Debbie Ridley, Acutonics® Associate Practitioner
debbie@beevibrant.com, onecraftymomma@gmail.com
Acutonics® feels like a beautiful synthesis of my life’s journey so far—integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture (which I studied in South Africa and the UK), and spiritual practice (meditation, tai qi and yoga) with my earlier academic background in Archaeology and Biomedical Anthropology. I discovered Anthroposophy and the work of Rudolf Steiner when my boys attended the Waldorf school. Waldorf education taught me the importance of living intentionally with daily and seasonal rhythms, integrating hands, head and heart into everything that I do. It has helped me develop my creativity, instill a curiosity for learning, foster an appreciation for how interconnected we are and to express gratitude in my life.
My other big passion is that I tend honeybees. My earliest awareness of bees occurred when I was 9/10 years old. I collided with a bee as I raced past this beautiful blue hydrangea bush at my grandparents’ house. It stung me on the finger, which swelled significantly enough for me to remember the experience. Later, I discovered my name means ‘bee’, and I remember thinking one day I would become a beekeeper to embody my namesake. In 2020, this idea manifested as I acquired my first two hives. Five years later, I still very much consider myself a novice.
The bees' tireless work in producing honey, their intricate social structure, and their vital role in the ecosystem can be seen as a reflection of divine order and wisdom. In Greek, Egyptian and Celtic mythology, bees have been associated with healing, divinity, rebirth and transformation, storytelling and were considered messengers between worlds. Honey, propolis and royal jelly are known for their medicinal properties. The buzz of bees produces natural therapeutic frequencies for relaxation, tissue healing, and entrainment. There is a quote by Rudolf Steiner “By way of the beehive the whole Cosmos enters man and makes him strong and able.” I hope to infuse the wisdom and spirit of the bees with the world of sound - blending the planetary/cosmic vibrations of Acutonics® with the earthly, communal vibration of bees, enhancing the sense of reconnection to ourselves and each other.
I am delighted to have completed the Acutonics® Associates Practitioner Certification. I am looking forward to working collaboratively with clients to reconnect to their ‘bee-ingness’ to achieve more peace, balance and harmony in their lives. My heart is full of gratitude for the extraordinary teachers who introduced me to this integrative modality. It makes my heart sing to be able to practice Chinese medicine in a completely new way.