Maria says . . .
I have been exposed to Engaging Vitality work for close to a decade, but only now am finding the ability to dive deeper and bring the tools into my practice. In writing this, I want to share my experience and reflection upon the past years and most recent 6 months.
I remember being introduced to some of the tools from EV back when I was a graduate student at SIEAM (Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine). The degree to which we as a class were exposed to these methods of assessing the body and Qi was very superficial. I liken it to the foam on top of your latte, learning something briefly and skimming the surface. Exciting yes, but not substantial enough. I think part of fundamental education in East Asian Medicine is to be exposed to many different lines of thought and practices so that we as practitioners can choose what resonates most and follow it deeper. In the course of my own private practice, many things I had learned during SIEAM have taken a back stance and some things have moved more to the foreground. I think unanswered questions and experiences in the clinic really dictate this trajectory for me. It has taken me some time to take action to pursue my curiosity and sign up to take the EV modules as CE courses. After taking the first two modules, I feel more connected to the medicine I practice, more eager to practice the methods and wondering why I have waited this long to arrive here. Learning these seemingly simple methods of examining the body and Qi has opened up a lot of dialogue inside my own experience. In reflection I can honestly say, there is a sense of fresh air when it comes to practicing EV in the clinic. This feeling is renewing me in a way. It allows me to create more space by setting aside the things I think I know, and allow myself to rest in not knowing it all. So far, with the instruction from Marguerite Dinkins and Dan Bensky to drop the ambition and practice I am taking myself past the surface into this study with their help. I cannot be more grateful to the additional practice sessions that Marguerite and Dan lead. During the last practice group I realized how much support these sessions are offering me. I find them to be most valuable and crucial in order to deepen my skills, in order to get immediate feedback, and be charged with energy to continue the dive. With all things that take time to cultivate and develop, having this support from the EV team helps me tremendously. Like roots to a tree. Thank you!
-Maria Portnaya LAc., Ageless Acupuncture LLC