"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 […]

"Struggle" by Mark Ingle, used with permission under CC BY 2.0. Source.

How To Break Through Fear And More Greatly Align With Your Authentic Self

“Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It’s about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.”  ― Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who […]

Spring Renewal Workshop A Success And Foods That Benefit The Liver

This past Saturday, April 4th, Chia-Ti Chiu of One Love Wellness, and I, held the Spring Renewal Workshop. Amidst the Total Lunar Eclipse and Full Supermoon, the cosmic time was ripe to release what no longer served us, and herald in Spring time. The Total Lunar Eclipse is a time when we get a window into our […]

A sampling from the author's herbal apothecary.
Copyright © 2015 by Alcantara Acupuncture & Healing Arts. All rights reserved.

My Top 5 Fave Herbs For Healthy Living

Long before I became a Licensed Acupuncturist and Reiki Master/Teacher, I was a punk rocker/zinester who was delving into all things healing (do the two coincide? Sure, why not!) I was also exploring my roots, which is a melting pot of sorts – Filipino, Spanish, Irish, and Chinese. I was driven to learn more about all […]

Some of the participants during the Fall Detox Wellness Workshop this past Sunday.

Fall Detox Wellness Workshop A Success And 5 Tips For Detoxing At Home

This past Sunday, on October 5, 2014, Chia-Ti Chiu, of One Love Wellness, and I collaborated on a Fall Detox-themed wellness workshop – to heal and release what no longer serves us, so that we can welcome the Fall harvest. Chia-Ti and I go a ways back. I was editrix and publisher of my independently published […]

What Are You Grateful For?

Whether or not you celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, I want to drop you a quick note to let you know that I am grateful for your readership, as well as the possibility of being of assistance in helping you gain further connection with your self, and others, through this blog. We are all on this Earth […]

Featured On Rappler!: “Margarita Alcantara: From Bamboo Girl to healer”

Last month, I was featured on Rappler, a social news network based in the Philippines, where stories inspire community engagement and digitally fuelled actions for social change.  The article Rina Angela Corpus wrote about me was entitled, “Margarita Alcantara: From Bamboo Girl to healer”.  I think she did a great job!  You may remember Rina’s name […]

Eighty-five year old Juliana Mungca playing the violin-like instrument of Blaans called “Dawagay” in Barangay Landan, Polomolok, South Cotabato, Mindanao. "Dawagay" by Keith Bacongco, used with permission under CC BY 2.0. Source.

Guest Blogger Rina Corpus: Poetry Honoring Philippine Indigenous Healing

Note:  I welcome Rina Angela Corpus, assistant professor at the Department of Art Studies, University of the Philippines, as my first ever guest blogger!  She initially dropped me a line to contribute to my zine, Bamboo Girl, which I had published back in the day.  Apparently, BG is still making waves!  Rina had submitted some beautiful […]

June 12, 2012 Healthy Living, Zines | 2 Comments

"Chinatown NYC Lunar New Year" (cropped) by Patrick Kwan, used with permission under CC BY 2.0. Source.

Enter The Dragon! Chinese Lunar New Year 2012 Is Underway

Happy Chinese New Year!  Year of the Black Water Dragon. Granted, it started on Monday, January 23rd, the first day of the first Chinese lunar month.  But, luckily for us, we have until February 4th to celebrate (since it’s the last day of the Chinese New Year festival, and the first day of the Chinese […]

Yours Truly in Union Square. Picture by Cristina Pastor.

“From Warrior to Healer” Interview in The Fil-Am

Archetypes proliferate through our culture.  I speak about it a little bit in a previous blog post. One definition, as listed in the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, explains it as, “In Jungian psychology, an inherited pattern of thought or symbolic imagery derived from the past collective experience and present in the individual unconscious.” […]