Autumn, Breezing in Clarity

With bated breath, we’ve been waiting for this cool down! And it's finally peeking through, with tolerable weather and the reassurance of settling into a season’s new routine. 

Our cultural emotions have been on high in the last weeks, and no matter where you're coming from, there seems to be some collective anxiety in the air. So how to proceed? With courage, and inspiration. 

We are now deep into the Autumn season, with its dry leaves, cooler air and nature preparing for the deeper stillness of winter. In Kansas, we can now venture outside, connect with nature (after a truly oppressive summer), and reflect a little on how we want to move forward. The transitions of late summer (back to school, schedule changes, vacation season) are now behind us, and we can move with more regularity, more routine. 

Courage

So what does Courage have to do with this? Previously I mentioned some of the emotions associated with the Lung and Large Intestine systems — one of the primary ones is grief. But the positive aspects of this system include Courage, and Inspiration. 

Traditionally, one might think of courage as just going all out, disregarding all fear and diving forward. But I think courage can have deeper meaning. The courage to care. The courage to nurture ourselves. The courage to express what we need. The courage to give ourselves and our bodies what we need. Not necessarily “pressing on” or “being strong,” but being strong enough to say, I need a pause. I need some time to integrate. I need some gentleness. 

One of the most important ideas in my life, in my work as an Acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine Practitioner, is the idea that self-compassion and lovingkindness IS healthcare. That being gentle and kind to ourselves is one of the deepest forms of health care one can practice. By ignoring our basic needs (our bodies are wise, they are pretty clear about what they need!), things get out of harmony, and if we keep pushing through, ignoring these wise signals, then we end up with deeper health problems. For example, headaches, back pain, digestive issues, sleep issues. What if we listened, in courage, to what our bodies need? With this in mind, I created a Facebook group called The Daily Nurture. Please feel free to join me there. I post almost-daily prompts for self-care, self-compassion and lovingkindness. Honestly, I do it for myself as much as for others. This is life's work, and by writing bits of inspirational reminders, I'm kept focused in my mission of self-care. How else can I show up and do my very best for my patients, my family, and community?! 

For those of you who are not on Facebook, I'm working on getting these little self-care love notes out in email. If you'd like to receive them in email form, please send me a note letting me know at support@juliebeardontwalk.com and we'll get you set up!

Inspiration

Inspiration is kind of a big deal — it’s a key ingredient in getting up in the morning, getting going and doing what we do. Striving to do better, having goals, sharing ideas, participating in creative and cultural life of our community--all of these can serve as forms of inspiration. The root word of the word inspiration is INSPIRE — which means to literally, take a breath, to inhale. This can mean breathing (you know what a fan I am of breathing as a way to change one’s mental state!). But it can also mean “take a little breath from the usual, to get inspired.”

A piece of inspiration is finding new things to be excited about. What brings you excitement, a sense of possibility, a sense of healthy but fun challenge? Here's an exercise: 

Write down 5 things that excite you, but you are kind of afraid of. 
Choose one of them. 
Explore what it would be to try this thing out. What are the pros and cons? What might you gain from it? What might you lose by not doing it? 
Write down three steps to take that would move you toward this thing. 
ENJOY!! 
(That’s inspiration, in a nutshell. In to-do list form :))

The other option, is to write 5 SIMPLE activities or things or people that inspire you, and to include at least one in your life EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. See how that feels, to stay connected to inspiration.

AND... here’s a short, SIMPLE qi gong exercise that focuses on the breath, and boosting the immune system. BONUS: doing this can help clear a little space for inspiration to arise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_s2qgm0b6k

Depression

The flip side of inspiration — lack of inspiration — can feel a lot like depression. With depression, there's literally a lack of lift--in Chinese medicine, we view depression as energy that is stuck, or sunken. With a family history of depression, and those close to me who experience depression, I regularly consider: what can be done? 

The first approach Chinese medicine takes with depression is to figure out where the problem is. Is it more of a stuck-type depression, or more of a sadness, crying type? Maybe it’s neither, and it’s more a case of lack of joy, can't feel much, or zero motivation — as if the spark or pilot light has gone out. Each of these patterns is related to different organ systems, and of course, depression can be a combination of these different types of depression. Chinese medicine treats the symptoms of depression with acupuncture, herbs, and simple lifestyle adjustments (recognizing that depression makes a lot of daily activities nearly impossible!). Patterns of depression CAN change, and Chinese medicine can be a truly remarkable tool in the tool box of managing and treating this illness. 

I also find it important to note that I’m a pragmatist, not a perfectionist. There are some Western depression meds that work incredibly well. I'm not opposed to a diverse toolbox. If western meds are working for you, there's no harm or shame in that. Chinese medicine can also help manage the side effects of those meds, so that they work optimally, with minimal side effects. And, if one is considering going off Western meds (in collaboration with their doctor!), Chinese medicine (particularly herbs) can be profound in smoothing that transition. 

We live in a culture where mental health is an overlooked health issue. When we feel good in our lives, in ourselves, it is SO MUCH EASIER to take good care of our bodies, our minds, our relationships. So: loving kindness toward oneself is health care at the deepest level. This is the cornerstone of creating a POSITIVE feedback loop, one that generates wellness, connectedness and the potential for joy. Who does't want that?!

One of the best tools I’ve found in the stuck type of depression is movement — it literally moves you from one mental state to another one which causes a CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE! Here’s a great 15 minute, no-equipment needed, perky workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS_z6FG_jqE. Another simple approach to treating mild depression is to aim for getting to bed, lights out, teeth brushed, PHONE OFF, by 10:00pm. Sleep is one nature’s greatest replenishers, and it’s almost unbelievable what 8 hours of sleep can improve. Especially if you can commit to it for a week. 

Updates

Do you find these updates helpful? If so, please sign up for my monthly newsletter below. Self-care is my jam, and I will be including recipes, movement, and meditation ideas along in that edition. As always, please feel free to share with your friends, family and colleagues. My practice is primarily referrals-based — I truly love helping people feel better in their bodies and their lives, so by sharing the resources I offer, our whole community benefits. Thanks for being you, for showing up, for shining brightly and being your best self, as human as that is. 

In Health and Compassion,
Julie