Dis-ease can be physical but it is also a state of consciousness. As long as a disease state of consciousness prevails healing is difficult. Even though the idea of getting stuck by needles is repugnant to some people, many find the experience pleasurable: deep relaxation, an out-of-the-body kind of sensation, some say it’s a ‘peaceful high’. Many of my patients come regularly for de-stressing, tuning-up and that wonderful altered-state experience. What is altered is the ‘normal’ state of disease and suffering. Physiologically acupuncture can induce the brain to release endorphins and enkephalins, the body’s natural painkillers but I’m also interested in a psychological understanding of the phenomenon and I would compare it to a hypnotic state.

When receiving acupuncture the body is aware of certain developing sensations. Consciousness is averted from external objects and guided inward where the experience is silence. This is most dramatically observed in externally oriented people. They may come into the office talking profusely about certain events or experience but as soon as the first needle is inserted they fall into silence. The mind calms down.

This inward orientation is focused on the here and now and once established it starts to intensify and expand. At the same time the common, awake state of external orientation which includes habitual patterns of thoughts and states of being starts to diminish. The result is an altered state in which the present moment can be fully experienced. It is consciousness freed from the ’normal’ state of mental and physical dis-ease and suffering. This altered state contributes to healing and positive change.

Lok-Kwan received training in hypnotherapy at the Milton Erickson Foundation and is a member of the American Society of Clinical Hypnotherapy.