Where's my Qi at?

My Qi is weak. And my Yang is too high. And I need to eat more warm foods to replenish my ying. This is all according to my acupuncturist. (spelled AKUPUNKTUR--gotta love German, so utilitarian)

Yes, folks, I am paying someone to stick needles in me. This and to listen to my woes for two hours every week. She's feels very bad for me. What with the poor German skills, life of leisure, and inability to embrace the gray weather. "We must make you happy," she says....but first we need to stick little pins in your head, ears, back, and ankle.

The surprise for me is that I think it's actually helping. Apart from the "speen," "kidney," and "heart 6" needle, they really don't hurt much. Although that's a bad thing I am told. Hurting means your energy is becoming unblocked. So, I now find myself saying, "Wait. I didn't feel anything. That's bad, right." Then she proceeds to move the tiny needle around until it does. That's right. Hurt me like you love.

Then she leaves the room and trail blissfully off to sleep. Not a deep sleep but a meditative yoga type of sleep where you dream in the first 5 minutes and then wake to find only 10 minutes have passed but it feels like an hour. It's amazing. I love it.

And I love my sweet acupuncturist. She's always so warm and welcoming--explaining every little stick and telling me that she has given thought to new points every session. It's like therapy--except there's a massage and warm tea waiting for you after you've cried your eyes out.

So, there's my plug for eastern medicine. My neck pain is practically non-existent. My sleep is less restless and I feel more relaxed. More Zen-ner. Is that a word?