Acupuncture and Happiness

By Rachel Strass, DOM, LAc

Spirit Point Healing

. https://spiritpointhealing.com

More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles

Acupuncture and Happiness

As spring matures into summer, life continues to unfold. The cold, dark days of winter are behind us and we are able to enjoy the weather before it gets too hot. This is a lot like the honeymoon of a marriage, at the beginning when everything is fresh and new. It is easy to feel happy under these conditions, as there is much to look forward to and not much to regret. Nature reminds us of this feeling every year for several weeks. This is the season of the Fire element in Chinese Medicine.

For better or for worse, what touches the Heart touches everything. It's important to note that joy is not always correct; too much of it can be as bad as too little. Mania is as much a sign of imbalance as unending sadness. Out of balance, Fire shows up as distorted or lack of joy, lack of compassion, and disconnectedness, twisting our relationship with others and ourselves. The tears of the clown are the perfect illustration of this imbalance.

Acupuncture can help to balance the feelings of happiness by encouraging our Fire to thrive. The pathways of the Fire element travel from the torso, covering the arms, tracing the imprint of a hug, where we embrace and are held by loved ones. They end and begin at the tips of the fingers, covering the hands as well, where a handshake connects us with an associate. When the Fire element is in balance, we feel a level of joy within us most of the time. This is not to say that we are grinning from ear to ear, but we feel alive and connected as we go about our lives. True joy is like a fire in the hearth that warms the home, just as the compassionate fire of the Heart warms the spirit. Using acupuncture is one way to tend the Fire.