For those of us who practice community acupuncture, the term community has two meanings. One, of course, is a reference to the group setting. We believe that when people are treated together in a group, they experience deeper relaxation and enhanced treatment benefits.

The other aspect has to do with our hope to be a useful part of our local communities. In addition to making acupuncture more accessible to the community, community acupuncturists also try to support local programs through activities such as being a drop-off point for CSAs, displaying the work of local artists, and volunteering at veterans acupuncture programs.

At the Holistic Happenings health fair last weekend, I asked attendants to share their thoughts on the meaning of community. Although some people found this difficult to answer, the combined answers come up with a very complete description.

Here are several of the responses I received to the question “What does community mean to me?”
Togetherness
Family, support, and service
Helping one another in times of need or even just for no reason at all
Sharing
A group of individuals coming together to achieve a common purpose/goal
It is what you put into it
A group of people who live and work together supporting one another to satisfy their needs
Those you care about and spend time with
Compassion
Comfortable caring environment filled with people that care and want to help
People working and getting along together
Friends supporting each other

From these definitions, it seems that the concept of community has three parts. The first is the idea of togetherness. A community must include more than one person, and they can’t exist in isolation. The next thought is that community requires work. For a community to survive, everyone must put in the effort to satisfy their common needs and goals. And finally, a community includes a sense of caring and compassion for one another. This sounds like a great definition to me!

What does the term community mean to you? Do you think that “community acupuncture” practices actually contribute to the well-being of the community? If not, how can we improve?

I am happy to announce that for the next three months River Valley Acupuncture will be featuring the fine art photography of Mike Nyman.

Both color and black and white photos are on display, with nature and architectural themes. When you first walk in the door, you will see one of my favorites—a scene of the ocean under a pier. The smaller treatment room has views of fall foliage, perfect for this time of year. And the larger treatment room contains a collection of black and white photos that add to the peaceful and cozy feeling of the space.

Many patients have already complimented the art work, so make sure you come in and see it for yourself! If you fall in love with any of the photos, they are also available for sale.

River Valley Acupuncture is once again featured on the Local Deal website. New patients can get two acupuncture treatments for $25. Please spread the word! This offer is only valid until the end of the week.

This Sunday, October 10 from 10:00am to 5:00pm, River Valley Acupuncture will be participating in the annual Holistic Happening fair in Quinebaug, CT. The fair features demonstrations, lectures, and interactive workshops about different healing modalities.

Some of the participating practitioners include massage therapists, reiki practitioners, hypnotherapists, and reflexologists. Demonstrations include belly dancing, tai chi, yoga, and drumming.

The admission cost is a donation of food for the local food pantry or no-kill animal shelter. The fair takes place at the new Quinebaug fire department, 720 Quinebaug Rd (rt 131). Quinebaug is just over the Connecticut line, close to Dudley, Oxford, and Sturbridge MA, and Putnam and Pomfret CT. I hope to see you there!