The Right (and Wrong) Way to Use Essential Oils

Remember the last time you were in nature, and the aroma of the sweet grass, the smell of the forest trees, or the scent of the richness of the earth instantly relaxed the tension in your shoulders and brought your stress level to zero? Or how about when you smell a fresh bouquet of roses, and […]

How To Heal Relationships On The Astral Plane

Did you know that you can heal a relationship even though the other person is not physically with you? Sometimes, when there is an abrupt ending to a deep relationship – due to a breakup, a physical death, or otherwise – the biggest part of our devastation is due to the belief that we are […]

"Happiness" by M Yashna, used with permission under CC BY 2.0. Source.

A Manifesting Poem Towards Personal Liberation

Before I became a Licensed Acupuncturist and Reiki Master/Teacher, my background was in zines (I was editrix for an independently published print magazine called Bamboo Girl Zine, which explored, racism, sexism, and homophobia from a mixed-race Asian/Pinay point of view), independent media, spoken word/poetry, performance art, and community activism. All the while, I nourished my juicy […]

How Forgiving Yourself Is The Ultimate Form Of Self-Love (And How To Do It)

I hear people brag about how hard they are on themselves. Like it’s a badge. While it is important to hold a certain standard of what we want to achieve, it does very little for our physical, mental, and spiritual health to berate ourselves for not being better. For not keeping up with the Joneses. […]

5 Non-Traditional Ways To Love Yourself Like A Badass

Self-love.  There are entire sections in the bookstore dedicated to this in the Self-Help section. For a reason! We grow up being taught not to love ourselves – from our nose, to our hair, to our body type, to our gifts, to our voice. The list is endless! We see it reflected in the media, […]

My Top 8 Books On Acupuncture, Reiki, And Intuition For Newbies

“Do you have any good books you can recommend if I’d like to learn more about Acupuncture?” “What are some good books on Reiki?” “Is there anything I can read to learn how to develop my intuition?” These are questions I am often asked by my patients. And, it’s usually following an Acupuncture or Reiki treatment, when […]

When Our Journey Towards Wholeness Means Falling Apart First: 5 Ways To Hold Space For Spirit And Heart

“Something very beautiful happens to people when their world has fallen apart: a humility, a nobility, a higher intelligence emerges at just the point when our knees hit the floor.” -Marianne Williamson Today marks the time between the Total Solar Eclipse/New Supermoon and the Total Lunar Eclipse/Super “Justice” Moon, and it has been a process […]

Why Taking On The Pain Of Others Is A No-Win Situation

There has been a lot of movement of death and rebirth, whether symbolic or literal, in many of our lives at this time. Because of this, many of us are witnessing distress in the lives of our loved ones. This could show up as learning about the fatal illness of a dear one, or learning that […]

Rhodonite wand from author's personal collection. Copyright © 2015 by Alcantara Acupuncture & Healing Arts. All rights reserved.

The Top 3 Crystals You Should Be Using To Bring In Love

Ah, Valentine’s Day is this Saturday. What does that mean to you? For many, it is a time when we are saturated with media hype, Godiva confections, and presented with cultural expectations of what it means to perform optimally in relationships, existing, or otherwise. For me, it is just another opportunity to tap into the love that tops all […]

"if you don't say the words it doesnt hurt as much" (cropped) by Jenavieve, used with permission under CC BY 2.0. Source.

Why Not Speaking Your Truth Can Be Hazardous To Your Health (The Throat Chakra)

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Speaking your truth is related to the Throat Chakra, or Fifth Chakra, in Reiki. When there are imbalances in the Throat Chakra, it can result in neck and throat issues, such as, but not limited to: […]