Seminar Style: Mary Elizabeth Wakefield Part I

From Eden Park B&B in Takoma Park, MD:

It is going to take a while to assimilate all of the information I have learned in day one of Mary Elizabeth Wakefield's Constitutional Facial Acupuncture Renewal. After meeting a fellow TCM practitioner from California at the airport last night (4 hours later than expected due to monsoon style thunder and lightning), and hoofing it almost 1.5 miles in the heat and humidity to the seminar, I found myself in a room of local Tai Sopheia trained 5-Element practitioners. Needless to say, I felt a little bit out of my "element." However, that quickly changed when Mary Elizabeth introduced herself and began speaking about her acupuncture facial rejuvination techniques.

Contrary to popular belief, acupuncture facial rejuvination (and don't you dare call it a facelift) is not limited to the face. It includes all of the ingredients of a typical whole body constitutional treatment that can be done whether you are a 5 Element, 8 Principle, or Zang-Fu practitioner. You perform the facial diagnosis and then, as Mary Elizabeth says "do what you do." Rather than teaching a ridged protocol system, she incorporates different styles of acupuncture allowing for the practitioner to customize the treatment according to their training and comfort level.

We spent the morning going over contraindications, benefits, wrinkle analysis, intake and release forms, a review of 8 extraordinary meridians with their opening and balancing pairs, and Jacques Lavier's diagnosis and treatment protocols. The afternoon involved a practical demonstration of a treatment involving constitutional diagnosis with applicable points, facial and motor point needling technique, uses of herbal masks, poultices, and creams, instruction in jade rolling, and a brief introduction to acutonics.

I got to play patient today and I have to admit, although we were just practicing, I had a fantastic treatment by my two partners. I felt an abundance of Qi all through my body during the facial, so much so that one of my partners commented "you look zoned out, I may have to cut you off!" This sensation was intesified by the addition of the acutonic tuning forks placed on specific areas of the body. The herbal tea mask and facial cream were excellent, but the eggwhite herbal mask needed the some essential oil to cover up the scent. The jade rollers were cooling, relaxing, and something that I may add to my daily facial regimen.

Tomorrow is chock full of new information and more practical demonstration and practice and I am looking forward to being on the other side of the table!