6A • January 2, 2015 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com
Local practitioner brings her healing touch
Acupuncturist Aria Walker’s ‘long, winding road’
takes her to Cannon Beach and a new business
By Erick Bengel
Cannon Beach Gazette
Chinese and alternative
medicine abounds with con-
cepts — “energy,” “circu-
lation,” “meridians,” “qi”
(pronounced “chee”) — that
may confuse the nonpracti-
tioner.
Aria Walker, 43, the new-
est owner of Acupuncture &
Natural Medicine Clinic who
moved to Cannon Beach in
early July, has spent more
than two decades studying,
applying and teaching these
concepts. Articulate and fo-
cused, Walker brings forth
the ancient beauty behind
the familiar buzzwords.
In traditional Chinese
medicine, acupuncture —
which involves small, thin
needles penetrating the
skin — is a way to adjust
WKHÀRZRITLWRFHUWDLQDU
eas of the body. Qi (“life
energy”) is believed to
run along bodily channels
(“meridians”) that don’t
have a physical structure.
Meridians don’t appear
in Western maps of human
anatomy, so Walker com-
SDUHV WKH TL ÀRZLQJ DORQJ
them to “sky to ground light-
ning”: “The lightning takes a
path, but after the lightning
KLWV \RX ZRQ¶W ¿QG D SDWK
way ... even though you can
clearly see it when it strikes.”
The needles, she said,
help to get the qi moving
ZKHUHWKHUHLVD³GH¿FLHQF\´
or “blockage” — the two
main types of energy “in-
terruptions.” She invokes a
river metaphor: Sometimes
the water is low, and other
times there’s a tree in the riv-
HUEORFNLQJWKHÀRZ
Using sterilized nee-
dles placed at “acupuncture
points,” Walker’s job is to
tap into a spring of qi, “get-
ting the energy to come back
up into the area,” or to open
up a blockage, “bringing in
more qi,” she said. The goal
is to “stimulate the body’s
own healing functions and
bring the body to homeosta-
sis,” she said.
Patient testimony wide-
ly associates acupuncture
with pain relief, though the
pain-relieving mechanism is
a source of debate. Whether
patient beliefs and expec-
tations play a role is an on-
JRLQJ VXEMHFW RI VFLHQWL¿F
study, according to the Na-
tional Institutes of Health.
Wish list
Before moving to Cannon
Beach, Walker owned a pri-
vate practice in Anchorage,
Alaska, while working for
acupuncturists in the nearby
city of Palmer.
Early last year, she wrote
out a wish list, which includ-
ed moving close to the water,
living within biking or walk-
LQJGLVWDQFHIURPKHURI¿FH
and being of service to a
community where she could
make difference.
Minutes later, she re-
ceived an email from a list
serve written by Genevieve
Cannon Beach Police Log
Dec. 7
12:43 a.m. 100 block of
West Warren Way: assistance
provided to another agency.
Offi cers assisted another agency
in attempting to locate missing
suicidal subject. Subject not lo-
cated.
Dec. 10
9:32 p.m. Les Shirley Park:
camping within city limits.
Subject(s) warned for unlawful
lodging.
Dec. 11
5:27 p.m. Van Buren Street
and Ocean Avenue: public assis-
tance. Caller reported a down
line. Offi cer located the line; it
was not dangerous.
Dec. 13
10:40 a.m. Fifth Avenue
and Larch Street: dog/animal
complaints. Found German
shepherd. Dog lodged in ken-
nel. Contacted Clackamas Coun-
ty dog services. Left message
with license number. Dog later
released to owner.
contacted vehicle and driver,
who was lost. Offi cer assisted
and cleared.
Dec. 15
Dec. 18
12:42 p.m. Hug Point: wel-
fare check. Report of hikers
stranded near Hug Point. Offi cer
arrived and contacted the hikers.
They were not in any distress.
4:36 p.m. Skate park: other
all. Helmet warning.
6:12 p.m. 300 block of North
Spruce Street: assistance provid-
ed to another agency. Received
report of a possible overdose
on medications. Arrived and
secured scene. Patient stated
he had taken his prescribed
medication (which the offi cer
confi rmed) and had become
nauseous, vomiting up the med-
ication a short time later. Patient
refused medical treatment.
Dec. 16
3:55 p.m. North entrance:
assistance rendered: offi cer
7:58 p.m. 1400 block of
South Hemlock: assistance ren-
dered. Motel staff wanted con-
tact regarding suspicious guest.
Dec. 19
4:16 a.m. 400 block of Kim-
berly Court: assistance rendered.
Citizen requesting assistance
with changing her oxygen fi l-
ter. Offi cer assisted and fi lter
was changed.
Dec. 20
3:48 p.m. U.S. Highway
101 at Warren Way: driving
privileges suspended/revoked.
Offi cer stopped vehicle for ille-
gal U-turn. Driver was cited for
driving while suspended.
ERICK BENGEL PHOTO
Aria Walker administers acupuncture treatment to Seaside resident Rebecca Parker. Walk-
er ran a private practice in Anchorage, Alaska, before taking over the Acupuncture and
Natural Medicine Clinic on South Hemlock Street from Genevieve Johnson in July 2014.
Johnson, former owner of ployee — unless you count al Chinese medicine at the
Acupuncture & Natural her 8-year-old blue-and-gold 3DFL¿F &ROOHJH RI 2ULHQWDO
Medicine Clinic, advertising macaw, Skye, who greets pa- Medicine.
Later, in Alabama, she
the business for sale.
tients with an amiable “Hel-
worked as an assistant for
“I don’t know how it end- lo.”
a third-generation Chinese
ed up in my inbox because,
acupuncturist and, from
normally, I have to go to that ‘Long, winding road’
Walker called her life’s there, moved to Gainesville,
site to pick up messages,”
Walker said. “But, in my in- journey, which spans the Fla., where she graduated
box, this practice was listed, United States, a “long, wind- from Academy for Five El-
ement Acupuncture. Walker
and — line item — every- ing road.”
Born and raised in Men- ¿QDOO\ PRYHG WR $ODVND LQ
thing (Johnson) wrote about
the practice was everything tor, Ohio, she ended up grad- 2011.
Though acupuncture is her
that I had just written in my uating from high school in
North Carolina and earned forte, over the years Walker
wish list.”
Accompanying the ad an associate’s degree in pho- has immersed herself in the
was “this little picture of the tography at Rochester Insti- myriad branches of the healing
building, which looked like tute of Technology in New arts: massage, Reiki, herbal-
LVPPR[LEXVWLRQUHÀH[RORJ\
a picture I’d had in my head York.
She eventually transfered cupping therapy, aroma thera-
for about 30 years,” she said.
“So it caught my attention.” to Ohio University in Ath- py and Japanese shiatsu. She
considers alter-
A few weeks
native medicine
later, she visit-
‘Keeping people healthy before
a “complete sys-
HG WKH 3DFL¿F
tem” of treatment.
Northwest for
they get sick? Not a strong suit
“To me, they
WKH ¿UVW WLPH
of Western medicine…’
all work together,
When she saw
they just work on
the building on
Aria Walker
different levels,”
South Hemlock
she said, add-
Street in person,
ing that Chinese
“if I wasn’t sold
already, it was a done deal.” ens, which is where she met medicine offers more in terms
Originally owned by KHU¿UVWWHDFKHUVLQWKHKHDO of preventing illness than
Western medicine. “Keeping
Nancy Burton, the clinic has ing arts outside of school.
After attending the Boul- people healthy before they
been in Cannon Beach for 15
years. Burton sold it to John- der School of Massage Ther- get sick? Not a strong suit of
apy in Boulder, Colo., she Western medicine — at least
VRQDERXW¿YH\HDUVDJR
Walker, a midtown res- moved to San Diego, Calif., not hospital-based pharma-
ident, is now the sole em- where she studied tradition- ceutical Western medicine.”
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
C ONSTRUCTION
U pcom in g Tastin gs
Jan . 3 • Fresh P icks for the N ew Year
Jan . 10 • W ines of the Year
Jan . 17 • N orthw est R ed s
Jan . 24 • W ines You ’ve N ever T ried
Jan . 31 • Su per B ow l W ines
Lo ca lly
Ow n e d a n d
Ope ra te d
Residential • Commercial • Remodeling
New Construction • Storm Damage Repair
Full Service Custom Cabinet Shop
T H IR D SU N D A Y of the M O N T H
W om en ’s A uxiliary B reakfast – 9:00 – 11:30 am • $8
E V E R Y M O N D A Y N IG H T
B urgers an d Jam S ession • 6:00 – 8:00 pm
R eally good in form al m usic un til th e m usician s w ear out!
E V E R Y F R ID A Y N IG H T
Join us for T exas H old-em • 6:45 pm
A bov e E v en ts O p en to the P u blic
P AINTING
Licensed • Bonded • Insured
CCB# 89453
Residen tial & C om m ercial
G as, O il & E lectric Fu rnaces
D u ctless System s • Fireplaces
W ater H eaters • H eat P u m ps & A C
C om m ercial R efrigeration
L icen sed & Bon ded
L ocally O w n ed & O perated
C annon B each, O regon
503-440-6975
O yster/F ish D in n er • 5:00 – 8:00 pm • $15
P.O . Box 470, Sea sid e, O R 97138 • coa sta la la rm system s@ iin et.com
Expert Service,
Repairs & In stallation
coastheating@ gm ail.com
F IR ST SA T U R D A Y of the M O N T H
D en n is A. Stu ck • O w ner
Secu rin g H om e a n d C om m ercia l •  Since 1973
H EATING & C OOLING
S hack H ours D aily • 11:00am to 5:30p m
Tasting R oom H ours S at • 1:00p m to 5:00p m
W A T C H P A C -12 G A M E S
A t the P ost - P u b lic W elco m e!
503-738-9003
www.coasterconstruction.com • CCB# 150126
- W ine Ju lia
A M E R IC A N L E G IO N P O ST 168
1216 S. H em lock S treet • C an n on B each
503.436.2973
CCB# 201010
503.436.2235
“Best W ine Sh op on th e O regon Coa st.”
124 N . H em lock , C an n on B each
503.436.1100 • w w w .beach w in e.com
L icen sed • Bon d ed
In su red
“Helping shape the character of Cannon Beach since 1973”
Randy Anderson
36 Years Experience
Anderson Painting
(503) 738-9989 • Cell (503) 440-2411 • Fax (503) 738-9337
PO Box 140 Seaside, Oregon 97138
CCB#1992 05
Cannon Beach’s Largest Selection of
Oregon and Washington Wine!
A LARM S YSTEMS
www.andersonpainting.biz
“ Custom Finishing ”
L ANDSCAPING
C ONSTRUCTION
GARDENER
B OB M C E W AN C ONSTRUCTION , INC .
arcadia organic
landscaping & design
503.440.1491
arcadialandscaping@hotmail.com
lcb 9071
E XCAVATION • U NDERGROUND U TIITIES
R OAD W ORK • F ILL M ATERIAL
S ITE P REPARATION • R OCK
OWNED AND OPERATED BY
M IKE AND C ELINE M C E WAN
503-738-3569
34154 H WY 26, S EASIDE , OR
P.O. B OX 2845, G EARHART , OR
S ERVING THE P ACIFIC N ORTHWEST S INCE 1956 • CC48302
L ANDSCAPING
A DVERTISING
Laurelwood Compost • Mulch • Planting MacMix
Soil Amendments
ADVERTISE YOUR
BUSINESS OR SERVICE HERE!
YARD DEBRIS DROP-OFF
(no Scotch Broom)
503-717-1454
ONLY $22 PER ISSUE
34154 HIGHWAY 26
SEASIDE, OR
Call Laura Kaim
503-791-6709
lkaim@dailyastorian.com