Sacred Bodywork LLC is honored to continue the Traditional Thai Culture and healing arts lineage and always will respect and honor their massage teachers. Special thanks to our massage mentors: Lek Chaiya (Thiwong), Jongrak Intatha, Janice Vitavec, Pierce Salguero, Michael Buck and Sandy Friedland for being truly inspirational to us.

Jai C & Dennis

                                                                       Lek Chaya   

LEK  CHAIYA  (Thiwong)   CERTIFICATES  AND  AWARDS Special Training: “Herbs”  Royal Project Committee, Lampang Thailand, December 1982  Special training : “How to use herbs”  Royal Project Committee, Chiangmai, September 1985 Nerve-Touch Massage Basic Training, Committee of Northern Herbs Association.  Chiangmai, January 1987  Special Curriculum for Using Herbs, Committee of Herbs Center of Thailand. Chiangmai, March 1993 Special Curriculum for Using Herbs, Committee of Herbs Center of Thailand. Chiangmai, January 1996  Honorary Award, Special Herbs Training Course, Mae Rim District, Chiangmai, January 1996 Training of advanced study for masseurs, Project of Rehabilitation of Thai Massage, Foundation of Health Development, Bangkok, December 1996 Training of advanced study for masseurs, Foundation of Health Development. Bangkok, December 1997  Present =  Appointed: Lecturer of Thai Massage, The Project of Rehabilitation for Thai Masseur's, Foundation of Health Development, Bangkok.

For many generations in Lek Chaiya’s family, the traditional Thai Healing Arts have been handed down from mother to daughter and Mama Lek began her training with her mother, a revered healer in Jom Thong district, Chiangmai. As a young women, she moved to Lampang where she raised her family and continued to work in Ancient (Traditional) Thai Massage.  In 1982 she came to Chiangmai to join the staff of The Association of Northern Herbs at Wat Suan Dok.  When the association was disbanded, she founded ‘Ancient Thai Massage Lek Chaiya’, located in front of Wat Suan Dok and remained as owner / director until 1994, after which she operated out of her home until launching her new venture with her son (Maew, Tananan Willson), Lek Chaiya Nerve-Touch Traditional Thai Massage with Medicinal Herbs Packs in 1997. She has received many awards and recognitions over the years of her outstanding contributions to the Authentic Thai Traditional Healing Arts. And now she has been appointed Lecturer of Thai Massage by the Project of Rehabilitation for Thai Masseurs),  Foundation of Health Development and Staff, Bangkok. www.nervetouch.com

 

Jongrak Intatha

Jongrak Intatha,   A native native of Thailand with more than a decade of experience, Jongrak continues to share her passion for Thai massage through her teaching methods. Jongrak began practicing the Art of Thai massage at the Old Medicine Hospital in Chiang Mai Thailand since 1990. From here, Jongrak continued to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Spa in Bangkok as trainer. From there, she relocated in 2001 with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Spa in Miami Florida as their Thai Massage Instructor. She's been training for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Spa Group since 1993 in addition to her private practice for the past 15 years throughout Asian, Europe, India , and Canada as well.

 

Janice Vitavec   Founder, Spirit Winds School of Thai Massage. Levels I-VI (Basic through Teacher Training) at ITM, Thailand, 1997 & 1999; 10-day course, Old Medicine Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 1999;  Nerve Touch Thai Massage with Medicinal Herbs, Lek Chaiya, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 1997; Certified Instructor, ITTA, 1998; annual training and experience throughout northern and southern Thailand for the last six years. -Janice Vitavec has studied with many teachers throughout Thailand and provides classes (Introductory through Advanced) on both northern and southern styles as well as herbal massage.

Pierce Salguero

His own words: "I graduated from the University of Virginia in 1996 as an anthropologist with a focus on Asia, and traveled to this part of the world shortly afterward. I soon fell in love with Thailand's unique culture and rich history, and what started as a short trip turned into a lengthy stay. I lived and studied there from 1997 to 2001, researching Thai medical traditions, learning formally and informally about Thai culture, and exploring an interest in Buddhism through extended stays at Thai meditation centers and monasteries. I received training as a practitioner of massage and herbal medicine in Chiang Mai, Thailand's vibrant center of traditional medicine. I apprenticed with individual healers such as Lek Chaiya and Mama Nit, and completed a basic course, internship, and teacher certification at the renowned Shivagakomarpaj Traditional Medicine Hospital's school of Thai medicine. With the blessing of my teacher, I founded Tao Mountain upon my return to the U.S. in 2002 as a branch of the Shivagakomarpaj lineage. When I started teaching, I wanted to provide for my students an experience as close as possible to the one I had during the time I spent living and studying in Asia. Throughout this time abroad, I was conducting research into the history, philosophy, and practice of Thai medicine from both an academic and an practitioner's standpoint. I moved back to the U.S. primarily to pursue graduate studies, and for the past several years my academic research has remained focused on Asian medicine. Since my return, I received my Master's Degree from the University of Virginia. I wrote my Master's Thesis on the cultural history of Thai medicine, particularly focusing on the interplay between Ayur-vedic and folk medicine in Thailand. (You can read this thesis in the Members Area.) Now, I am researching Asian medicine in the History of Medicine Department at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. I am currently working on a Ph.D., with a concentration on the connections between religion and medicine in South and East Asia. I am also interested in the integration of traditional Asian medicine in the modern hospital setting". "Director Tao Mountain Association of Traditional Thai Massage and Herbal Medicine" Publications A Thai Herbal. Forres, Scotland: Findhorn Press, 2003. The Encyclopedia of Thai Massage. Forres, Scotland: Findhorn Press, 2004. The Spiritual Healing of Traditional Thailand. Forres, Scotland: Findhorn Press, 2006. Thai Massage Workbook: Basic and Advanced Course. Findhorn Press, 2007. Traditional Thai Medicine: Buddhism, Animism, Ayurveda. Prescott: Hohm Press, 2007.     Michael Buck Michael Buck holds a prominent profile in the massage arts and is a recognized inspiration among his colleagues and students. He has been licensed and in full time practice since 1984. In 1985, Michael graduated from the Swedish Institute in New York City while at the same time attending the Ohashi Institute where he graduated from the advance program in 1986. He received his license in New York in 1986. In June of 1987, Michael graduated from the Anma Institute in San Francisco, California. In June of 1997, Michael was awarded a level three instructor status from the International Thai Therapist Association (ITTA). He has been teaching Ayurvedic-Thai Bodywork courses internationally since 1996. He has initiated over 5000 students in 7 countries into Traditional Thai medical massage. In 21 years of practice totaling an estimated 35 thousand hours, he has documented over 12 thousand treatments. Each year, Michael travels and studies in Thailand. He holds certificates from the prestigious Institute of Thai Massage (ITM) in Chiang Mai and concluded an intensive study of traditional thai herbal massage with the legendary teacher "Mama" Lek Chaya. His experience also includes two years as medical massage instructor at the Ocean Massage Institute (OMI) and at the Garden State Holistic Center where he taught Vedic Massage and Oriental Diagnosis (5 element theory). Presently Michael serves as an elective instructor at several schools and yoga centers through out the United States and Europe. His credits also include founder/director of Touch Dynamics Massage Guild, member of ABMP, former member of ITTA, and founder/director of The Vedic Conservatory. In 1976, Michael received formal initiation into the Vaisnava monastic order and was ordained by the celebrated sanskrit scholar A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Serving under his tutelage for four years, Michael executed "Sanat Varnashrama Dharma" (living and study vows) and was instrumental in opening several Vedic yoga and meditation ashrams (full time live-in centers) nationally. His spiritual sentiments and devotion remains unchanged. Michael's classes are routinely infused with the teachings of the illustrious and auspicious Vedic culture. Traditional ayurvedic ceremonial rituals such as Puja (sacred invocations for family/social progress), Tratak (centering meditation opening the "third eye" for physical and emotional stability), Pranayama (conscious breathing disciplines producing inspired insight), and mantra (vocalizing sound resonances for mental clarity and self-empowerment) are typically experienced in his Thai Yoga Bodywork courses. Instructional DVDs by Michael Buck  Thai Yoga Massage Nuad Borarn  Vedic Massage Thai on the Table     SANDY FRIEDLAND, LMT She teaches Bodywork at Educating Hands School of Massage and is a creator of the new water modality, MDMA, Multi-Dimensional Movement Arts®. She wrote and performed in a Knowledgeware DVD production, "How to Give a Massage". Her approach is spiritual, holistic and eclectic with a specific focus on energetic flow, vibratory frequency and dynamic balancing. She "plays" holographically at a table...on the floor...in the water...using sound, light, oil, color, crystals, essences, balls, magnets, rollers, intention, movement, verbalization, visualization... Her work and teaching explores the mystery of the body and reflects a background in Anthropology, Philosophy, Psychology and the wisdom of Cranial Sacral Therapy, Connective Tissue Unwinding, Polarity, Reflexology, Shiatsu, Trager and Oriental Medicine.     Sandy and JaiC flying Aqua Therapy PLUM TV (local channel #5) June 26th, 2008 Sandy Friedland talks about this new form of massage. To see her interview and video visit Health & Wellness Publications  Touchabilities- Essential Connections, by Iris Burman & Sandy Friedland- Thompson Delmar Learning Guest Editorial: A Case of Mistaken Identity posted:6/25/2008 by Sandy Friedland So, who am I now that I'm a licensed massage therapist? The state of Florida says I'm part of a profession. I trained to be a licensed, professional health-care practitioner. I studied anatomy and physiology, hydrotherapy, palpation and umpteen modalities. I took a 625-hour educational program and passed a rigorous state exam. I have more than 1,000 hours of continuing-education studies. I have been in the field for 21 years. I have touched thousands of bodies. I've been teaching bodywork for more than 17 years. I have written a book. I have a license issued by Florida's division of medical-quality assurance. I lecture, teach, practice and model what I consider to be professional skills. But wait—if massage therapy is an industry, as it is now being called, then I must be an industrialist. Is there a state licensing exam for that? What is my occupational title? Am I now a licensed-massage industrialist? Help! I'm having an identity crisis. Professional or industrialist? This is seriously confusing. Do I have to change my business cards and letterhead? I want to know if I am considered complementary, alternative or integral to mainstream Western medicine, or if I am in the same category as big business and in a league with other heavy-hitters, such as pharmacology, which is driven by the profit motive. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the manufacturers of massage equipment and accessories the industry part? After all, they handle products and inanimate objects, while I handle real, live people. My commitment is to the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual balance, health and well-being of my clients. Do I now have to call them customers and change the way I relate to them? Can an industrialist charge more because of corporate privilege? Do I now have to file a Form 1120S with the IRS? In•dus•try refers to "organized economic activity connected with the production, manufacture, or construction of a particular product or range of products." It's about trade, not as in a line of work, but as in buying and selling—merchandising, marketing and transactions related to hard goods. It's clear to me I'm not a product, nor do I push products or consider my clients products. I am a pro•fes•sion•al: "somebody whose occupation requires extensive education or specialized training, somebody who shows a high degree of skill or competence." (Definitions from Apple Inc., 2005-2007.) When I look at the definitions of these terms, I see myself as a professional in a profession—so I wish people would stop referring to all things in this field of work as an industry. Ours is one of the oldest professions known to humankind. Laying on of hands goes way back into the eons, before books and tests and licensure and marketing and governmental control. For me, healing through touch is an innate, intuitive, heartfelt form of connecting with and contributing to others. It's a commitment toward another's highest good. It's soul work, energy work, a personal, affirming, nurturing life path that calls for mastery, ethics, expertise, proficiency, interpersonal skills and compassion. Even the American Massage Therapy Association is confused about who we are. They issued a 36-page paper at the last Council of Schools meeting, titled Massage Industry Research Report. Browsing through this magazine you will see ads and articles which interchangeably refer to this field as both a profession and an industry. I feel this is happening because many aspects of the field have become excessively commercialized and standardized. We are living in an era dominated by the marketing of touch and the mass merchandising of touch-related things. We have fallen down the economic-driven rabbit hole, which focuses primarily on materialistic stuff, such as manufactured products, consumption, marketing, consumerism, competition and the bottom line. We can't expect our fellow massage therapists and other professionals to take us seriously when we don't even identify ourselves as professional. Sorry, folks; what we do and who we are does not live in the world of "hard goods," "commerce" and "trade"—and we have to grow out of this false identity/lack of identity crisis as soon as possible. The future of our profession depends on it. I feel it is important we define, name, classify, categorize and i•den•ti•fy ourselves, meaning we recognize who we are and can proudly say what it is we do that makes us professional. We need to establish an i•den•ti•ty—who we consider ourselves to be, along with the position and role we want to play in the grand scheme of touch-health-integrated therapies. I don't know about all you other bodyworkers out there, but I want to be known as a professional and recognized and acknowledged for all the specific education and experience that qualifies me to use this term. Words have specific vibrations and carry distinct frequencies. I want to fully resonate to what I'm being recognized as, to live in and represent an identification that fully encompasses the scope, breadth and range of who I truly consider myself to be—a professional bodyworker. Let's do it. Let's start a trend. Let's really act professional and step into the power of the position we trained for and identify ourselves as professionals who are part of a growing, evolving profession. Let's step up to the plate now, because now is all there is— it's time for us to solve this case of occupational mistaken identity. Sandy Friedland, L.M.T., is an author, teacher, lecturer, seminar leader and rabble-rouser, and is in private practice in Miami Beach, Florida. She created and leads workshops in the new modality MDMA: Multi-Dimensional Movement Arts. She collaborated in the development of TouchAbilities, a paradigm for teaching touch, and co-authored the recently published textbook TouchAbilities: Essential Connections. She may be reached at (305) 534-2200.

Sacred Bodywork LLC

Massage Continuing Education Healing Arts Classes in Miami Beach, Florida USA

 

 

         

 

Sacred Bodywork, LLC is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education Approved Provider.

NCBTMB Provider # 450670-08 and Florida State Continuing Education Provider # 50-9043

 

 

 

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