In this newsletter:
Ancient Medicine for Modern Times
Herbal Support for Mental and Emotional Wellness
Holiday Gift Certificates
2025 Rate Changes
Autumn and Winter Breaks
Ancient Medicine for Modern Times
We are now post election and I’ve heard many of you expressing big emotions. They run the gamut from anger, disbelief, hope, and utter despair. And folks, I’m right there with you! While it seems loaded to write about, today I want to speak to our individual and collective wellness with regard to societal tensions through the lens of Traditional East Asian Medicine (TEAM). How can we both honor our experiences, take care of ourselves AND avoid the trappings of divisiveness and ‘othering’ that cut us off from each other and, ultimately, from our heart’s own knowing?
At a time so fraught with conflict, we humans have always looked to elders, the natural world and to ancient teachings for wisdom and direction. TEAM has a lot to offer us here. It’s been around for millennia and its longevity points to its effectiveness and the relevance of its teachings. As stated in the Tao Te Ching:
Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world.
At the heart of these teachings and this medicine is the concept of qi. This humble little term belies a huge concept, namely universal life force. Universal life force, or qi, is that which flows through and animates all sentient beings. The same life force of qi flows through all of us and each of us is considered golden and whole, individual manifestations of the universal. This is true regardless of life circumstance, diagnoses, gender or party affiliation. This is our fundamental connection. Our separateness from the universal whole is considered an illusion.
So how do we honor our emotions AND ground down into deeper knowing--into our inherent connectedness--when the world seems so fractured? First, we honor our emotions and allow ourselves to feel them. We connect with others in safe spaces who can relate. (In fact, I’ve received this medicine of connection from many of you beautiful beings here in my clinic this last week). We take time to practice a sacred pause by turning off our screens, getting quiet and holding that which shows up with compassion and a degree of equanimity. We listen to music, dance, let ourselves be moved poetry. We exercise to move our bodies and quiet our minds. We get outside and ground into nature, which has seen it all and can hold all of it. We get in for acupuncture and other forms of holistic care for support in maintaining balance. We are disciplined in avoiding reactivity and the trappings of othering, i.e. seeing others who don’t agree with us as ‘the other’, bad, or less-than. By practicing loving ourselves, we are able to show up with tolerance, love and kindness towards others. This is not a froo-froo practice. It takes courage, dedication, grit and a real commitment. It is also so very needed in our world.
As Amanda Gorman tells us:
“There is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
Want to take a deeper dive into mindfulness? Check out this recent talk by one of my beloved instructors, Tara Brach.
Herbal support for mental and emotional wellness
To find balance we can also lean into plant wisdom via herbal remedies. Need support with healthy sleep? Anxiety? Low mood? Here are some options to consider (click on the formula to see articles for those of you who want to geek out on the research):
Tonifies the qi, nourishes blood, nourishes yin, clears heat, settles and calms shen to support healthy sleep
Tonifies Spleen qi, nourishes heart blood, calms the Shen to help with digestion, anxiety and panic attacks
Harmonizes the liver, regulates the spleen, resolves depression
Kameron is a board-certified Chinese herbalist. She attended a top four-year graduate school program and passed the national board exam. Want to incorporate herbs into your treatment protocol? She’s happy to help. Just ask!
Rate Increases for 2025
Beginning in the new year, follow-up treatments will be $110 and new client sessions will be $140. This represents only the second rate increase since the inception of our clinic in 2012. Compared with industry and local standards, along with the comprehensive and exceptional quality of care offered, our services remain an amazing value! With inflation and the move to our beautiful new location—with its ample parking, central yet quiet location and exceptional ADA access—this change simply allows us to keep the lights on. Your understanding and ongoing support are appreciated.
For those needing a lower price or an affordable way to be seen more frequently, our low-cost treatments are still a fantastic option. Offered Thursday mornings and on a sliding-scale basis, this represents Root Health’s commitment to ensuring this powerful medicine is accessible to as many in our community as possible.
Autumn and Winter Breaks
Root Health will be closed November 28th and December 23rd through January 10th. We encourage you to schedule your visits and herbal refills accordingly and appreciate your understanding as we take this time to rest, recharge, and spend time with our families.
Gift Certificates
Want to share the sense of peace and balance that can comes with acupuncture? Then share the love with a gift certificate from Root Health! Offered in a variety of beautiful designs, they can be picked up at our office or we can ship them anywhere in the world for you (please note, we do not have them in digital form at this time). Send us an email and we will prepare one for you. All gift certificates offered at our current 2024 rates(!!) through December and are valid for a year.
The opportunity to share connection with each of you in our clinic is at the heart of this medicine. We couldn’t do what we do without you. I am consistently blown away by the courage, deep internal wisdom and grace of those we get to work with every day. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for sharing your beautiful light.
With love and wishes for peace,
Kameron and Madi