The Tao of Roya

At the suggestion of a good friend, I went to see a doctor of Chinese medicine. For many months I have been dealing with fluctuating cycles and simply awful periods - I will spare you, gentle reader, all the horrible, clotty details. Suffice it to say, the time had come for me to face my fibroid head-on.

The appointment at Tao of Wellness could not have been more perfect. Dr. Dao is a master healer and a wonderful human being, so genuinely compassionate and caring. He greeted me with a huge hug and we sat in his office for a 45-minute consultation. He never once looked at this watch or tried to rush things along. He asked thoughtful questions in a measured and soothing way, never once sounding the alarm. He checked my pulse and then made a list of four things that he thought I could use help with, including my energy level, which has been seriously depleted since the arrival of Mr. Mags. He then took me into a quiet room and performed a 30-minute acupuncture treatment to get the energy circulating back to the uterus and reproductive area. I didn't even flinch when the needles were inserted, the process is that sublime. I just lay there with a goofy smile on my face, so thrilled that I finally took the plunge and came to see him.

Dr. Dao's partner, Dr. Chen, then came back with a long list of dietary restrictions. My heart sank for a second but then I did a double take. Did I really think natural healing would come about without some sacrifice and changes to my lifestyle? Sheesh. So for me to achieve more harmony and balance, I have to stop all consumption of dairy products, alcohol (sniff), caffeine, yeast breads and I have to drink beverages that are room temperature, not ice cold, which redirects energy in the wrong way. Oh...and then there's the tea.

Dr. Dao mixed up a bag of herbs for me that I need to boil and make into a tea and then drink it three times a day. It's on the stove percolating now and I know when J walks through the door he will flip over the smell. The scent makes me feel like we're in a hippy bookstore in Santa Cruz. I seriously should go find a headband and tie it around my face, it's that intense. But heck, I only need to drink the tea for six days. It's not like it's a lifetime commitment to stink.

I feel a great sense of inner peace having gone to see Dr. Dao and feel I am finally on the right path to health and balance.

And hopefully another little one. Let's see if I can suck down enough tea...