Marshfield - Unlike most physicians, patients willingly seek out Kate Stone to stick needles into their bodies, and it turns out it’s not all that painful.

During an informational session at Dragonfly yoga studio in Marshfield last Saturday, Stone tried to demystify the ancient Chinese medical practice of acupuncture before an audience of nine. The proprietor of Stone Acupuncture on Furnace Street, Stone holds a master’s degree in acupuncture and Oriental medicine from the New England School of Acupuncture. She opened her practice in September.

Acupuncture is an integral part of Chinese medicine, which follows the principles of yin and yang. Yin is equated to the feminine, while yang is masculine; both must be in balance for bodily harmony. Stone said health and psychological problems stem from the blockages in the flow of the qi, the body’s vital energy, which throw off the balance between yin and yang.

“If you don’t have a balance, you get sick or develop pain,” said Stone, who is also a yoga instructor at Dragonfly.

Common ailments include back and neck problems, chronic headaches and emotional distress. According to Stone, imbalances stem from a variety of sources: stress, environment, diet and imbalances from birth. Acupuncture restores balance by inserting ultra-thin needles into the body’s 12 meridians. There is one meridian for each major organ, and the organs are paired off: lung and large intestine, spleen and stomach, heart and small intestine and so on.

Sterilized, one-time-use needles penetrate these different points to stimulate the flow of the qi — pronounced “chee” — and restore balance between yin and yang. The depth the needles penetrate depends on the meridian, and the exact location of the meridian varies from person to person.

Stone was introduced to acupuncture after graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in communications and psychology. She worked in a holistic health care health care center in Cambridge in which doctors of both Eastern and Western medicine worked alongside one another.

“I thought acupuncture was a great blend of the two,” said Stone.

Stone said acupuncture is more than four millennia old, and the books she uses in her practice are based on texts more than 2,000 years old. Acupuncture at that time involved a lot of shamanism and was occasionally used to expel demons.“We do that very rarely now,” she joked.Even though the practice involves spiritual concepts largely barred in the sphere of medicine encountered by the average New Englander, Stone said she hasn’t encountered any patients categorically cynical of acupuncture.

“Everyone I speak with knows someone who’s had acupuncture,” she said.

Though the practice is not yet covered under most health insurance plans, it is still garnering a lot of mainstream acceptance. Stone said there are more than 60 clinical studies of acupuncture under way, and many doctors have begun referring patients to acupuncturists.“It’s a step in the right direction,” she said.At the informational session, Stone walked around the circle her audience had made, using acupressure — fingers instead of needles, which takes more time and pressure to be as effective — to stimulate points on the head, chest, feet and hand. Some of the meridians have seemingly odd counterparts, such as a spot near the wrist corresponding to the heart.

All of the attendees had a needle inserted near the end of the session either on the top of their heads, their shoulders or elsewhere. None shrieked.Stone admits that the needles can occasionally be painful.“The idea is that it feels good afterward,” she said, noting that she doesn’t allow needles to go as deep on first-timers.

“She’s inspiring,” said Jennifer Duggan, a regular attendee of Dragonfly who came out after attending Stone’s yoga classes in which she often utilizes acupressure.

An initial acupuncture consultation with Stone lasts between 1 1/2 and two hours, and focuses on questions about an individual’s medical history, a pulse analysis and a tongue analysis. The Chinese method addresses the individual as a whole, Stone said.

“Chinese medicine is so relative and so grey,” she said. “It’s so cool.”

In the informational packets Stone handed out, several touching points were listed, with a warning that they should not be used on pregnant women because they are used to induce labor. Fittingly, Stone said these points are called “the forbidden points of pregnancy.”

She said she showed the husband of a pregnant woman these points. While his wife was in labor, he placed his hands on the meridians, and the contractions intensified; when he pulled his hands away, they lessened.“The nurses were amazed,” she said.


http://www.wickedlocal.com/marshfield/news/lifestyle/health/x481183172

Marshfield native Kate Stone recently opened Stone Acupuncture at 465 Furnace St. in Marshfield. Kate earned a master’s of acupuncture and Oriental medicine from New England School of Acupuncture, and is fully licensed and certified. Acupuncture treats a variety of physical and emotional disorders, just some of which are chronic pain, headaches, insomnia, anxiety, depression, women's health and gastrointestinal problems. Kate has a particular interest in treating emotional issues, taking into account a person's mental, emotional and physical health. She draws on all of these elements in her treatment sessions in order to help the client achieve their optimum state of health. A Kripalu yoga teacher, Kate combines her love of yoga and Chinese medicine into a practice called Meridian yoga, which she uses therapeutically in conjunction with her acupuncture and Chinese herbal treatments. For information, visit stoneacupuncture.com.


http://www.wickedlocal.com/marshfield/news/lifestyle/celebrations/x1909891167

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend another class at Dragonfly Yoga Studio in Marshfield, MA. Today I tried something new (to me) - a class called Meridian Yoga. During my yoga instructor training we touched on this type of yoga very briefly. I have never taken a class dedicated to this style and wasn't sure what to expect from the class.

The instructor, Kate, is trained in Meridian Yoga and is also an acupuncturist.  As a result, she has a lot of knowledge about the meridian energy pathways.

Before class began Kate explained what we could expect from class: the first half would consist of gentle warm up stretches that you would see in any yoga class - neck rolls, side stretches, forward bends and breathwork. The 2nd half we would partner up with another student and perform the meridian yoga stretches together. The organs we would focus on today were bladder and kidney.

Kate demonstrated the first stretch for the bladder, and then we paired up. This stretch would open the energy pathways up my legs, into my back and along the spine up to my head. Kate told us it's great for those with back pain and would help open up hips and hamstrings. Right up my alley!

The emotion associated with this meridian is fear which I found interesting. Could it be that my back and hamstrings are tight not only from physical activity but also from emotions I hold on to? I was getting more and more interested as class went on.

Unfortunately we did not have time for the 2nd exercise for the kidney meridian. I was a little disappointed that I paid $12 for a meridian yoga class and only practiced 1 meridian stretch. Then I thought to myself "This was a great introduction and I would happily try it again". We ran out of time simply because the students in class (only 4 of us) were interested in it and asking a lot of questions.

When I was finished, the one meridian stretch we did had an affect on my legs and lower back. I got up from my mat after our final relaxation feeling very light. Again, I was becoming more intrigued by this form of yoga.

I had a lot of questions once class was finished. Kate happily answered my questions. I have decided that 1) I will attend the meridian class again and 2) I plan to schedule an appointment with Kate for a private meridian yoga session. I really need help with my right hamstring and I sense this might work. (I will post about that experience once it happens).

As far as I've seen on different studio schedules, this is the only regularly scheduled meridian yoga class in my area (Weymouth/South Shore, MA). Kate was a knowledgeable and friendly instructor and I look forward to taking her class again.

I would recommend this class for those looking for something different in their yoga practice once in a while. DragonFly offers this once per week and starting at the end of August it will be on Tuesday mornings at 10:15am (Take a day off from work or go in late to try it!).

If you have issues with pairing up with someone you don't know then 1) this class isn't for you or 2) attend with a friend you can partner with. The partner work included minor hands on assistance and light resistance, nothing intimate or invasive. I know, however, that many people have issues with that type of activity. You have been warned.

I asked Kate whether Meridian yoga was always a partner experience and she said not necessarily. It's how she was trained. She expects the next few classes to focus more on meridian stretches you do alone because she understands not everyone is comfortable pairing up. I appreciated that answer. For me that shows she is open minded - even though her training was in partner stretching, she is willing to do solo work for the benefit of her students.

If you live in the Marshfield area, I encourage you to check out this new studio. I can't wait to try the "chill" class.


http://letitflowfitness.blogspot.com/2007/08/yoga-class-review-dragon-fly-yoga.html