Acupuncture Lady Addresses Oprah

By Jill Ellen Smith
For the Howard County Women’s Journal – April 2007

Finally, Acupuncture is making it to Prime Time! In February Oprah featured acupuncture treatment on her program.

I was excited to see Oprah endorse acupuncture since she reflects the pulse of our American culture in so many ways. I’d like to see her revisit Acupuncture and take it further. The truth is that Acupuncture/Chinese Medicine still remains a ‘well kept secret’… even after Oprah’s show and Dr. Oz’s commentary. She endorsed only the tip of the iceberg.

So what are acupuncturists to do? We can begin by educating the public about the misconceptions regarding Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture practitioners. Today, Chinese Medicine practitioners come from all nationalities. There are dozens of Oriental Medicine/Acupuncture institutions all over this country including the Traditional Acupuncture Institute in Laurel, Maryland, which is an accredited 3 to 4 year program. While Acupuncture originated in China, its teachings and mutations over the centuries have been richly influenced by many other cultures.

So, what is this ‘well kept secret’ I’m talking about? Chinese Medicine and acupuncture is so much more than merely a `‘fix it’ medicine. It is the quintessential Mother of Holistic Medicine. When acupuncturists come together to ‘talk our craft’, we know the power and the mystery of the work. We speak a common language that incorporates body/mind/spirit. Chinese Medicine is life force medicine. It has the power to transform a person’s life. When a person begins the acupuncture journey, he/she can focus on a physical suffering issue only or go deeper and explore further. It is up to each individual. For some the process is fairly well contained on a physical arena. For others the opportunity is there to begin to ‘peel the onion’ so to speak. Personal growth and the possibility of manifesting our authentic potential are there for any person who chooses to walk down that path.

I find the decision has a lot to do with how uncomfortable an individual is with his/her life situation. It is a deep sense of suffering that brings a person into my treatment room looking for more than a physical ‘fix’. When life or habitual behaviors become ‘uncomfortable enough’ a person will come seeking a deeper form of relief. It is this relief from suffering that I speak about when I refer to ‘the well kept secret’ of Acupuncture. My wish is for this to no longer remain ‘secret’. Life is to be experienced fully and authentically as was intended by Nature.