By Monica Helland, L.Ac. — Physician of Traditional East Asian Medicine
In the quiet galleries of the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), there sits an object that defies simple classification. It is a Scholar’s Rock—a jagged, perforated piece of reddish steatite, carved in the Taihu style to resemble the weathered limestone of Lake Tai.
To the untrained eye, it is a beautiful stone. But to the Chinese literati of the 19th century, it was a “mountain in a tray.” To Chinese scholars, the rock represented the entire cosmological process—the constant dance between Yin and Yang, the hollow and the solid, the weathered surface of time and the enduring strength of the earth.
As a result, it became a meditative bridge between the human spirit and the vastness of nature.
This particular Scholar’s Rock carries a meaningful local connection. It was donated to the Minneapolis Institute of Art by Ruth Stricker, founder of The Marsh and a devoted collector and lover of Asian art. Her appreciation for contemplative objects that invite reflection, balance, and integration mirrors the very principles this stone represents.
At Embody Health and Performance in Minnetonka, we view the human body through a similar lens. This philosophy shapes our approach to integrative acupuncture and physical therapy in Minnetonka, where structure and flow are treated as part of the same system, seeing the body not as a collection of isolated parts to be “fixed,” but as a landscape—an intricate, living system where ancient wisdom and modern physical therapy meet to support recovery, resilience, and performance.
Bridging the Gap Between Acupuncture and Physical Therapy
In the world of recovery and performance, there is often a divide.
On one side, you have the precision of modern sports medicine: biomechanics, orthopedic physical therapy, gait analysis, and strength training.
On the other, you have the holistic depth of Traditional Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture, herbs, and the regulation of Qi.
For too long, modern medicine and ancient healing traditions have stood on opposite shores.
At Embody, located inside The Marsh in Minnetonka, we are the bridge.
A Scholar’s Rock as a Metaphor for Integrative Care
Chinese scholars admire the Scholar’s Rock for its asymmetry and openness. The holes—the voids—allow wind and spirit to pass through, while the stone—the solid—provides structure.
This is the perfect metaphor for the Embody approach to integrative acupuncture and physical therapy.
- The structure: evidence-informed orthopedic physical therapy to stabilize joints, restore movement, and optimize biomechanics
- The flow: acupuncture and functional wellness to resolve internal stagnation that shows up as chronic pain, fatigue, stress, or digestive dysfunction
Together, they create a system that supports healing—not just symptom management.
Why the Whole Story Matters in Healing and Performance
If you look closely at the Scholar’s Rock in Gallery 218 at the Mia, you’ll notice that its beauty comes from its complexity. Wind, water, and time shaped the Scholar’s Rock over centuries.
Your body follows the same principle.
You aren’t just an “injured hip,” a “tight back,” or a “torn ACL.” You are a complete person shaped by movement habits, stress, training history, sleep, nutrition, and internal chemistry.
When you walk into our Minnetonka clinic, we don’t just chase symptoms—we look for the why.
The West — Structure and Mechanics
In practice, orthopedic and sports physical therapy to understand how your body moves in space.
We ask:
- Where is load not being distributed well?
- What compensation patterns are driving pain or breakdown?
- How can strength and coordination be restored intelligently?
The East — Flow and Regulation
We use acupuncture and Traditional East Asian Medicine to understand why healing may be stalled.
We ask:
- Is the nervous system stuck in a stress response?
- Is inflammation, stagnation, or depletion limiting recovery?
- How can acupuncture support circulation, regulation, and resilience so physical therapy can take hold?
This is integrative care—not alternative, not fragmented, but intentional.
One Body. Infinite Possibilities.
Chinese scholars kept these rocks in their studies to remind them that even in stillness, there is movement—and even in complexity, there is balance.
Ultimately, our goal at Embody Health and Performance, is to help you find that same balance within yourself.
Whether you are:
- An athlete seeking the final 1% of performance
- Someone navigating persistent pain that no one has fully explained
- Or simply wanting a more thoughtful approach to acupuncture and physical therapy
We invite you to experience a different kind of care.
At Embody, we offer more than a clinic. Instead, we serve as a destination for those who value integration over isolation and believe the body functions best when understood as a whole.
In the same way, the Scholar’s Rock reminds us that your journey to health remains uniquely yours—shaped by experience and strengthened over time.
Ready to bridge the gap?
Visit our Minnetonka clinic inside The Marsh to learn how acupuncture and physical therapy come together at Embody Health and Performance.
