Abstract
This article examines the impact of trauma on the individual’s ability to heal, transform, and evolve. It explores these issues using the dual lenses of Western and Eastern medical perspectives—specifically, the Western understanding of the autonomic nervous system, and the relationship of this perspective to the Eastern understanding of the importance of the spirit being ‘grounded’ within the physical space of the body. The article then goes on to explore methods that can be used by patient and practitioner alike to cultivate mindfulness, presence, and deeper levels of healing and transformation.
This article has been published in two parts in Acupuncture Today, in early 2015.