Lotus Elementals

I've been caught up in the process of establishing a practice, of working with our amazing medicine and gaining an appreciation for its wisdom and depth. Since my last missive, a few events have transpired: 1. I graduated from school, navigated the gauntlet of board exams, and became fully licensed and credentialed. And insured. (very important...) 2. I have established a private practice for family and friends only, and have worked in two clinics - one in Albuquerque, one in Bosque Farms. 3. For a time I was working in both the Albuquerque and Bosque Farms clinics;  I've now settled in the Bosque Farms location. The journey from graduating, credentialing, etc., to now, well it's been intense. And enlightening. And vexing, at times. Turns out full time patient care requires many skills, as we'd expect, and also the ability to distance onself from the patient and the outcome in order to remain objective, and, presumably, effective. The art of practicing an

Another term has come to an end, finals behind us now, a slight pause between terms underway, and another one set to start after Labor Day. This last year presented many challenges, on almost every conceivable level, and as a result the end-term exhaustion felt more profound than in terms past. But recovery is the goal, now, as is rejuvenation and contemplation of what's been learned so far. And there has been a whole, whole lot. I'm told that true appreciation of this medicine will occur after graduation and board exams are behind us, that once we get a chance to breathe a bit, then focus on aspects of this great discipline that capture our attention or are driven by patient cases, we'll begin to truly appreciate the nuances and elegance that comprise the ancient practice of OM. For now glimpses of that beauty emerge and promise greater opportunity once the foundational aspects have been laid and we are practicing. One more year to go, then boards. 3/4 of the

To say the last year has flown wouldn't be entirely accurate. There have been sections of it that have sped by at the speed of light and others which have felt interminable. There have been segments, weeks, which have felt like molasses in terms of progress, a term I wouldn't have freely chosen at those moments. I am officially at the halfway mark in the program, and discovered about halfway through last term that there is, in fact, a wall of sorts into which some of us crash, almost audibly, some more quietly, but crashing there is. Fortunately said crash did no lasting damage, and for me the realization of having completed nearly half of the necessary coursework buoyed sufficiently for me navigate the remainder of the term and exit without too many additional (or at least visible) scars. New term has begun, and with it comes the daily pressure to study, always, and stay focused, always, and expand the consciousness while creating a strong foundation with this medicine.

One of the incredibly cool things about Oriental Medicine is the number of ways there are to address any given malady/condition/issue. One of the incredibly confusing and occasionally frustrating things about Oriental Medicine is the number of ways there are to address any given malady/condition/issue. There is TCM. There is 8 Extras. There are balancing methods. There is Japanese style. There is Five Elements. Just to name a few. We're taught, in order to eventually pass the national (and state) exams, TCM. TCM is a relatively new construct, one that was created less than 100 years ago and now characterizes the education in our country for a medicine that has spanned over 3,000 years. 3,000.  The linear organization that allows for the medicine to be taught didactically, in a classroom setting, is structurally apparent in every aspect of the curriculum. Historically, this medicine was about apprenticing oneself to a master and following for years and years and l

There's a hush that comes over the school during this week, a hush caused by students collectively gathering their wits, reviewing until they're punch drunk, and then regurgitating, often onto paper, their knowledge of the myriad subjects we're expected to master. Honestly, I think the silence is simply due to all of us conserving what little energy we have and focusing that on writing down answers and not wanting to waste any effort on speaking even a little. It's intense, and we're in the midst. The cool thing? By this time next week we'll all feel lighter (mostly because we dumped volumes of information, which must certainly weigh something , out of our heads). And we'll all be in dire need of a brief respite from the intensity of our program. I am taking a break clinic, which means no break, but a lovely transition from observing to treating, with a supervisor whose manner and approach resonate nicely with my own. Ok, now back to the books.

Midterms are over. At last. This set spanned almost three weeks, and seemed to require inordinate amounts of study to prepare for and get through. I'm thinking that part of the intensity stemmed from other classes continuing to require the normal amount of focus, quiz prep, etc., during the midterm process. But we have a few days off now, and in spite of the fact that I can always study more, always prepare for upcoming clinic shifts, always try to reinforce energetics or review location or diagnosis, I am looping myself out for a few days. To breathe. To recover. To prepare for the final 6 weeks which are certain to require at least as much energy and attention as the 9 that have preceded them. Namaste, ya'll. Enjoy your 4th of July! -Stevie