Giselle Wasfie: Teaching the Journey to Calm and Complete

Photo by Philip Dembinski

Wellness to me is taking care of your mind, body and soul. All are connected, and all will get you on the right path of living a meaningful, healthy and productive life. The journey of wellness can mean many things, and I will seek the people and things that are teaching us the new, and re-imagined ways in which wellness can be discovered and enter our lives naturally. I decided to bring one of those people to my classroom.

Giselle Wasfie is an example of someone who is re-imagining health and wellness and bringing old age practices to a new age. She is an acupuncturist-herbalist who created a clinic in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood, along with creating her own line of product in continuation of completing a person's wellness journey. The REMIX philosophy is bringing "Ancient remedies mixed for a new age." Giselle created this out of a love for helping people remove the toxicity in their life. This can be many things, and to start she believes in wellness overall. "REMIX is here to meet the needs of a modern, urban client, and to affect and elevate our patients' lives in a fresh and holistic way."

"Music in the soul can be heard by the Universe" — Lao Tzu

The REMIX aromatherapy and beauty line is based in Chinese medicine and hand-crafted in Chicago by former magazine editor/music journalist, now acupuncturist-herbalist Giselle Wasfie, L.Ac.

These 100% natural, essential-oil-based therapies use botanicals, crystal-healing, and the principles of energy medicine to deliver mind-body healing in an effective and individualized way that's modern and fresh.

What does the word wellness mean to you?

A feeling of health and joy in your body. When seeking out a way to create more wellness in your life, whatever it is that you choose, be sure to hold it to a higher standard. There is a lot of untrained people making recommendations so really try to spend time with people who have training and experiences. Stay clear of anything that seems too trendy because that is probably what it is. I do think it's great that there is more spotlight right now on using natural ingredients which is effective and will get you where you need to go without using pharmaceuticals. Creating a better quality of life is a movement to refocus and eliminate toxicity from ones life, in a spiritual, mental, and physical way.

What inspired you to go into this industry?

From my desire to help people for sure. I knew I didn’t want to be stuck behind a computer all day because that is what I did when I was an editor. I love the creativity component, seeing peoples live get better and I love being able to share what I do through my products too. It opens up the conversation because about everything else I do.

Can you describe what you do and how you help people live a full and healthy life?

I do acupuncture and aromatherapy energy medicine, which works together to establish the areas that need the most healing or growth. I am the support system in term of providing tools like this, and I am on this journey with them. IT is a safe space as much as it is a healthy place to be.

"Healing to me is a sensation of calm and completion around something that has felt unbalanced or toxic or even traumatizing in your life. It's a journey and it may not have an end…like a flower that opens up and less like a destination…but it does get better."

Any rewarding healing treatments you can share?

Fertility is always the easiest to identify because a woman will have problems, or miscarriages and the only change is becoming pregnant after my services. The fact that I can witness the completion is beautiful. I have had about 10-15 babies that I have helped the moms conceive, we call them Remix babies, and I’m usually the first person that knows after the partner. Feels amazing.

What made you decide to create your own line of products?

I found that having my own product can really help my patients stay connected to the healing process. It can also be a way for those who can’t do acupuncture with me to experience the Remix philosophy which is ancient remedies mixed for the modern time.

How much of your job is spiritual?

I am tuned into spirituality because there is a science in there where you study like in medicine. There is this component to this where you look at the aura around the eyes to diagnose. I also do reiki and I think I am an empath. I can see and sense energies but it's not always a good thing because you need to be careful not to pull the cord too fast on a vibe you may not be liking. Always trust your instincts, but try not to jump to conclusions, it's only one factor but not the whole thing.

Whoa. That is a pretty great life lesson. If you did have to share another one though, what would it be?

You only regret the things you didn't do. I think about this one a lot.

You were a writer for Glamour, and lived in a few places. Can you tell me about that?

I lived in NYC and worked for Glamour, then went to receive a Masters in Journalism in London, then I moved to LA and went into music journalism. It was a great experience, but it didn't hit all the notes for me and I couldn’t see myself doing it for the rest of my life. The atmosphere in media was a little childish, especially at the music magazines. My editors called it daycare for adults, silly at times, where I had crazy bosses on drugs who expected me to work 12 hour days. Glamour was awesome and I met so many smart people, where it was unique and vibrant, but also cut throat. Even at the assistant level I had to feel like had to watch my back. It really is like "The Devil Wears Prada" I might have been way over my head because when my mother came to visit me once and I brought her there she noticed that no one made eye contact with me, and I just got used to that. I knew then that I needed something more satisfying. I grew up with parents in the health care industry and so I discovered Eastern Medicine. I came to Chicago and now it feels like home and now that my business is here I can grow it. I will stay here in the near future, whatever that means.

Can you give any advice on how you find your passion after doing one thing and moving on to the next?

You have to experience it and there really is no shortcut, and if you don't go for it you may always wonder. If you actually do it and don't like it, but you can always be grateful for the experience because it is still beneficial to growth. That is the best gift you can give yourself.

Some of Giselles products include things like the Fertility Candle. A specific intention set into place for its owner: As the candle burns, the owner's wish is illuminated. The candle is made with moxa essential oil, and embedded with a gypsum crystal—both known to call in fertility and support various stages of pregnancy.

View more products on her website REMIX

The mission of REMIX Acupuncture + Integrative Health is to guide you, the patient, and your body's own powerful healing response by using traditional Chinese medical techniques such as acupuncture and cupping, ancient herbal remedies, and Eastern Nutrition, to transform you on a mind-body-soul level—all naturally.