March 2014 Schedule Changes

• Mon 3/3,  9:30 am - 2 pm - Tatyana works for Pam
• Tues 3/4, 2 - 6:30 pm - Lynn works for Pam
• Wed 3/5,  9:30 am - 2 pm - Sean works for Lynn
• Thur - 3/6, 3 - 6 pm - First day of massage with Meave O'Connor, Pam is out, Sean and Lynn regular hours

NEW! Massage on Thursdays with Meave O'Connor

We are excited to announce that Meave O'Connor, a wonderful, nurturing bodyworker and a long-time Sarana client and supporter will be joining our practitioner team!

Meave will be offering acupressure massage on Thursdays 3 - 6 pm starting on 3/6/14. Please call us (510-526-5056) to schedule your appointment or book online anytime.

More about Meave and her work:

I come to Asian bodywork from a lifelong interest in complementary medicine and healing practices. I started my acupressure bodywork practice after a career as a public school teacher where I worked with children who had learning disabilities.

I have received most of my training at the Berkeley Acupressure Institute and continue to study privately with some of the faculty members there. In my practice at Sarana I will be using the active bodywork styles of acupressure, including tui na, shiatsu and some reflexology.

Tui na (Chinese massage) stimulates the acupressure points using a combination of hand motions and massage techniques to increase the flow of blood and energy in the body. Shiatsu uses pressure placed strategically along the meridians (energetic pathways) to release blockages and to stimulate the flow of chi (essential life force). Reflexology uses massage and pressure point techniques on the feet and hands to favorably influence the body, mind and spirit.

As an activist who helps to protect and restore the environment, I have come to understand that our bodies are much like the natural world and oftentimes reflections of it. Working with the energy meridians to enable the body's wisdom to balance the whole person is the practice I love.

I enjoy dancing, music, film and theater as well as hiking and swimming. Being a vagabond at heart I have traveled far and wide. I've been practicing yoga daily for 30 years and have recently started to study Qigong with Master Mingtong Gu.

I volunteer at the Charlotte Maxwell Complimentary Clinic in Oakland where there is a strong community healing atmosphere, similar to Sarana, which vibrates with love and connection. I strongly support the community acupuncture model and am a longtime Sarana client. I look forward to being part of Sarana's community of caring and knowledgeable practitioners.

Lunar New Year of the Yang Wood Horse

January 31, 2014 marks the beginning of the Year of the Yang Wood Horse. The Chinese horoscope is based on a cycle of 12 animals (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig) and 5 elements, (wood, fire, earth, metal and water). Thus, a particular animal-element combination recurs only once every 60 years. During the last (yin) Wood Horse year (1954), Joseph McCarthy's 'red scare' anti-communist witch-hunts dominated but were later condemned by the US Senate, the Viet Cong were created, the first shopping mall opened in the US, the first color television was manufactured, and Rock N Roll began. Famous Wood Horses include: Ang Lee, Jackie Chan, Muhammed Ali, Jimi Hendrix, Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Seinfeld, Justice Sonia Sotomajor, Condoleezza Rice, Denzel Washington

The horse in Chinese astrology is a cavalry horse, identified with the nobility and having qualities of vigor, attentiveness, and soldier-like discipline. While 2013, the year of the water snake, was a year for mysticism and non-action, horse energy is plain, direct, and obvious. Wood energy, associated with spring and renewal  feeds fire, the native element of the horse, so makes this a particularly vigorous year. Following are prognostications offered by Daoist scholar Liu Ming.

• General Recommendations: While the results of last year's snake energy mysticism, introspection, and transformation may continue to percolate over the next 4-5 years, the wood horse energy is more like a “re-set” opportunity with images of childlike innocence or a sharp blow to the head while meditating. It is a year to refresh oneself.  Through the spring, energy is enthusiastic but unthinking, hence has the potential for stupidity and danger. In the first 3 months of the year, lay low and don't overreact to uncertainty. The horse, however, is very trainable and hard-working, so starting educational projects in the spring, especially gradual non-oppressive training programs, may enable the nobility and maturity of the horse to predominate by the fall. With good mentoring, friendship, warmth, and reciprocity, the wood horse year can be very flexible. This is a good year for straight-from-the-heart action.

• Politically, not much will happen. This year is not about power but more about distractedness. Youth will be less depressed and less likely to be recruited as terrorists. The emergence of new ideas is probable. New non-national leaders may emerge. India and China will increasingly shape the world's future.

• In business and finance, new is good, but teamwork will be needed to make new ideas work. Expect growth in young technologies: Internet and popular funding. Expect a narrower focus – local vs. universal where the village emerges as the primary social sphere.

• In health, injuries will be more common than illness and incomplete healing of injuries is likely this year when horse-energy impels us to want to get back to work. On the other hand, this year's “upward and outward” energy can help expel deeply embedded chronic injuries. Try to be thorough and conscientious even though impulses will take you elsewhere. Choose doctors with experience and integrity.

• In the Inner Realm, in horse years, the spiritual path is found embedded in work, ordinary routines, and the Zen of ordinary life. 'Beginner's mind' will be good this year and education will be key to changing the dangerous, compulsive character of the year to wisdom. Romantically, friendship will be more important this year than family – value old and new friends for sympathy and empathy rather than rely on partners. Remember that horse energy favors action not words.

The wood horse year ends and the wood goat year begins on February 19, 2015. Next year's orderly goat energy will be an antidote to this year's impulsive wildness.

~ image and text by Pamela Chang

February 2014 Newsletter

Valentine's Day 5 for $65 Special!

Available Sunday 2/9 through Friday 2/14 only

The popular 5 for $65 acupuncture package will be available for a very limited time this month. Introduce your sweetheart to community acupuncture with 5 for $65 gift certificate. Feel free to treat yourself as well while you are at it, then come in and relax together! The gift certificates come with colorful envelopes.

(One per person, no initial paperwork fee required for new clients, no other discounts apply.)

We also have (non-discounted) gift certificates for single fist or follow-up visits or just an amount of money towards any services (including massage).

Please stop by to purchase -- or call us if you prefer to order over the phone.

Bring a Newbie and Get a Freebie!

Wednesdays in February

Share health and help your loved ones discover the nourishing benefits of consistent acupuncture.

Bring a NEW client with you to Sarana on any Wednesday in February and receive a free return visit for yourself on the same day. Please make separate appointments for both you and your friend - online or by phone.

Happy Lunar New Year!

The Year of Yang Wood Horse arrived on January 31st.This new year promises high energy, decisive action and unexpected adventures. Look for a notice about a more in-depth blog post describing what the Horse Year will hold in store in a couple of weeks.

New Sarana Photos

Last month Sarana had a professional photo shoot. It was part of Women's Initiative for Self-Employmentproject profiling Tatyana as one of their graduates. Check out the photo album here or on Facebook page. We are really grateful to April Wise for amazing photography and to all our lovely photo model volunteers!

Volunteers Needed

We are still looking for a few front desk volunteers.

Some basic computer skills and ability to multitask while remaining friendly and calm are very helpful. Training is provided. All our volunteers are members of the POCA co-op and regular clients of Sarana.

Your rewards for your volunteer time include: free acupuncture; the opportunity to learn new skills while supporting Sarana's welcoming, nurturing atmosphere; and enormous gratitude from the rest of the staff and clients.

To learn more and to apply, please email us info@saranacommunityacupuncture.com, attn: Donna, call the clinic; or just stop by.

Practitioner Searching For Housing

Our new acupunk Sean is looking for affordable / shared housing in the East Bay, preferably in the North Berkeley / Albany area. If you have any leads, please send us an email to

info@saranacommunityacupuncture.com, attn: Sean.

Help Us Grow!

We really appreciate you spreading the word about Sarana within your circles. Our rates are affordable because we treat a high volume of clients, and as folks feel better and move on... we need new folks to take care of!

Things you can do to help:

• Ask for "friend cards" at the front desk and give them to your family, friends or or co-workers you believe would enjoy and benefit from coming to Sarana
• Grab some postcards and post them at your local cafe, gym, library branch, health food store, church etc.
• Tell your chiropractor, massage therapist. yoga teacher, psychotherapist etc. about our clinic and offer them some of our business cards for referrals
• Like us on Facebook and share our page with your Facebook freinds
• Leave us feedback on Yelp

Thank you for your support!