Acupuncture & TCM Articles

Articles by Mary Elizabeth Wakefield, LAc, Dipl. Ac., MS, MM

Mary Elizabeth Wakefield has 27 years of clinical professional experience as a healing practitioner, and is a licensed acupuncturist, certified by the NCCAOM, a Zen Shiatsu practitioner, massage therapist, a cranio-sacral therapist, Acutonics® practitioner, opera singer, herbalist and Interfaith minister.
She is a graduate of Tri-State College of Acupuncture in New York City, and has studied with such notable acupuncturists as Carolyn Bengston, Kiiko Matsumoto, Dr. Mark Seem, Arya Nielson, Jeffrey Yuen, Dr. Richard Tan, Fabien Maman, Yitian Ni and Donna Carey.
Her knowledge of facial acupuncture and acupressure is based on the work of Jacques Lavier, the "Father of French Acupuncture." She has also studied extensively with her teacher Carolyn Bengston, who is a master of interdermal needling for the face.

For more information about Ms. Wakefield's Constitutional Facial Acupuncture Renewal™ seminars, please visit her website at www.chiakra.com

Constitutional Facial Acupuncture: Changing the Face of Aging
With the millions of baby boomers now present in our population, there is - especially now – an increasing interest in the organic process of aging. This process involves not only the body, but also the mind and spirit.

The Yang and Yin of Facial Acupuncture, Part One
Synergizing Western Biomedical and Oriental Medical Perspectives
This article is the first of a series in which we will explore the biomedical mechanisms involved in facial acupuncture, as well as the view of skin aging from the standpoint of Oriental medicine.

The Yang and Yin of Facial Acupuncture, Part Two
Hormonal and Other Factors Contributing to the Decline of the Skin
Processes Associated With Skin Aging - Western and Oriental Medical View

The Yang and Yin of Facial Acupuncture, Part Three
Hormonal Response From the Perspective of Oriental Medicine
The Eight Extraordinary Meridians: Ancient Hormonal Balancers

The Yang and Yin of Facial Acupuncture, Part Four
Hypothesis Regarding the Mechanisms Involved in Facial Acupuncture as Extrapolated From an Examination of Conventional Facial Rejuvenation Techniques

The Soul Beneath the Skin
Beyond a "Cosmetic" Approach to the Facial Landscape

The Three Treasures of the Face
The dual quest for longevity and beauty began some 5,000 years ago with the Chinese. It was said that the great Emperor Shih-Huang-ti of the imperial Ch'in dynasty was on an unending quest to defy death when faced with the truth of his own mortality.

Supporting the Elderly
The Chinese Perspective on Aging

Changing the Face of Aging
Stress and the Adrenals: The Incredible Burden of "Doing" vs. the Lightness of "Being"

Chinese Face Reading Goes West: From the Clinic to the Quotidian
Everyday Applications of Oriental Physiognomy
The integrative world view associated with Oriental medicine recognizes there is no intrinsic separation between the polarities of existence – yin embraces yang – and the nature of the physical realm finds its echo in the heavens.

Constitutional Facial Acupuncture Renewal Doth Not a "Facelift" Make
Facial acupuncture continues to command increased attention from the national media, print, Internet and television, commensurate with the desire of the general populace, driven by the highly motivated baby-boomer demographic, to reconfigure the "face" of aging.

The Eight Extraordinary Meridians: Our Genetic Imprinting
The eight extraordinary meridians, pathways of energy (qi), run deep within our bodies, and supply the 12 regular meridians with qi and blood, supporting our DNA or genetic heritage.

Essential Oils, Part One
The Aromatic Orchestra: Vibratory Blending According to Music, Fragrance and Color In 1856, G.W. Septimus Piesse, in his book, The Art of Perfumery, conceived the idea that certain fragrances could be seen to correspond to musical tones, and that the “gamut of odors” might be considered comparable to a musical scale.

Essential Oils, Part Two:
Additional Attributes, Guidelines for Use, and Suggested Applications
An overview of the use of essential oils in classical Chinese medicine, and how they facilitate treatments that involve the three constitutional levels.

Essential Oils, Part Three: Blending Essential Oils According to Sound, Fragrance and Color
Essential oils are also classified as yin or yang, according to their frequency (wavelength) and their notes, or the rate of evaporation. Let's use another musical analogy, and peek in at a rehearsal of our oily "ensemble" practicing a classic English madrigal.

The Tao of Venus: From Aphrodite to Kuan Yin
In this article, we shall examine two avatars of the divine feminine, the goddess of love, Venus/Aphrodite and Kuan Yin, the bodhisattva of compassion, as they relate to our modern ideas of physical beauty, and the act of renewing oneself by means of facial acupuncture.

Changing the Face of Aging: Music and Medicine, Part One
Many therapeutic schools have arisen in the West during the last century that have employed the qualities of musical compositions, customarily (but not exclusively) Western classical music, to effect psychospiritual healing (the most notable probably being the Well Springs program).

Changing the Face of Aging: Music and Medicine, Part Two
“Music Hath Charms to Soothe the Savage Beast”: A Pythagorean Musical “Intervention”
By Mary Elizabeth Wakefield, LAc, Dipl. Ac., MS, MM and Michel Angelo, MFA

Simple Skin Foods for Anti-Aging
To protect your skin from possible deleterious effects of the intense heat of high summer, simple foods and herbs, such as calendula, comfrey, raspberry leaf, essential oils, raw almonds, flaxseed, and honey can be employed to cool, moisturize and provide support.

Hyperpigmentation: Liver Spots
Chinese Patent and Folk Remedies
As we approach the spring equinox and the beginning of summer, it seems appropriate to examine some Chinese patent and folk remedies for "liver spots."

Clean Colon: Sensuous Skin
This article will address the skin and its relationship to a healthy, clean colon.

Planetary Soundscapes: A Harmonic Facial
Mars and Venus: "A Tuning Fork Tango"
This month, we shall resume our exploration of non-needle modalities, with a balancing tuning fork facial that addresses the quintessential Oriental polarity of yin and yang, as expressed by the Western astrological pairing of the planets Venus and Mars.

Eczema - The Seven Year Itch?
As we begin our annual migration from the warmth and moisture of summer to the dryness of autumn and eventually to the coolness of winter, it seems appropriate to examine herbal medicines, particularly as they are applied to a chronic skin ailment experienced by all age groups.

Bagua Beauty: A Vibrational, Constitutional Feng Shui Facial
This month, we will continue our exploration of tuning fork applications, combining them with color and essence and, using the bagua as our compass, helping us chart the facial terrain.

Facial Soundscapes: Harmonic Renewal -- A New Non-Needle Modality
In this article, we will explore the world of sound, and a new non-needle facial protocol using tuning forks.