and attainment. Mountains have long represented spiritual attainment, as well as the home of the Gods (Mount Olympus) in Greek cosmology, and the place of the ascended masters and sacred temples. Ancient Taoists traditionally sought wisdom from the mountain peaks, and they represent the place where earthly ambition is replaced by spiritual service.

Yet we do not just rush blindly to the top of such a mountain without proper preparation. Capricorn, ruled by Saturn also relates to the process of time, of being willing to slow down and deeply learn life’s lessons, and dig into ourselves. Capricorn rules the bones, our deepest most core structure and alignment in life. We like to think of the bones as fixed in shape and structure, but we now know that our bones actually generate their own electrical field and are constantly changing shape- although slowly and in micro adjustments, it is a larger process of transformation and growth that we are sometimes unable to perceive. Yet it is ceaselessly occurring. Shamans understand bones to be crystallized life essence, and so they represent the core energy of who we are. In the Amazon, the Chuchuhausi tree is the plant spirit that governs and heals the bones, and also brings a renewed sense of life and vigor. In addition, it is thought to enhance the life essence through strengthening the adrenals as well as increasing our sexual potency, both of which can also be understood as part of our foundational energy. The name Chuchuhuasi means “shaking back” and refers to its ability to stabilize and firm up the spinal column. Being a long lived tree, Chuchuhuasi also teaches about endurance, which is a Capricornian virtue.

Like the ancient trees, like the mountains, Capricorn’s power lies in its ability to use the energy of time and patience. It is the same energy that shapes stones and carves canyons. It is powerful and impossible to turn back. Capricorn is not just a goat, but a goat with a dolphins’ tail. This form represents Capricorn’s epic journey from the depths of the seas to highest mountain peak. Just like Tadasana pose begins with rooting the feet, only when our foundations are solid can we then set our sights on the mountain peaks. And we need a physical experience of that, not just an idea. The ever more profound knowing and embodiment of Who am I? then perhaps becomes the real attainment, rather than any worldly achievement.

Winter Tea Sale

Just for you! Take 10% off all Herb Tea Blends, now until December 15th. Use code TEA10 at checkout.

Dear friends of Window of the Sky,

Thanks so much for all you bring to life! In appreciation of YOU, I am offering this special winter tea discount. These organic herbal blends are specially created to bring flavor, pleasure, and healing medicine to you and your loved ones. Perfect for gifts!

Many blessings of the season, Athene

And….back once again for New Year 2022….Acupuncture Intention Setting Ceremonies!

These sessions combine intention setting and Acupuncture in a personalized ceremony. Together we get clear on your intention, create a supportive field of energy to activate your goals, and bring the energy directly into embodiment through Acupuncture.

A wonderful gift for loved ones! Read my blog to learn more, or purchase online in the Herb Shop.

Ancestral Healing

“Our Soul is not only personal, it also belongs to a Collective Family Soul which is always seeking to heal itself.”

Fall is the season where many traditional cultures have ceremonies to honor ancestors. The veils between the spirit world become thin and we can easily commune with those who have past. Many of my clients this week have brought questions about ancestral healing and trauma to our sessions, and I am grateful for the timely reminder.

As awareness around collective trauma has increased, so too has awareness around transgenerational or epigenetic trauma- the idea that traumas experienced by our ancestors affect both their DNA and the DNA of their descendants. Think of the DNA as a particular hand of playing cards. When the cards are “played” genes are expressed. Gene expression can help determine the healthy function of our nervous system, resilience to stress, and ability to thrive in life.  When epigenetic trauma affects the DNA, that means only a few cards from that deck are played, over and over, rather than the full hand. The genome can’t fully express itself or its true potential. Instead, trauma has literally altered the way the genes are being expressed. This can lead to all kinds of challenges in life- anxiety, depression, addictions, obesity, chronic health issues and more.

So am I forever scarred by my ancestral trauma? NO! The trauma does not change the genes themselves- just their expression. So, that full deck of cards, the potential to be all that we are meant to be, is still within us, untouched by trauma. And research shows that gene expression can be restored during our lifetime! Epigenetics tells us that lifestyle choices actually influence what genes are turned on or off, thus helping us to embody the wholeness of our genome. Contemporary models of trauma healing, such as Somatic Experiencing, emphasize the enduring wholeness that we all possess, even in the face of horrific events. The wholeness, the possibility for healing, is always a part of us.

The wholeness is also a part of our ancestors too, no matter how awful the events they went through. No matter how big the trauma, the field of wholeness is bigger still. When we reclaim our ability to choose how we respond to events, we step out of trauma and into wholeness. Trauma takes away our ability to be in the present moment, to choose. Out of love and loyalty to our ancestors, without even realizing it, we carry their traumas in our biology, and respond to events as though we are still living in that same ancestral trauma. That’s because our soul is not only personal, it also belongs to a Family Soul which is always looking to heal itself. So out of love and loyalty to the Family Soul, we unconsciously take on our ancestor’s traumas.

But what if an even greater love and loyalty were possible? What if truly honoring our ancestors meant transforming the trauma and living fully in the present moment?  We can begin by creating a safe container with a trusted guide and truly witness the trauma, saying, “I see you, and I see what happened.” As we do this, we really allow ourselves to see and feel all that arises. This process may take some time and repetition. As we continue the work, we realize how, when we see and acknowledge the trauma, we bring it out of isolation and into connection. And connection is where healing can happen. And, then, when we are ready, we consciously choose to put it to rest, saying,  “And this ends with me. None of us need to carry this anymore. Bless us all, and bless me as I go on living.”

May we all have a blessed Fall Season!

This article is not a substitute for psychological treatment from a trained professional, nor is it meant to diagnose, treat or cure any illness. Copyright 2021 by Athene Eisenhardt.

Are You Truly Hydrated?

It’s yet another drought year here in California, and as we all wait for the rains to come, we can see and feel the dryness everywhere. Autumn is the season of dryness- that’s easy to see, in the parched earth, the withered vegetation. And we feel it too- our bodies’ are two thirds water. We might be experiencing dry skin, dry hair, dry lips, dry throat, dry dry dry…..

We all think hydration is simple, right? Just drink plenty of water. But staying well hydrated also means our bodies need to actually ABSORB all the water we’re drinking. Imagine a dry, cracked piece of earth in the desert. When it rains, that earth is so parched and hard that it cannot absorb any water. It all runs off the surface.

Our bodies are the same. If we don’t “prepare our soil” properly, all the water we drink just runs right through, and our tissues are still parched and dry. In Taoist herbalism we use yin tonics- herbs that are moistening and demulcent, in order to help moisten the body on a deep level and help it to “hold” the water. On a cellular level, yin tonics increase the capacity of our cells to properly absorb water, and are a key component of true hydration.

They don’t need to be taken in large doses for this effect- most everyone can benefit from the extra moistening properties these herbs provide while we wait for the rains to come. Some yin tonics which are excellent hydrators are Marshmallow Root, Chinese Lilly Bulb (Bai He), False Solomons Seal (Polygonatum), Asparagus Root, and Ophiopogon. To get the best moistening effect, combine a yin tonic with just a small amount of a “stabilizing” herb. Stabilizing herbs are sour in flavor and when combined with yin tonics, further assist in holding fluids in the body and the tissues. Some examples of sour, stabilizing herbs are Schisandra berry (Wu Wei Zi), Hibiscus flowers, and Raspberry.

Of course, your local herbalist can best advise you on how to put together a hydration support formula. This article provides a few ideas to get you started. Drink deep, stay cool, and be well!

Copyright 2021 by Athene Eisenhardt. The statements in this article are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any illness.

Herbal Solutions for Fire Season Workshop July 24th- SOLD OUT!

Register for Athene’s next Fire Season Wellness workshop: 8/28 in Berkeley, CA

With Acupuncturist, Herbalist, & former Firefighter, Athene Eisenhardt LAc

Herbal Solutions for Fire Season

July 24th, 10am-12pm

in person at Window of the Sky Oakland!

LEARN:

-Time tested herbal allies for Fire Season

-Medicine Making: make your own smoke support tincture

SOLD OUT!

Course Fee: $20, includes all materials. BIPOC discounts available

Drawing on thousands year old herbal traditions, time tested formulas and adaptogens, we learn how to strengthen and prepare our respiratory systems for Fire Season, respond to smoke impacts, and cultivate full body resiliency.

The long hot days of summer are here, and so is fire season. Most of us in California are now painfully aware of how climate change and 100+ years of fuel buildup and fire suppression are combining to create some of the worst fire seasons we’ve ever seen. And it will continue. The October rains that once heralded the end of fire season don’t come now…instead fires burn unchecked into November and December. Snows come late and melt early, and we lose the snowmelt that once trickled deep into the soil and kept our forests from drying out in the summer months. Land that once burned every 5-15 years thanks to careful tending by Native Americans is now thick with debris and fuels. Our fires are hotter and more intense than they ever were before.

In Taoist 5 elements, the element of fire relates to the quality of chaos- and we’ve all experienced the loss of control and alarm that arises when the sky fills with smoke. But what if it could be different? Yes, we have created an ecological emergency- but that doesn’t mean we have to panic. The wisdom of the 5 elements tells us that when Fire is out of balance, we should look to its Grandparent, Water. A Grandparent provides a stabilizing influence to its unruly child, and Wisdom, the virtue of Water, helps to cool the chaos of Fire. Wisdom tells us to observe the environment and its cycles, and live accordingly. And Wisdom tells us to be prepared. Get out of the chaos and get resourced….in this workshop you’ll learn everything you need to know to support yourself and your community through Fire Season, naturally.

Rose: a sweet and subtle approach to moving the Qi

Rose is the timeless embodiment of beauty, sweetness, and love. Rose opens the mysteries of the heart, the gates to our inner temple. Rose never forces anything. When met with her many petalled grace, we can’t help but soften. And there’s never a rush with rose- she makes all stages of the journey worthwhile. With Rose, we open petal by perfect petal….

The sweetness of Rose gives this medicine a very special place in the Traditional Taoist pharmacopeia, where we use it to gently open the flow of stagnant qi. We often look to stronger treatments to galvanize stagnant qi into action- Chai Hu (Bupleurum), Xiang Fu (Cyperus) and Zhi Ke (Bitter Orange) are a few of these. These herbs are acrid and bitter and excel at powerfully breaking up stagnation and scouring out the Liver. We use them when a person’s qi is so stagnant as to cause ribside pain, anger, headaches, constipation, abdominal pain, digestive issues, or severe menstrual cramps. The strong acrid and bitter flavors of these herbs are dispersing, moving, and draining. They pack a punch and get things going.

But there are other presentations of qi stagnation which might ask for a more gentle hand. Qi stagnation can also show up more emotionally, and the ancient classics tell us that the smooth flow of both qi and emotions are mutually dependent. Emotional stagnation can show up as a feeling of tightness in the chest or throat, an inability to speak one’s feelings, or a vague sense of disconnect. There might be sadness, irritability, or unresolved trauma. In these cases the sweetness of Rose is the perfect medicine. One of the actions of the sweet flavor is to moderate our experience. So rather than forcing stuck qi and emotions, Rose gently softens us, using her sweetness to moderate and balance. It’s a different approach to moving qi- pacifying rather than forcing. Soothing and smoothing rather than pushing. This is the medicine of sweetness. It softly allows us to open and unwind as we need to. The sweet medicine of Rose can be an ally anytime there is an emotional component to our condition, acting as a spiritual harmonizer. In traditional Taoist herbal formulation we often use an envoy herb to harmonize or guide the formula to a particular part of the body. In this way Rose can be considered an envoy to the spirit.

Sometimes, a person can be averse to Rose due to exposure to synthetic Rose fragrances. After too many assaults by artificial chemical rose, they equate the unpleasant experience of synthetic rose with the real, natural Rose. In this case, finding an actual live Rose bush and having the person meditate near the plant can be of great benefit.

Happy Rose Season!