The Middle

Dear Patient,

Recently a patient and I were talking about the idea of finding your middle.

This came up because a few weeks prior she’d been experiencing water retention and bloating, but in the last few days she’d had the opposite problem—feeling dehydrated.

“It sounds like something is off with your fluid metabolism,” I said. “You’re swinging from one extreme to the other.”

“That sounds like everything else going on in my life,” she replied. “How do I find my middle?”

We all have a different middle. And even when you find yours, you never really stay there because the world around you is ever-changing. A shift happens. The footing you thought was solid ground becomes a rocky ledge. The canopy that protected you rips open and suddenly you’re exposed to the elements. Your middle becomes your extreme.

The thing to remember is that you are not a static, fixed thing. And your middle is not a static, fixed place.

That’s why it’s good to know your history, but not be too attached to it. And when you do find your middle, honor your body for guiding you there, but don’t cling too tightly. Sooner or later it will be in a different place. And then continues the journey of finding your way back.

Love and gratitude,

Your Acupuncturist