Energy Matters Acupuncture & Qigong

Energy Matters Acupuncture & Qigong Energy Matters Acupuncture and Qigong is here to help you live a longer, stronger and healthier life!

Energy Matters Acupuncture and Qigong helps people of the Bay Area live longer, healthier and stronger lives through personalized wellness and healing services using traditional Chinese medicine. Our skillful practitioners and accomplished teachers bring deep experience and care to the development and maintenance of our clients’ vitality and good health in mind, body, and spirit. We offer an array of services:
-Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs
-Orthopedic Acupuncture
-Pediatric Acupuncture
-Acupuncture for Beauty-
Qigong Classes
-21 Days to Better Health Program
-Health and Well-being Lectures

Step away from the noise. Breathe. Move. Rest. Return to center.Join us October 16–18 at beautiful Westerbeke Ranch in S...
09/11/2026

Step away from the noise. Breathe. Move. Rest. Return to center.

Join us October 16–18 at beautiful Westerbeke Ranch in Sonoma for Returning to Center: A Qigong Retreat to Replenish Body, Heart, and Spirit.

This restorative weekend is an invitation to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and replenish your energy through Wild Goose Qigong, Pai Da Gong, meditation, mindful movement, nature, nourishing meals, and community.

No prior qigong experience is needed. We’ll offer two tracks, with options for complete beginners as well as experienced practitioners.

Your retreat will be guided by Kirstin Lindquist and Gail Whang, longtime qigong teachers trained and certified by the late Master Hui Liu of Wen Wu School.

October 16–18, 2026
Westerbeke Ranch, Sonoma
$895, with a 3-payment option available

Your stay includes workshops and practice sessions, shared cabin accommodations, chef-prepared meals, and time to enjoy the ranch’s pool, hot tub, walking trails, gardens, labyrinth, and more.

As one participant shared:

“I’m so full of goodness, yet I’m grounded enough to not float away!”

Replenishing ourselves is not an indulgence. It’s part of how we build the resilience, clarity, compassion, and strength to meet the world with greater care.

Come spend a weekend returning to center, returning to yourself.

**Frozen shoulder can make everything harder—from sleeping and driving to getting dressed.**Also called *adhesive capsul...
09/09/2026

**Frozen shoulder can make everything harder—from sleeping and driving to getting dressed.**

Also called *adhesive capsulitis*, frozen shoulder happens when the tissue around the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, thickened, and stiff, limiting movement and causing pain.

The good news: acupuncture may help reduce pain and improve mobility. At Energy Matters, we may also use cupping, gua sha, pain patches, herbs, supplements, and gentle exercises to support the healing process.

We like to think of treatment as **“thawing” the frozen joint.** Pain may ease before full range of motion returns, and recovery takes time—but consistent care can help keep things moving in the right direction.

If frozen shoulder is keeping you from sleeping, moving, or doing the things you love, we’re here to help.

Book an appointment and start the thaw.

There is a saying in qigong: **“Your qi follows your mind.”** What we focus on matters.In a world of constant headlines,...
09/05/2026

There is a saying in qigong: **“Your qi follows your mind.”** What we focus on matters.

In a world of constant headlines, conflict, and bad news, our attention can easily become consumed by what is frightening, upsetting, or outside our control. We may not be able to change everything happening around us, but we can choose what we do with the energy it creates in us.

Think of your body and mind as a garden. What you take in—food, information, thoughts—is part of the fertilizer. Too much distressing news can overwhelm us. But taken in thoughtfully, it can also become fuel for compassion, connection, and action.

On **International Day of Charity**, consider where you want your attention, energy, time, or resources to go.

Support an organization you believe in. Help someone in your community. Volunteer. Give what you can. Share something hopeful. Turn concern into care.

Know your limits. Take care of yourself. And when the world gives you difficult material, see what you can compost into something life-affirming.

**Your qi follows your mind. Where will you direct yours today?**

September may be here, but in the Bay Area, summer comes and goes. Hot, dry days often stretch well into October—and som...
09/03/2026

September may be here, but in the Bay Area, summer comes and goes. Hot, dry days often stretch well into October—and sometimes beyond.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this time of year is known as **Late Summer**, a fifth season between summer and fall. As the weather stays warm, dry, and sometimes smoky, your skin may need a little seasonal adjustment too.

Think **hydration without heaviness**. Mists and lightweight serums can help replenish skin affected by dry heat, air conditioning, travel, and poor air quality without piling on rich moisturizers—especially if your skin is sensitive or breakout-prone.

A few of our favorite Late Summer options:

🌹 **Organic Rose Hydrosol**
A simple, refreshing mist to use throughout the day. Keep it in the fridge for an extra-cooling spritz—and yes, it’s lovely during hot flashes too.

**Everlasting Glow Balancing Mist**
Chamomile, calendula, lavender, neroli, and helichrysum help soothe and refresh sensitive or reactive skin.

**Ying Herbals Radiance Serum with Hyaluronic Acid**
A lightweight blend of hyaluronic acid and Chinese herbs that hydrates and smooths without the weight of a cream.

**Jade & Ginseng Hydrating Mist**
An easy purse, desk, or travel-bag option for refreshing skin throughout the day.

And don’t forget sun protection. Even as fall approaches, Bay Area UV exposure doesn’t disappear with the calendar. Hats, shade, and sunscreen are still part of the routine.

Your skincare ritual can be more than maintenance—it can also be a small moment to cool down, slow down, and take care of yourself during these long Late Summer days.

Have questions about what your skin needs right now? Send us a message or stop by Energy Matters and we’ll help you find the right fit.

RECIPE: Cool Broccoli Salad with Tahini-Miso DressingFinger-licking tahini-miso dressing from the 21 Days to Better Heal...
07/28/2026

RECIPE: Cool Broccoli Salad with Tahini-Miso Dressing

Finger-licking tahini-miso dressing from the 21 Days to Better Health recipe guide is great over any veg, but cooked and cooled broccoli offers a satisfying crunch, enhanced with a seed topping.

2-4 servings

-4 cups blanched broccoli (about one large head), or frozen broccoli thawed and dried
-¼ cup tahini-miso dressing or to taste
-Toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds to top

Combine broccoli and dressing and top with seeds. Eat immediately. If making ahead, add the seeds right before serving.

PS The 21 Days to Health Program offers tons of support for improving your digestion and developing a whole new relationship with vegetables - plus a blueprint for incorporating whole foods into your daily diet.

Summer produce is here, but so are headlines about cyclospora and other foodborne illnesses. Not exactly what you want t...
07/26/2026

Summer produce is here, but so are headlines about cyclospora and other foodborne illnesses. Not exactly what you want to think about while eating a beautiful salad on a warm evening.

So what’s a veggie lover to do?

One simple option is to eat more cooked vegetables.

Heat can reduce many foodborne pathogens, and cooked vegetables may also be easier to digest. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, cooked foods are often recommended for people dealing with bloating, gas, reflux, diarrhea, or general digestive discomfort.

We see this often in the clinic: someone eats plenty of salads, kale smoothies, and raw carrots but still feels lousy. Replacing some raw vegetables with cooked ones can make a noticeable difference.

Cooking helps break down tough plant fibers, so your digestive system has less work to do. And no, that does not mean eating hot soup during a heat wave.

Try these easy options:

🥦 Cooked veggie salads
Steam, blanch, roast, or air-fry vegetables, then chill them and add your favorite dressing. Broccoli, carrots, squash, green beans, okra, and beets all work well.

🥬 Cooked veggie smoothies
Swap raw spinach or kale for cooked greens. Cooked squash, chard, and other mild vegetables blend easily into smoothies.

❄️ Frozen vegetables
They are affordable, convenient, and easy to keep on hand. To avoid sogginess, heat them in an air fryer or dry pan instead of the microwave, or pat them dry after thawing.

You do not have to give up salads or raw vegetables completely. Start by swapping out one raw serving each day and notice how your digestion feels.

Sometimes, a little cooking can make vegetables much easier to enjoy.

Your digestion involves much more than your stomach.That “gut feeling” you experience has biological roots in the gut-br...
07/24/2026

Your digestion involves much more than your stomach.

That “gut feeling” you experience has biological roots in the gut-brain axis, the communication highway connecting your brain and digestive system. One of its key players is the vagus nerve, which helps regulate digestion, heart rate, immune response, and the shift between fight or flight and rest and digest.

When stress keeps us stuck in fight-or-flight mode, the body redirects energy away from functions like digestion. Stress is also cumulative. A difficult phone call, traffic, deadlines, and everyday worries can pile up, even when no single stressor feels overwhelming.

The good news? The vagus nerve can be supported and strengthened through simple, naturally calming activities.

This weekend, choose one practice that feels good to you:

• Listen closely to calming music
• Hum, sing, chant, or gargle
• Make your exhale longer than your inhale
• Meditate for five minutes
• Try gentle walking, tai chi, Qigong, or restorative yoga
• Laugh or spend time with people you enjoy
• Visit the ocean, woods, or another calming place
• Place a cold washcloth or ice pack on your neck
• Try a relaxation or nervous-system app
• Get acupuncture

The next time you feel caught in a stress loop, try one of these activities before eating. Notice whether your body begins to settle, then bring that calmer energy to the table.

Small, consistent changes add up. Your practice does not need to be complicated. It just needs to work for you.

What helps you shift into rest-and-digest mode?

—Angela C**n, Staff Acupuncturist

This is Part 3 of Angela’s digestive health mini-series. Read Wood and Earth and The Mess of Stress to catch up.

Wellness doesn't have to be complicated. Most people overthink and over-complicate this path. And I get it. If you spend...
06/11/2026

Wellness doesn't have to be complicated. Most people overthink and over-complicate this path. And I get it. If you spend any time with Dr Google, or looking at self-care books, health and wellness looks really complicated and confusing.

After 3+ decades of being immersed in the world of natural health care, I can definitely say that the path to good health is Simple. Not Easy, but it is Simple.

What do I mean by this? As with any sport, or art form, or really any skill set, you can always learn more, do more, to expand your talents. But if you don't continue to lean on the fundamentals, you will not get the kind of results that come from always circling back to and refining the basics.

In the realm of health, these are your basics: moving enough and resting enough, eating nourishing food and staying hydrated, and cultivating heart connections.

Basics, by definition, can feel boring at times, or like you are not “doing enough.” Basics are not as compelling as the "shiny bright object" of the latest health fad or trend.

When you are in pain, or suffering or struggling with your health, we can fall away from the basics in the quest to find “the answer.” But if your foundation of basics is not strong, anything you layer on will not be as effective.

The basics will never fail you. They may not provide you with all the answers during your various health challenges, but they will always support you and help you find more ease along the path.

Wellness doesn't have to be complicated. Most people overthink and over-complicate this path. And I get it. If you spend...
05/28/2026

Wellness doesn't have to be complicated. Most people overthink and over-complicate this path. And I get it. If you spend any time with Dr Google, or looking at self-care books, health and wellness looks really complicated and confusing.

After 3+ decades of being immersed in the world of natural health care, I can definitely say that the path to good health is Simple. Not Easy, but it is Simple.

What do I mean by this? As with any sport, or art form, or really any skill set, you can always learn more, do more, to expand your talents. But if you don't continue to lean on the fundamentals, you will not get the kind of results that come from always circling back to and refining the basics.

In the realm of health, these are your basics: moving enough and resting enough, eating nourishing food and staying hydrated, and cultivating heart connections.
Basics, by definition, can feel boring at times, or like you are not “doing enough.” Basics are not as compelling as the "shiny bright object" of the latest health fad or trend.

When you are in pain, or suffering or struggling with your health, we can fall away from the basics in the quest to find “the answer.” But if your foundation of basics is not strong, anything you layer on will not be as effective.

The basics will never fail you. They may not provide you with all the answers during your various health challenges, but they will always support you and help you find more ease along the path.

Breathe. Move. Rest. Nourish. Connect.
Kirstin Lindquist, Owner

How are you doing? To say we are living in difficult times is both a truth and a gross understatement. Too much, too fas...
05/19/2026

How are you doing? To say we are living in difficult times is both a truth and a gross understatement. Too much, too fast. So much that is beyond our control.

When things get tough, I have taught myself to return to the basics as my best defense against overwhelm, inertia, and other unhelpful stress responses: Breath, Rest, Nourishment, Movement, and Connection.

And I always start my self-care review with the breath: it’s always available to me, it’s free, and it’s so easy that it’s often forgotten or discounted.

Here are three of my favorite “better living through breath work” techniques. Don’t discount them because they are simple. Remember - in the energy realm, little is big and simple is powerful.

1. One Breath Reset: lose your eyes and take a moment to shake/settle/relax your body as best you can. Take a soft, slow, unforced, and long inhale through your nose. Pause for just a moment, and then allow for a soft, slow, unforced, and long exhale through slightly parted lips. Pause for a moment. Slowly open your eyes and return to regular breathing. Repeat often throughout your day.

2. Box Breathing: The rhythm of the exercise is Inhale for a 4 count - Hold for a four count - Exhale for a four count - Hold for a four count. Repeat four times. The symmetry is like the four sides of a box. Click here for a cool video we created to follow for Box Breathing.

3. 4-7-8 Breathing: This follows a different pattern: Inhale to a count of 4, hold for a count of 7, slowly exhale for a count of 8. Repeat 7 times. Click here for a more detailed explanation of 4-7-8.

Pick one technique and practice it for 5 days. See how you feel. If you feel better, great. If not, try a different technique for the next 5 days. Not every breath technique works for everyone, but there is at least one breath technique that will help you navigate turbulent times.

Getting by, one breath at a time,
Kirstin Lindquist

Address

4341 Piedmont Avenue 2nd Fl
Oakland, CA
94611

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 3pm

Telephone

+15105979923

Website

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