Nine Palace Acupuncture #2

I've had enough "interesting" experiences meditating, and especially spending time in the mountains of China and Japan, to know that science cannot explain everything, yet. But I approach Chinese medicine and acupuncture from a very scientific viewpoint. I like knowing how it all works, and examining the language we use to describe it. I don't rule out the spiritual components at all, but I'm cautious about the language I use. That being said, I witnessed something very special on my last trip to China with Dr. Feng Ninghan. 

A 7 year old girl was brought into the clinic completely paralyzed as a result of encephalitis. She died at the hospital the week before, and the ER docs brought her back to life. However, she is completely paralyzed, and in constant pain. They expect that she will never recover. Her amazing parents massage her body, carry her everywhere, feed her, and of course try to figure out what her needs are. She cries out most of the time. If she stays in one position too long her BP drops, if she gets overly simulated her BP spikes, her extremities become cyanotic randomly. 

She came into clinic one morning and she cried from the moment they came in the door, not a moment to breath for her family. My mentor walked over, palpated her lower legs, chose one point (spleen 6), and chanted "om" while he put the needle in and stimulated it. She immediately stopped crying, and her eyes completely shifted, she looked at us and there was understanding, she was with us again. Everyone in the room was kind of shocked. His assistants had never seen him do this. He put in a few more needles, and attended to other patients. Anytime she started to cry, he would walk over and stimulate the needles with the same result everytime, calm. We all know she may never recover, but if she, and her family can find a few moments of peace that would be enough. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine combined with chanting and Buddhist thought does not happen often in China...