Dervish

Going to the doctor is quite an experience. My doctor is in her mid-to-late 50s, she's tall, with flowing gray hair and always smells of some kind of herb or incense. She is a "traditional" MD, but she is also a naturopath and whenever I see her, she asks if I want a "traditional" approach or an "alternative" approach.

Today's visit was for my physical where she spends an hour with me not just examining my body (inside and out), but actually talking with me about "life issues" as she likes to call them.

Today's discussion centered around dervishes -- dancers who spin as a way to live their faith. From what I know, and from her informative explanation, dervish dancers always turn to the heart (or the left) and raise one arm up to welcome in the heavens and lower one arm
to connect to the earth. They spin, always turning their bodies to the left, but also the whole group of dancers circles to the left, and when they are "in balance" they close their eyes as they are "centered" between heaven and earth.

I am not a woo-woo person, but there's something about sitting in a traditional doctor's office -- blood pressure cuff, biohazardous garbage can, cotton swabs, and scale -- talking about dervish dancers with a woman I consider to be an earth goddess that makes me feel healthy and alive.

Dr: There's something so powerful, isn't there, about the pull of our lives outward and the pull of our lives inward. It's in that tension that, if we can find our balance, we live full lives.

It's amazing how she makes me believe this stuff. Certainly now, at this time of year when everything is whirling and swirling in the most unbalanced way. May is hell month -- so much to do and the kids feeling summer is here with every sunny day that pokes through the clouds. And on top of it all, we're raising a puppy who is cute, but demanding, sweet, but devilish, eager to learn and extremely impatient.

So, when the doctor took my blood pressure, I expected the usual 136/84 result. Instead, it was 108/64. I don't think it's been that low since I was 12.

Dr: You're doing really well maintaining your blood pressure, yes?

Me: I really haven't been doing anything expect these breathing exercises where I try to take 6 breaths in a minute.

Dr: That's not just an exercise. That's be proven scientifically to lower your blood pressure and help your circulation system. It's that simple.

Me: Like turning to your left with your eyes closed.

Dr: Yes, like turning to your left with your eyes closed.