The Power of Being Present

The ability to be more mindful and present has always eluded me quite a bit, until fairly recently, when a conversation I had with someone led to an interesting revelation. Last week, I had the rather enlightening realization that how I think about things as well as how I express myself verbally, can sometimes be a major obstacle to being more mindful or present.  My friend pointed out that my language was terrible, that I was using way too many ‘coulds’ and ‘shoulds’ in my description of how I was doing that week.  This was really enlightening to me, because upon realizing and acknowledging this, it becomes something that I can work towards changing. I began to understand that the use of these terms in thinking about or describing what I could have or should have done or said was keeping me from being fully present.  It really is that simple – using this particular type of language is causing me to dwell in the past and I can’t remain in the past and be completely present at the same time.  In many ways, being present is the antidote to being miserable (and probably many other things) and while this has been said and written about by many over time, it took this recent conversation to drive it home for me. 

There seems to be a lot of writing about mindfulness and how to apply it in one’s personal and work lives.  They say that doing so will lead to increased happiness and success.  I am sure this is true for many, but for me, what I do know is that becoming more mindful and present in my thoughts and interactions will most definitely lead me to more of the right situations and people.   In several ways, it already has and the power of it to do so keeps me going back for more.  It will also allow me to make the best decisions for the moment, based on the information I have at hand or can quickly obtain.  I’ve decided that second-guessing my decisions or those of others isn’t always the best approach and to accept that the decisions were made using the best available information at the time.  One disclaimer though – I’m not saying that every decision can or should be made this way.  There are certainly situations where decisions need to be made taking into account future and/or past events.  However, for me, I suddenly realized that I was discounting the power of simply being present in best conducting my life by reliving too many past decisions and events.  Being present also leads to clearer thinking and that can only lead to better decision-making.  Will better decisions lead me to more happiness and success?  Only time will tell.

The Transformative Power of Cooking in Different Contexts

Today is the 4^th of July and it is raining, so not exactly the best weather conditions for barbecuing. This really isn’t going to be about cooking food, though.  The act of frying, sautéing, baking or grilling food is transformative in a sense – causing a variety of chemical processes including oxidation, crosslinking of proteins, emulsification and carmelization.  By cooking certain foods, they are transformed into something more edible and palatable.  However, “cooking” is a term that has come up for me recently in several different contexts, totally unrelated to food.  In the first episode of the fifth season of the new Doctor Who series, “The Eleventh Hour”, the soon to be companion, Amelia Pond asks The Doctor, “Who are you?” to which he replies “I don't know yet. I'm still cooking. Does it scare you?”  By “cooking”, The Doctor was referring to the fact that he was still regenerating into his next incarnation as the eleventh doctor.  So, “cooking” isn’t only for food it seems, but is also being used to refer to other sorts of transformative processes.

Lately I’ve had some personal experiences with the transformative power of cooking in alternative contexts.  Those who know me well, know that I am a bit of a Doctor Who fanatic, and am in the process of re-watching all of the episodes of the new series with my son whenever he’s home from college.  But no, I’m not imagining myself regenerating into an entirely different person or anything like that, although I’d like to think that there’s some cartilage regeneration going on in my bad knee thanks to acupuncture.  Instead, much to my delight, I recently discovered that some acupuncturists use the term “cooking” to describe the process the patient is undergoing during a session.  For instance, I’ve had my acupuncturist come over and say “Would you like to cook some more?”  For some reason, the use of the term in that context seems entirely fitting and it led me to thinking about the deeper meaning of certain things.  In this sense, all of the “cooking” I’ve been doing during my acupuncture sessions has initiated and is now sustaining a really positive transformation within different realms of my life, both physical and spiritual.  Not only are my knee and stiff finger much better, but in addition, a difficult professional relationship I have had for a while now has recently taken a dramatic turn for the better.  I was quite amazed by that. 

There are other examples of how transformative acupuncture has been in my life and I am sure I will write about more of these in time.  Just the fact that I am writing about them at all is another step in the right direction for me.  But one of the most powerful things about this is the realization that while it all starts with me, it certainly doesn’t end with me.  It’s almost like a domino or chain reaction effect – where the positivity I feel, in turn brings about positive change in those I interact with.  I am seeing for myself how dedication to self-improvement through things like exercise, acupuncture and other modalities is transforming my life and affecting the lives of those around me in ways I could not have imagined. 

My Community Acupuncture Experience

The energy inside the community acupuncture clinic I attend is amazing.  At first I thought it would be intrusive to be sitting among others while conversing with and receiving treatment from my acupuncturist.  But after nearly four months of visits, it is really nothing more than a little distracting, and actually rather heartening to be getting acupuncture side by side with complete strangers.  I am in awe of all that goes on in the clinic and how the acupuncturists manage to treat so many patients, having conversations with each one and ensuring they are well cared for.  Even though others are usually occupying the chairs on either side, they are either napping or in what I call the wonderful acupuncture-induced state of intense relaxation and could really care less or are completely unaware of what I am discussing with my acupuncturist. In a way, everyone makes their own space in the clinic, which is great because I don’t really want anyone listening in too closely. 

Because the clinic charges a sliding scale fee and they let you decide what you can pay each time, I am able to go for treatment twice a week.  If I had the time, I would go even more - it’s been that effective and has become a cherished part of my weekly routine.  I find myself looking forward to each visit and to the calm, yet energized feeling I know I will have afterwards. Sometimes I stay for over two hours if the chair isn’t needed for another patient, but I generally stay about an hour and half.  My acupuncturist is pretty amazing - he’s very skillful, knowledgeable as well as compassionate and has a good sense of humor. He also has a really great way of connecting with people that I am convinced makes a big difference in the outcome of treatment. There’s more to acupuncture than just the needles - the conversations at the beginning of each session are important as well.  I highly recommend checking out your local clinic for treatment of just about any physical or emotional issue and even for improving health and well-being in general. Acupuncture is about achieving balance, becoming empowered and developing one’s ability to heal from within. It’s pretty amazing.