This weekend I attended a women’s health event at The Great Wall of Chinese Medicine in Scottsdale, and it was exactly what my body and mind have been asking for. As a driven executive I often give every ounce of energy to my work, my patients, and my commitments. Yet lately I have been carrying poor sleep, new right leg pain, and a persistent wave of headaches that refuses to let up. Walking into this space felt like stepping into a moment that was created for women like me. Women who support everyone else and rarely grant themselves time to repair.
The acupuncture session was my first experience and it exceeded every expectation. I felt a calm release in my body that I have not felt in months. It reminded me that healing does not always have to come from intensity or force. Sometimes it comes from stillness and skilled, gentle intervention.
The guided meditation was equally powerful. It was called Unburdening Waterfall, which is available exclusively on thePause® App. The imagery, sound, and pacing washed over me in a way that felt deeply restorative. Science continues to show that women who meditate regularly experience lower perceived stress, better sleep quality, and improved emotional resilience. A 2022 study showed that meditation practices reduce the activity of stress related neural pathways and support improved autonomic balance, both of which are essential for women navigating midlife transitions (Basso et al., 2022). Additional research highlights that even brief mindfulness work can lower pain intensity and reduce the cognitive load from persistent symptoms (Sevillano Adams et al., 2021). These facts play out in real life. Ten minutes of intentional grounding can shift an entire day.
Events like this remind me of the powerful synergy that exists when western and eastern medicine work together. Western medicine gives us evidence-based structure and diagnostics. Eastern medicine offers a holistic, systems view that honors the nervous system, energy flow, and emotional health. When blended, they create a far more complete model of care for women who are often asked to push through discomfort and burnout.
Last night was not simply a wellness event. It felt like a pause in the very best sense. A moment to breathe, to listen, to reset. I left feeling lighter, clearer, and more connected to myself than I have in weeks. For any woman who has been running at full speed, I cannot recommend this kind of experience enough. Your body will always tell you when it needs a moment. The most healing thing we can do is listen, meditate, and try something new.
References
Basso, J. C., McHale, A., Ende, V., Oberlin, D. J., & Suzuki, W. A. (2022). Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non expert meditators. Scientific Reports, 12, 1 to 13.
Sevillano Adams, R., Mix, J., & Meints, S. M. (2021). Mindfulness and pain. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 41, 40 to 45.