Resonance in Healing

One of the most stable geometric structures is the equilateral triangle. All three angles provide equal support. Turned on any of its sides, it is equally stable.

I see healing and the practice of medicine the same way. There are three angles that all have equal input, equal responsibility, and equal importance.

Angle 1: The Doctor

Who are they? Do they have a passion for their work? Do they come recommended? Are they insatiable in their desire to learn and educate themselves? Do they themselves look healthy? Are they willing and able to say the most important statement a doctor can say: “I don’t know, but I’ll find out for you?” We are talking about the quality and integrity of the person here. Choosing someone who you feel comfortable with in guiding you toward greater health is a challenging decision. But when you find the right fit for you, you know it without question. And you are excited about beginning a relationship that might see you through a health crisis, one that can adapt and blend with the ups and downs you may experience in your health through the course of your life.

Angle 2: The Medicine

Knowing what medicine to choose for what condition is not easy. Increasingly scarce are the General Practitioners, the Family Physicians. Increasingly, Western Medicine is moving toward greater specialization. The body is a complex thing and does require deep and profound understanding of each system to begin to grasp the entire being. But lost in this is the ability to see the person as a whole, to see how all the parts connect. This is where doctors practicing complementary medicine have stepped in. These include acupuncturists, naturopaths, homeopaths, and more and more Western physicians breaking outside of the mold.

Know your audience. When consulting a surgeon, expect surgery to be their advice. If that is not something you are interested in, seek a second opinion. Yet, if surgery is ultimately what you need, then that is what you need. Some people come to me expecting me to nay say all things Western. But if you need your hip replaced, acupuncture is not going to offer you much help other than to prep for the surgery and recover faster from it. Know what each discipline’s strengths and weaknesses are. When you have an acute condition that has a proven Western treatment, that is an excellent way to go. But when you have a chronic condition that involves lifestyle, diet, and nutrition, a more complementary approach is often better.

Angle 3: You, the Patient

There is no excuse for getting a bad haircut! You are sitting there awake, examining in the mirror the work being done. Did putting on the smock make you lose your voice?

For some reason, when people seek help they default into a subservient role. I want my relationship with patients to be 50-50. I encourage them to be educated, knowledgeable, and ask as many questions as they can. Never simply take my word for it, or anyone else’s for that matter. You are your own best physician. We have at our finger tips these days immense amounts of information. Yes, it can be dizzying and hard to know what to believe. That is where your doctor comes in. Let them respond to you. Let them answer your questions and help you make sense of what you have read and heard. An empowered patient makes the doctor step up their game. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

With all that information, how do you choose the right approach for the condition you have?

Resonance in Healing

There are lots of ways to fix someone. You have recurrent headaches and come to me with one full boar. I needle a point in your foot and it goes away. Done. Fixed. But has healing taken place?

Healing occurs when there is resonance between all three angles of the Healing Triangle; it is when You find the right Doctor using the right Medicine. When the Doctor resonates with their Medicine, the Medicine resonates with You, and You resonate with the Doctor, healing can occur. So long as there is resonance between all three, I honestly believe that it does not matter what the remedy is. It could be something as benign and unpredictable as a rock for all we know.

Ahh, but how do you find that resonance?

• Trust your own innate intelligence and ability to make the right health decisions for yourself.
• Do you homework and choose the Medicine that makes the most sense to you;
• Choose the Doctor that listens well, empowers you, and offers a treatment plan that is consistent with your vision for your own health path; 
• Get second opinions;
• When your questions are answered and you feel confident proceeding, trust in the choices you have made; 
• Allow yourself to receive the help you have asked for;
• When you feel it is time to change course, let your Doctor respond to your needs and adapt. If the resonance continues, you will know. If it does, it may be time to find someone new.

Health can be defined as the ability to adapt to your environment. It requires flexibility, knowledge and a desire to heal. All around you are choices for treatment. Only you can decide what is the best course for you, what resonates with your body, your mind and your spirit.

You are your own best physician.