A lot of people ask me why I chose to become an acupuncturist, and while it’s a full journey that brought me here, the core answer would be that I want to be part of the positive change and evolution of this world, and I want to make that happen through healing the body, mind, and spirit.
My Story…
I was brought to acupuncture through my desire to heal my health, while not feeling satisfied with the choices I was given by my doctors. I didn’t like being told that I was broken and there was nothing I could do about it- that’s not a choice, that’s a dead end. At a young age, I knew there was more out there for me, and I was ready to figure out what that was.
When I first came across acupuncture I was about 15 years old and suffering deeply in a body that felt horrible to be in. My acupuncturist at the time, a very sweet lady who practiced out of her home in the Castro district of San Francisco, was the first person to tell me that there was nothing wrong with me and that my body was just out of balance. She opened Pandora's box for me then and there, and from there on I knew I had choices and that I would get better. That moment changed my life. She saw me as a whole individual and treated me as such. It was refreshing to hear that I can have vibrant health and I don't have to suffer all my life.
This is all in comparison to what my gynecologist told me when I was 14 years of age. She told me that my diagnosis was incurable and that I would suffer my whole life with these symptoms. She told me that if I didn’t take birth control my chances of dying at age 40 from cancer or diabetes increased by an exorbitant amount. That’s not something you tell a 14-year-old. Death was not even on my radar and then l I was given no choice and a death sentence by my doctor. I say this, not to blame or degrade western medicine, but rather to present a case that happens every single day, thousands of times a day. Millions of people are suffering due to our broken medical system. It was not my gynecologist's fault, it was the fault of the system in which she was taught and then practiced in.
Now….
As an acupuncturist today, I am so delighted to tell people that I can help them regain the quality of their life after they were told otherwise. I want to be the person who opens the door of possibility of a better life because we all deserve that. I truly believe that when we are healthier, we are better people, (and last time I did the math), the more happy and vibrant people there are, the better this world is. This is where I come in, and this is the calling I chose in this lifetime.
When my patient leaves the treatment room with that acupuncture glow on their face, completely blissed out, their brain and body filled with yummy neurotransmitters I know I made a difference in this world. I know I am part of the healing and change that is so deeply necessary on this Earth. Holding space for another human who is committed to healing is an honor and something I want to spend my whole life doing.
Thanks for reading my story and why I do what I do. I hope that you find this article and message inspiring and empowering. I hope it opens a door of possibility and a spark of curiosity.
With the deepest gratitude,
Liliya
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