Our time is precious and can never be reclaimed or regained. Time wasted is a misery, spent wisely it’s a marvel. In the words of William Penn,
” Time is what we want most, but….what we use worst ”
Having spent my fair share of sitting in waiting rooms as my appointment time slips off into the distant past, I wondered why this occurs and how it can be remedied.
In the context of my acupuncture clinic I view the patient as the sum of many parts. Time, in relation to the clinic, can be viewed likewise.
The divisions are as follows :
Our appointments – divisions of time.
Clocks – our measurement of time
Focus – our use of time
Action – our movement through time
A practitioner whose appointments run on time shows respect for those who make the appointments. To run on time, also needs awareness of it’s passage and response to the divisions. To focus in the appointment we need to keep our eye on the intention of the visit. Whilst being sociable is desireable, cutting to the chase has to underpin interaction between therapist and patient. Action in the clinic, from tongue and pulse diagnosis to needle insertion, or any other treatment, is the final piece of the puzzle. This part is most dependent on all that has gone before, by spending enough time to understand what is the best course of action. Sometimes this can only become apparent by allowing the consultation to unfold.
All of the above is just a breakdown of the precursors to the organic unfolding that occurs during a consultation. By having an understanding of these structures, it allows latitude when dealing with the complexities of human suffering and the many methods of alleviating it.
If you wonder why I would write this, relect on the words of John F Kennedy…
” We must use time as a tool, not as a crutch ”
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