Our Complex Stories

By Molly Hutto, LAc

Meadow Hill Wellness

More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles

Our Complex Stories

As I took a patient's pulse yesterday, she sensitively remarked on her awareness that every person has an untold story, complexities of themselves that are not displayed clearly for the world to see. Of course, this was a very valid comment on her part; though our bodies hold explicit memories like imprints from our pasts, our busy lives can prevent us from being open to the level of sensitivity and observation that is required to accurately and fairly read another person.

I find judgment and assumption tend to get in the way of correct discernment when trying to understand where a person comes from and why they are the way they are.

I find that as people begin receiving acupuncture, oftentimes, the view they have always held of their health begins to unravel and reform itself into something more tangible, more complete, and more sensible. They begin to see firsthand how every experience, no matter how seemingly inconsequential, fits into the greater scheme of their lives and becomes stored in their bodies.

This is why when an acupuncturist reads one's pulse, they may ask questions that extend far beyond heart rate and rhythm, such as the quality of dreams a person may have, their body temperature during different times, the state of their digestion or libido.

I read pulses of just about every patient I see, every time I see them, with very few exceptions. The reason for this is because even if I am treating a symptom as simple and common as back pain, having a greater depth of understanding of who the person in front of me is, provides me with a knowledge base of how they became injured in the first place, and how this current ailment is likely to impact them in the future.

By reading their pulse and checking in with them, we pave the way for fuller and sometimes quicker healing. With blood being the vital vessel through which all healing occurs, even a recent injury is detectable on one's pulse, and a skilled pulse reader will be able to pick up on such intricate details.

For many, acupuncture merely relieves aches and pains. For others, it eases weekly stressors. For some, it is a deeply meditative experience, the one time each week when they allow themselves to relax enough to turn their minds off for just 20 minutes, finishing their session feeling renewed and prepared for the days ahead.

If you haven't experienced acupuncture yet, I encourage you to find a practitioner near you to see what it is all about.