![]() (By Paolo Propato, LAc) About a month ago I was alone jumping along a meadow making my way towards the Tohickon creek. Among the frogs and the occasional snake, I was jumping rock to rock, trying to avoid the water. It may sound silly for a man in his mid-forties to be playing along the water alone, acting like a seasoned acrobat while hoping not to fall or twist an ankle. All the while, I was also texting back and forth with Grace discussing vacation days for our summer schedules. Being so habituated to text in both Italian and English I wrote the word “vacanza” instead of vacation, which autocorrect changed instantaneously. The word vacanza/vacation stayed in my mind. Vacation… Vacant… Vacancy… Vacuo means empty, and it occurred to me that to truly be on “vacation” is also to be empty. It doesn’t sound like a big revelation, but it does illuminate a profound connection between vacation and our well-being. Our routines can keep us on a carousel of stress and habitual thoughts that may lead to autonomic dysregulation (the imbalance of our homeostatic and involuntary nervous system functions). This can lead to symptoms of tight neck, headaches, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal issues. In our leisure, the body finds a respite, and the mind begins to dance freely. It is in that empty space that freedom, inspiration and creativity begin to arise. In the philosophy of Chinese medicine, the unimpeded flow of Qi, or life force, is always emphasized. The job of the acupuncturist is to free up the space where Qi flows, helping the body's inherent wisdom and the mind’s imagination move towards wellness. Much as a vacation can leave one feeling open and rested, so can acupuncture treatments. In both cases, symptoms can feel many times better or completely resolve.
The journey to well-being in my opinion is the return to a spaciousness of being. Embracing the dance of vacation we find solace in the spaces between obligations, responsibilities. Vacation can also be part of our everyday lives. As we head into summer and plan our vacations, remember to make space for mini-vacations throughout our days, even if they are just moments. My contemplation of "vacanza" and wellness through the Chinese medical lens led my imagination into all sorts of scenarios, from meditating in foreign monasteries to walking in an exotic forest in South America. Soon all of that fell away as I jumped across the water from rock to rock and fell into vacation mode.
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June 2024
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