top of page
Alina Barlogeanu

How to make choices?

Dernière mise à jour : 15 janv.

French version here.

person sitting at a crossroads in the forest

Remember when Jesus multiplied the bread and fish for his fellow men? That's what my mind does to me most of the time. Not in a good way mind you. For instance, I could be peacefully working on something, then a desire comes up ("Wouldn't it be great if I did X..?") and all of a sudden the multiplying begins ("Oh, but the other thing would also be great, oh and let's not forget about Y, and then obviously that leads us to Z and and and..."). This naturally leads nowhere. For energy to be efficient, it has to have a clear direction to go.

So I was thinking about how I could deal with this in terms of acupuncture. Now, there are several ways you could interpret things, this is my reading right now. Things may work differently for different people.

1) The multiplication process

Imagination is at play here and it has no limits. Given the fact that the Spleen is the one in charge of the Mind and that its multiplying effects have to be overseen by the yang of the Stomach, I should probably start with an acupuncture classic, Ren 12, the master point of the Stomach. The idea is to help the Stomach do its job so that it can help the Spleen calm down. I would also add Sp 2 (Great Capital) which strengthens the Spleen, and has an impact on its physical and subtle excesses, here the thoughts.

2) Lack of a capacity to choose

How would one translate "choice" in acu parlance? First off what comes to mind is the Metal element, in its Yang polarity (Large Intestine - because we're talking about taking action). Why? Because métal helps sever things, to slice them. By extension, it helps to cut through all the nonsense (think of the Large Intestine and the type of sorting out it produces), and helps reach a decision. Also, if we look at the ancient symbolism linked to the Large Intestine as highlighted by Heiner Fruehauf, we see that the GI manages production (literal and figurative)! Well yes, we do well manifest things in the morning while on the toilet! But everything we create through matter or mind can be seen as a function of the GI. When the latter functions properly, it is a sacred production, that is to say a production linked to something greater than oneself. We live today in a world where production is completely desacralized: plastic objects are mass produced, worthless, all the same, focused solely on functionality, leaving aside beauty, value, meaning. This is figuratively speaking, well ... shit. These objects suffocate us and pollute our environment. And so do noxious ideas that go around polluting our minds and spirits. All this to say that indeed the GI can be an interesting choice.

What points could one choose? Well, I'm thinking LI 4 whose name can be translated as "Union Valley", I like the unifying concept in there, and also as a yuan point it reinforces the functions of the LI 4 and LI 17 (Celestial Tripod), a window-to-the-sky point which can help the person open up to our highest possibilities and celestial influences.

3) An illuminated choice

Métal needs the clarity of the Fire element, of the Spirit, in order for it to make a decision that's aligned with who we truly are, meaning, something that's meaningful and fulfilling. Now LI 17 has a bit of that idea in it. But we can also use either LI 5 (Fire point on the LI meridian) to bring about clarity in our choice making process or add HT 4 (Spirit Pathway) which helps us connect with our spiritual pathway.

4) Perseverance

Once we've made the choice, we also need to stick to it, no great thing was built overnight. This sounds like the Kidneys for the Jing (our essential energy) that they hold, is our inner battery. So you need fuel in order to reach your destination. We are in Winter now, so it's the best time to support the Kidneys. Many things could be used here, but I'm gonna go with KD 6 (Shining sea) because it brings the clarity and connection of the Fire element to the Yuan level, which is the deepest layer of our being (connection with the Yin Qiao Mai, an extraordinary meridian). And I would also use KD 12 (Great Manifestation) because, as its name suggests, it's a connecting point with the Chong Mai, the root of all things in our being. It's placed on the lower abdomen near the uterus, with obvious connections to fertility, which is an example of creation and manifestation.


I'm looking at the different points and I tell myself even now I have too many choices! 5 different meridians seems like too much to me. So i'm gonna reduce it to 3 meridians only. Thus, I will keep LI 4-5-17, SP 2 and KD 6-12. On the other hand, what i do find interesting is that the Three levels of Qi (Wei, Ying and Yuan) are present in this treatment, despite the fact that I'm only dealing with primary meridians.

As it turns out, I've chosen a treatment based on the function on the points with a bit of 5 Element reasoning. I could have chosen a completely different strategy. The possibilities are numerous, which is why we don't get bored in acupuncture!


10 minutes after the application of Magrains on the points (No, I didn't even needled the points!): I already feel much calmer, more centered and composed, more open to receive inspiration rather than just being subjected to the incessant coming and going of my thoughts. Much like you do in meditation. My neck and shoulder tension has drastically decreased. I manage to see my priorities more clearly and I got to work in a serene state.


Commentaires


bottom of page