New York Acupuncturist

Fall is in the air, you can smell it, and you can most definitely feel it. The air has a crisp quality to it. It invigorates the senses, encourages us to bundle up a little more, and hasten our pace.

Let us all take a moment to breath the fall air deeply into your lungs, and let out big sigh. According to the Taoist tradition of the Five Elements, Fall is the time of Metal; of Letting Go.  It is a time of transition.

The season of Fall and the Spirit of Metal is about letting go of grief, and returning to the Earth to prepare for the coming Winter. In Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, the organs that correspond to the Metal Element are the Lungs and the Large Intestine. These Organs deal with breathing deeply and deeply letting go.

The trees let go of the old growth, and turn inward to conserve their reserves for the coming Winter. Animals begin to bunker down and keep warm. We should take cues from nature and make a shift in our own energy. If we are carrying around old growth, it is time to let it go in order to take care of our own wellbeing, and move forward.

During this cool, windy time it is important to keep warm and covered. Even before it gets very cold, it is a good idea to wear a scarf, and keep your neck covered. A cool wind at the back of your neck can leave you susceptible to catching a cold, inflaming your sinuses, or getting a stiff neck.

So please do breath deeply of the crisp Fall air, but please remember your scarf.
:] www.rootbranchacupuncture.com

One of the biggest problems that all New Yorkers face every day is stress. Stress complicates every situation, and exacerbates any pain or chronic condition you may have, like that tension in your neck and shoulders.
While it would be great to get acupuncture, a massage, meditate, go to yoga or the gym everyday, that doesn’t always fit into our busy schedules. But we do all commute everyday, whether we like it or not. So instead of tuning out with your ipod or nodding off, take that time to get in touch with yourself and let go of some of that built up stress.
Close your eyes, take a deep breath and release it slowly. Now repeat. With every exhale, concentrate on letting out your belly, you know, the one you keep sucked in all day preventing you from breathing deeply and fully. Now drop your shoulders, relax your jaw, and try to let go of that furrow between your eyebrows.
Its not as easy as it sounds. You may succeed in relaxing, but then two minutes later you may find that you are all tight again. That’s why practice is so important, even with something as simple as relaxing. The subway ride is a perfect reminder to release a little bit of that built up stress every day. Your fellow riders will appreciate your calm energy.
Look for other reminders at work too. Maybe every time the phone rings, instead of jumping to alert, make that ring a mental cue to take one deep breath before answering the phone. This newfound calm may even relax the person on the other line.

www.rootbranchacupuncture.com