You Can’t TouchThis
People are curious about acupuncture and those of us who go through the training to become acupuncturists, modern practitioners of Chinese medicine. I get asked all the time by patients in the clinic, and in conversations outside of the clinic, how did you get into this? It’s a natural question to ask. Initially, I shared the story one way, the obvious way. Then through the process of storytelling, I realized that wasn’t the way. I thought my beginnings in Chinese medicine originated as an 19 year old freshman in college, where I began practicing Tai Chi, diving deeply into the body of wisdom and philosophy that these healing arts derive from. During this time I studied abroad in Hong Kong and soaked up all things Eastern, hungry for further and deeper knowledge. The obvious answer to the question, how did you get into this, right? I thought this period of time was my initiation into Chinese medicine, but it was actually much earlier in life. I just didn’t know it at the time.
I’ve always been curious about the mysterious and esoteric, and I’m not sure how, why or where this drive comes from. I did spend a considerable amount of time outside in nature, climbing trees, building sand castles and exploring the small pockets of life in the muddy network of storm drains in my childhood neighborhood in Southwest Florida. I spent time with friends and alone, and can recall feeling into a certain energetic movement or quality inside of me that came alive in nature and in still moments of solitude. There seemed to be a deep thread or current of connectivity to something greater inside of me, something that I felt was in all of us, and all around us. Again, something felt, something difficult to explain, and something not really discussed by the community and culture I was embedded in.
This curiosity rendered me wide open and drawn to anything Eastern or outside of traditional Western ways that predominantly shape our culture. When I arrived at Stetson University in central Florida as an undergraduate in 1997, I was a seeker, seeking connection and deeper understanding. So, at 19 years old, now 44 at the time of this writing, I went to my first class Tai Qi class, taught by a former Green Beret, who served in Vietnam and also taught Kung-Fu and Qi Gong. I was hooked. The movements, metaphors and connection to my inner world activated a layered unfolding into a mysterious and experiential realm. My inner life became more vibrant and engaging, my stress levels decreased, my shoulders came down off of my ears, my physical body became more limber and stronger. I felt more at ease and connected to this greater thing, experienced in my childhood explorations and revelations. I fell in love with the direct experience. I fell in love with the art, the philosophy, the Way, and became hungry for more. I was a seeker, and truthfully, my seeking began to dominate my personal and eventually professional evolution.
Fast forward to 2015, my life and career path took a winding road through a kaleidoscopic array of jobs post undergrad, life on an ashram, marriage, two children and a 10 year career as a Lieutenant Firefighter-Paramedic. I reached a place where I was ready for a change from the culture, rhythms and intensity of the Fire Department lifestyle. There’s a novel or two and at least three self-help books that could be generated from this time! I digress… essentially, a dear friend suggested acupuncture school, as I expressed to him, wanting to build on my medical base as a paramedic through Nurse Practitioner or Physician’s Assistant training to make a career change. He said it, and it hit me like a truck, re-igniting a magnetic drive to explore the depths and mysteries of Chinese medicine that had started 17 years earlier. It all lined up very quickly from that point forward; schooling, mentorship and the logistical means to execute. In 2016 I began formal study at the Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine in Ft. Lauderdale, FL to become an Acupuncture Physician, Herbalist and practitioner of Oriental Medicine.
So, that was my story when people would ask, how did you get into this? It seemed so obvious, until an initially less obvious inception revealed itself…
Raise your hand if you remember MC Hammer! You can’t un-hear the song U Can’t Touch This, that exploded into and out of all manner of musical delivery systems in the early 90’s. I know, you’re smiling, shaking your head, and wondering… where is this going? Well, I BEGGED my dad, a cool dad by many standards, to take me to an MC Hammer concert that was coming to our home town of Ft. Myers, FL. Being a cool dad, he did. And, there we were one fateful evening with several thousand other fans, waiting for the openers, Boys II Men and Jodeci to come on stage. This was an amazing happening for my 12 year old self, except for one problem. I had a RAGING headache. I told my dad about this impending disaster, and he said, here… try this trick a friend of mine showed me, and he had me squeeze the fleshy space between my index finger and thumb. Squeeze it until it hurts for about minute on both hands and your headache will go away. I did, and the headache, strangely and mysteriously went away! From that point forward ANY time time that ANYONE had a headache and was willing to try my trick, I shared it with them. I began treating family and friends, finding different points running up the arms and into the shoulders. It became a thing that many benefited from.
I didn’t know it until recently, but I have been treating people through Chinese medicine for the past few decades or so. I have been accessing the meridian system through acupressure, to stimulate and clear blockages in the natural flows of Qi in the body. I learned in school that the point that got me started was Hegu, translating to Bone Intersection or Large Intestine 4. This point happens to be one of the most commonly used acupuncture points in modern practice, and will definitely help with a headache, among other ailments.
My evolution and path into Chinese medicine continues to unfold, and my unknowing initiation that night has opened many gates and portals of experiential understanding and sharing. A rewarding and wild ride indeed. A personal and professional path that embodies a lifestyle I resonate with, love to share and want to continue to ripen in. You can’t touch this? No, the opposite in fact. Ironically, that night opened me to the world of healing touch, to an ancient tradition of medicine will benefit the future of humanity in so many ways. Reflecting on this birth-story, I am amazed by our human drive to heal, how we get into the things we get into, and what we know without knowing it. I also thank my dad for the initiation. A cool dad, indeed.
