“Surrendered to Now
in service fully present
the monkey retreats”
Haiku on the bus between Calgary and Edmonton
We absolutely loved Calgary and the wonderful Dr Andrea Hejtmanek (who teaches at CCTCMA) a real kindred soul sister, so many synchronicities and much shared in a short time!
We taught the Tui na and Moxa for Menstrual Problems and Fertility Issues workshop at the Calgary College of TCM and Acupuncture (CCTCMA) over the weekend to a small group of delightful people, some experienced, some just qualified and some at the beginning of their studying journey. I particularly like teaching these mixed groups where so much is exchanged and learnt from one another.
Obviously we also learnt from the group too - one of the students, Heather (a very experienced body-worker and aromatherapist who has taught internationally) brought in oils that she herself has distilled in the past. It was very interesting to hear her talking about the distilling process – her experience of plants like oregano, which after several days of experiencing the vibration of the same plant made her irritable, angry and her membranes all felt inflamed (even though she was in full protective outerwear). Whereas rose, she would distil for ever as it's like being ‘held/hugged by the entire universe!’
I’ve noticed generally a movement towards the integration of skills in practice and integration was definitely one of the themes over the weekend. In our experience in the UK, it’s still not that common to find other practitioners who also use the Acutonics tuning forks, and this is also apparently true in Calgary…. however serendipitously Andrea and several of the others in the group were also on the Acutonics path! By the end of the weekend we were integrating both Acutonics tuning forks, and were blessed to be able to use Heather’s essential oils - pink grapefruit (sour and nourishing in the Spring) and blood orange when working on the abdomen to open the naval gates!
What is not expressed by the Heart will be suppressed by the Pericardium and stored in the Liver. Over the weekend we found this to be true!
Working into the sacrum started to loosen what was held and latent in the lower jiao. Then moving into the Blood Mansion and chest work, feeling began to flow. We remember the potency and tangible effects of what we do through feeling it ourselves.
On day 2 we began the day in different space having experienced day 1, and we were all reminded of the strong, grounding, centring effects of working in the abdomen, the root.
Rice grain moxa was stimulating and hilarious as usual, and very nice to share this skill which appears to be getting rather lost in Chinese Medicine training generally (because of space rental etc.) It seems almost everyone needs moxa in Calgary as the weather is very cold, for what sounds like a good portion of the year. (Cold and dry though, which for us, used to Damp, is interesting).
Isabel said after the first day that it felt very much like the Reiki 1 attunement in March this year around the Spring Equinox. Through working with our hands in present, connected, emptiness so much arises when all involved enter into that space 100%.
A lot was experienced, released, felt, shared and heard, and we thank everyone for coming, being so present and part of the weekend’s creation/work, (despite the unexpected and heavy snowfall on Saturday afternoon). We sense that this is the beginning of an ongoing creative and beautiful journey with the Calgary An mo shamans, some new friendships have begun.
Lastly we also liberated Moxa the Rabbit from a local Calgary bookshop. Moxa now comes with us as a teaching mascot!
