Jane, Unplugged

Friends,
I had the most fantastic acupuncture session this week. I was literally unplugged from my life and plugged into the great void.

She puts a lot of needles into pressure points on my head, generally speaking. Some are to treat a medical condition and help with my balance, while others are just to help me relax. I go to this acupuncturist for treatments every 2-4 weeks.

Well, did I ever relax! I relaxed so much that my mind went truly blank, to the point that when the little beep-beep-beep sound that comes at the end of each session started, I didn't know where I was. I had to remind myself that I was out and about and not lost in my own dreamland, snuggled in my bed. I had to get psyched for driving home (which is the last thing you want to do when your mind's been wiped clean).

Friends, it was incredible to have those moments when I wasn't planning some future event or recalling anything from my past and best of all, not even aware that the present moment is the present moment. Not working; not trying to learn something. Just being.

This has been a year of great changes (3 moves, one job change, lots of interesting stuff going on with family and friends, and a deepening commitment with Future Husband), and I was happy to visit the great void. I'd love to go back and take all of you with me, really.

I realize that a lot of people take drugs for that sort of experience. (Personally, I only became intoxicated in my younger years so I could giggle more and be ridiculous, but obviously not everyone takes that road.) These acupuncture events are so random that it's hard to predict when you'll get the mind-clearing effect; I'm sure certain that the mood and the body has to be prime for the experience. Still, I think it would be cool to see people trading street drugs and pharmaceuticals for acupuncture and getting the types of positive mental effects that I've witnessed firsthand.

I was inspired to direct you back to a blog written by someone I've met that dealt with her depression and anxiety and how she found help through acupuncture. Although I've kept an eye on the blog, and an eye on her via Facebook, it looks like she's gone into hiding. The blog, which I loved to read, is no longer available. So, I can't direct you to what she wrote.  I can tell you that she mentioned taking some very strong pharmaceutical anti-depressants, though, and that always worried me. Klonopin is one drug that comes to mind.  Very strong stuff.

Sometimes I feel guilty about blogging, friends. When I come across people who are very depressed, I feel like anything I say about my life that's good and positive is just going to get on their nerves or frustrate them. Rationally, I understand that I'm not being a jerk by blogging, but it concerns me that what I say, if it is positive about the future for example, may provide someone with a reason to feel despair.

In any case, no matter what your current state of mental or physical health may be, I wish I could buy you- the whole world, really- an acupuncture session and introduce you to the great void. I loved it there.

Yours truly,
Jane