On my back, on the floor, I am lying alone in a dark living room considering that this may no longer be my home away from home. That, in fact, I am a stranger here, simply visiting a life that has sprouted and been nurtured without me. My home — the one supporting a life … Continue reading All parts touch equally
The grain of the dirt road crunched under the thin rubber soles of my shoes as the soft morning light lay gently upon my head, slowly warming me. Waves of stillness and calm washed over me with each step: the warming of my skin, the joyful songs of birds, a breeze carrying the familiar brine … Continue reading The joys, sorrows and peace of losing ourselves
In the past few weeks, we’ve all given up a lot. Of course, what we’ve given up is a necessary and worthwhile trade for health and safety – for us, for our families, for our communities, for our world. If we glance around, it’s easy to see many people seizing the opportunity of having “normal … Continue reading Movement Vital Signs: Pandemic Edition
One of the aspects I love most about Thai bodywork is the integration of herbal therapies into treatments. While my herbal tool kit includes balms and liniments for heating, for cooling, for injury, for calming, for stagnation, for nourishing, and the list goes on… Thai herbal compresses remain a go to tool in almost every … Continue reading Make the Most of Your Herbal Compress
Series Part One: Getting On and Off the Floor Most of the people I know are afraid to fall. They are afraid, first, because it is often a surprise: an experience of starting off in one position in space and suddenly finding themselves in a new position with no clear awareness of how the transition … Continue reading Movement Vital Signs
As my practice in treatment-driven Thai bodywork continues to develop, so does my herbal toolkit. Though each item in my toolkit is useful, I use a few almost every day. I just finished frying several different herbs in oil to make warming Thai massage balm—item A in the image above. This is a traditional preparation … Continue reading Thai Bodywork Tools: Herbal Balms and Liniments
Sitting cross-legged on a hardwood floor, I listened to my teacher’s voice as he instructed me and the other students surrounding me in a specific method of breathing in and breathing out. The method took great concentration, especially for a beginner, which I was. When he said we would practice some breathing exercises, my first … Continue reading Now, do it again
As we’ve seen in our time as a student, before we start learning something new, we usually review what we have already learned. This can be helpful in refreshing the memory and in providing a foundation for new learning. Reviewing the basics before we dive deeper can also help us gain a fresh perspective on … Continue reading Beginner’s mind for basic movements
The past few days, there has been an unmistakable snap in the air, the snap this signifies Autumn is fast approaching. Though the sun is still shining brightly on my face and shoulders as I walk my dog each afternoon, the wind is ever more persistent, and I find myself shedding layers and then putting them … Continue reading Balance through movement
In order for stretching to be an effective tool for easing aches and pains, it should first be used only in cases where it is indicated. As I wrote a few months ago in an article for massage therapists, according to Traditional Thai Medicine, stretching is indicated when the tissue layer of the body is tight. … Continue reading When stretching helps, and when it hurts
The Iron Bird Way 