My Acupuncturist Told Me I'm Allergic To Where I Live
There was a time I would have felt like a victim to my circumstances
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I had just recently returned from a high alpine off grid camping trip with my family when all the symptoms returned.
“You are allergic to Oceanside, Kristina,” rang the matter of fact voice of my acupuncturist. She is a small framed woman who has a powerful punch of directness. I chuckled a little, a part of me knowing something never felt resonate since I first moved to Southern California in 2013.
I replied, “at least at this time of year, I seem to be.”
That was true. Every year, at the start of what is known as “May gray”, my body reacts with the same symptoms. These include vertigo-like spells, brain fog, a scratchy but not sore throat, dry cough, chest heaviness with no production of mucus, and random dull headaches. As the month of June arrives, the coast brings more moisture and socked in grayness, known as “June gloom.” My symptoms will persist, adding in the flare of indigestion from time to time as the heat picks up. Then July comes and I am usually so uncomfortable, feeling the weight from the humid air and hot blanket of dampness. With all aversion comes attachment. I begin to crave, and dream journey to the visceral felt sense I know well of the dry, clean and crisp air of the mountains.
As a Depth Hypnosis Practitioner my work is about unlocking root causes to rewire and create coherency, understanding and repatterning where we are in and out of balance. I support the re-alignment to one’s highest timeline.
What happens when the root cause is the environment you live in?
I have found for me, remedies rest in maintenance and management, which are a bandaid that can easily slip off. And so this time of the year, from May until usually the end of September, a great source of my energy gets poured into staying “above the line” — more care, more attention, and more preparation. In truth, learning that my body, my primal being, is allergic to this weather, or environment or chem trails, or whatever is happening in the environment, brings me great comfort. I find when I know what I am working with, the origin of an issue, I have a footing to know how to move forward. Do you feel that way too? When you know what you are actually working with, that you can actually start to shift things — create movement?
Sometimes, the opposite is true though. We may, instead, feel hopeless even when we learn the root cause. Hopelessness has a sneaky way of seeping into our lives. I have found that it all depends on the way we are in relationship with the issue, and mostly how we have been in relationship with our life force, with our energy. There was a time I would have felt like a victim to my circumstances. There was a time I would have tried to blame others, rather than take responsibility for my situation, and be accountable for how I can choose to show up to it.
“The high alpine treatment works for you,” she tells me. “I have done it before and you respond well.”
I smile, knowing the healing medicine the mountains have consistently given my soul. As she intentionally situates the needles, I take a few breaths. It doesn’t take long with my highly sensitive body for the effects to take place. Within five minutes, my brain begins to clear. The dark mist fades from behind my eyes and my whole head feels spacious. My breaths become a little deeper, a vastness like a clearing begins to fill my body from the inside out. The heaviness of the gloomy gray weather around me that has consumed me begins to seep out from every pour of my body. Slowly, it is coming out of my eyes, my nose, my ears, drifting away like clouds in the sky. Things are clear again. A lightness arises, yet I am deepening into the table as if the Earth Mother herself were opening her arms to embrace my entire body. I am anchored and light at the same time. My headache disappears. My throat feels hydrated and balanced again. My energy returns. I am in awe and yet, I understand the magic of the subtle body’s healing ability.
There is medicine all around us, and within us. Animals know this. Have you ever noticed how animals will gravitate towards certain spaces on Earth or in your home? How come we think as humans we can just fit ourselves into boxes or ideas, cubicles or relationships, and even environments, and not listen or take notice to what our bodies are saying? How come we deny ourselves the wisdom of our inner senses to awaken us to what is aligned for our growth and natural prosperity?
The world around us, while thick and heavy with its “should’s”, does not have to live inside us — consume us, be us. My work explores the limiting beliefs that hold us hostage, opening up pathways so that we can learn ways to stay in connection to our own inner spaciousness and lead from our heart wisdom. To learn how to remove the debris of others’ energies, and in my case, the energy of an environment, out of our sphere, our bodies, our nervous systems, our minds and hearts is a gift. One that opens us up to understand how to become a clear vessel, more expansive, compassionately curious and connected, even when things are hard.
Our empowerment isn’t something to seek after, it is something within us. We access it when we return to the quiet voice of our heart, clearing the fog of what does not align to our true nature.
While I will continue to see my acupuncturist, probably more weekly during these next months, receiving the “high alpine treatments”, there are other methods of clearing and connecting to the medicine of spaciousness (both inner and outer). Spaciousness allows the thinking mind to rest and the wisdom of healing innate to our energy body to arise. We can tap into that eternal force of space within us, even in the midst of our discomfort. This is something I had to learn how to do myself with practice and with self love. It was motherhood, unsupported and isolated in a pandemic, that demanded I learn this skillset. And what I have learned is that there is a nuance to the action of dropping our minds into our hearts, of knowing how to not get swept up in the chaos of our story, but also knowing how to stay present to our pain — not bypassing into ascension.
Today’s world, if we wake up to it, is in a spiritual emergency, asking us to stay alive to ourselves, to know ourselves, de-mask ourselves, unravel back into ourselves, and to lead from our heart. Energetic hygiene is at the heart of my path of service. It is the drive for my passionately purpose-filled journey in this lifetime (maybe all lifetimes), to support the awakening process. To help hold a grounded and safe container for others to gain a direct line to their innate life force, to come alive, and to stay empowered to their aliveness.
Personally, I am making changes this year on a physical level to create an alignment that resonates with my body, mind, spirit and heart. I will be taking time away from San Diego more regularly. In particular, for majority of the month of June, I will relish in the crisp, alpine air and the rugged landscape of the majestic Rockies. I joyfully get to experience an adventure filled trip with my family to camp, mountain bike, soak in the hot springs, surprise my son with a train ride, visit and honor the ancestors on the sacred lands of Mesa Verde, explore new terrain, and create sacred memories in the Southwest region of Colorado.
I am working with clients until June 5th and my books are open starting June 24th for when I return. If you would like to schedule sessions in-person or online before I leave town, please reach out. If you are ready to learn more about working together, you may schedule a complimentary 20 minute call with me to discuss working together one on one.
In addition, I am stepping back from offering in-person group events for the Summer months. A project dear to my heart, a life dream, is coming into fruition. One that has invited me to re-evaluate how I spend my energy and time. Not to be too mysterious, but more will be shared soon.
I will continue to offer a monthly gathering online with Medicine Circle (paid subscribers). If you would like to attend the next workshop gathering but do not desire to upgrade your subscription on Substack, please Zelle or Venmo $10 to join the next online workshop:
Inward Journey: Subtle Body & Theta Frequency (Hypnotherapy)
Monday, May 19th
3-4pm online
Explore the subtle body layers of the energetic landscape, activating the language of the unseen and tapping into a deep, meditative healing theta state, accessing restoration, heightened intuition and inner wisdom. In theta frequency, you are in complete control and can access profound tranquility, expand creativity, promote mental clarity and connect to your inner guidance. This workshop is available both Livestream and recorded.
Resentment Series
Lastly, the next installment of Resentment: A Slow Poison To The Heart, will be released next week. In Part 4, I will continue the explorations of resentment through mapping needs and understanding mechanisms of survival.
To refresh, you may want to reread or listen to them:
Part 1 - Unpacking Emotional Intelligence & Healing
Part 2 - The Multifaceted Layers & Complexities of Resentment
Part 3 - Mapping Patterns & Uprooting Origins
If you prefer to listen rather then read, giving your eyes and soul a digital break, download the app for listening access.
Until we meet again, my friends, here is a beautiful reminder from an unknown author,
“No one tells you how hard it is to rewire your brain, to allow amazing things to happen after experiencing trauma or pain. Blessings exist, good people exist, and a softer life exists.
Let it happen.”
Thank you for reading Kristina Renée x Medicine for the Soul, and allowing me the opportunity to serve you.
Take care of you.
Take care of one another.
Much love,
Kristina Renée
