December 21st marked the winter solstice and the shortest day of the year. This day marks the lowest energy time of the year the yin of the yin. Oftentimes, our winters are filled with visitors, festivities, endless events and filled with excessive indulgence. This year the picture has looked quite different for most of us. After a year that feels like we’ve been running an emotional marathon, many of us have hit this low-energy time of year with far less umph than we’re used to. From a Chinese medicine perspective, the solstice marks a major energetic transition where the energy has been slowly sinking into the winter and starts to redirect and make the slow crawl towards spring. Yang is beginning to emerge from the yin.

You may have noticed a new face around the clinic the past couple of months, helping us out at the front desk. Topaz, AKA Karen Lauffer, comes to Alpenglow Acupuncture by way of the music industry. She runs and teaches at a music school in Westminster called Silver Strings Academy that teaches violin, viola, and cello in the evenings.

Prior to Covid, she was an avid performer as well, performing in a variety of styles and unique venues. She was the violist with Mile High String Quartet, which played classical and pop music all around Colorado.

One of the big lessons I’ve received over and over again is that healing isn’t linear. Do you remember the mantra “every day, in every way, I’m getting better and better?” Well, it’s a good mantra to have, but not always what happens in reality. And it’s important to keep this in mind so that we don’t get discouraged. I’m talking about all of us - if you hit a plateau in your weight loss journey, or if your back pain is a little worse this week after getting steadily better, or if you have a few sleepless nights after your insomnia has been gone for months.