PHILOSOPHY
According to one Buddhist legend, Kwan Yin, goddess of compassion and mercy, vowed never to rest until she had saved all sentient beings from the cycle of reincarnation. But despite her strenuous efforts, many remained in need. Struggling to comprehend the needs of so many, Kwan Yin’s head split into pieces. Witnessing her plight, the Amitabha Buddha granted Kwan Yin eleven heads. All the better to hear the cries of the world. But as she attempted to reach out to all of those in need, Kwan Yin’s two arms shattered…
Again, Kwan Yin was granted a gift from the Buddha: a thousand arms with which to aid the many.
It is through our work together that we can serve as the arms of Kwan Yin. By doing our own inner work, we can free ourselves up to become a healing force in the world. We all can relieve suffering and offer compassion to those in need. But just as two arms were not enough for the job, we can’t do this work alone…
It’s in our collective wisdom and our collective efforts that we can save the world.
WHAT IS CHINESE MEDICINE?
Chinese medicine is a comprehensive medical system developed over thousands of years in ancient China. The medical theory understands all parts of the body, both physical and mental, as interconnected and crucial in maintaining one’s health and wellbeing. Energy life-force, or "qi" (pronounced "CHEE"), constitutes and flows through everything. It travels through our bodies via channels or meridians, connecting organs and governing our physical and mental function. By working with the movement of qi, (via acupuncture, herbal therapy, qigong, and other tools), Chinese medicine aims to achieve a balance between the two opposing, yet complementary energies of yin and yang.
When the dynamic balance between yin and yang is achieved, this is what health looks like.
You are poised to thrive.
WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU
Acupuncture can create coherence in your nervous system, opening the door between your sympathetic and parasympathetic responses. It can redirect blood flow in your brain (from the amygdala to the frontal cortex), producing a state of deep calm and balance. From this place, a host of physiological processes can begin, resume, or continue to be supported.
Whether you’re looking for relief from acute or chronic pain, PTSD, respiratory or digestive disorders, ailments related to women’s health, or simply looking to maintain wellbeing , Chinese medicine can help.
The work that we do together can unlock your innate healing capacities, allowing mind and body access to resources previously untapped.
Your practioner
Dr. Maxine DiPasquale is the owner and founder of A Thousand Arms Collective, LLC. She is an Oregon and California state-licensed doctor of acupuncture and East Asian medicine. She earned both her master’s (MAcOM, 2010) and doctorate (DAOM, 2012) degrees from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland, Oregon.
Throughout her career Dr. Maxine has enjoyed working in integrative settings with western medicine practitioners. In 2019, she joined an integrative mental health clinic where she trained in trauma-informed care. Dr. Maxine has a deep appreciation for holistic and collaborative mental and physical health services. Her personal approach is steeped in both traditional and classical Chinese medicine, herbal and movement therapies, and nutrition.
In her life before East Asian medicine, Maxine completed an undergraduate degree in religion and philosophy, studied political science, and has lived and traveled around the world.
When not working, Maxine loves spending time with her husband, two children, their dogs and a cat. She enjoys gardening, cooking old-world Italian food, and hiking the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
- Dr. Maxine DiPasquale, DAOM, LAc