My answer is "Buddhism got me into it". Then we usually have a really great conversation about that! I love what I do for a living. because I get the chance to talk to people about important stuff, such as how they're feeling, what's happening in their life, what has happened in the past and more importantly how they are RIGHT NOW. When someone decides to have acupuncture, it is important to choose the practitioner carefully. I often say to patients, it's not just about the needles, it is more about the connection the person has with the practitioner. If I am able to 'tune-in' with the patient and they can 'tune-in' with me, treatment will have a much more profound effect. When it comes to Zen I'm like a stick of Blackpool Rock, if you take my head off, I'd have Zen running through my core! Zen Practice helps me BE with people simply as they are, without expectation, without judgement, without attachment to an outcome. My motivation in life is to offer what I can to people; it may be advice about the best foods to eat, lifestyle changes and also choosing the right acupuncture treatment to rebalance them back to good health. I'm passionate about Classical Chinese Medicine (this is the philosophy that informs my practice of acupuncture) and the Taoist Priest, Classical Chinese Medicine Master who has inspired me the most is Jeffrey Yuen. A bit of background: I'm the founder and editor of Five Flavours Magazine, which is a seasonal magazine all about food and health rooted in the wisdom of Chinese medicine. My visit to Hangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital in 2010 provided me with some great clinical experience of seeing acupuncture used in a hospital Outpatients Department and on Stroke wards. I qualified with a BSc.(Hons) degree in Acupuncture from the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine in Reading in 2007. I think that's about it.....hope you enjoyed reading this!
