Friday 28 February 2014

updated discussion- mindfulness exercise-rehabilitation, osteopathy and acupuncture. www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz

There may be moments where we lose perspective - and our pain, or suffering, or distress becomes 'blurred' with little or no distinction between primary physical sensations, and our emotional and mental reactions (and complications) to them.

We may have to work with clients who cannot easily make this distinction, and they often appear 'stressed' and to lack 'body-awareness'. So an understanding of this - from our own personal practice and experience - becomes important to help others as well as ourselves. Ongoing mindfulness practice can be the best strategy for continual learning.

As Vidymala Burch (the founder of Breathworks) writes:
The first thing is to learn to distinguish between primary and secondary suffering.

Primary suffering is any unpleasant physical sensations you may experience as a consequence of illness, injury, fatigue etc. You may not be able to do anything about this level of suffering and the task is to accept it and make peace with it as best you can. Breath awareness will help you do this by learning how to relax into the breath and your body as much as possible.

Secondary suffering is the human anguish we all experience as a reaction to primary suffering: feelings like anger, fear, depression, anxiety and despair that we instinctively pile on top of any unpleasant sensation or event in a dense web of reactivity. With mindfulness, or awareness, you can learn to modify and reduce these experiences of secondary suffering. This can vastly improve your quality of life, even if the primary suffering remains unchanged, or even worsens if you have a degenerative condition.


I would only add the proviso here, as we also discussed - that we must also ensure our physical- physiological (and emotional) needs are met, with adequate self-care, rest, nutrition, sleep and work-life balance, and so on. This may seem like stating the obvious, yet it is also worth mentioning, and many people struggle with this, and may need to give some priority also to their own self-care and wellbeing.

Adequate and appropriate medical and health care are also important. Beyond conventional (pharmaceutical) medicine, there is great benefit from complementary medicine: osteopathy, acupuncture, massage, naturopathy, and so on. If suffering and recovering from an injury - then appropriate active rehabilitation and exercise may be required.

Although mindfulness can be immensely transformative - even Vidymala Burch mentioned that she found great relief from her back-pain from cranial osteopathy (cranio-sacral therapy). She also mentioned her own exercise programme of swimming and pilates.

Osteopathy is a wonderful hands-on healing, and I would recommend this to anyone suffering from chronic (as well as acute) pain, fatigue, stress, etc - or recovering from an injury.

For more information please see:
http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/relatedConditions.html

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/osteopathy.html

There are many excellent Osteopaths in Australia and NZ

To find an osteopath contact the Osteopathic Council in NZ or Australia

If you are here in Christchurch, or South Island:

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/default.html
Hope this helps.
M

further (updated) discussion of mindfulness, exercise-rehabilitation, osteopathy and acupuncture

observation and awareness of our moment by moment mental (and emotional) states helps us do this. However, there may be moments where we lose this perspective - and our pain, or suffering, or distress becomes 'blurred' with little or no distinction between primary physical sensations, and our emotional and mental reactions (and complications) to them.

If we are Health-care providers we may have to work with clients who cannot easily make this distinction, and they often appear 'stressed' and to lack 'body-awareness'. So an understanding of this - from our own personal practice and experience - becomes important to help others as well as ourselves. Ongoing mindfulness practice can be the best strategy for continual learning.

As Vidymala Burch (the founder of Breathworks) puts it:
The first thing is to learn to distinguish between primary and secondary suffering.

Primary suffering is any unpleasant physical sensations you may experience as a consequence of illness, injury, fatigue etc. You may not be able to do anything about this level of suffering and the task is to accept it and make peace with it as best you can. Breath awareness will help you do this by learning how to relax into the breath and your body as much as possible.

Secondary suffering is the human anguish we all experience as a reaction to primary suffering: feelings like anger, fear, depression, anxiety and despair that we instinctively pile on top of any unpleasant sensation or event in a dense web of reactivity. With mindfulness, or awareness, you can learn to modify and reduce these experiences of secondary suffering. This can vastly improve your quality of life, even if the primary suffering remains unchanged, or even worsens if you have a degenerative condition.


I would only add the proviso here, as we also discussed - that we must also ensure our physical- physiological (and emotional) needs are met, with adequate self-care, rest, nutrition, sleep and work-life balance, and so on. This may seem like stating the obvious, yet it is also worth mentioning, and many people struggle with this, and may need to give some priority also to their own self-care and wellbeing.

Adequate and appropriate medical and health care are also important. Beyond conventional (pharmaceutical) medicine, there is great benefit from complementary medicine: osteopathy, acupuncture, massage, naturopathy, and so on. If suffering and recovering from an injury - then appropriate active rehabilitation and exercise may be required.

Although mindfulness can be immensely transformative - even Vidymala Burch mentioned that she found great relief from her back-pain from cranial osteopathy (cranio-sacral therapy). She also mentioned her own exercise programme of swimming and pilates.

Osteopathy is a wonderful hands-on healing, and I would recommend this to anyone suffering from chronic (as well as acute) pain, fatigue, stress, etc - or recovering from an injury.

For more information please see:
http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/relatedConditions.html

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/osteopathy.html

Also remember that Osteopathy can treat the 'front' as well as the back, for digestive issues, abdominal pain, and so on. Please see:

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/visceralOsteopathy.html

There are many excellent Osteopaths in Australia and NZ

To find an osteopath contact the Osteopathic Council in NZ or Australia

If you are here in Christchurch, or South Island:

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/default.html
Hope this helps.
M

updated discussion of mindfulness, exercise-rehabilitation, and appropriate medical treatment - osteopathy and acupuncture

Please see this updated discussion:

Observation and awareness of our moment by moment mental (and emotional) states helps us do this. However, there may be moments where we lose this perspective - and our pain, or suffering, or distress becomes 'blurred' with little or no distinction between primary physical sensations, and our emotional and mental reactions (and complications) to them.

If we are Health-care providers we may have to work with clients who cannot easily make this distinction, and they often appear 'stressed' and to lack 'body-awareness'. So an understanding of this - from our own personal practice and experience - becomes important to help others as well as ourselves. Ongoing mindfulness practice can be the best strategy for continual learning.

As Vidymala Burch (the founder of Breathworks) puts it:
The first thing is to learn to distinguish between primary and secondary suffering.

Primary suffering is any unpleasant physical sensations you may experience as a consequence of illness, injury, fatigue etc. You may not be able to do anything about this level of suffering and the task is to accept it and make peace with it as best you can. Breath awareness will help you do this by learning how to relax into the breath and your body as much as possible.

Secondary suffering is the human anguish we all experience as a reaction to primary suffering: feelings like anger, fear, depression, anxiety and despair that we instinctively pile on top of any unpleasant sensation or event in a dense web of reactivity. With mindfulness, or awareness, you can learn to modify and reduce these experiences of secondary suffering. This can vastly improve your quality of life, even if the primary suffering remains unchanged, or even worsens if you have a degenerative condition.


I would only add the proviso here, as we also discussed - that we must also ensure our physical- physiological (and emotional) needs are met, with adequate self-care, rest, nutrition, sleep and work-life balance, and so on. This may seem like stating the obvious, yet it is also worth mentioning, and many people struggle with this, and may need to give some priority also to their own self-care and wellbeing.

Adequate and appropriate medical and health care are also important. Beyond conventional (pharmaceutical) medicine, there is great benefit from complementary medicine: osteopathy, acupuncture, massage, naturopathy, and so on. If suffering and recovering from an injury - then appropriate active rehabilitation and exercise may be required, and very beneficial.

Although mindfulness can be immensely transformative - even Vidymala Burch mentioned that she found great relief from her back-pain from cranial osteopathy (cranio-sacral therapy). She also mentioned her own exercise programme of swimming and pilates.

Osteopathy is a wonderful hands-on healing, and I would recommend this to anyone suffering from chronic (as well as acute) pain, fatigue, stress, etc - or recovering from an injury.

For more information please see:

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/relatedConditions.html

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/osteopathy.html

Also remember that Osteopathy can treat the 'front' as well as the back, for digestive issues, abdominal pain, and so on. Please see:

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/visceralOsteopathy.html

There are many excellent Osteopaths in Australia and NZ

To find an osteopath contact the Osteopathic Council in NZ or Australia

If you are here in Christchurch, or South Island:

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/default.html

Hope this helps.
M

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Acupuncture, osteopathy, healing and our own mindfulness practice.

Just wanted to share this link  (at the end of this) with you  -  if you are finding that any mindfulness practice of your own is helpful for your own health and healing - and an adjunct to osteopathy, acupuncture, and exercise for your own wellbeing.
Remember that any time, any place, any where we can live fully in our 'moment to moment' physical experience. This allows us to receive our body's wisdom and intelligence fully - an is a great advantage for our own healing and continual learning to better manage our health.
Yes - there are things we can do: exercise and sometimes osteopathy, acupuncture, and so on.
But our own daily practice is paramount.
Enjoy.
Here is the link:

Monday 24 February 2014

Mindfulness and Osteopathy. Self-care and Healing

Many of us can (at least most of the time) do this - and observation and awareness of our moment by moment mental (and emotional) states helps us do this. However, there may be moments where we lose this perspective - and our pain, or suffering, or distress becomes 'blurred' with little or no distinction between primary physical sensations, and our emotional and mental reactions (and complications) to them.


If we are Health-care providers we may have to work with clients who cannot easily make this distinction, and they often appear 'stressed' and to lack 'body-awareness'. So an understanding of this - from our own personal practice and experience - becomes important to help others as well as ourselves. Ongoing mindfulness practice can be the best strategy for continual learning.


As Vidymala Burch (the founder of Breathworks) puts it:
The first thing is to learn to distinguish between primary and secondary suffering.

Primary suffering is any unpleasant physical sensations you may experience as a consequence of illness, injury, fatigue etc. You may not be able to do anything about this level of suffering and the task is to accept it and make peace with it as best you can. Breath awareness will help you do this by learning how to relax into the breath and your body as much as possible.

Secondary suffering is the human anguish we all experience as a reaction to primary suffering: feelings like anger, fear, depression, anxiety and despair that we instinctively pile on top of any unpleasant sensation or event in a dense web of reactivity. With mindfulness, or awareness, you can learn to modify and reduce these experiences of secondary suffering. This can vastly improve your quality of life, even if the primary suffering remains unchanged, or even worsens if you have a degenerative condition.



I would only add the proviso here - that we must also ensure our physical- physiological (and emotional) needs are met, with adequate self-care, rest, nutrition, sleep and work-life balance, and so on. This may seem like stating the obvious, yet it is also worth mentioning, and many people struggle with this, and may need to give some priority also to their own self-care and wellbeing.
Adequate and appropriate medical and health care are also important. Beyond conventional (pharmaceutical) medicine, there is great benefit from complementary medicine: osteopathy, acupuncture, massage, naturopathy, and so on.

Although mindfulness can be immensely transformative - even Vidymala Burch mentioned that she found great relief from her back-pain from cranial osteopathy (cranio-sacral therapy).


Osteopathy is a wonderful hands-on healing, and I would recommend this to anyone suffering from chronic (as well as acute) pain, fatigue, stress, etc.


For more information please see:
http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/relatedConditions.html

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/osteopathy.html


Also remember that Osteopathy can treat the 'front' as well as the back, for digestive issues, abdominal pain, and so on. Please see:

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/visceralOsteopathy.html


There are many excellent Osteopaths in Australia and NZ

To find an osteopath contact the Osteopathic Council in NZ or Australia

If you are here in Christchurch, or South Island:

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/default.html

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Arthritis, your joint replacement and the future

This evening, as part of the public lecture series at Christchurch Hopsital, University of Otago Medical School, there will be a lecture on Arthritis, your joint replacement and the future:

6–7pm Dem bones, dem bones, dem aching bones: Arthritis, your joint replacement and the future, by a visiting orthopaedic surgeon and professor.

I will be going,  as will probably several of my colleagues - other osteopaths and acupuncturists.


http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/relatedConditions.html

Arthritis, your joint replacement and the future.

This evening, as part of the public lecture series at Christchurch Hopsital  (University of Otago Medical School) is a lecture on Arthritis and joint replacement:

6–7pm Dem bones, dem bones, dem aching bones: Arthritis, your joint replacement and the future. Given by a visiting orthopaedic surgeon and professor.

I will be going  - as will probably several of my colleagues - other osteoapths and acupuncturists.

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/relatedConditions.html

This evening, as part of the public lectures at Christchurch Hospital - Otago medical School from 6–7pm is a lecture on Arthritis, your joint replacement

This evening, as part of the public lectures at Christchurch Hospital  -  Otago medical School from 6–7pm is a lecture on Arthritis, your joint replacement.

Dem bones, dem bones, dem aching bones: Arthritis, your joint replacement and the future. from an orthopaedic surgeon and professor. 

I will be going, and probably several of my colleagues  -  other osteopaths and acupuncturists.

Sunday 16 February 2014

Traditional Chinese Medicine & 'Evidence-based' medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) & 'Evidence-based' medicine. More on Tradition -  vs so called 'western' -  Acupuncture
 
Of course - no problem with 'evidenced based' approach, and modern TCM has incorporated this for some time, since government sponsorship and funding from the 1950s. OK , I'm not so sure about 5 element acupuncture in the UK or USA.
 
In China there is good integration of TCM and modern Western biomedical science.
This makes the term 'western acupucnture' here in NZ seem ridiculous! As if TCM were unscientific or unmedical. In China (Korean, etc) acupuncturists train as medical doctors in 5 year full time degrees. They have a thorough grounding in western boimedical science, pharmacology, etc.
The former chair of the Osteopathic Council here in NZ - in his original draft proposal document for so called 'western' acupucture was both arrogant and entirely wrong to think of TCM as 'folk medicine'. Quite an offensive and derrogatory term - showing only prejudice, narrow-mindedness and a complete lack of any desire to understand the conceptual models and paradigms of TCM.
Just shows his ignorance - of making judgements on something he has not studied.
As Isaac Newton (astronomer, matematician, and father of physics) replied when questioned about astrology: ' Sir ... I have studied it. You have not!'









Monday 10 February 2014

Traditional Acupuncture vs so called 'western' acupuncture - here in NZ


The former ex-chairperson of the Osteopathic Council NZ - that great champion of 'Dry Needling' and 'raising standards' has confused everybody by now calling Dry Needling 'Western Acupuncture' - and understandably, in the process, pissed off my colleagues in the NZ Register of Acupuncture.
The only distinction between Traditional Acupuncture and the Western Acupuncture is length (and emphasis) of training - but the former ex-chairman of the Osteopathic Council NZ seems incapable of understanding the more esoteric side of our profession(s) e.g. Cranial Osteopathy and 'thorough' (i.e. complete, traditional) Acupuncture. OK perhaps this is, after all, just practical necessity of registration and regulation.

I am worried - I think we all should be - plans and proposals within the Osteopathic Council (NZ) to regulate pediatrics as a specialism - if this means pediatirc courses ever become mandatory. These will not be Sutherland or other osteopathic courses (e.g. those of Caroline Stone) - but medical pediatric post-graduate diplomas. I don't think it has really sunk in yet - just where these plans may ultimately lead the osteopathic profession here in NZ - and the absurdity of someone like you - and other experienced practitioners - NOT being able to call themselves specialists in pediatrics!

Although many osteopaths here in NZ trained in long traditional acupuncture courses, and are 'proper' acupuncturists - with infinitely more training hours than, for example, the ex-chair of the Osteopathic council ever did - we are in the absurd position of never (without extensive courses in Auckland ) being able to call ourselves 'specialists' in Acupuncture (as osteopaths)! Let us hope that the same thing never happens to you and all the excellent present pediatric osteopaths out there!

Sunday 9 February 2014

with gratitude to the memory of Robin Kirk - former principal of the London School of Osteopathy



Sad to hear about this. Robin did a lot for us all, didn't he? A bit like learning about the passing of one's old headmaster - and helping to remind us all of our own mortality. He even told me about his native NZ, and where I was going to, on my first job here in Raglan and Hamilton.
 
Even though he wasn't sure about Acupuncture, and how I could and do integrate it with Osteopathy  -  Robin felt that there was an infinite depth to Osteopathy - which indeed there is.  He did a lot for the Osteopathic profession.
 
I was never one of the brightest or easiest students for the LSO teaching faculty to cope with (putting it mildly!) yet he got me through - for which I am eternally grateful. Well you all did (LSO). http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/
 
Response to (facebook post):
It was with sadness that we heard the news of Robin Kirk’s death on 3rd February. Robin acted as assistant to John Wernham and was a stalwart for osteopathy in ...the UK and he will genuinely be missed by many friends and colleagues. A member of the ICO, he was a particular support to students and staff associated with the organisation, most notably when it was going through difficult times with college validations.



 

Saturday 8 February 2014

Mindfulness - Primary and secondary suffering. Presentation on Tuesday 18th February at

Just to confirm that I can give a short presentation on a Mindfulness based appraoch to
'Primary and Secondary suffering'
as this relates to chronic pain, fatigue, stress, etc.
Primary and Secondary suffering illuminates the distinction between mental and emotional states, and primary physical experience (body awareness), and perhaps can be a good, simple way to help bring more 'mindfulness' to ourselves, and others.
 
The Mindfulness Interest Group for Health and Helping Professionals (MIGHP) meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 5:30-7pm at The Psychology Centre, Level 2, Geography Building, Arts Road Entrance, University of Canterbury (please see attached map). The next meeting will be on Tuesday the 18th of Tuesday 2013. The topic of the discussion this month will be on Primary and Secondary suffering.
The electric doors on the ground floor lock at 5.30 so please arrive beforehand – someone will be there for a short time to let any late arrivals in. (If you arrive later and no one is there to let you in, please text me on 021 567-077 and someone will come down to open the door.)
The format for this meeting will be as follows:
5:30pm Brief group member introductions
5:40 Guided mindfulness meditation
6:00 Prepare tea and nibbles
6:10 Presentation and discussion
6:50 Prepare for next meeting
7:00pm Close meeting
(Please forward this email to other people who you think may be interested in participating)

Thursday 6 February 2014

February 26 course - now full - but will run again in May and July 2014. http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/painManagement/courses.html

The 8 week ‘Mindfulness for Health’ course (Mindfulness-based stress-reduction and pain-management) at the Risingholme Community centre, starting on February 26th is now full.

However, the course will run again, starting in May and July 2014 on Wednesday evenings from 6.00pm to 8.00pm.  The programme includes a Course booklet and free downloads for guided mindfulness meditations. The course fee is kept as low as possible at $95 for the full 8 weeks, including all materials. The next course start dates for 2014 are:

Wed 13 May 2014
Wed 30 Jul 2014

If you are interested in this -early booking is advised, to secure your place.

Please book by phoning the Risingholme Community centre in Opawa. Tel (03) 332 7359.

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/painManagement/courses.html

You may also want to look at some of the course material:

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/selfcare/movementStillness.html

http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/selfcare/mindfulnessForHealth.html

Saturday 1 February 2014

massage therapy available. Gift-vouchers for Birthdays and Valentines presents. www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz

As repairs and decorating are now entering their (hopefully) completion stage, massage is now once again available with Kaori.  Kaori has extensive experience and training in a wide range of massage techniques, including Swedish, Chinese, Japanese, relaxation, pregnancy, deep-tissue, and Aromatherpay and the use of essential oils.

Gift vouchers are also available for birthdays, Valentine's presents, etc.

However, prior booking is essential (as I may be required for baby-sitting) to cover massage appointment times.  I would recommend booking a week ahead.  Tel  03 980 2425.

You cannot book a massage appointment online (at this stage) only Osteopathy and Acupuncture:

However - if you see free time(s) online - then you know your massage appointment can be available at the time(s) you want, as my own diary is not (yet) booked out.  Best book (phone) ahead:
www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz