Reclaiming Energy

Our energy levels are shaped by habits that either fortify or deplete us. Recognising this is essential for sustaining vitality and well-being.

Natural elements serve as powerful allies. Sunlight stimulates the production of vitamin D, indispensable for mood regulation. Physical movement enhances circulation and alleviates stress. Meditation quietens the mind and nurtures emotional equilibrium, as does deep breathing. Proper hydration ensures the body functions optimally, warding off fatigue. Restorative sleep is paramount for both physical and mental renewal. Acupuncture revitalises the system and eases tension.

Emotional and social well-being are equally vital. Living in the present alleviates anxiety and fosters a deeper sense of contentment. Meaningful relationships provide support and contribute to overall well-being. A nourishing diet supplies the body and mind with high-quality energy.

On the other hand, certain habits sap our energy. Persistent fear stifles action, while clutter and information overload impede concentration. Constant comparison erodes self-esteem, and unattainable goals only breed frustration. A sedentary lifestyle diminishes vitality and takes a toll on emotional resilience.

Dwelling on the past inhibits growth and fosters negativity. The tendency to please everyone is exhausting and may lead to a loss of self-identity. Excessive screen time overwhelms the mind and encourages detrimental comparisons. Prolonged sitting compromises circulation and contributes to fatigue.

Striking a balance is key. Small yet deliberate changes — prioritising beneficial habits, steering clear of negative influences, and embracing energy-restorative practices such as acupuncture — can profoundly elevate one’s quality of life. Safeguarding one’s energy fortifies both body and mind, fostering greater vitality and fulfilment.

Comments

The Fallacy of Self‑Sufficiency

Some people will tell you — quite loudly, usually — that they are enough. They need no one, thank you very much. Entirely self‑made. A closed circuit. I, too, fancied myself an island at one time. A small, sturdy principality of one. I paid my own bills. Made my own tea. I even spoke aloud to myself in the supermarket queue, which was meant to prove something. But late at night, when all the heroic independence had been done for the day, there it was — a sort of homesickness without a forwarding address. You know the feeling. You’re supposedly sovereign, but you still wish someone would knock. Self‑sufficiency is a word that weighs a bit too much. It sounds like an insurance policy or a piece of camping equipment. It promises freedom, but only the kind you can fit in a box. Like eating an entire birthday cake alone — which, I confess, I’ve done. Because the truth (and it arrives, as truths tend to, when you’ve just burned your toast) is that we are made of others. We are es...

A Pause Between Heartbeats

Time doesn’t tick. It breathes — unevenly, almost nervously. Sometimes it opens itself like a window you didn’t know was there. And inside that window, someone waits. Not with urgency, not with despair. Just a subtle weight: Will you come? Will you listen? You don’t need to prepare. You don’t need a speech. You only need to stop — to let the world stumble for a moment while you say, Yes, I’m here. That small pause, almost nothing, can be everything. Not everything in the dramatic sense. Everything in the sense of air when it was almost not enough. It’s not about how many minutes. Time has never obeyed clocks. What matters is the shift — leaving the room, the page, the self — to enter someone else’s trembling. Someone asks, not out loud but between words: Can you see me? And if you do — even for a beat — something sacred happens. Not salvation, no. Just a flicker of light that says, You are not alone. And that flicker, believe me, can change a day, a night, sometimes a life....

Research shows that parental warmth shapes our worldview — how might acupuncture offer a reparative experience in adulthood?

It is becoming increasingly clear that our worldview — whether we perceive life as welcoming or hostile — is shaped far more by the emotional bonds of early childhood than by material hardship or environmental risk. A recent study, published in Child Development , revealed that an adult’s sense of safety, beauty, and benevolence in the world is deeply rooted in the warmth received from parental figures — more so than in their exposure to poverty or danger. This finding resonated with me on a personal level. Time and again, I encounter patients in clinical practice who, despite being outwardly successful and high-functioning, carry an abiding sense that the world is cold, fragmented, even threatening. In acupuncture sessions, it is not uncommon to witness how such emotional imprints — stored not only in the mind, but also in the body — manifest as chronic anxiety, diffuse pain, insomnia, or emotional detachment. Through the lens of Chinese medicine, these states reflect imbalances...

The Hyggelig Journey

Search This Blog