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Offices in Wayne, Radnor Township & Phoenixville, PA
Acupuncture on the Mainline Philadelphia
Friday, January 27
Acupuncture and Yoga February Happenings
Friday, December 30
New Year, Ever New You!
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Tuesday, December 20
Lance's Winter Letter
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Friday, December 2
Acupuncture & Yoga Happenings for December/January
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Sunday, November 27
Bonus Small Group Acupuncture & Kundalini Yoga Class Reminder!
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Monday, October 31
Fall Acupuncture and Yoga Classes and Events
I am happy to announce some new classes starting soon!! My aim is to offer classes that will be spectacular, life enhancing, spirit moving and transformative.
Heres whats on the menu.
1. FOUR WEEK MEDITATION SERIES:
join us, as we learn to delve into pure consciouness and touch the ground of being, a place of no-time where we can experience our true nature and authentic self. The group dynamic leads to a very powerful experience. This class is suitable for beginners or experienced practitioners of meditation.
"You learn a simple practice that has the potential to affect your life and the lives of those around you - this practice can make it easier to access that peaceful space no matter what might be going on all around." - Lisa D.
When? Mondays 7:45- 8:30 pm November 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th
Where? Lance's Office - Wayne Family Acupuncture 124 Bloomingdale Ave, Wayne PA 19087
How much? $30/series or $10/drop-in
As Space is Limited to 10 people, Please RSVP by email.
2. FOUR WEEK semi-private Kundalini Yoga & Meditation Series:
Kundalini Yoga is more than just a great physical workout. Called the Yoga of Awareness, it is an incredible experience in awakening and raising your consciousness, keeping you young, giving you fullness of heart while healing you on a cellular level. Kundalini Yoga can give you health, happiness and the ability to commit while building character and stamina. And you don't have to be an acrobat or gymnast to experience the sublime power of your creative potential being released. Everyone can do it!
***This class is semi-private, which means I am iimiting the class to only 5 people. This will give an opportunity for a much higher level of individual attention and teaching.
When? Sundays 9:30-11:00 am Nov 20th, Nov 27th, Dec 4th, & Dec 11th
Where? Lance's Office - Wayne Family Acupuncture 124 Bloomingdale Ave, Wayne PA 19087
How much? $100/series or $30 drop-in/class
I am limiting the Class to 5 people. Please RSVP by email.
3. FREE INTRO TO ACUPUNCTURE
Thursday, November 17th, 5pm at Ocean Earth Wind Fire Studioin Phoenixville, PA
Join us as we learn about the 2000 year-old Art of Acupuncture and its importance in todays world. Acupuncturist, Lance David Isakov, L.Ac., will be at hand to share information, answer questions and a few lucky folks may even receive a treatment! Lance has been practicing acupuncture for close to a decade and been in the healing arts for over 15 years. Dont miss this unique opportunity! for more information about Lance, please visit www.LanceIsakov.com or PhoenixvilleAcupuncture.com
4. GONG VIBRATION SOUND MEDITATION
at Ocean Earth Wind Fire Studio in Phoenixville, PA
Thursday, November 17th, 7:30pm
Join Us for this Special Meditation Class. Bliss out as you lay in Shivasana (corpse pose) & Bathe in the AMAZING vibrational sounds of the GONG!!! This meditation will also serve as an introduction to our new Kundalini Yoga Classes starting in December!
Cost: $20 / $15 by pre-registration by November 10
Register Online
COMING SOON!
Kundalini Yoga & Meditation -Thursday evenings 7:30 in Phoenixville, PA - STARTS DECEMBER
Kundalini Yoga for Women with Amy - Fridays 11 am in Phoenixville, PA - STARTS DECEMBER
Small Group Acupuncture Thurdays 5-6 pm in Phoenixvlle, PA - STARTS DECEMBER.
For more info on any of these feel free to email me.
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Warmly,
Lance
Friday, September 30
Lance's Fall Letter
Awe-some Autumn Blessings!
Aaah! The Autumn has finally just hit Philly! The crisp, clean, cool air brushes across my nostrils and deeply penetrates my lungs - WOW!. My eyes widen as the rich golden afternoon light touches the bold ochre, brilliant yellow, and deep red of a few early fallen leaves littered across the forest floor- Ahhhh! My ears pick up the sounds of busy rustles, gentle afternoon chirps, and the random splashes of my dog, Nimbus, as he jumps in and out of the cold, spring-fed creek - Ohh!
There is a special kind of reflective feeling that the Fall offers us. In many traditions, including the Taoist Chinese and Jewish, Fall is the time when the heavens and earth are closest together. A time when we can almost touch the spirit world, a time of deepest connection to our ancestors, those we have lost, those who have come before us. The Fall offers us a powerful opportunity to deeply grieve that which and those who we have lost and also offers us space to give thanks and praise for that which and those who are currently in our life.
In Nature, Autumn grants the opportunity to shed what is no longer absolutely essential. The energy (qi) of our brothers and sisters of the plant world, turns inward and descends deep down into their roots, thus their leaves fall to the ground creating rich fertilizer for the future generations. The descent of Qi also allows for rest and rejuvenation during the upcoming Winter months and this stillness, in turn, creates a powerful potential energy that is explosively released with the crack of Springtime.
In our busy, modern, technological lives we often forget that we too are part of nature. We too have Autumn energy that courses through us. In Five Element Medicine we call this kind of energy the Metal Element. This energy creates our ability to let go of what no longer serves so that we can make room for rest, rejuvenation and eventually the re-birth of own new power and possibilities.
Emotionally, this phase of energy gives us our sense of self-worth, vitality and resolve. It shows up as our grief, our praise and our sense of awe.
Physically, Metal shows up as our Lungs, the part of us that takes in vital energy oxygen and lets go of the waste carbon dioxide. It also shows up as our Large Intestine, which both lets go of our rubbish and also intakes the last remains of any essential nutrients. Spiritually, the Metal energy gives us the ability to let go, reflect and create space. It offers us the chance to get in touch with our spiritual energy and realize our core values. Metal reminds us of the heavens and our connection to our higher self.
In Five Element Medicine the goal is to keep the energy moving through this natural cycle of seasons. When it gets stuck thats when dis-ease, pain or upset occur. When Metal is out of balance you may feel excessive grief, deep depression, low self-esteem, low self-worth, emotional withdrawal and excessive materialism. You may not be able to recover from a loss or be inspired. You may have difficulty breathing, unhealthy skin or bowel issues.
When Metal is in balance you have the gifts of awe, letting go, acknowledgment, respect, inspiration, preciousness and acceptance.
FALL HOMEWORK
If your Fall energy or Metal element is feeling stuck here are a few practices that can help! put them to action for this week and notice how it feels!
- BREATHE! Go outside, preferably in a natural setting, and allow your lungs to INSPIRE! Sit on a log, a rock or the earth and breathe in and out through the nose slowly and deeply for 11 minutes. As you inhale focus on bringing in that which you desire and as you exhale focus on letting go of that which no longer serves you.
- POOP! Sorry if I grossed you out =) In Five Element Acupuncture the best time to poop is 5-7 am, when your Qi is focused in the Large Intestines. So for a week create some time between 5 and 7, wake up early if you need to....Find a good book, magazine or just meditate and LET GO! Give yourself plenty of time - at least 11 minutes, no need to rush these things. p.s. This is a particularly good homework for those who have troubles in this area...Extra Credit goes to those who go outside, dig a hole and squat =)
- CLEAN HOUSE! You've heard of spring cleaning...now try fall cleaning! Go through your old stuff and get rid of that which you no longer want or need. Those clothes that are too big for you now that you've lost all that weight, those keepsakes from the 3rd grade, that piece of furniture you hate...Whatever... create space in your home = create space in your life! There are plenty of places that will accept donations or check out www.freecycle.com
SCHEDULE A SESSION
If you have been receiving seasonal acupuncture treatments, now is the perfect time to come in for your Fall session. We can help bring Inspiration to your body, mind and soul! If you are new to acupuncture now is the perfect time to jump into sessions =) Also if you know anyone who may be interested please feel free topass on this newsletter!
Schedule your session ONLINE, email or call me at (610) 203-3747.
NEWS & HAPPENINGS
- Join us for our new meditation group on Monday Eves in Wayne! Drop ins welcome!!
- Our Kundalini Yoga Class on Sunday Mornings is a go! If you would like to drop in, we would LOVE to have you! As always all levels welcome!
- If you are interested in Amy's Monthly Women's Moon Lodge please contact her atmermaidmoonlodge@gmail.com.
- We have found a new home for Phoenixville Community Acupuncture starting mid-fall and will be announcing it SOON! so stay tuned!
- We have found a new home ALSO for Kundalini Yoga in a BEAUTIFUL SPACE that we will be announcing soon! As you know we have been very limited by space in our current location.
Hope to See you Soon!
Lots of love,
Lance
Thursday, September 29
Acupuncture...How can it add value to my life? (repost)
For the Original article please visit Acupuncture...How can it add value to my life?
published in Yoga Living Magazine 2009
Healthy Family | by Lance David Isakov, M.Ac., L.Ac.
Acupuncture...How can it add value to my life?
MANY OF US ARE OUT OF WORK OR WORKING EXTREMELY HARD TO STAY AFLOAT IN THE PREVAILING ECONOMIC CURRENT. In these challenging times, not only do we tend to feel more stress and upsets but we often neglect the part of us that can actually manage those upsets. As a result we miss out on the fruits of our labor - the joy in our life. I’ve got good news: Acupuncture can help!
Acupuncture has received a great reputation for getting rid of pain. News reports and medical studies are proving this fact more and more. However, if you allow it, acupuncture can be much more than a quick fix for pain relief, it can initiate a total shift in your consciousness, allowing you to move with ease through this sea of challenging times. Let me start at the beginning of our ideas about what healthcare is.
We typically have a very compartmentalized way of looking at our health and wellness. Our dis-ease is usually broken down into symptoms, named, and diagnosed. When we are unwell, we often go to the doctor and receive a very particular medicine, or surgery to take care of very particular symptoms. Five-Element Acupuncture is a complete system of medicine, that looks at the symptom in the context of the whole person and instead of muting the symptom, it finds the source.
Let me explain:
You’re driving along in your brand new solar powered, wind charged, hybrid convertible sports car (I wish) and that darn “maintenance” light comes on. Now, you have a few ways of handling it. One way is to cover that annoying light with masking tape and voila! Problem solved. Well at least until the car breaks down because the solar flux capacitor fails. In the long run this would be a quite expensive solution. Another possibility is to take the car into the shop and have them find the cause of the maintenance signal.
Luckily, it turns out that you just need to add some solar flux capacitor fluid and you are on your way! Both choices make the light go out, which one would you choose?
In us, the maintenance light represents a symptom. It might be a headache, back pain, depression, stress, anxiety, being overweight or any other in a multitude of signals we humans get to experience. We again have choice about how to fix these warning lights. One option is to take an Advil for that headache, numbing the alarm. Another possibility it to learn about the underlying imbalance the headache is trying to tell us about. You may be simply dehydrated! Both choices turn off the headache. Only one action actually corrects the problem.
All of our upsets, pains, or irritations, physically or emotionally, are trying to let us know that something in our lives is not on target. You may be depressed because you are not fulfilled by your job. Not to say it’s a bad job, it’s just not YOUR job. You’re suited for something else. Something in your life is missing.
Like clearing away tree limbs and boulders from a turbulent or stagnant stream assists in the smooth flow of water, clearing blocks or imbalances in the energy channels (meridians) assists in the smooth flow of Chi (life force) in the body.
Acupuncture works by creating movement, through inserting sterile, solid, hair-fine needles into particular points along the meridians. Chi flows through us just below the surface of the skin much like water flows in rivers on Earth. When Chi is teeming, we experience balance, harmony and lush abundance in our body, mind and spirit. When it’s not, we may feel pains, stresses, or upsets; like we’re just not getting what we need to thrive.
Once we know what it feels like to be centered in ourselves and truly well, we can begin to recognize our symptoms as the signals they are. When you know the cause of the signals, your long-term health is back in your control!
There are different styles of acupuncture and different kinds of acupuncturists. If you are interested, I recommend calling a few practitioners in your area to chat. Trust yourself, you will know who is right for you. In the Philadelphia area, treatments range from $50-$200. Your first session may involve a physical exam and an interview used to create a personalized treatment plan. Treatments are done weekly in the beginning, then they are spaced out as balance begins to hold. Eventually treatments are needed just once a season to help you stay in tune. Naturally this depends on your particular needs.
Acupuncture is a wonderful instrument to enhance your life. It can not only help bring relief from your symptoms but also give you the tools to take on your challenges in a new way. Acupuncture has been around for over 3000 years, take the next step, make an appointment and find it out why!
38 YOGA LIVING November/December 2009
Healthy Family | by Lance David Isakov, M.Ac., L.Ac.
Acupuncture...How can it add value to my life?
MANY OF US ARE OUT OF WORK OR WORKING EXTREMELY HARD TO STAY AFLOAT IN THE PREVAILING ECONOMIC CURRENT. In these challenging times, not only do we tend to feel more stress and upsets but we often neglect the part of us that can actually manage those upsets. As a result we miss out on the fruits of our labor - the joy in our life. I’ve got good news: Acupuncture can help!
Acupuncture has received a great reputation for getting rid of pain. News reports and medical studies are proving this fact more and more. However, if you allow it, acupuncture can be much more than a quick fix for pain relief, it can initiate a total shift in your consciousness, allowing you to move with ease through this sea of challenging times. Let me start at the beginning of our ideas about what healthcare is.
We typically have a very compartmentalized way of looking at our health and wellness. Our dis-ease is usually broken down into symptoms, named, and diagnosed. When we are unwell, we often go to the doctor and receive a very particular medicine, or surgery to take care of very particular symptoms. Five-Element Acupuncture is a complete system of medicine, that looks at the symptom in the context of the whole person and instead of muting the symptom, it finds the source.
Let me explain:
You’re driving along in your brand new solar powered, wind charged, hybrid convertible sports car (I wish) and that darn “maintenance” light comes on. Now, you have a few ways of handling it. One way is to cover that annoying light with masking tape and voila! Problem solved. Well at least until the car breaks down because the solar flux capacitor fails. In the long run this would be a quite expensive solution. Another possibility is to take the car into the shop and have them find the cause of the maintenance signal.
Luckily, it turns out that you just need to add some solar flux capacitor fluid and you are on your way! Both choices make the light go out, which one would you choose?
In us, the maintenance light represents a symptom. It might be a headache, back pain, depression, stress, anxiety, being overweight or any other in a multitude of signals we humans get to experience. We again have choice about how to fix these warning lights. One option is to take an Advil for that headache, numbing the alarm. Another possibility it to learn about the underlying imbalance the headache is trying to tell us about. You may be simply dehydrated! Both choices turn off the headache. Only one action actually corrects the problem.
All of our upsets, pains, or irritations, physically or emotionally, are trying to let us know that something in our lives is not on target. You may be depressed because you are not fulfilled by your job. Not to say it’s a bad job, it’s just not YOUR job. You’re suited for something else. Something in your life is missing.
Like clearing away tree limbs and boulders from a turbulent or stagnant stream assists in the smooth flow of water, clearing blocks or imbalances in the energy channels (meridians) assists in the smooth flow of Chi (life force) in the body.
Acupuncture works by creating movement, through inserting sterile, solid, hair-fine needles into particular points along the meridians. Chi flows through us just below the surface of the skin much like water flows in rivers on Earth. When Chi is teeming, we experience balance, harmony and lush abundance in our body, mind and spirit. When it’s not, we may feel pains, stresses, or upsets; like we’re just not getting what we need to thrive.
Once we know what it feels like to be centered in ourselves and truly well, we can begin to recognize our symptoms as the signals they are. When you know the cause of the signals, your long-term health is back in your control!
There are different styles of acupuncture and different kinds of acupuncturists. If you are interested, I recommend calling a few practitioners in your area to chat. Trust yourself, you will know who is right for you. In the Philadelphia area, treatments range from $50-$200. Your first session may involve a physical exam and an interview used to create a personalized treatment plan. Treatments are done weekly in the beginning, then they are spaced out as balance begins to hold. Eventually treatments are needed just once a season to help you stay in tune. Naturally this depends on your particular needs.
Acupuncture is a wonderful instrument to enhance your life. It can not only help bring relief from your symptoms but also give you the tools to take on your challenges in a new way. Acupuncture has been around for over 3000 years, take the next step, make an appointment and find it out why!
38 YOGA LIVING November/December 2009
Friday, September 16
New Meditation class in Wayne!
I am offering a new 4 week series on Meditation. The series is designed for beginners but all levels are welcome! I hope you can join us!
When?
Monday Evenings from 7:45-8:30 pm
Monday Evenings from 7:45-8:30 pm
The 4 classes will be held on : September 26th, October 3rd, 17th, 24th
Where?
Lance's Acupuncture Office
Lance's Acupuncture Office
Wayne Family Acupuncture
124 Bloomingdale Ave.
2nd floor (above Mainline Eye Specialists)
Wayne, PA 19087
How much?
$30 for the series or $10 to drop-in
I am limiting the class size to 7 folks so please RSVP to reserve your spot.
Other stuff
keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming Fall Seasonal Letter, not only is it packed with juicy bits of wisdom, but it also contain a great special too ! it will be arriving in the next couple weeks!
AND... my book on Kundalini Yoga is almost finish! ill be sending a copy of the ebook to you in the near future!
AND! thats it =)
looking forward to seeing you soon!
Enjoy the shift to autumn!
Peace and Blessings,
Lance
Tuesday, September 6
Naomi Judd's & Oprah On Acupuncture
Its really amazing to me how mainstream acupuncture is getting. People are finally starting to see the amazing effects of this medicine and its spreading! Yay! check out these two links !
Just found this Acupuncture video of Naomi Judd getting acupuncture {p.s. not all of us acupuncturist have ponytails =) } and Oprah now has an Intro to Acupuncture section on her website.
enjoy =)
Just found this Acupuncture video of Naomi Judd getting acupuncture {p.s. not all of us acupuncturist have ponytails =) } and Oprah now has an Intro to Acupuncture section on her website.
enjoy =)
Saturday, August 27
You will be blown away by this Yoga Class So dont come!
Hi Folks,
Due to our little low pressure weather system and following suite with the Churches and Malls =)....
I am cancelling our Yoga Class and All acupuncture appointments for Sunday Aug 28th.
We will turn our Yoga 7 Week series into a 6 week series. with a price change to match...All the details are below.***
ALSO we have 1 more spot available for this series!Do you know someone who is ready to 110% shine their greatness and/or someone who wants to learn an inexpensive way to feel amazing? If so please share this via : or forward this email to them.
Be safe and remember to not fly any kites AND INSTEAD OF OUR CLASS...please practice the following meditation: (ps. now is a good time)....DO IT at least 1 time to see how it feels....if you feel great do every day!)
In Joy,
Lance
Kundalini Yoga Meditation To Adjust Your Magnetic Field.
"Thousands of years ago yogis observed that earthquakes (and other natural disasters like hurricanes) impacted the human in more ways than just the physical or mental. One’s psyche can feel displacement or disoriented.After an earthquake (or hurricane) the two hemispheres of the brain need to become aligned so that the magnetic field can become adjusted. Practice this meditation to synchronize the magnetic relationship of the two hemispheres of the brain so that you can be truly present." - Yogi Bhajan
Sit on the floor with a straight spine. Or sit in a chair with both feet flat on the ground and your body weight equally divided on your buttocks.
LEFT ARM POSITION: Slightly cup your left hand and hold it over your left ear. The left elbow is pointing forward with the upper arm parallel to the ground.
RIGHT ARM POSITION: Create a Conch Mudra (see drawing) of your right hand by creating a loose fist. Extend your right arm straight out to the side. Bend the elbow and hold your right fist in a firm position by your right ear.
MANTRA AND MOVEMENT: Chant the mantra SAA TAA NAA MAA, using the following melody, as you hit the left side of your head with your left hand in time with the mantra:
EYES: Eyes are focused on the tip of the nose. TIME: Do the meditation for 11-31 minutes.
REVISED*** Kundalini Yoga & Meditation 6 week series
Focus on Self-Realization: The Development of Your Utmost Potential!
With Lance & Amy
Dates:
September: 4th, 25th
October: 2nd, 16th, 23rd & 30th
Time: Sunday Mornings 10:30 am -12:00 pm
Cost: $75 for the entire series or $15 drop-in
At: The Center for Vitality & Wellness
6 Waterloo Ave, Berwyn PA 19312
Thursday, August 18
Late Summer Letter- Acupuncture Health Tips for the Philadelphia Mainline
Late-Summer Salutations!
I invite you to stop. Whatever it is that you were doing, give this email your full attention. It contains wisdom to help you thrive.
The story I am about to tell you is not unlike the fire-side tales our ancestors recounted which bestowed upon the listener the wisdom of nature and the magic of the universe.
Our ancestors knew that we were one with the natural cycle and lived by the laws of nature. We still adhere to these laws, as they are indellible rhythms in us, though we are consciously removed from them. When our internal cycle is ignored and unbalanced we have innumerable symptoms (anxiety, stress, poor health, upset relationships, etc..) that show up. By simply learning, understanding and applying Five Element Acupuncture Theory you can create a deep-rooted balance in the internal cycle of seasons and restore your health and happiness.
There are five intrinsic movements in life, Five Elements, Five Seasons. Right now in our cycle of seasons we are in what some would call the "extra" season. It could never be considered surplus, however, when we look at the depth of this time of year. This season of late summer contains the Earth Element. What does this energy have to teach us? It is a docent of our essential need and capacity for Nurturing. Earth is our original mother. She is our cradle and our grave. All our necessities such as food, shelter and clothing come from Mama Earth. She gives without omission, unconditionally, and without depletion. With her bountiful offerings of ripe fruits and vegetables, Late Summer is the quintessential time of abundance, when no child of the universe need go hungry.
From birth until death, the 5 Elements cycle. In utero, they create our body systems. Physically the Earth Element manifests as our Stomach, which breaks down and digests food; and the Spleen, which energetically transports that nourishmentaround the body. Emotionally, the Earth Element appears assympathy, empathy and compassion. Its our ability to give and receive care and mothering energy. Sometimes we have a hard time receiving life's gifts. This is a good time of year to notice and perhaps practice taking in. Spiritually, the Earth Element gives us the ability to feel completely nourished, stable, and secure in all areas of our life. We are so full in fact, that we overflow and shower all others with our bounty.
When Earth is out of balance in you, you may feel insecure, obsessively worry or be overly concerned with everyone other than yourself. Contrarily, you may be self-centered and alientating to others. You may not be able to give or receive help or care from others. You may feel poor, a lack of abundance, like you don't have enough. Physically, you may experience muscle pain, gas, digestive problems, diabetes, obesity, ulcers, headaches or even cancer. You may also find it hard to lose or gain weight.
When Earth is in balance you have the gifts of nurturing, thoughtfulness, nourishment, taste, sympathy, stability and home.
5 Tools to help your Earth Element - hint: START TODAY!
1. Before you get out of bed each morning, think of 5 things you are greatful for and feel your abundance growing.
2. Practice giving thoughtful, inexpensive gifts for no reason.
3. Practice accepting offers of help and really taking in expressions of gratitude from others.
4. Sit down and eat locally-grown produce, slowly and in a calm atmosphere.
5. Close your eyes and practice a simple meditation to give your mind a holiday from thought.
If you have been receiving seasonal acupuncture treatments, now is the perfect time to come in for your late- summer session. We can focus on the qualities of nurturing, centering and alignment in your body, mind and soul! If you are new to acupuncture now is the perfect time to harvest the fruit of Five Element Acupuncture sessions =)
As always I am available to anyone ready to heal thier emotional, spiritual or physical health issues. My main goal is helping my patients, not only feel better, but to thrive in every area of life. Please forward this letter or my information to your friends, family and even enemies - if you have them =).
To your abundant health, wellness and vitality,
Lance
Wayne Family Acupuncture
Lance David Isakov, M.Ac., L.Ac., DIpl.Ac., CYT
124 Bloomingdale Avenue
Wayne, PA 19087
Saturday, August 6
Upcoming Late Summer and Fall Events
1. Kundalini Yoga & Meditation 7 week series (Flyer)
Focus on Self-Realization: The development of your utmost potential!
With Lance & Amy
Dates:
August 28th
September: 4th, 25th
October: 2nd, 16th, 23rd & 30th
Time: Sunday Mornings 10:30 am -12:00 pm
Cost: $85 for the entire series or $15 drop-in
@: The Center for Vitality & Wellness
6 Waterloo Ave, Berwyn PA 19312
Note: Space is limited to 10 people, please RSVP by emailing or calling (610) 203-3747.
We have no doubt that this will be the most fun, empowering and expanding series of yoga classes you will take!
2. Mermaid Moon Lodge with Amy
Every new moon, for women only. For more info send an email to Amy or call (443) 955-2211
3. 10 Tools for a Meaningful and Healthy Life Discussion Series
Feeling overwhelmed or stress out? Does time seem like its just slipping away? Are you ready to live the life you know is waiting for you?
Then join us for this lecture series with Lance Isakov, Licensed Acupuncturist. You will receive real tools that you can apply to your life starting today.
TIME: 6:30-7:30 pm
DATES: Mondays August 29th , September 26th and October 31st
WHERE?: Upstairs @ The Gryphon Cafe - 105 W. Lancaster Ave, Wayne PA 19087 (next to the Wayne Movie Theater)
a $5 donation will be accepted if offered!
RSVP: by emailing or calling (610) 203-3747.
Monday, August 1
Acupuncture in Philadelphia Article
August 01, 2011|By Paul Jablow, For The Inquirer
May 2005, it seemed like an intriguing match.
The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine announced a partnership with the Tai Sophia Institute, a center for complementary and alternative medicine based in Laurel, Md.
The collaboration sought to combine Penn's expertise in traditional, evidence-based Western medicine with Tai Sophia's strengths in non-Western therapies such as acupuncture.
But resistance on the Penn campus was fierce. Neal Nathanson, a Penn epidemiologist who echoed the views of many, called the collaboration "a return to voodoo medicine" and said in a recent interview that it "put us in bed with an outfit that we didn't support in terms of the principles."
Acceptance of acupuncture by the medical community is not purely an academic issue. There is big money involved. Medicare and Medicaid don't cover it, and most private insurance plans don't either. Some group plans under Independence Blue Cross, the region's largest health insurer, reimburse part of the cost in certain circumstances.
A 2007 survey by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) showed that Americans spent nearly $12 billion out of pocket on visits to alternative-medicine practitioners such as acupuncturists, chiropractors, and massage therapists.
Some people clearly are substituting alternative treatment - a broad and hard-to-define category - for mainstream therapies, but many others use both, often for very different reasons. Alternative practitioners often say that the medical profession does not understand what they do.
Acupuncturist Ed Cunningham cites a time he was treating a patient for back pain, placing the metal needles in locations first mapped out centuries ago. (The earliest written records of acupuncture date back to China around 200 B.C.)
"Then he started complaining about groin pain," Cunningham recalls. "I turned him over and realized he had what were almost certainly cancerous nodules. I told him, 'You need to go to a doctor tomorrow. Not next week, tomorrow.' "
Cunningham is clinical director at the Won Institute. And the incident reflects one of the school's basic philosophies: Treat where acupuncture can be effective, know where it can't, and work along with traditional Western medicine.
"I treat people with cancer, but I make it very clear I'm not treating them for cancer," says Cunningham, a former critical-care nurse. "I'm treating them for the effects of chemotherapy and radiation. It helps them tolerate more aggressive treatments."
At Won, the only Pennsylvania program among the 58 schools in the United States that are accredited by the Greenbelt, Md.-based Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, entering students must have college-level credits in biology, chemistry, and physics. The national licensure examination has a lengthy module on Western medicine.
Recent students have included a French history major, an artist, a carpenter, chiropractors, a veterinarian, and a nurse-anesthetist. Some Won graduates have migrated from more conventional professions because of personal experience.
Lester Rolf, 70, a veterinarian who took care of research animals at the University of Pennsylvania, credits acupuncture with relieving his asthma. When he retired from Penn in 2008, he entered Won, "where I watched people feeling better and doing better and reducing their medications." He is now preparing for the exam.
But while accreditation and state licensing may elevate the status of acupuncture, they don't get it over the last barrier of acceptance in the United States: Research that proves its effectiveness by Western, evidence-based standards.
In China, where acupuncture has been most widely practiced, "they don't have the same standards of research. They don't do good control studies," says Mary Ellen Scheckenbach, acupuncture chair at Won.
One strong supporter of acupuncture, psychiatrist James S. Gordon, says that part of the problem with acupuncture is that "people oversell it." For example, he does not recommend that patients go to an acupuncturist for diagnosis of an ailment unless all traditional avenues have failed.
Gordon, who heads the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, uses acupuncture for stress relief on virtually all his patients but says "there's no definitive research that shows that it's effective, except for pain issues and addiction recovery."
The NIH's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which is supporting dozens of studies of acupuncture, puts it this way on its website: While research on the specific effects of acupuncture have been inconclusive, "the observation of substantial pain relief in effectiveness-design studies cannot be dismissed."
"It's hard to study," Gordon says, "but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. Have the Chinese been lying to themselves for 4,000 years or is there something there?"
Jun Mao, a physician and acupuncturist at Penn, is one of dozens of researchers around the country who are trying.
Starting this fall, he will head a three-year, NIH-funded study intended to find out whether acupuncture can help breast-cancer survivors tolerate drugs that can cause severe joint pain. One-third of the 75 participants will get acupuncture, one-third will get "sham" acupuncture, in which needles are essentially put in the wrong places, and one-third will receive conventional care, including exercise and over-the-counter pain medication.
"Our goal is to manage their symptoms so they can stay on the drugs," Mao said.
Other recent research has used brain-imaging techniques and explored chemical changes in the body triggered by acupuncture. Studies have included the use of acupuncture to increase fertility for women undergoing in vitro fertilization.
Still, acupuncture is more difficult to study than, say, drugs, because its effectiveness may depend heavily on the individual practitioner's skill.
"It's the same problem with physical therapy or massage," says Lixing Lao, who heads the Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
"Some critics will never be happy," says Lynnae Schwartz, a pediatric anesthesiologist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia who regularly uses acupuncture. "I'm most concerned with building a relationship to the patient, and I'm bringing more than a needle."
Saturday, July 16
Summer Letter
Happy Summer!
We are officially into the third week of summer! Having fun? In Five Element Acupuncture theory, Summer is represented by the Fire Element:The height of the cycle ofQi or life force energy. If we look closely we can see it in nature; the fullness of the deciduous trees harvesting the fire of the sun in their acres of leaves. The abundance of flowers are showing off their pretty petals and their intoxicating perfumes are attracting potential pollinators. Those buzzing bees are cavorting tantrically between stamens, fertilizing a potential harvest of fruits and veggies.
Within us, the energy of Fire shows up similarly and we call it warmth, maturity, joy, romantic relationships, communication and sexuality. Spiritually, the fire energy has do to with our full expression of being, knowing our true spirit and shining it out to the world. Knowing in this case extends beyond the intellect and into the bones, into the unquestionable fire of true knowing.
One of the goals of Five Element Acupuncture is to nurture and balance the cycle of seasonal energy thereby resolving our symptoms. One symptom of imbalance that may be telling you there is a block in your energy flow is feeling like you are "in a rut". For some people that means depression, for others anxiety, for others frustration. Acupuncture can break the seemingly unbreakable patterns, and if you get them soon enough, you can prevent the aches and pains some have taken as a regular part of daily life.
When Fire is out of balance you may feel sad, lonely, shy, doubtful, confused, anxious or depressed. You may find it hard to make friends, have intimate relationships, or just connect in general. You may feel low energy, lack of warmth or experience insomnia or heart disease.
When Fire is in balance you have the gifts of warmth, partnership, compassion, connection, joy, laughter, touch and knowing. Just to name a few.
If your Summertime energy or Fire element is feeling stuck here are a couple exercises that can help spark your it!
When Fire is in balance you have the gifts of warmth, partnership, compassion, connection, joy, laughter, touch and knowing. Just to name a few.
If your Summertime energy or Fire element is feeling stuck here are a couple exercises that can help spark your it!
- Laugh! Watch a funny film or your favorite comedian - check outSteven Wright =). Learn a new joke and deliver it to 3 people!
- Make a new friend! strike up a conversation today with someone who catches your fancy! It may be the start of something beautiful!
- Make a campfire! spend time around a real live fire! invite your friends! tell stories and jokes, makes smores...
If you have been receiving seasonal acupuncture treatments, now is the perfect time to come in for your summer session. We can help bring joy and expansiveness to your body, mind and soul! If you are new to acupuncture now is the perfect time to spring into sessions =) We are currently accepting new patients so if you know anyone who may be interested please feel free to pass on our information.
Click here to schedule your session, email or call me at (610) 203-3747.
In service,
Lance
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My hope is that the ideas and information presented here inspire a new definition of healthcare and wellness for you.
Five Element Acupuncture is a complete system of medicine that addresses the whole person. Symptoms and diseases are viewed in the context of the individual and are seen as teachers of balance and vitality.
Chinese Medicine and Five Element Acupuncture, in particular, can offer not only relief from your symptoms and upsets but also bring a refreshing personal understanding, a deeper spiritual connection and richer world view.
5 ways you and your family will benefit from Five Element Acupuncture5 unique advantages you get in my practice If you are ready to make the changes that will lead to greater health, deeper purpose, and a renewed sense of inspiration I am ready to serve you.
Its easy to get started:
Simply call my office at (610) 203-3747 or
use online booking to arrange your session.
It is my deepest calling to guide others towards their greatness and I am truly honored to have the opportunity to share this work with you.
I look forward to it,
Lance