Inner Nature
Acupuncture. Herbalism. Massage Therapy.
Acupuncture
針
East Asian medicine is thousands of years old. As such, it has a diverse range of styles and methods. Acupuncture is an ancient East Asian medical practice that uses the insertion of fine filiform needles into particular points on the body to support healing and transformation. The understanding of classical East Asian medicine is that the person is a whole and thus imbalance in any part, or at any level, can affect any other.
Treatments are designed based on traditional examinations - these are to see, to hear/smell, to feel/palpate, and to ask. This means a visual examination of the patient, potentially including complexion, posture, the appearance of the tongue and all other visual signs. Listening to the sound of the patient's voice, as well as what they say. Scent, while it may sound unorthodox, can be a very helpful diagnostic. Certain imbalances can be more easily identified through smell which can help guide treatment. Feeling is used to feel the pulse, to feel the channels and abdomen, to feel any areas of discomfort, etc. And asking gives us the patients subjective experience, to differentiate some of the intricacies of the presentation, as well as to get a sense of how it is more broadly impacting other systems and their life. These exams are also used to assess the efficacy of treatment and to plan for future treatment.
Moxibustion
灸
Moxa, a refined form of mugwort (names from the Japanese name, mogusa), is burned on acupuncture points often before needle insertion, though sometimes it is also used on the end of a needle or burned over a wide area without ever directly touching the skin. The herb is left to burn until it warms the area ideally without creating any burning sensation (though there are certain styles in Japan that do intentionally induce scarring). Treatment with moxa is thought to predate acupuncture.
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Throughout East Asia, herbal therapy has been used for thousands of years as a stand-alone therapy. It is uniquely complex among systems of herbal medicine. It designates particular flavors, temperatures, categories, and functions to each herb, as well as denoting the particular organ systems they enter. East Asian herbalism also uses herbal combinations to create complex formulas, utilizing herbs that harmonize, enhance, balance, and/or inhibit one another to treat each unique condition.
In the modern world, there are many people on medications that were not part of the lens of East Asian medicine. The particular program Dena attended included considerations of herb drug interactions and how herbs can impact certain medical conditions. She incorporates this understanding into her practice to ensure safety, while allowing people with complex conditions to benefit from the use of herbal treatment.
This service is available long distance via phone/video call.
Kyo Jung
教正
Kyo Jung is a Korean system of physical manipulation to correct the alignment of the body structure. These is a saying in Chinese, "正態正經“ meaning correct the structure, correct the meridians. We know we change our physical posture and movements depending on our mood, what we are thinking about, how we feel, what we are doing, etc. This idea tells us that this influence goes both ways. Modern science corroborates this, showing that smiling can actually release endorphins, that standing tall increases testosterone - our physical posture directly impacts our biochemistry.
Cupping and Gua Sha
拔罐, 刮痧
Cupping is a folk technique throughout East Asia and other parts of the world. It entails burning fire inside a glass cup to consume the oxygen, then quick application to the body to create suction. While most massage techniques are compressive, cupping is a decompressive technique. This suction not only allows tissues to be pulled apart, separating places that may have become adhered. It also is traditionally said to pull stagnant blood, heat, or cold, from the vessels.
Gua sha is a Chinese technique that uses a smooth tool to do repeated strokes over an area of skin to release stasis in the area. Similar to cupping gua sha leaves petichiaa (red dots) in the area where it is performed. By releasing stasis, qi and blood are able to flow more fluidly in the area, aiding in tissue repair.
Qi Gong
炁功/氣功
Qi gong is an ancient system of practice that works with harmonizing a person's internal energies, as well as aligning the interior with the outside world. There are many traditions and practices within this system. Practice can include internal visioning, posture, sound, hand positions and movements, or some combination of these. Qi gong can be done as individual practice, or can be used as a healing method. When Dena works with qi gong, she will often use diagnosis to assess what needs harmonization, work with the person to help move what is stuck and teach them practices to do themselves.
