Finding your path through Peri-Menopause

Have you been feeling that your energy resources are less consistent than they used to be? It might be that that those spinning plates are beginning to wobble, while a desire for more simplicity, space to pause, or rest is becoming stronger.

This feeling is often felt more strongly during menopause; a natural transition that will inevitably pull you into a different relationship with your self, and your unique inner bodily landscape. An experience that can, at times, be unsteadying as you experience the ebb and flux of physical resources. As an acupuncturist treating symptoms, such as hot flushes, insomnia, low energy and anxiety, I have become very familiar with the map of this terrain. But I have seen too how effectively acupuncture, nutritional support, economising of inner reserves can help women find their bearings through the uncertainties of this period of transition.

A different kind of hormonal dance

This is a time when the familiar hormonal dance of menstruation can no longer be relied upon. Women can find themselves moving into a stretch of unpredictability that includes a broad sweep of changes; an experience determined by the state of your overall health, along with the particular nuances of your biological and emotional history.

The term Peri-menopause, describes an incremental, gradual hormonal shift that commonly begins in our 40s, but can be as early as your 30s, eventually leading up to menopause itself; a time that marks the end of the menstrual cycles.  The existing definition of menopause is when 12 months have passed without a period. 

Peri-menopause, with its uncertain beginning, can bring a host of changes, due to fluctuations of hormones, and the natural ageing process. For many women, this can be a disorientating time, as menstrual rhythms vary, and discord often surfaces that reflects a reduced energetic capacity bumping heads with outer expectations.

It is during this time that you can be directly faced with the growing limitations of your energy resources; a feeling likened to swimming against a tide.  An inner tension can surface that reflects a drop in vitality due to hormonal shifts, and in some cases, increased frequency and intensity of bleeding.

Menopausal symptoms, reflect natural changes in oestrogen and progesterone levels, alongside an increased sensitivity to stress. Oestrogen has mood mediating effects, and when levels diminish during the menopause, it is not uncommon for your sense of well-being to feel undermined, and feelings of anxiety or low mood to be present.  At least until you’re able to acclimatise, and find a footing in this unexplored hormonal territory.

The disorientation of the menopausal transition

Many of these changes will be happening at a time when parents are getting older and are needing more support, or when children are going through their own life transitions, which brings its own unique set of challenges! It often seems as though everything is happening at the same time, which can quickly lead to a sense of being overwhelmed.

It can be punctuated temporarily by loss and endings, as some chapters of your lives come to a natural close or conclusion. Someone said to me recently that during menopause you feel like your body is changing but that you’re not always a willing participant in this change! For many women, this loss carries the quiet sorrow of many griefs: the ache of losing someone you love, the uncomfortable unraveling of a once-familiar identity, or the fading of inner rhythms and resources that once felt steady, known, and dependable.

Changes in mental clarity and vitality due to hormonal shifts, can also undermine your sense of self, confidence and enthusiasm. The mist of brain fog, combined with diminished resources, seeming to betray your ability to be available in the same way as before. This, combined with a sense of your mortality being brought into sharper focus, can bring more persistent feelings of anxiety to the foreground.

Recalibrating your resources

However, this chapter in life also creates an opportunity to wrestle back control by redefining who you are, and what you need, in a different way.  As your body communicates a growing necessity to attend to, and care for yourself in a way that honours your own inner capacity.  Menopause, in this sense, is providing both a doorway into a deeper knowing, and an invitation to slow down.  

A more embodied awareness that life is finite, and passes far too quickly as we grow older, can also inspire a challenge to do something new, which can help you to let go of outworn roles that are no longer nourishing, or sustainable.  Or, as the writer and psychologist, Sharon Blackie suggests “The second half of life, then, gives us the opportunity to rediscover the parts of ourselves that we’ve buried, to find the path we have lost. It might feel as if everything is breaking, when actually it’s just changing. Transformation is part of life, and when we stop transforming, we stop fully living. Knowing that doesn’t make the hard times easier, but it gives them meaning.”

Moving with the river - A Traditional Chinese Medicine Understanding

Traditional Chinese Medicine, of which acupuncture is a living thread, is woven from holistic principles that honour the deep interconnection between your inner and outer worlds. It gently reminds us of our kinship with nature, and the quiet vitality that flows when we move in harmony with the greater body of the Earth. Rooted in the ancient wisdom of Taoism, it sees all of life as a dance between opposites — a ceaseless unfolding of balance and change.

This is expressed through the eternal rhythm of Yin and Yang: water and fire, night and day, stillness and movement. Yin is the essence of water — cool, yielding, receptive, slow, and gathering. Yang is the spirit of fire — warm, active, and expansive. True harmony arises not from eliminating difference, but from balancing the tension between these two vital forces, each nourishing and shaping the other.

Just as the cosmos finds its balance through this dance, so too does the body. Our inner landscape must continually adapt to the shifting seasons of life, especially during the transition of menopause. Oestrogen, with its steadying, soothing presence, can be seen as a yin-like force. As it naturally wanes with age, the cooling waters recede, and more yang expressions — heat, restlessness, inflammation — rise to the surface, no longer softened by yin’s quiet temperance.

Yet within this change lies an invitation: to listen more deeply, to honour the body's wisdom, and to rediscover equilibrium in a new form — one attuned to the deeper rhythms of nature and self.

Eastern traditions of health and wellness understand that you can supplement this natural decline of ‘yin’ by gathering in your energy a little more and protecting your resources, so that you’re not extending beyond your reserves. You can also do this by listening to your body, balancing outward activity with drawing inwards and rest, as well as aligning to the seasonal cadences of the natural world, which may take the form of choosing to conserve your energy a little more in the wintertime, like a tree drawing energy and nourishment back into its roots. Attending to cycles of expansion and contraction, found in the circular sway of the breath and the seasons, or connection and withdrawal by honouring our individual needs for engagement or alone time, can be steadying at a time when familiar menstrual rhythms of storage and release feel chaotic.

Acupuncture points can be used to harmonise the interplay of yin and yang within the body so that all is flowing well within, and you have deep reserves to draw on during times of transition or struggle.  Classical Chinese Medicine sees the Chinese character of each point as expressing a story that can nourish, or brings alive, a vitality within us.  Points like ‘Utmost limit of balance’ keep you balanced when life is difficult, or ‘A Maze of Spring Water’ give fluidity and nourishment to your plans and ideas, helping you to touch into the deep spring within yourselves.

What’s right for me now?

Women often express to me that many of the symptoms and experiences that they are having seem to be communicating a deep need to slow down so that they can follow deeper longings that bring joy and fulfilment. There is a natural urge to draw attention inwards, as a way of conserving our resources. This necessity to withdraw and connect to self seems to grow stronger during menopause. This is beautifully expressed in a an extract from a poem called Endless Lengths by the author, Toko-pa Turner: “All of nature needs these intervals/of movement in reverse//There is a jewel to be gathered in the pause/the condensation of maturity/on the tip of our heart./The essence accumulated which,/if attended with stillness,/won’t fall from us wastefully.”

Asking yourselves the question ‘What’s right for me right now?’can help to shift the perspective to what you ‘can’ do, rather than what you feel that you ‘should’ be doing. This reframing of your internal narrative can encourage you to be more compassionate with yourselves when making small yet necessary adjustments to your work and home lives.  Shifts that preserve and recalibrate your inner resources, and help you to find new ‘jewels’ of meaning and acceptance.

Connecting to the wider ecosystem of support

The fast-paced nature of society, and the constant distractions and anxieties of the modern world can make it hard to fully sink into the bodily experiences of what you’re encountering.  Deeper emotions can sometimes accompany the rushes of heat during menopause.  It’s important that you allow yourselves time to connect with whatever may be surfacing emotionally during this time.

This might require you to turn to the support of friends, family, or professional help.  Any transition will require a loving and caring community so that you can hold deep care and love for yourself help. .  This is particularly meaningful during the menopause when support and sustenance can be provided by a connection to the shared experience of others.

Supporting ourselves during the menopause

There are many ways that you can support yourself during the menopause.  It can be helpful to consider the following practical self-help suggestions as a way of anchoring yourself during the menopausal transition.  Mindfulness, rest and good nutrition all have an important role to play during this time:

1.    Re-thinking the balance or intensity of your exercise routine can be helpful. Incorporating more slow mindful movement practices, such as yoga, tai chi, walking, gardening, swimming are all good ways to improve cardiovascular fitness, strengthen your bones and muscles, conserve vital energy, whilst providing a great source of relaxation. Weight bearing exercises are also recommended to improve bone density and build strength.

2.    Consider eating more phyto-oestrogens, which are naturally occurring oestrogens, to your diet. Phytoestrogens have a similar chemical structure to oestrogen and may mimic its hormonal actions. Sources include: flaxseeds, lentils, chick peas, sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds, soybeans, peaches, berries, garlic, tofu, tempeh, and cruciferous vegetables.

3.    Find time during the day to pause, ground in nature and focus on the rhythmic movement of the breath, which can provide an anchor when you’re feeling anxious or unsteady. Are there room for pauses in your life, or ways that you can restructure your time to create more breathing space?

4.    Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated and bowel movements regular.

5.    Activities involving movement, such as dancing, yoga, qi gong or tai chi; learning a new skill, or taking up a new creative pursuit, all help to reduce stress, and keep our energy flowing in healthy, nourishing and restorative ways.

6.    Opening to the nourishment of nature - the simplest gestures of stopping to absorb a beautiful view, sensing the ground beneath our feet, or pausing beneath a tree can open us to the steadying influence of the earth.

7.    Meditation helps us to connect to a deep and quiet place within ourselves, at a time when heat is sweeping through the body creating unsettling ripples on the surface of our skin.

8.    It is well known that bio-identical hormone replacement therapy can be used to help manage some of the symptoms of menopause. Acupuncture is also known as a resource for helping to ease menopausal symptoms.  This has been supported by findings reported in the British Medical Journal, that conclude….”Acupuncture for menopausal symptoms is a realistic option for women who cannot, or do not wish to use {hormone therapy]”.  

Acupuncture uses the body’s own self-regulation capacity to stimulate the production of hormones, whilst also having a normalising effect on mood, temperature, inflammation, and nervous system states.  All of which can positively influence many of the uncomfortable symptoms that are present during this time either in isolation, or used alongside HRT. 

https://www.bmj.com/company/newsroom/acupuncture-may-ease-troublesome-menopausal-symptoms/

(https://www.evidencebasedacupuncture.org/acupuncture-menopause/)

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/08/study-reveals-acupuncture-affects-disease-course/?fbclid=IwAR3cwL4DwNZbkG-wIK70PZn1hI1Xjd60ii_XjoDoRBVP4syN5CLENUUV5_E

Acupuncture for the lingering effects of Covid

There is a growing recognition that many people are now facing the long-term consequences of Covid-19, suffering from prolonged symptoms for weeks, and sometimes months, after their recovery.  

Traditionally, holistic healthcare and acupuncture have a long history of helping people to overcome the lingering symptoms of viral infections.  Many of the common symptoms seen with ‘long Covid’ respond to acupuncture in other contexts too, particularly in cases of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. 

 When we talk about post-viral illness, we are usually referring to a constellation of symptoms, including joint or muscle aches, fatigue, poor concentration, brain fog, a feeling of heaviness, intermittent fever, shortness of breath and depression.  One of the most prevalent symptoms that I have seen in patients with ‘long covid’ is a feeling of constant fatigue, and the most frustrating thing for patients is that energy is rarely restored by getting a good sleep.  Infact, people often feel worse first thing in the morning.

It is thought that post-viral syndrome may have something to do with the body's immune response to the initial infection.  When you are fighting off a virus, the immune system releases chemicals, which promote inflammation and cause many of the classic symptoms of viral infection (eg, tiredness and aches and pains).  An increasing number of studies show that acupuncture supports the immune system and in addition, that it has an anti-inflammatory action, particularly useful in treating patients suffering from symptoms caused by the coronavirus.  There is clear evidence that acupuncture increases the body’s ability to fight infections, while at the same time reducing chronic pain, anxiety, depression and stress, all of which have a detrimental effect on our immune system.

Acupuncture that is based on the traditional East Asian models is well placed to help people with ‘long Covid’. Patients with multiple, chronic symptoms are treated using a holistic approach, which helps to support their own self-healing capabilities to provide better sustained, overall improvement, as well as providing symptomatic relief. 

If you’ve been experiencing symptoms of ‘long-Covid’, the following may also help to improve your energy:

·       Eating foods that support the digestive system, such as soups and casseroles where the food is already partially broken down can help to improve energy.

·       Seasonal fruit such as apples and pears have a decongesting action, which can be helpful for chest tightness and/or sinus congestion.  Warm pears and honey are a very soothing for a sore throat, or dry cough.

·       Moderate exercise to increase energy, improve physical strength and relax the mind, such as Qi gong or walking.  As little as 10 minutes of qi gong a day can be very nourishing. 

·       Breathing exercises to calm the nervous system, while providing the body’s cells with more oxygen to use as fuel, can be helpful.

Listening to the Forest

“The Indigenous story tradition speaks of a past in which all beings spoke the same language and life lessons flowed among species. But we have forgotten—or been made to forget—how to listen so that all we hear is sound, emptied of its meaning. The soft sibilance of pine needles in the wind is an acoustic signature of pines. But this well-known “whispering of pines” is just a sound, it is not their voice. What if your listeners presumed you to be mute…..wouldn’t you dance your story in branch and root” Robin Wall Kimmerer

There is a foundational premise in Traditional Chinese Medicine known as Bi Zheng, or Bi syndrome, which offers a profound lens through which to understand a person’s vulnerability to pain. At its heart, it emphasizes our embeddedness within the web of life. The human body is not seen as a closed system but as a permeable entity deeply enmeshed in a wider ecology, affected by the changing rhythms of the weather, the land, and our relationships with family, friends, and community. Health, in this view, is inseparable from the quality of our exchanges with the world around us. It reveals the necessity of synchronizing with both our inner and outer environments, restoring balance and connection, and empowering us to shift the harmony within ourselves.

Through this lens, the body becomes a mirror, reflecting how its internal ecology might be misaligned with the outer landscape. Pain, contraction, loss of movement, or diminished vitality may be biological expressions of imbalance, pointing to a relational disharmony - whether with a loved one, our own emotional lives, the way we nourish ourselves, or our connection to the natural world. Symptoms, then, become signposts—calls for deeper intimacy with our own experience and with the wider living systems we are inextricably part of. In this sense, vitality and healing depend on our ability to bring conscious attention to physical or emotional ruptures, and to reconnect with the larger whole.

This perspective is central to a holistic understanding of health. It asks us to widen our awareness, not only to recognize the strength and dignity of a solitary tree, but to see the entire forest ecosystem: the plants and insects on the forest floor, the birds and squirrels among the branches, and the intricate underground networks of roots, fungi, and microbes that sustain and communicate between trees. All these elements, in reciprocal interplay, contribute to the vitality of the whole.

Suzanne Simard, a forest ecologist, writes that “there is conflict in a forest, but there is also negotiation, reciprocity, and perhaps even selflessness.” Her research reveals that trees understand their interdependence with other species (plants, fungi, microbes) and form intricate, cooperative networks. When one tree falls, others feel it. This teaches us that we, too, are woven into the living fabric of our environment. Communities, whether biological or social, thrive only when every element is recognized as essential. Diversity, far from being a weakness, is what fosters resilience and stability. In ecosystems, fragmentation compromises the health of the whole.

Similarly, in biology, it is now understood that viruses, which are part of the virome (the collection of all viruses in and on the body) play a role not just in disease, but in immune function, adaptation, and regeneration. Viruses are part of nature’s evolutionary fabric. And yet, as seen with COVID-19, the dominant response was to declare ‘war’ on the virus. This war-like framing, driven by a reductive medical lens, risks both “shooting the messenger” and obscuring insights that fall outside its narrow aperture. Microbiologist Zach Bush argues that the rise in viral endemics is largely due to the erosion of ecological balance—soil, air, and water systems under stress from industrial toxins and pollutants. These disruptions have placed pressure on both planetary and human ecosystems, compromising the body’s capacity for balance and healing.

This interconnected understanding is reflected in terrain theory, which holds that if the body and its environment are in balance, then microbes, including viruses, pose minimal threat. As Antoine Béchamp said, “Germs seek their natural habitat, diseased tissue, rather than being the cause of diseased tissue.” Traditional East Asian Medicine and many Indigenous healing systems align with this view. Within these paradigms, the health of the soil, air, water, food systems, and our reciprocal relationships with nature and community determine the vitality of individuals and societies. Polluted ecosystems, disconnected lifestyles, and diminished human connection all contribute to chronic illness and a weakened immune system.

This is not to dismiss germ theory entirely. Modern medicine plays a crucial role in protecting vulnerable populations when the immune system is compromised or pathogens are unusually virulent. But if we are to reduce the epidemics of our time, we must also examine root causes of imbalance. As writer Sophie Strand suggests, we must ask ourselves: How can we contribute to making good soil?

This question guides my own practice as an acupuncturist. I work to understand how relational imprints, nutritional and lifestyle habits, environmental factors, and genetic predispositions shape a person’s current health. Lasting well-being, I’ve found, depends not only on loving, accepting attention to the self, but also on nurturing supportive relationships and a conscious, respectful relationship with the living world, including the earth, oceans, air, trees, and animals. Healing arises when individuals feel empowered to restore a sense of meaning, safety, and connection in their own unique way, rather than through imposed, top-down solutions.

Recent public health mandates have often conflicted with this fundamental need for subjective experience to be honored. The reductionist approach, which can treat humans as passive objects, fails to account for the broader ecology of health and undermines the importance of bodily autonomy and human rights. Environmental degradation, chronic stress, and toxicity are not merely background issues, they are central to the imbalances creating the crises we now face. The ongoing pattern of colonization and destruction of natural systems has led to a loss of biodiversity and disconnection within ecosystems and among human communities alike. This paradigm fosters division, dehumanization, and a diminished appreciation for both our immune intelligence and the interdependence of all life.

A truly holistic worldview recognizes that harmony arises when systemic questions are taken seriously, and when diverse perspectives and needs are welcomed. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the philosophy of yin and yang teaches that an overemphasis on one polarity can easily lead to its destabilizing opposite. The pandemic response, in many ways, exemplified this: a singular, siloed approach that justified undemocratic policies, political overreach, and censorship of dissenting views. Without the balancing presence of yin participation, collaboration, context, we’ve witnessed a deepening of division: vaccinated vs. unvaccinated, science vs. traditional wisdom, right vs. left. Social unrest, protests, and climate-driven disasters all speak to an ecosystem under pressure.

To restore balance, yin and yang must dance together. A driven, fast-paced lifestyle (yang) without rest, nourishment, or reflection (yin) leads to inflammation, burnout, and disease. Likewise, in the public sphere, a relational, integrative approach would temper extremism and help heal societal rifts. What we are witnessing now is the consequence of policies driven by narrow economic and political interests, which undermine social cohesion, suppress diversity of thought, and ignore the deeper ecology of health.

We stand at a crossroads: a moment of global reckoning. The pendulum swings toward a technocratic future where health decisions may be increasingly outsourced to political bodies and profit-driven industries, with little regard for personal agency or ecological consequence. Such a path is fundamentally at odds with the interconnected, regenerative systems that sustain life.

The challenge of our age is to develop deeper, more collaborative solutions: approaches rooted in relational thinking and ecological awareness. It is a call to slow down, to listen to nature, and to recognize that the health of our environment is inseparable from our own. This vision does not ‘other’ based on medical, racial, or religious difference. Instead, it calls us back to a shared humanity that values kindness, compassion, and respect, especially when fear urges us to divide or dehumanize. It asks us to become the change we long to see: to practice self-compassion, listen deeply to our needs, and extend that same care outward.

If we return to the wakeful, sensate knowledge found in the forest, to the grounded wisdom of branch and root, we might begin to remember how to live in balance once more. The forest teaches us about mutuality, interdependence, and quiet strength. In its dappled light and rich soil are lessons in slowness, sensitivity, and resilience. What might we hear if we truly listened?

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Holding Fast to the Ground: Nature’s Wisdom in Uncertain Times

A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver 

Today I’m flying low and I’m
not saying a word.
I’m letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep.

The world goes on as it must,
the bees in the gardening rumbling a little,
the fish leaping, the gnats getting eaten.
And so forth.

But I’m taking the day off.
Quiet as a feather.
I hardly move though really I’m traveling
a terrific distance.

Stillness. One of the doors
into the temple.

Ever since Covid-19 reached our shores in March 2020, to say that there has been a lot going on in our outer and inner worlds would be an understatement!

Understandably, being faced with the uncertainty of a global pandemic has been challenging on many levels, as we continue to navigate a course through these choppy and changing seas. Our experience of ‘lockdown’ shaped, not only by our personal circumstances, but also by the deeper currents of our emotional and physiological landscapes, and how our nervous systems respond to stress and instability.

Just as everything was intensifying towards the end of March, I noticed that I felt a vague sense of restlessness, combined with a faint underlying feeling of anxiety and sadness, and the need to spend more time online than usual.  I was drawn to engage with others in online yoga classes (teaching and attending), and to reach out to friends to connect with that sense of shared experience. Although more recently, I have been socially distancing from technology and the news! Instead settling into quieter rhythms and a desire for more simplicity.

Through the ebb and flow of it all, I’ve felt a continual need to orientate towards the natural surroundings for space and perspective. I have craved the simple balm and breath of nature. Taking walks on the local flood plains, in the freshness of the early morning, have been uplifting in ways that I hadn’t truly appreciated before Covid-19. My daily walks have been so deeply rooting and nourishing, and have inspired many of my online yoga classes, many of which have focused on growing a vital connection with the ground beneath us, as well as learning to inhabit the area below the belly, known as the dan tian. Nature has been a ballast through all the ups and downs of recent months.

How grounding ourselves in nature can be beneficial during this time

One of the gifts of the Pandemic is that it is teaching us to be more comfortable with uncertainty which is, after all, an inescapable part of life. But staying grounded in our bodies is something that can be easier said than done during challenging times when there is so much anxiety pulling us up into our neck, shoulders, chest and heads. When you consider that social distancing, which has provided a sense of security and safety, has forced us to communicate even more through our screens, this will only heighten a sense of disembodiment. 

So how do we root into the earth and the centre of our being when our attention, is inclined to wander up and keep us locked in worrying or anxious thoughts? How can we ease back our awareness into the background a little more, so that we can feel the stabilising support of the ground, pelvis and spine, and settle into the steadying rhythms of nature, “allowing the living background of the world around us to seep into the foreground of our attention”?

Teaching Qi Gong

These are questions that I’ve been exploring, in an embodied way, in my yoga classes recently. In the East, a foundational principle that informs martial arts, yoga, (and I would add Chinese Medicine here too) is that being able to coalesce awareness around our belly, and our living connection to the ground, helps us to cultivate presence, stability, steadiness and balance. Tension in the body and mind often reflect the belief that we are not supported in some way but when we can feel how the earth is there to sustain us, we no longer need that extra layer of muscular support held within the upper body.

When attention is given to the center, whether in a movement class, or during an acupuncture treatment, we provide an anchoring and resting place for the breath and the mind. During an acupuncture session, it may be necessary to balance the delicate interplay between yin and yang by needling a point located below the navel, to temper the rising of yang.  In this way, symptoms that are characterized by this upward rising tendency (such as anxiety, tension, headaches, or hot flushes) can be effectively rooted into yin. Or you may need to strengthen a patient’s connection to the earth element through the needling of points on the leg and feet, to counterbalance a tendency to worry or overthinking.

In embodied practices such a yoga or Qi gong, you can grow the subjective capacity to be in relationship with the ground through the attention given to the feet, or the sit bones. As we practice inhabiting these places, we quickly become aware of how easy it is to lose this vital support, particularly when the energy of anxiety has a tendency to settle upwards in the body. Without it we feel unrooted, unsupported, tentative, anxious or disembodied, or we compensate by shallow breathing, tightening our abdomen, and holding tension in our upper back, shoulders and neck. 

There are many ways that we can find our grounding. You can do this through the practice of a standing meditation, which emulates the steady, rooted stance of a tree, bringing awareness to the palpable feeling of the ground contacting our feet; by bringing your hands to rest on the belly and letting the breath be guided there; or simply by absorbing the earth’s energy walking bare footed, or lying on the grass. A couple of weeks ago, during the beautiful spell of sunny weather that we’ve experienced, there was a way that lying down on the earth in my garden, underneath the pine trees, feeling the warmth from the sun as it peeped out of the branches, felt so comfortingly grounding.

Just as an abdominal acupuncture point can provide an anchor for anxiety, finding a spot in nature “that binds you to the earth”, if only for the shortest time, gives you the opportunity to pause and drop into the breath.

In a therapeutic setting, being in a physical relationship with the support that’s underneath, and deep within, allows us to be fully present for ourselves, and our patients. The writer, Philip Shepherd, says that “receptivity is made possible by the grounded stability that comes with being at rest deep in the pelvic bowl”. To be present is to ‘hold space’, or be with someone, in an open, accepting, compassionate and deeply attentive manner; one that engenders trust and unconditional positive regard. 

Hopefully, this ‘grand pause’ has opened up a little more space and time for you to “fly low” as the world outside spins, and find a deeper, and more nourishing connection to the ground (inner and outer). Now, more than ever, there is an ever-pressing need to feel our embedded relationship with the earth, but also the centre of our own embodied ecology, so that we can understand and resonate with the greater ecosystem and our place within it.

Supporting Women’s Hormonal Health through Acupuncture

A woman’s body undergoes a remarkable range of hormonal changes beginning at puberty and continuing through menstruation, pregnancy, menopause, and beyond. This ever-evolving hormonal landscape is closely intertwined with emotions, nutrition, work-life balance, relationships, genetics, and stress—factors that can all impact women differently at various life stages.

While hormonal shifts are constant, they tend to be most noticeable during major transitions. Increasingly, women are turning to Chinese Medicine, particularly acupuncture, for both immediate symptom relief and long-term hormonal support. Combined with dietary and lifestyle adjustments, acupuncture can help restore emotional and physical equilibrium by supporting the body’s self-regulating mechanisms.

A growing body of research supports acupuncture’s ability to positively influence the hormonal and nervous systems. Here are five key ways acupuncture can support women's health, vitality, and reproductive wellbeing:

1. Menstruation

Acupuncture can regulate menstrual cycles, alleviate cramps, reduce heavy bleeding, and address irregularities. It also helps calm the nervous system, offering relief from mood fluctuations commonly experienced during menstruation.

Numerous studies have demonstrated acupuncture’s effectiveness in reducing menstrual pain, and many practitioners observe these benefits in clinic daily. For women struggling with monthly discomfort, acupuncture offers a safe, drug-free solution.

2. Perimenopause & Menopause

Chinese Medicine offers a natural, hormone-balancing alternative to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). During menopause, declining estrogen levels, shifting metabolic needs, and increased sensitivity to stress can trigger uncomfortable symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia, anxiety, and mood changes.

Acupuncturists help harmonize internal systems—much like a musician tuning an instrument—using finely placed needles to restore balance to the hormonal and nervous systems. In Chinese Medicine, menopause is seen as a decline in "yin" energy, the cooling, calming, and moistening force in the body. As yin diminishes, symptoms like heat, irritability, restlessness, and poor sleep may emerge. Acupuncture supports the body’s natural ability to regain balance during this transition.

3. Pregnancy & Postnatal Support

Acupuncture is a gentle, effective therapy during pregnancy. It can ease lower back pain, morning sickness, fatigue, heartburn, and anxiety. Postnatally, it plays a vital role in replenishing energy, enhancing milk production, and supporting recovery from childbirth—both physically and emotionally. It’s also a valuable tool in managing postnatal depression and fatigue.

4. Conception & Fertility Support

For those trying to conceive, acupuncture can help by:

• Increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs

• Regulating hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and FSH

• Reducing stress levels that may interfere with fertility

Fertility clinics now often recommend acupuncture alongside assisted reproductive technologies like IVF. By calming the nervous system and shifting the body into a “repair and restore” mode, acupuncture supports optimal reproductive function and enhances the chances of conception.

5. Emotional Wellbeing: Anxiety & Depression

Hormonal fluctuations can significantly affect emotional wellbeing. While some women experience minimal emotional impact, others may struggle with anxiety, depression, irritability, or mood swings—symptoms that can deeply affect quality of life.

Because acupuncture is a holistic practice, it addresses the root causes of imbalance, taking into account a woman’s full health picture—including her hormonal profile, emotional state, lifestyle, and history. By doing so, it helps restore emotional resilience and overall harmony.

5 Ways to Support Hormonal Balance Naturally

In addition to acupuncture, here are five simple lifestyle tips to help support your hormonal health:

1. Eat More Essential Fatty Acids

Foods like oily fish, flaxseed oil, eggs, soy products, nuts, seeds, and dark green vegetables are rich in omega-3s, which support reproductive health and improve blood flow to the uterus.

2. Prioritise Relaxation

Chronic stress impairs hormone production and blood flow to the reproductive organs. Gentle practices like yoga and deep breathing help reduce stress, relax tight muscles, and support energy flow throughout the body.

3. Move Your Body—Mindfully

Regular exercise supports hormonal balance, but listen to your body. Overexercising can deplete vital energy, especially during menstruation, postpartum recovery, or menopause. Choose movement that feels nourishing, not depleting.

4. Nourish Blood and Yin

Especially during menopause or if iron levels are low, eat foods that support blood and yin, such as black beans, kidney beans, organ meats (ideally organic), beets, spirulina, black sesame seeds, and aubergines.

5. Make Time for Rest

Allowing space in your day for rest and stillness isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for hormonal balance. Even 10 minutes of mindful relaxation can make a meaningful difference.

Final Thoughts

Women’s health is dynamic, cyclical, and deeply connected to every aspect of life. Acupuncture offers a powerful and time-tested way to navigate these changes with greater ease, resilience, and vitality. Whether you're addressing menstrual pain, preparing for pregnancy, transitioning through menopause, or simply seeking balance, acupuncture can be a supportive and empowering part of your wellness journey.

*****

For more information on women’s health and acupuncture, please contact me at nickyjanethomas123@gmail.com, or phone 07583-291616 for a free 15-minute consultation.

(1) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/03/acupuncture-can-reduce-hot-flushes-in-menopausal-women-by-half-r/

(2) http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1483-acupuncture-perimenopause-relief

(3) http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1773-acupuncture-boosts-breast-milk-production

(4) http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(11)02859-7/abstract

5 Ways that acupuncture can help with back pain

As a leading cause of disability, back pain is one of the most commonly treated musculoskeletal problems that I encounter in practice.  Back problems that are most receptive to acupuncture treatment are those caused by sprains, muscle strains, minor injuries, or muscular spasm irritating or pinching a nerve.  Although painkillers are a useful short-term solution to relieve discomfort, as a longer-term option they can often mask the problem rather than addressing the underlying cause of the back pain, which is where acupuncture can help.  Dr Nagda, an American pain consultant says that “when you look at risks and benefits compared to other methods like NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen, acupuncture comes out on top with minimal risks.”  Its benefits also become clearer when you consider that it is increasingly being covered, in part, by health insurance.

There is a wide body of research showing that acupuncture can provoke a number of physiological changes, which relieve pain, improve mobility and reduce inflammation -https://www.acupuncture.org.uk/a-to-z-of-conditions/a-to-z-of-conditions/back-pain.html. A study recently published in the Australian medical journal, conducted in the emergency department of a hospital, has shown acupuncture to be as effective as, and safer than, medication for relieving acute back pain. http://theconversation.com/emergency-doctors-are-using-acupuncture-to-treat-pain-now-heres-the-evidence-79430.  As such it is being increasingly embraced as a popular choice of treatment for acute back pain.  

Although effective for both acute and chronic pain, more often than not people tend to come into clinic when the pain has become more chronic.  Unsurprisingly, people are more inclined to seek treatment after their pain has eased, and mobility improved, with the help of painkillers, preferring to rest and avoid unnecessary movement.  In extreme cases, people are simple unable to move, much less find their way to the nearest Acupuncture Clinic!  However, this is a time when acupuncture can work its wonders! It's often patients who are able to receive treatment sooner rather than later, particularly within the first month of an injury, who I've seen experience the most remarkable improvement.

Many patients find that even after one session of traditional acupuncture their pain, movement and mobility will be improved, and their muscles don’t feel as stiff.  An example of this is a patient I saw last year who to come into clinic a few days after straining his lower back lifting something heavy.  I needled distal points in his hands and ankles before doing some gentle massage to ease the spasm in his back.  After treatment he was in considerably less discomfort and although still walking protectively, it was clear that he was in less pain and had more freedom of movement.

So don't put off coming for treatment....if you're physically able to come in early on you'll be on the road to recovery sooner rather than later.  Unless, there is a structural disc-related problem which requires rest, or the pain is severe, the advice now is that it is better to be active as soon as you're able to prevent muscles weakening and stiffening further.  Gentle movement encourages good blood flow to the injured area, which helps the back to heal. 

You'll be pleased to hear that often the number of treatments required for acute back pain will be less than for chronic back pain.  The treatment for chronic pain usually takes a little longer because areas of spasm can become locked-in, or other areas tighten due to over-compensation, when treatment to bring about muscular release has not been given early on.

Reassuringly, during the very early stage of an injury there is no need to needle locally into a painful area as there are points located in the ankles, wrists and hands that can do the job of releasing a painful muscular spasm.  Once the inflammation has subsided then you would target the local area with carefully placed needles to release tight spots and reduce pain.

Here are 5 Ways that Traditional Acupuncture can help with acute and chronic back pain:

1)   TARGETS PAIN

Contrary to popular belief, traditional acupuncture is an incredibly relaxing experience. Some people of course will be naturally wary of the needles but they’re sterile and extremely fine! Acupuncture's strength is in its ability to elegantly target muscular tightness and spasm.  

2)   NATURAL PAIN RELIEF

By stimulating nerves located in muscles and other tissues, traditional acupuncture helps release the body's natural pain-relieving hormones, including endorphins and oxytocin. These hormones can change the way the body processes pain, helping to reduce discomfort and distress.  This can replace the need for synthetic drugs, without the risk of side effects.  Although you'll be pleased to hear that traditional acupuncture works just as effectively alongside modern medication and other therapies, such as osteopathy. In fact it can even speed up the recovery process.

3)   REDUCES INFLAMMATION

When an acupuncture needle is inserted local anti-inflammatories are released, blood flow is increased to the local area and excess fluids are dispersed to promote healing and aid recovery.

4)   GETS YOU MOVING AGAIN!

Many patients find that even after one session of traditional acupuncture their movement and mobility will be improved and their muscles don’t feel as stiff.

5)   TAILORED FOR YOU

Traditional acupuncture is an effective therapy that treats the whole person. This means each patient is treated as a unique individual so the acupuncture points chosen for one person with lower back pain may be different for another person with the same symptoms. This tailored approach is one of the key reasons traditional acupuncture is so effective.  The number of sessions needed will depend on each individual and whether their pain is chronic or not. I will put together an individualised treatment plan during your initial consultation.

Preventing back pain

In general, the more that your body has got used to flexing and extending, contracting and releasing the muscles that support the spine, the easier it is for muscle releasing pathways to be activated when you tweak your back.  This is why it is so important to regularly support the back with gentle exercises, such as Yoga or Tai chi, which are great ways of gently stretching the muscles in the lower back, as well as strengthening your core to help stabilise the spine.  Yoga is an effective way of lengthening the hamstrings too.  These are the big muscles in the back of the thighs which, when tight, can limit movement in the pelvis, making back injury more likely.

Back Pain Testimonial

Even yoga teachers can get tight and sore muscles!

I spend more hours than I would like sitting at a keyboard, and that combined with challenging myself on the mat can lead to complaints from my back.  This spring, I had booked a workshop that I was very much looking forward to on a Sunday, but on Thursday I was struck down by a killer muscle spasm.  I was gutted and was afraid I would have a long and painful recovery... but this story has a happy ending and now I have a tried and true system for recovering from minor muscular injury.  Immediately upon feeling the cramp, I took a low dosage pain killer to keep myself moving.  And where did I move to?  I went straight to Nicky for massage and needling to release the cramp as soon as possible.  I followed the treatment with a hot bath, a day of rest and then a gentle yoga practice, and by the Sunday I was mobile on the mat with no pain and an appetite for movement!  I think the primary benefit was treating the injury quickly so that I could keep moving, breathing, and healing.

*****

I will be happy to discuss your problem and help you understand whether acupuncture can help you, before you commit to having any treatment

If you'd like you’d like a free 15 minute consultation please call me on 07583-291616.  Appointments can be made by contacting York Natural Health on 01904-788411.

The Core and its role in Sustainability

Strong at the Core: The Deeper Power Behind Your Centre

You may remember admiring Jessica Ennis’s highly toned six-pack during the Olympic Games last year—perhaps even admitting to a little six-pack envy! A defined, muscular torso has become a modern symbol of strength and power. And as we spring into action this summer, it's worth considering just how important our core is in yoga—regardless of whether we’re rocking a six-pack or a one-pack.

But when we look beyond the physical aesthetics of a strong core, we uncover a deeper significance. The core doesn’t just provide strength and stability for the body—it is, in many Eastern traditions, the origin of our innermost guidance and wisdom.

Connecting with our centre allows us to tap into an intuitive support system that influences our movements and decisions, both on and off the mat. The benefits of core awareness expand far beyond the muscles—they reach into how we live, move, and feel.

Listening to the Body’s Rhythms

Recently, I treated a patient with acupuncture for acute back pain brought on by overstretching during a Pilates class. At a time when her body was asking for rest, she was pushing beyond her reserves—physically and energetically. It’s a familiar story in modern life, where the space to slow down or pull back can feel out of reach.

Just as nature ebbs and flows, so too does our energy. I’ve been reminded of this during my own yoga practice—especially on occasions when enthusiasm overrides sensitivity. That’s when my old shoulder injury starts to whisper… or shout!

Yoga as a Practice of Sustainability

Yoga teaches us to reconnect with our natural rhythms, especially through the breath. When we coordinate breath and movement—feeling the breath travel into the abdomen—we develop a greater sensitivity to the needs of our body.

This connection helps us recognise when we’re overextending, pushing too far, or depleting our energy. Just like a house that looks beautiful from the outside but wastes energy inefficiently, we too can appear strong while draining ourselves unnecessarily.

Developing a relationship with the core is like accessing an internal support system. It teaches us to conserve, adjust, and move in a way that’s sustainable over the long term.

Preservation Over Performance

These days, there’s growing awareness across many fields—especially sport—of the importance of sustainability over short-term gains. In professional sports, economy of movement is now seen as essential to long-term performance. There’s a stronger emphasis on injury prevention, rehabilitation, and body awareness.

Many football and rugby clubs now invest heavily in podiatry, physiotherapy, yoga, and acupuncture, recognising that strength and success often lie in the small details: a healthy spine, good foot alignment, strong muscle tone, a balanced diet—and crucially, rest.

Resting players to ensure longevity and fitness isn’t seen as a weakness—it’s strategic wisdom.

The Power of Doing Less

In a culture that prizes productivity and constant action, effort is often overvalued. But in Chinese philosophy, there is a concept called “wu wei”, which means "effortless action" or "non-forcing." It teaches that we don’t need to struggle to be effective; instead, we align with the energy available to us and move accordingly.

Nature follows this principle: eagles aren’t always soaring; waves rise and fall. When we pause or do a little less, our actions can become more focused, efficient, and energized. Likewise, developing core stability gives us a foundation from which we can move with more freedom and ease.

Moving From the Centre

In yoga, learning to move from the centre teaches us to sense how much or how little to extend. It helps us feel when to conserve energy, when to challenge ourselves, and when to wait patiently for muscles to open.

This quality of movement brings integrity, balance, and calm. It’s like recycling our energy—preserving it for when we truly need it—instead of constantly "down-cycling" into depletion.

In dance and martial arts, moving from the core creates effortless shifts in direction and weight. Experienced dancers and martial artists exhibit a natural grace—movement that begins from deep within, not from the outer limbs.

In traditional Chinese practices, the Dan Tian—a point just below the navel—is seen as the energetic centre of the body. It’s where the navel expands and contracts during deep abdominal breathing. Breathing this way calms the nervous system, reduces stress, and enhances vitality.

Return to the Centre

In all mindful movement forms, there’s a rhythm: a continual reaching out and returning inward. The extensions of the limbs are always supported by the core. The periphery expresses the inner self, the whole body working in concert.

A deeper connection with your core through yoga enriches your practice and brings greater awareness, safety, and efficiency to how you move—both on and off the mat.

Remember These Key Points in Your Yoga Practice:

• Integrate breath with movement to develop body awareness

• 🧘‍♀️ Refine your alignment to create greater stability with minimal tension

• 🕊️ Don’t force movement—flow with your natural energy

• Move from your centre—notice where the breath expands on inhalation

• Trust your inner feedback—let your teacher know if something feels off
  (e.g., discomfort, old injuries resurfacing, or restricted movement)

How to stay healthy during spring

Supporting the Body Through the Seasons: Spring and the Liver in Chinese Medicine

I was admiring the morning sunshine earlier this week when the sky suddenly darkened, and I found myself caught in a dramatic transformation of the weather—swirling wind, rain, and even snow. It was, quite literally, four seasons in one day! But such abrupt weather changes are typical at this time of year, just before the warmer and more settled days take hold.

In Chinese philosophy, we are seen as microcosms of the natural world. The changes we observe in nature are mirrored in ourselves. Each season carries its own unique energy. Spring, for instance, is characterized by an upward, outward surge—“when the warmth of the sun returns and life pushes forth with great vitality.” It’s a time to refresh your vision and grow in new directions. Yet the expansive, sometimes erratic nature of early spring can leave us feeling unbalanced—at least until we can find steadier footing, or simply get out into the garden and warm up our sun-deprived bodies.

A tree can only grow tall if it is anchored by deep roots and nourished soil. In the same way, our transition from winter into spring can be blocked by low energy reserves, fatigue, emotional stagnation, depression, or stress. These factors can put the brakes on the natural creative impulse that spring brings—and deeply affect how both our bodies and minds feel during this time of year.

In Chinese Medicine, spring resonates with the liver, an organ that plays a vital role in detoxifying the body, cleansing the blood, and nourishing the muscles, tissues, and cells. According to Chinese Medicine theory, the liver also governs the smooth flow of qi (energy) throughout the body. When the liver becomes overloaded—due to poor diet, stress, or overeating—it can lead to stagnation, irritability, and physical symptoms like headaches, tension, or digestive issues.

Spring is considered the ideal time to support the liver through acupuncture and other therapies. Chinese Medicine offers a clear framework for understanding and addressing liver-related imbalances. Treatments such as acupuncture, massage, and dietary guidance can all help restore healthy function and energy flow.

But there are also simple, everyday ways you can support your liver this spring:

How to stay healthy during the Spring

A Healthy Diet

The liver will benefit from a de-congesting diet rich in green leafy vegetables.  Apple cider vinegar is beneficial too because of its sour taste and nutritional benefits.  Avoid foods that are too spicy, oily and rich, reduce red meat and roasting or frying to prepare food.   Many of the heavier winter-sustaining foods that we may have wanted to eat during the long dark winter months are not going to be appreciated by the liver during the spring!  Trying to wean myself from the simple doughy comforts of sourdough bread is taking herculean will-power!

In general, think green, as well as light, nutritionally-packed and easily digestible, as this will maximise your energy for growth, just like plants in spring stretching up and out up from the nourishment in their roots.  Other foods that help to cleanse the liver include: garlic, apples, avocado, broccoli, lemons and limes, turmeric, cabbage and walnuts.

Freeing our Emotions

Just as foods can be congesting and place a strain on the liver, unexpressed emotions can create congestion internally.  It is healthier to let our emotions flow during the spring when this push for release is felt inwardly.  According to Traditional Chinese Medicine's Five Element theory, chronically unexpressed emotions, such as anger, frustration or guilt, can unbalance your liver functioning, which can lead to fatigue or depression.  Being able to talk about how you're feeling and letting things go can keep your energy flowing in healthy ways, which inevitably helps you to move forward with renewed energy, creativity and purpose.

Movement and creativity

Other ways of easing stress during spring are by gardening, as this is very grounding physically and emotionally.  Activities involving movement, such as dancing, yoga, qi gong or tai chi; learning a new skill, or taking up a new creative pursuit all help to keep our energy flowing in healthy and creative ways

How the 'liver' expresses it's unhappiness!

As you might imagine, symptoms that resonate with spring tend to have an upward or outward flowing tendency, such as headaches or eczema, but also any symptoms that are compounded by stress. Here are some symptoms that are characteristic of spring and suggest that you may need acupuncture to bring some balance to the liver system:

Headaches and migraine

Muscular aches and pains and stiffness

High Blood Pressure

Irritability and mood swings

Flare-up of eczema or psoriasis

Digestive problems, precipitated by stress, such as IBS or gastric pain

Heightened or unexplained Anxiety

Dry eyes, blurred vision or floaters

If you like more information about how acupuncture or acupressure massage might help you, please contact me on 07583-291616 or email: nickyjanethomas123@gmail.com.

Autumn reflections: a time of change

Have you felt that little internal tug recently, like a child pulling on your coat sleeve, as autumn sneaks up on us, to slow down or be a little more solitary?  Or perhaps you feel an unexplainable urge to clear out clutter, bravely venturing into dark and dusty cupboards and forgotten corners of the house!

As autumn approaches, we look forward to the vibrant colours of fire and warmth that the leaves bring, the crispness of the air and the fresh clarity of the light.  When living in the Middle East, autumn was the season that I missed the most for those very reasons.  It was my first autumn back that I rediscovered my love and appreciation of this beautiful and fleeting season, not only for its vibrancy of colour but the feeling of introspection that it inspired.

Autumn is a time of transformation, of paring back and letting go what is no longer of value.  We can see this all around us in nature in the autumnal colours and the quality of air and changing light. But it is also a time of taking in the crisp invigorating air of our surroundings, which brings a greater clarity to our thoughts and ideas.

As with any kind of transition, this shift can sometimes feel uncomfortable.  Understandably, we’d like the long summer nights and the enlivening feeling of warmth on our skin to continue.  We may not be ready to pack away our summer clothes or banish the camping equipment to the garage or attic for yet another year!  But just as nature does, it is important that we change with seasons too.

In nature, the survival of trees during the cold winter months followed by their transformation in the Spring is only possible through this sloughing and condensing process: Leaves are dropped and precious sap, that nourished leaves during the spring and summer, is withdrawn to it’s roots to sustain the strength, and continued growth, of the tree.

Just as the falling leaves expose more of a tree, emotions that may have been covered over or silenced during the summer months are likely to be more strongly felt, asking to be acknowledged.  It’s so much harder to ignore dust that has settled when light from a window is shining on it, revealing every little particle!

In Chinese Medicine “falling leaves are a reflection of sighs of grief and melancholy that autumn brings when all dies back to the ground”.  If we follow this impulse to withdraw, then we give ourselves time to process our losses, which may prevent depression from settling in during the dark winter months.

It is important to change with the seasons by adapting our diet and yoga practice too.  Here are some ways in which we can do that:

1. Autumn inspiration

It is the perfect time to draw inspiration and energy from our surroundings as we practice yoga. Breathing exercises combined with movement teach us to expand our lungs more fully, which invigorates the body and mind.

2. Refining our practice

The element that resonates with Autumn is metal, which embodies the quality of refinement.  We can bring more refinement to our yoga practice by focusing not only on the outer shape or frame of the asana, but on our inner selves, such as the breath as it moves around the body, the sensation in our spine and muscles, the movement of the diaphragm, or the feeling of gravity pulling the lower body down. 

3. There can be no expansion without contraction

As nature begins a process of gathering in it’s energies, so too can we encourage this feeling of consolidation when we practice yoga, by bringing our awareness back into our center and the lower body as we exhale.  Some postures immediately have this internalising effect, such as Tadasana, Tree pose, Child’s pose, or forward bends.

4. Stillness within movement

As we move into a quieter, more ‘yin’ time of year, nurturing softness and relaxation within effort, and mental stillness within movement, can be deeply restorative and cultivate a feeling of wellness and peace of mind.

Better stop short than fill to the brim,

Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon be blunt.

Yield and overcome;

Bend and be straight;

Empty and be full.

Daodejing, 4th century BCE

5. Tricky transitions

I overhead someone saying the other day that ‘somehow the ‘in-betweens’ are more difficult, as you know what to expect during summer and winter’.  Change can be unsettling and it sometimes feels like the ground is literally shifting beneath us….It’s no wonder that we may feel unsteady, anxious or want to hold on to the familiar. 

Steadying and strengthening Warrior postures or Tree pose can provide a welcome calming, empowering and settling influence - just what we need during periods of change or uncertainty.  While practicing, focus on drawing your attention and energy to your roots, which will help you feel supported during those uncertain transitions.

6. Being present

Transitions require that we keep in the present moment and connect with our inner selves, just as moving into a challenging yoga balance calls for us to be more attentive, trusting, and sometimes brave.  If we can find a way through the inevitable resistance, we’re brought closer to our deeper feelings and vulnerabilities, the recognition of which can bring greater understanding, strength or release.

7. Hearty is best! ... Eating for the autumn season

In Chinese Medicine, foods that embody the deepening and internalising qualities of Autumn include potatoes, parsnips, turnips, cauliflower, carrots, onion and ginger…the heartier the better, so don’t waste any time, get them root vegies roasting! Citrus fruits are great too for their cleansing properties and vitamin C boost as we move closer to winter.

The Space In Between

“There is something greater and purer than what the mouth utters. Silence illuminates our souls, whispers to our hearts, and brings them together……" Khalil G

During a yoga retreat at Casa Cuadrau in the Spanish Pyrenees last year one of the participants shared with the group that during her time in the mountains she had realised how little time she gave herself between one activity and another; she often rushed from one thing to the next without pausing.

Reflecting on this afterwards I couldn’t help thinking that this is a familiar feeling to many of us.  In the business of day-to-day life it is very easy to neglect to give ourselves that space in between.  The reasons for this are many: It might simply be that filling our time seems more natural, familiar and purposeful, and in our commitment to our responsibilities and the people in our lives, it is easy to forget how it feels to truly give ourselves space and silence.  In the pace and fullness of modern life there is often little time for stillness.  We have forgotten that there is space underneath all the noise and rarely stop in a way that allows for deep and nourishing rest and the replenishment of our reserves.

But also it may be that in creating more space we open ourselves to feelings that we'd been busily avoiding, inevitably perpetuating a certain type of overactivity, which was probably the very reason why I took myself off to the mountains! Being on retreat provides a space where people can be with themselves more intimately.  Mountains have a way of laying you bare and revealing your innermost self: there is nothing to hide behind when you are part of a vast spacious vista.  Just as an open mountain landscape provides a space for you to step more fully into yourself, a mountain forest enfolds you in it's reassuring alpine embrace and 'whispers to your heart'.  It is like a wise and supportive friend who listens quietly and comfortingly. 

Just as Danny, our mountain guide, led us carefully along the changing mountain terrain, it is sometimes necessary to help navigate my patients through uncomfortable inner emotional terrains, holding a sacred space for the release of emotions or tension.  Within a therapeutic context I am very aware of the importance of opening a space that allows patients to connect more fully with emotions that need to be given expression.  These can be vulnerable and cathartic moments, just as pauses in music can contain a world of feeling and emotion that has the power to resonate with and transform the deepest parts of ourselves . 

Without space our emotions are like flowers trying to push through a crack in a stone pavement.  We may give ourselves little room for stopping or feeling but eventually our inner world has a tendency to reach up in unexpected places, although often unknowingly creating many different forms of physical and emotional tension or pain in the process.  This might be seen in a person's posture as shoulders that fold in protectively around the heart and the lungs, in the clenching of back muscles or tightness within the chest, or in the abdominal  pain that someone may be experiencing. 

You may not feel it necessary to go to the Spanish Pyrenees to find space, although I would highly recommend that you visit the wonderful Casa Cuadrau mountain retreat! You can give stillness the space it needs, and yourself the space it craves, by moving the 'stone pavement' a little at a time and creating your own rituals.  The way that we do this being very individual to ourselves: it may be sitting quietly in a peaceful place in the house or in your garden, walking in a park or in a forest or listening to a beautiful piece of music.  

The practice of simple yoga stretches where broadening and lengthening your physical frame can help you to release tension and feel more spaciousness within despite feeling pressured outwardly.  Deep breathing too, not only helps us to center into ourselves in a way that gives space to our feelings, but also engages the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body to relax.

In yoga and qi gong we talk about the importance of finding space in between the breath through deep and slow breathing, that moment of stillness between the movement of the breath.  Just as this stillness is a calm point from which the breath rises, so we can provide a calm center for our thoughts and feelings to surface.  However, if our breathing is too fast or shallow due to tension or anxiety, which often occurs when we feel that we have no room for pauses in our lives, then we block the silence that lets our vital energy through.  

When you find the space in between, it is something that can come everywhere with you, hopefully changing the rhythm and breath of the busiest days.

Finding balance

"Your hand opens and closes and opens and closes

If it were always a fist or always stretched open,

you would be paralysed.

Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding,

RUMI

You may have heard it said that it’s important to find a balance in all things.  But what does it really mean to be feeling balanced and how do we recognize when we might be feeling off kilter in a particular aspect of our lives.

You instinctively know when you’re feeling balanced as you feel like you’re not being pulled too hard in one direction more than another.  You feel calm, centered, grounded and energized or you may feel that all the various aspects of your life are working together in harmony.  

However, modern life has a tendency to ask more and more of us so that at times we feel too ’stretched open'.  It may be that you’re pushing yourself too hard physically or mentally without creating enough time for your mind and body to rest, or perhaps you’re giving too much of yourself without allowing yourself to receive nourishment.  We’ve all had moments when life’s demands have left us feeling stressed, scattered and unbalanced. The reasons are usually very individual to you.

In these moments, it’s helpful to have some simple tools to help us come back to our center and regain balance.

Integral to Traditional Chinese Medicine is the importance of balance to a person’s health and well-being.  It recognises that certain symptoms, whether they are mild or more severe, are a way for the body to let us know that there is a physical and/or emotional imbalance.  These symptoms may include low energy, anxiety or tension, headaches or poor sleep.  Identifying aspects of your life that may be out of balance, and choosing carefully selected acupuncture points that are known for their potential to restore equilibrium to the mind and body, acupuncture is one way of helping you to feel more centered and relaxed.  

In yoga too there are postures that can help you to regain a sense of balance and composure when life feels overwhelming or you’re feeling over-stretched.  Balance postures like Tree pose which require you to root through your feet and lower your center of gravity to give you more stability can be a really useful way of finding your equilibrium - the intense concentration required to stay upright on one leg makes it very difficult to focus on anything else!

Over the years as an acupuncturist and yoga teacher I have found certain techniques really useful in helping you to regain balance, particularly during those stressful times:

1) Rooting - Sitting in a cross-legged position with your hands resting on your legs, sense into those places that make contact with the floor, such as your sit bones and the back of your thighs.  Gently press your sitbones into the floor.  Bring your awarenesss to the rise and fall of the belly as you breathe in and out, feeling the belly expand with the inhale and contract towards the spine with the exhale.  As you’re belly contracts feel your pelvis gently rock back and your tailbone descend towards the floor, and as you inhale feel the pelvis tilting forward slightly.  Listen to the sound of your breath.

2) Mountain pose - Stand with your feet hip distance apart.  Feel into your feet: raise your toes and then spread them before lowering them back down.  Feel all four corners of the feet making contact with the floor beneath you.  Let the weight of the pelvis release into the thighs, the thighs release into the knees, the knees into the calves and shins and the calves and shins into the feet.  Visualize your body as a tree, with your torso representing the trunk and your feet representing the roots.  Then imagine that you’re feet have roots descending deep into the earth, feeling the strength and stability of your body as you become more rooted.  Then bring your hands together at  your heart to reaffirm the midline and center of the body.

3) Affirmations - These can be very reassuring and empowering when you’re life is feeling like it is out of control and you find yourself on a ferris wheel unable to get off! Quietly repeating to yourself words like “I can manage” “It will all get done” or “I am doing the best that I can” whilst breathing deeply can help you to reframe the way that you are feeling.

4) Gentle stretching - simple gentle stretches (if you’re already feeling over-stretched in your life then strong stretches may be counter-productive) can help to create a little more internal space even when you’re feeling outwardly pressured.  

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, clasp your hands at your chest and then as your breathe out extend your arms, pushing the heels of the hands away from you to stretch the upper back, particularly the area between the shoulder blades, which is typically where we store tension.  On your next inhale raise your arms above your head and stretch the sides of the torso, lifting the ribs away from the hips to help create more space between the ribs, which will allow your take in fuller more energising breaths.  Release your hands and as you breathe out lower one hand to the right side of the floor beside you and reach over to the right with the left hand (making sure to drop you’re right shoulder away from your ears.  Breathe in and out a few times before raising both arms to the ceiling again and repeating on the opposite side.

Life can feel quite chaotic and stressful at times but these simple tools can help you to balance times of expansion with small contractions that restore your sense of equilibrium.

Chinese Medicine and the changing seasons

The Chinese have long believed that humans are deeply connected to the natural world, and that the changing seasons can influence our bodies, sleep patterns, and overall energy. When we allow our internal energy to resonate with the rhythms of nature, we cultivate health and vitality. In contrast, trying to maintain the same pace year-round—ignoring nature’s ebb and flow—creates disharmony and imbalance.

Each season carries its own distinct qualities. For example, winter is a time of slowing down, conserving, and storing energy. Spring, by contrast, is a season of expansion, growth, and enthusiasm—just like a bud bursting into bloom. The element associated with spring is wood, and like trees and plants, we need space to grow, strong roots for nourishment, and flexibility to adapt. When our natural freedom of movement is restricted, it often leads to frustration or anger. After all, when someone shouts, they’re usually calling for something to change.

Internally, this lack of flow can manifest in various ways—tightness in the muscles and tendons, stiffness in the joints, or a general sense of low vitality. But when tension is released from the body, we feel more open, energized, creative, and expressive. Physically, muscles soften, joint mobility increases, and circulation improves. As the old saying goes, "Flowing water never stagnates, and the hinges of a moving door never rust." Practices like acupuncture and the gentle, fluid movements of Qi Gong are particularly effective in maintaining this vital flow of energy.

In China, it’s also common for people to receive acupuncture treatments during seasonal transitions—such as from winter to spring or summer to autumn. The goal is to balance the body's energy, preparing it to adapt smoothly to the changes ahead. For example, those who are constitutionally “hot” might experience headaches, hay fever, psoriasis, eczema, or hot flushes—symptoms that can worsen in warmer months. Seasonal treatments aim to reduce internal heat and restore equilibrium.

On the other hand, individuals who tend toward a colder constitution may be more prone to fatigue, depression, arthritis, or frequent colds, making winter a more challenging season. In such cases, treatment would work to warm and strengthen the body.

The wisdom of Chinese Medicine has long emphasized aligning one’s health with the natural cycles of the seasons. Today, modern science is beginning to support this perspective. Researchers have found that the seasons can influence our health at a genetic level, affecting the expression of genes involved in immunity and inflammation.

Returning to the Fields

by T’ao Ch’ien

When I was young, I was out of tune with the herd:
My only love was for the hills and mountains.
Unwitting, I fell into the Web of the World’s dust
And was not free until my thirtieth year.

The migrant bird longs for the old wood;
The fish in the tank dreams of its native pool.
I had rescued from wildness a patch of the Southern Moor
And, still rustic, I returned to field and garden.

My ground covers no more than ten acres;
My thatched cottage has eight or nine rooms.
Elms and willows cluster by the eaves,
Peach trees and plum trees bloom before the hall.

Hazy, hazy—the distant hamlets of men.
Steady—the smoke of the half-deserted village.
A dog barks somewhere in the deep lanes,
A cock crows atop the mulberry tree.

At gate and courtyard—no murmur of the world’s dust.
In the empty rooms—leisure and deep stillness.
Long I lived confined by the bars of a cage:
Now I have turned again to Nature and freedom.