People often ask, "whats energy work?" and explaining is usually sort of a challenge. Its not that its so complicated or complex, its more like, how can I get the person to appreciate it best? I'll share with you what Energy work and Intuitive Medicine is for me; because its awesome, and its a different experience every time.

One of my first experiences with Dr. Akyiaa Azula, was when I was pregnant with my daughter in my first trimester. I already knew Akyiaa was an acupuncturist, but she does so much more than that. She invited me to be a volunteer for her Intuitive Medicine class one day, so I said yes. The class was maybe 5 or 6 people and they were in a room, sitting around a massage table. She gave a basic introduction to the class; my name and that I was a massage therapist at her office. It was my first time being pregnant and was feeling scared more than anything. I had read too far ahead in that horrible book, What to Expect When You're Expecting. Yes, I said horrible, because it maps out all the scary, bad things that could potentially go wrong month by month. Think its a best seller.

They had me lie down on the table and the room became silent. Everyone was observing what information came to them intuitively. Then one person said, "...as soon as she laid down, it was like the room filled up with this really bright light." There were nods and sounds of agreement in the room; a few others had noticed the same thing. "There's a beautiful bright light radiating from you..." Eventually, Akyiaa shared with the class that I was pregnant. There's a few people in the room that were excited about what they intuitively saw. Akyiaa confirmed the luminescence to the class, and guided everyone to continue to share what else they noticed.

A woman blurted out, "You're missing it! You're missing how wonderful it is that you're pregnant." I told her that I've been doing some reading in those pregnancy books. She continued, "You are missing it. You are looking too far ahead and you haven't been enjoying this moment." I briefly envisioned a bright light radiating from my abdomen and I had a sudden burst of tears.. of joy. For the first time, I was finally able to feel the joy of being pregnant and it was beautiful. A little baby, glowing in my belly.

At the end of the session, the class advised me to get rid of the books I'd been reading. Go to the bookstore and see what book draws my attention and feels good. That is what you should be reading, not the other stuff. Those books are filled with other people's worries and fears. The woman reminded me to quit reading ahead, quit worrying so far ahead that you are missing your pregnancy. I agreed and slowly got off the table, thanked them for the session and left.

That one session changed my pregnancy. I felt different about the whole situation. I finally felt excited about being pregnant and having a baby. My life had movement again. The pregnancy went well. I never suffered the typical pregnancy woes, no nausea, back-pain, constipation, or exhaustion. I even hopped on a plane and attended the annual AOBTA* conference in San Diego when I was almost 7 months pregnant. Nothing held me back, and it was that way for the rest of the pregnancy. That one session had changed everything and it was so enlightening. I vividly recall it as if it were yesterday, even though it was 6 years ago. Akyiaa is such an extraordinary healer and teacher, she teaches Intuitive Medicine and makes it practical and easy. One of the best lessons I've learned from her, is to just 'let the information come to you like a breeze'. Its not about trying or focusing really hard (that cuts off your awareness), rather its about just being in allowance and trusting. Intuitive medicine is so profound and precise. It shifts energy and brings about new awareness. It's great stuff, truly. Often times it's hard to explain what energy work is, but it's experiences like this that embody how it helped me and changed my life. I've been lucky to have studied with Akyiaa for years and we now work at the same location in Maitland, FL.

*AOBTA stands for American Organization for Bodywork and Therapies of Asia. Aisa Yamaguchi is a certified practitioner of Tuina, as an Asian Bodywork Therapist.