Essence & Qi

A blog by Pacific College

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It’s the Friday Wrap-Up!

OM in the news this week. Check it out!

An Artistic Wave Comes to Campus

“I believe art is a healing force and I’d love to inspire a wave of Asian healing art.” – Laurie Morse, LAc

 Art can inspire learning; so what better opportunity to bring an artistic learning environment to PCOM, than moving into a fresh, new building? Just in case you didn’t hear the news yet, PCOM has expanded its doors…to right next door! The new PCOM building has an artsy Asian vibe, created in large part by the artwork of PCOM Alumna Laurie Morse, LAc, which the school hopes will bring out creativity and mindfulness in students.

 Located adjacent to the original Main Campus building (Main Building 1), the new building (Main Building 2) is now officially a part of the Pacific College Main Campus and there is no longer an Annex 2. We’re excited about our new space, so let us give you a tour!

To start off, when you enter the new building you will notice right away the unique art pieces hanging on the walls, created by Laurie. The pieces are all for sale, so if you would like to purchase one to add to your acupuncture or massage practice, or would like to commission a special piece, see Laurie’s “Acquisition of Art” instructions hanging in the hallway. (90% of proceeds go directly to Laurie and 10% go to the PCOM scholarship fund.)

Laurie believes that healing can come from all different avenues. “I’d love to infuse our culture with Asian art to inspire healing from yet another angle (other than acupuncture, herbs, nutrition, etc.),” Laurie said.

The inspiration for her work is simple: “First and foremost, Chinese Medicine. Also I love the characters, they evoke something ancient in me.  Using an ancient character in a mixed-media style reminds me of an “ancient wisdom in modern times” idea,” Laurie said, and isn’t that idea exactly what Pacific College is all about?

Moving on, the artistic wave continues into the “mindful meditation” room on the right. This room is not open yet, but soon!  Here, students, faculty, and staff will be welcomed to come and enjoy a few moments of respite in the midst of their likely more chaotic day. Peace, rest, and mindfulness are what this room is centered around. This room will also be available as a massage practice room.

If you come out of the mindful meditation room and go to the left, you’ll pass a classroom, and come to our “comfy commons” room. Complete with oversized, cushy chairs, high tables and bar stools, students can relax and read, or plug in their laptops and study in a “comfy commons” environment (not a classroom…).

You’ll see that our new classrooms are not just ordinary classrooms however, two are fully equipped as science labs for our bio-medicine and nutrition hands-on learning classes. There are four classrooms total in our new building: 100, 101, 102, 103.

 

The hallway furthest to the left leads to some of our staff offices including the Symposium Department, HR, President and Vice President of Operations, Marketing, and IT Departments. And that about sums it up!

PCOM Campus Director Jaime Kornsweig says, “We are really excited about the new building. With its proximity to Main Building 1, it allows us to have more of a traditional campus feeling. Community is really a big underlying theme, with our new study space, break room, and massage room open to the whole community. It’s not just a relocation, it’s an improvement and expansion of our community. The layout of Main Building 1 is more intuitive with all of the departments having a sense of togetherness within the greater PCOM family. We’re also excited about our improvements to the clinic and Campus Information Center coming in August!”

We’d love to hear from you about your favorite aspects of our new space and what your favorite art pieces are too! How does art inspire you and bring healing to the world? Let us know at: media@pacificcollege.edu and the person with the most creative answer will win their very own print by Laurie Morse! (Hint: using pictures, video, and other creative mediums is encouraged!)

It’s the Friday Wrap-Up!

OM in the news this week. Check it out!

Self Care Tips for Massage Therapists: You Take Care of Others’ Pain, Be Sure to Prevent Your Own

Massage therapists are naturally nurturing, intuitive individuals. They dedicate their careers to helping others release pain and get their bodies back into balance. However, if a massage therapist doesn’t take great care to avoid it, they may be on a path toward the opposite effect on their own health.

Remember, you best serve your clients by putting yourself first. It’s hard to give a great treatment if you feel run down or have aches of your own. Hours of performing massage therapy can take a toll on the body. Prevent injury or weariness by following these simple steps:

(It’s a great idea to practice these tips with a fellow practitioner before using with patients.)

  • It’s common to work with a client lying prone (lying face down) or supine (lying face up) on the table. However, these positions mean that the therapist must bend over the client (the angle can vary further depending on the height of the table). If sustained for long periods of time, this bent position can lead to back problems. Don’t be afraid to switch it up. Change your patient’s position so you’re not in one position for the duration of each massage. For example, you can try positioning the patient in the side-line position, which will allow you to remain upright. Depending on what technique you use, you can also have the client sit in a chair in front of you for a Tui Na Asian bodywork treatment.
  • Also, feel free to alter your position in relation to your client’s (even if their position remains the same). It’s common to place yourself at the client’s head so that you’re able to provide long strokes down the back. However, the longer your reach the more you are bending at a ninety degree angle. Try a variation on your own position so that sometimes you are at the patient’s side.
  • An electric massage table can work wonders. It will allow you to easily adjust table height per client (and prevent you from bending over lower than necessary).
  • Remember to keep your wrists straight as you massage. This will prevent carpal tunnel and loss of sensation in the hands as you apply pressure (which can lead to nerve damage).

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“Breast Cancer Boot Camp” Just Released!

Check out “Breast Cancer Boot Camp” Dr. Hobbins’s Breast Thermography Revolution, by William B. Hobbins M.D. and Pacific College Alumna Wendy Sellens L.Ac. Discover how you can arm yourself in the fight against breast cancer.

Wendy says, “If around 80% of breast cancers are “fed” by estrogens, why do doctors and “wellness centers” continue to prescribe them? Why is the answer to every female issue more estrogen?

The answers can be found in breast thermography, a safe screening procedure that begins in the twenties which monitors blood circulation in the breasts and determines individual risk for early detection.”

Check out Breast Cancer Boot Camp HERE.

Also, check out our video featuring Wendy!