–David Chang

I noticed this year that lot’s of people I spoke to about new year resolutions had sort of given up on the idea.  ”Why bother” “what’s the use”, they’d say.  Personally I like the idea of having one point in the year where I can think about the coming one and have a fresh start at some of my goals.  Winter seems as a good a time as any, doesn’t it?  Cold, still, dark, death before birth.

I have 3 goals that I am focusing on this year; one, to sing more, two, to practice a bit more hatha yoga — although I consider daily life my yoga practice, my body is appreciating this re-invention, and three, to face each difficulty with enthusiasm, excitement, and curiosity!  Warning, be careful about making goals like that last one, the universe has an odd sense of humor!

So here we are approaching the end of January already, and I notice that some of my wishes are starting to wane already.  What to do, what to do…  Avoid the middle!  I would change the above quote slightly, I say, “I am going for success, I am okay with failure…  As long as I am striving to do my best, I can accept failure.  Failure is inevitable some of the time and when viewed as a friend — a teacher, merely inspires us to try again, in the same way a child learns to walk.  The middle is more like that place we go where we give in to our complacency, our acceptance of “the way things are”.

So as February roles around take stock of your new year resolutions!  Strive for success, and be okay with failure, like a child learning to walk.  As soon as you say failure is not an option, you’ve just said innovation is not an option.  (seth godin)  Accept that you will have failures and use them to help you get back on track.

As for me, I am saluting the sun in the morning and singing at the moon.  The third one will come to me whether I choose it or not!

What are your new year resolutions?

After 3 years of working at hemma, I am starting a new chapter in my life.  I will be trading my needles in for pens and heading back to school in preparation for applying to medical school. These last 4 years practicing acupuncture have really fueled my passion for healthcare. I hope to integrate what I have learned as an acupuncturist into in my future practice as an MD.

My experience here at hemma has been wonderful and formative, and I will miss everyone dearly. February 11th will be my last day here at hemma. I welcome you to contact me by email if you wish (daphnemaud@gmail.com).

Warm regards,

Daphne

Beginning in January we will be making a few adjustments to our acupuncture schedule. Michael will be back to his schedule of MWF from 9-2, (note last appointment at 1), Daphne will be working on Tuesday/Thursday from 12-5 (last appointment at 4) and Saturday from 10-3 (last appointment at 2).  We are trying out the new hours on Tuesday/Thursday, so let us know what your preference is.  Steve is cutting back to take on a clinic supervisor role at the Pacific Rim College and will be working Wednesday and Friday from 2-7 (last appointment at 6).

I hope to have someone covering the Monday night shift soon!  But at least for the next few weeks we won’t be able to offer treatments during the Monday evening shift.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

We hope to have our on-line booking up and running this month and will keep you posted.  This will enable you to see available appointments and to book yourself in!

We are always eager to hear your thoughts, ideas, and experiences at hemma and with that in mind, we are planning a customer survey in the near future to help us gain some understanding about how we can better serve you!  We hope you will participate!

Best Wishes,

Michael

Another question that gets asked a lot is “do I need to have something wrong?”  Simple answer, “no”,  ”absolutely not.”   Because acupuncture enhances and supports your bodies normal functions — digestion, sleep, circulation, immunity, mood  –  everyone can benefit from a session, regardless of whether or not they have something bothering them.   In the course of your daily life how often do you take time to pause, to recharge, to do something physical just for fun?  I imagine that many of us find it challenging to fit such a practice into our daily lives.  Spending 30 to 60 minutes in one of our comfy recliners is time well spent!

Tuesday December 13th – Books – 15% off

Wednesday December 14th – Joy-a-toes – 20% off

Thursday December 15th – Eye pillows – 20% off

Friday December 16th – yoga straps, blocks, and mat bags – 20% off

Saturday December 17th – yogitoes – 15% off

Sunday December 18th – yoga mats – 20% off studio mats

Monday December 19th – hemma hoodies – 20% off

Tuesday December 20th – hemma pants & tanks – 20% off

Wednesday December 21st – Winter solstice – candles – 25% off

Thursday December 22nd – China gel – 20% off

Friday December 23rd – bolsters – 20% off

Saturday December 24th – stay tuned…this one’s special!

Colds come and go, especially this time of year but this cold in particular so clearly showed me Yoga in action off the mat. The niyama saucha (cleansing/purifying) came into action throughout my battle with the cold. I experienced the healing power of my body in the purifying fever that helped rid my body of the virus. As I started to feel better the daily rituals that can be taken for granted brought great joy, like a refreshing shower. The clarity of my mind as I now emerge from the fog of the cold is felt in the keenness of my senses; sights, sounds and tastes feel stronger and more profound. I am humbled by my body and as the cold still lingers I am somehow no longer battling but grateful for this re-set button.

I hope you are staying warm as the days get colder and perhaps seeing saucha in action in your own life on or off the mat.

In the winter of 2007 I had been practicing acupuncture in BC for 3 years.  During that time I was searching for a way to practice my trade that would benefit my patients and expand the practice of acupuncture in Victoria in order to reach a broader population.  Acupuncture has a long history here in Victoria and there are many devotees of this ancient practice, none-the-less it has always been a relatively small percentage of our total population, and of those who use acupuncture for their health concerns, many are challenged by its cost when compared with the full coverage of western medicine.

In an attempt to expand its use for several years I worked at creating a VIHA funded program that would administer acupuncture to the city’s drug addiction population (I am happy to add that such a program now exists in Victoria).  I trained at a Detox center in Vancouver and was inspired by the way in which acupuncture supported traditional treatments protocols.  The acupuncture was administered in a group setting, daily, to anyone part of the program and interested in partaking.  I was very moved by this experience, and by the testimony of those who benefited.  These experiences guided my formative visions of community acupuncture.

A few years later while I was searching the internet for acupuncture courses, in order to fulfill my continuing education requirements, I came across the website of Working Class Acupuncture in Portland Oregon.   At that time WCA was but a few years old.  Along with the Community Acupuncture Network, which had recently been formed to support acupuncturists interested in the newly birthed idea, WCA was offering a 2-day workshop on Community Acupuncture!  I was very excited, here were a group of people doing the thing that I was trying so hard to envision, and they were going to tell me exactly how to create the same thing in my own community.  In March of 2007 I hopped in my car and headed down to Portland to attend.

The workshop was a life-changing event.  Skip and Lisa, the founders of WCA, and really the mom and pop of Community Acupuncture, were incredibly gracious teachers – eager to pass along tips and techniques necessary for a successful CA practice.  My own vision unfolded during those two days in Portland and I returned home determined to get to work.  At that time WCA was seeing around 200-300 patients a week, more than 10 times the number of patients I saw in my small private practice here in Victoria.  They had succeeded in creating a model that really fit with the nature of acupuncture – that it be administered based on need rather than affordability, and that it be a simple and straightforward experience for the masses of people who had never experienced, or even heard about acupuncture.  As it happened, my wife had a similar vision that month, although hers involved yoga!

By the time I returned home my wife, Aase, was already in the process of negotiating our lease!  We decided to combine our efforts, more for practical reasons than some belief that these two practices fit well together – she had found a place that was big enough to accommodate both, and considering it was our first voyage into small business, it seemed like a sensible choice.  In hindsight though, both practices arehave been very complementary to one another and we often have folks who move from one practice to the other, or combine the two.  In my mind Yoga and Acupuncture are both practices, which support personal healing and growth.  Both support the body and mind’s ability to heal from within.  Supporting this innate wisdom is fundamental to both practices.  So I would have to say that the home of yoga and acupuncture has been a great partnership.

Together our shared vision was to create a home-away-from-home – a place where one could feel a sense of belonging and ease, a place where one could direct their own healing and growth. During the past four years both Aase and I have been deeply moved by the way in which community has emerged, grown and continues to evolve at hemma.

A business takes on a life of its own what you open the door, you start with a vision, an intention, but once it is born, like a child, it takes on a life of its own.  How it grows, the direction it takes, is deeply influenced by the people who walk through the door each day.

After 4 years, I can say that we are both very proud of what we have created, and for the way in which hemma continues to contribute to our town and neighborhood, and perhaps more importantly, we are both moved by what you have all created through your involvement, be it as a teacher, a student, acupuncturist, or patient, volunteer, or staff.

Thank you for a beautiful 4 years!

Michael and Aase

hemma staff

If you will be coming to class this Sunday October 9th please keep in mind that the Victoria Marathon is this Sunday and certain streets will be closed. For more information for your drive or bike ride to hemma please check out the marathon website.

We wish you a great Thanksgiving weekend on and off the mat! A poem for you:

Be Thankful – author unknown

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know everything,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge
because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary,
because it means you’ve made a difference.