Why do we yawn? It's all about empathy
I was debating writing about human skin in a test tube and the artificial brain, but here I am writing about yawning...
After reading this article in class, I paid attention to when I yawned the next time. When would I do it? What would I be thinking?
I noted two instances. Another therapist and I were giving a couple massages. The couple was enjoying their massages thoroughly, the relaxing music was playing. A typical fluff & buff. I looked up at my coworker and she let out a little yawn. Inevitably, so did I. I was tired, but it was an empathetic yawn.
The next time I yawned was while writing a blog for Bio on how human skin is turned into heart and brain cells. What a revelation this is! I have decided to wait until further research is done to go any further into the possibilities of where this research leads us and my hesitation to be fearful, fearful that we'll end up in a Sci-Fi movie-like world made up of BladeRunners or Ghosts in a Shell. So, I'm sitting here looking at a screen, tired from the long week. Eventually, I yawned. I didn't just yawn once, I kept yawning. The more I thought about how tired I was, out came another. My simple conclusion...I'm empathetic to myself. I yawned because I kept reminding myself how tired I was. It's so simple.
Evolution
Adam, Eve, monkeys, a little fleck of dust. Yes, we all come from somewhere. There is so much to that topic. I was very impressed with PBS' videos on the subject and I look forward to watching them more. Also Berkeley's website is a wonderful tool on this topic and they did an excellent job breaking the theory of evolution down in an easy to follow program.
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Hi there! My first experience with Acupuncture was interesting. My doctor had obviously had a stroke and was shaking profusely before inserting the needles. I was nervous, but right before insertion, his hand was perfectly still. Whew! The rest of my experience was wonderful. After sitting up on the table, a thought crossed my mind...I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was set. I felt like I floated on a cloud out of the office, not only because of how I felt, but because I felt like a belonging to this field of medicine. Finally! I have explored many avenues in the medical and holistic field and Acupuncture fit my lifestyle in so many way, but mostly because I understood the philosophy and intentions behind it. I'm very happy to be here and looking forward to a wholesome experience here at AIMC.
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I was quite interested in your comment about yawning during massage therapy. I was going to comment on this topic in class, but didn't quite feel it was relevant and how to make sense of it. Anyway, I have been doing massage therapy for about 7 years. When I was learning and practicing I became acquainted with a well-trained, energetic woman who had been practicing for many years. She shared with me during one massage how she always yawned at least once with every client. She felt it was her body's way of releasing the stress that had transferred from the client's, to her own. It was a natural reaction, as she did not feel tired physically, but felt her body needed a release. And since she couldn't stretch or move easily during a massage, she would instinctively yawn. As I continued my career, I also found that during especially difficult massages (whether physically or energetically)- that I would yawn. It was the only manner in which my body could release. Now, as I have become quite adept at TCM, it makes even more sense, as sighing and yawning is a stress release, and what is stress? Liver Qi Stagnation! I now try to ground myself prior to massage, rest up, and after I'm finished wash my hands in hot soapy water, then finish with ice cold to continue releasing any transferred energy. It seems to help... but I still keep yawning, especially as I get closer to graduation and 2 years of TCM school has taken it's toll! (Though I love it... it's worth the yawning...)
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