My teacher, Founder of Tai Sophia Institute, the very first Acupuncture school in the US and “Grandfather of American Acupuncture, Bob Duggan, would always describe our bodies, our body systems, our organs, as each person sitting around the dinner table during Thanksgiving. We all have a crazy aunt, we all have maybe cousins that haven’t spoken to each other in a while or a sibling we are silently fighting with. We may have an uncle we are very fond of or a whiny niece or nephew. Each organ in our body can be represented by one of these family members.
For health, we want all the organs, all the family members to get along and work together. It is when we are accepting, peaceful and embracing of our situation, our bodies, or our families for example, that we can let each system do what they are meant to do, exactly how they are meant to do it, and by allowing this, we can allow the natural nourishment through relationship to occur. Nothing exists on its own. The body cannot work without the heart, the heart cannot work without the lungs etc. Families too cannot flourish properly without each member being allowed to be themselves, to be loved for who they are and to feel nourished by the other members. Our organs work similarly. When symptoms arise we can be sure one organ system is over-controlling another and things are getting stagnated and squashed. Undernourishment to other organ systems occur and diseases arise. For instance, if the liver is upset and not functioning properly the gallbladder can act up leading to gall stones down the road.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we can practice acceptance and gratefulness for our health just as it is in this moment, and for our families just as they are. When we let go of expectations, and embrace acceptance of what is, things tend to flourish naturally.
I encourage you to practice thinking of things you are grateful for throughout your day, starting from the first moment you awake. To embrace all of the good and all of the challenges we are presented with, and to cherish all of the gifts and all of the love we are surrounded by daily.
Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving!!