Dear Patient,
If you’ve ever been to an acupuncturist you’ve probably had your pulse checked: three fingertips on each wrist, pressing around, searching for clues. It’s one of the fundamental diagnostic methods of our medicine.
We’re not counting beats, not really. We feel for qualities, nuance, little hints that confirm or contradict our hunches. And we feel both sides, and the various positions and levels, and sometimes even the pulse on your neck or the top of your foot—because things are not always what they seem.
A pulse that feels bouncy and strong on the surface may hollow out at the deeper level. The pulse may be full and forceful on one side, but weak and thready on the other. Your symptoms might suggest stagnation in the Urinary Bladder channel, but your pulses tell me it’s the Gallbladder channel that’s blocked.
The pulses teach us never to assume. They teach us to take a moment to listen before we dive in and start trying to fix things. They keep us humble. They help us understand one another.
These are good lessons for all of us. You can energetically check a pulse without even touching a person. All it takes is a little curiosity, and a few moments—beats if you will—to tune in and listen to what the heart is pumping out.
Love and gratitude,
Your Acupuncturist