skeptic, cynicism, and por quoi?

Wow, talk about tetchy (which happens to be Merriam-Webster's word of the day today). I googled "acupuncture" and the majority of the links on the first page of the search had to do with "does it work?" or "medicine: is acupuncture effective?" and even "although more traditional hospitals are offering both training and treatment in the forms of acupuncture, it remains to be seen whether...".

So: 1) I had no idea it was so controversial because 2) I have always wanted it.

Back pain, anxiety, insomnia, infertility, stress, et cetera. It's a practice of healing, and a practice indeed. Although the training requirements differ since there's not a centralized certification system, healers apprentice and train for anywhere from one to ten years before practicing on their own. From my (very limited) understanding, it's not a panacea; even in university and other hospitals where it's being offered as a "complementary therapy," doctors stress the superseding effectiveness of Western medicine. However, in some places like Santa Fe, most insurance polices offer ten to fifteen acupuncture sessions as standard medical coverage (info courtesy of a friend only, unresearched).

I first saw an acupuncture needle in "real life" a few weeks ago at the Park City Rail Trail mixer in Prospector. It was a promotion for local businesses and a couple Melissa Pepper Krajeski and Wyatt Krajeski (please note these links are not their current business, but are bios/interesting info about them. To contact them at their current practice, please go here) were there giving away free ten-minute chair massages. Ha, well, living for all intents and purposes alone, and where hugs and cuddles are scarce due to my partner's living approximately 1,378 miles away, I'm a sucker for being touched when I don't have to pay for it (e.g. pedicures, massages, facials, etc). Wyatt demonstrated a needle for me, and I was surprised at how flexible and thin acupuncture needles are. And after ten minutes under Melissa's hands at a business-promotion Rail Trail mixer, I was hooked. Or at least eternally longing. Acupuncture is expensive. About as expensive as a standard massage, counseling, or physical therapy session: between $75 and $100 for forty-five minutes or an hour and a half. At least in Park City anyway.

Whatever your bone about it may or may not be, it's appealing to me for it's emphasis on touch, gentleness and holistic healing. Several local practitioners I know integrate acupuncture with massage therapy in their sessions and encourage participation of one's rational, emotional, and spiritual sides in the healing process. Sounds like a quack, for those who would rather pop an aspirin and "get on with life". I wonder two things: how much do we scoff at "untraditional" (at least in our young culture) healing practices and refuse to validate them as "medicine" (relegating them to "therapies" and "treatments") because we are simply afraid of that which is unfamiliar and un-experienced? And what else are we missing out on?

If I ever scrounge around and come up with 7,500 pennies I will post again with the results.
Till then, this just thought-therapy.