My plum tree is flowering. These flowers smell utterly divine. In summer these flowers will transform into big juicy deep purple plums. We will delight in picking them, eating them, sharing them, eating the jam our neighbours make from them.

 

Now as I watch these flowers from my window, I contemplate the wonder of nature. In winter this tree is bare, its resources deep within, conserving the energy it’s not getting from the sun. In spring it changes, flowers. And with the right conditions these flowers become full ripe delicious fruit.

 

The premise of Chinese Medicine is that we are all micro copies of nature surrounding us. We too lay low in winter, the activities of our bodies slow down and internalise. In spring we wake up a little, shake off and begin to open up. With enough nourishment, attention, and sunshine we too can transform, become juicy. Reap the fruits of our labor and rest.

 

Acupuncturists work closely with the seasons of the body. We are trained to read subtle changes and imbalances in the body through sophisticated diagnostic techniques. Then chose points to balance these, supporting the body in its natural inclination to heal and align with nature.

 

As an acupuncturist I delight in helping people return to their natural rhythms and frequently contemplate in awe the human body and its ability to transform, flower and fruit.

 

By Dr Nicky Brooks