Newsletter & Specials

May Special

Start with a detoxifying salt foot bath followed by an exfoliating and invigorating full body lime & coconut salt scrub. Then enjoy your choice of an hour deep tissue massage or custom facial.
$150

Enjoy both the massage and the facial for $235 (this makes an excellent Mothers day treat).

Mother's Day Special

Care for the lovely mother in your life by giving her the gift of relaxation. Her treatment will start with a mandarin and green tea foot soak while her hands are treated to a 15 minute hand massage. Next, she'll be swept off her feet by a heavenly 20 minute foot massage followed by a 45 minute Swedish full body massage. Then we'll refresh her beautiful skin with a daydream facial. $150

Coming Soon

Our new menu will be out in the first part of June - we will be updating our website soon after. There will be fantastic new packages and treatments for you to explore.

The Chinese Clock and Your Daily Routine - Part One

- Peter Borten, L.Ac., M.Ac.O.M. - Dragontree Acupuncturist and Herbalist

The "Chinese Clock" is a concept in traditional Chinese medicine in which each of our organs is considered to have a time of day when it is strongest and does its best work. The day is divided into twelve two-hour segments, each belonging to a different organ. During each organ’s time, there are certain activities to engage in and others to avoid in order to make the best use of the natural flow of energy. Also, if a particular symptom or event tends to happen during the same time period repeatedly, it may indicate a problem with the associated organ. While an in-depth discussion of this system wouldn’t fit in this newsletter, I hope this basic introduction will inspire you to be more conscious of what’s happening in your body, mind, and life. I will cover six organs this month and six next month. During the Daylight Savings Time portion of the year (now) subtract an hour from what the clock says to get the "real" time.

3 AM to 5 AM - Lung Time: The time of the lungs is marked by a certain "crispness" – like the air the lungs breathe. The lungs are associated with the metal element, and in the same way that metal can be reflective, this can be a good time for reflection and "airy" explorations, such as meditation and breath work. The lungs also relate to grief and loss, and feelings from the past often surface during this time. Most people are sleeping, but this has long been a time for yogis to start their morning practice.

5 AM to 7 AM - Colon Time: The colon is all about letting go – letting go of physical waste and letting go of any other "stuff" we’re carrying around that is ready to be released. This is the ideal time for the first bowel movement of the day. If you have trouble with bowel regularity, trying sitting on the toilet during this time period and relaxing. When you have a bowel movement, practice becoming aware of anything you’re ready to let go of, direct this image to your bowels, and imagine you’re releasing it.

7 AM to 9 AM - Stomach Time: This is the ideal time for the first meal of the day. The stomach is all about receiving nourishment. That makes this also a good time (after having released any garbage in colon time) to receive positive affirmations and compliments. Try giving and receiving some of these to others and yourself during this time period. Whatever good comes into your life during this time, imagine using the receiving power of your stomach to accept it.

9 AM to 11 AM - Spleen Time: In Chinese medicine, the spleen is responsible for transforming nourishment into you and distributing nourishment to all of your many parts. In a broader sense, it governs your ability to nurture the many parts of your life – people, projects, career, etc. The spleen is associated with the earth element and is like Mother Earth, who supports and feeds everything that lives upon her. Try imagining the energy from your breakfast making its way into all your cells. Consider extending an expression of motherly understanding or nurturing to a malnourished person or part of your life.

11 AM to 1 PM - Heart Time: As the main organ of the fire element, the heart is naturally dominant when the sun (fire) is highest in the sky. In the community of bodily organs, the heart is called the Emperor or the Supreme Controller. It is home to your truest awareness and an expression of the Dao, the Divine, God, or whatever term you like. The heart rules the "kingdom" of your body and everything you consider to be you, and the way it rules is through love, warmth, and inclusion. It shines through us without any effort from us. During this time, practice allowing it to be open, allowing love and compassion for everyone and everything.

1 PM to 3 PM - Small Intestine Time: The small intestine is the heart’s partner. This organ, which comprises the largest portion of the digestive tract, is where most absorption takes place. Not just absorption of food, but our capacity to absorb and process life experiences. It has the task of "separating pure from impure" – that is, determining what is "pure" and worthy of taking into the heart’s kingdom, versus what is "impure" and should be passed on to the colon for elimination. During this time consider if there is an "impure" element in your life you’d like to eliminate or if there is some especially "pure" influence you’d like to invite into your life.

Stay tuned! Next month we’ll explore the bladder (3-5 PM), kidneys (5-7 PM), pericardium (7-9 PM), triple warmer (9-11 PM), gallbladder (11 PM-1 AM) and liver (1-3 AM). In the meantime, you don’t need to be constantly aware of which organ is active. For now, just pick one organ/time each day and do something to make use of its special strength.

Yours in the pursuit of whole health,

Peter and Everyone at the Dragontree