Acupuncture is one of my favorite healing modalities. My understanding is that it seeks to bring the body into harmony by stimulating qi or vital life energy. Modern research has demonstrated that the placement of hair thin needles at identified acupuncture points stimulates the central nervous system releasing chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These biochemical changes may stimulate the body's natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being.

Acupuncture is particularly good at treating some of the conditions that western medicine struggles to effectively manage including hormone imbalance, allergies, pain, and sleep disturbance. It is a wonderful adjunct to psychotherapy and I frequently recommend that clients consult an acupuncturist to assist them in meeting their treatment goals.

Vidhra is a gifted healer and practitioner who offers acupuncture, Chinese herbal therapy, physical medicine, and healing song in her practice in SE Portland, OR.

Open Sky Natural Medicine

I am honored to share Vidhra’s thoughts on her healing modality and her self nurturing strategies:

What mind/body wisdom can you share from your field of work or passion for engaged living?

In East Asian medicine, we call the heart the Emperor (or Empress). In this worldview the heart, not the brain, is the seat of consciousness. Everything the body does, in health and in disease, comes from a commitment to protecting the Empress. Our hearts are what connect us to ourselves, each other, and to our heavenly mandate, which can also be called our most authentic lifeway. In my spiritual tradition, which comes from North India, all of Reality is understood to be coming out of the heart of the divine, and we can discover this by going into our own hearts. As I've worked in the healing arts, and been the recipient of all kinds of healing work, I can feel more and more the alive, awake, curious, endlessly compassionate quality of the heart, in my own self and in others. Many of our societies train us out of listening to or recognizing the wisdom of the heart. I feel like any healing journey ultimately brings us back to that wisdom.

What are your favorite healing modalities?

I love so many. My first love will always be herbal medicine. I love that plants are living beings and they feed us and heal us; that to me feels like magic. It helps me remember that my life is the ongoing product of so many alliances between life forms and life forces, and there's no such thing as "alone." I'm also a huge fan of acupuncture; many kinds of bodywork including Thai and Ayurvedic massage, visceral manipulation, and craniosacral; and really any modality that is built on an open-hearted practitioner/patient relationship. I consider soaking in hot springs and singing with others to be healing modalities as well, and those are high on my list.

What are your experiences with psychology/psychotherapy?

My best experiences have been with practitioners who stand at the intersection of psychotherapy, bodywork, and energy work. I love a therapist who is fascinated by human consciousness and recognizes the inherent magic there, but also understands the practicality and usefulness of good science.

How do you nourish yourself?

I nourish myself under the stars, in the wild waters, and among the ancient plant beings. I nourish myself in the embrace of community and family. I'm nourished by laughter, being kind to others, and remembering how small I am in an infinite universe.