One of the most common questions I get when I begin treating someone is “How long do I need to lay here with the needles in?” or “Why do you have to leave the room?”. Although I choose to take this as a huge compliment ;-), there is some rhyme and reason to leaving you guys to sit and chill solo with needles in.
Firstly, when you come in for Acupuncture, it is usually your only hour of the week to sit and chill, have energy work done, let your body regenerate and balance out while emails, texts and life isn’t buzzing in to distract you. We lead pretty chaotic lives nowadays, and even during sleep there isn’t the same level of regeneration and healing going on as when you are deep in your Acupuncture treatment.
Secondly, there is actually an ancient formula for how long to leave needles in:
The 28 constellations correspond to the 28 primary meridians (these are the channels I use to select points, Lung channel, Liver channel etc). Qi travels a certain length along each meridian per breath, and it travels one complete cycle in 270 breaths. During that same period of time, the earth travels 1/50 of the distance of its circuit around the 28 constellations. In one day and night, the earth completes one cycle around the 28 constellations, while Qi completes 50 cycles through the 28 meridians.
Have I lost you yet??? There’s more…
Since Qi circulates through the meridians 50 times a day, each cycle takes 28 minutes and 48 seconds. That is the minimum amount of time we want you chillin’ with needles in. So when I read your pulses, diagnose your tongue and intuit a unique Acupuncture protocol for where your body and Qi is at that day, we then need to allow for a complete qi cycle (28 minutes) in your treatment. Sometimes this can be longer, 45mins+ depending on how your pulses are doing and how your body is adjusting to the treatment. But it’s not like chocolate, more isn’t necessarily better. You should never have needles in over a very long session (90mins+) as that can be draining to the body.
The long and short of it? 28 minutes of chillin’ alone time minimum, no phones, just leave your world behind when you walk in for treatment and I’ll handle the rest.
Namafuckingste
