Deep Heart Massage

January 2012: 

I have moved to Echo Park, Los Angeles, to a neighborhood that is quiet, calm, and gorgeous.

My address is 1455 Ridge Way.

April 2010:

I am a work-scholar at the beautiful Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. It’s so inspiring to be here, partially because this is the place where Esalen massage originated, and partially just because this place is amazing on so many levels!

I’ve been lucky enough to work in the Esalen Farm and Garden crew for two months, studying under Benjamin Fahrer, who’s a great farmer and teacher of permaculture.

I’ve also been thrilled to study Buddhist meditation with Noah Levine (pictured, left), author of Dharma Punx and a verifiable badass openhearted compassionate dawg.

January 2010:

I am working at a Massage Envy clinic in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

After having worked in private practice for several years, and enjoying the freedom that comes with working for yourself, I’ve surprised myself with how much I’ve enjoyed working for Massage Envy. I love being part of a team. I can’t emphasize how much I’ve learned from the other therapists at my store. I feel more part of a community of therapists than I ever have before, and certainly have been picking up more tips and tricks at any time since my first foray into massage school.

Beyond that, my clientele has been interesting, generous, and thoroughly enjoyable to be around.

In future plans, I will be relocating to California’s Bay Area this spring. In mid-February, I will be taking part in the Esalen Insitute’s work-scholar program – I’ll be working 32 hours a week, and studying with Buddhist teacher Noah Levine in the evenings. I’m very excited to continue my study of meditation – and I’m thrilled to be headed to Esalen for the first time, not the least for the reason that Esalen massage was the first style of massage that I ever studied – I took my first five-week module in Bali in 2003, and learned so much from my teachers there, Perry and Johanna Holloman and Ellen Watson.

June and July 2009:

I’ve landed in Pisco, Peru, where I’ve been doing volunteer work with an amazing group, Pisco Sin Fronteras. This grass-roots volunteer organization is focused on doing simple but very needed and appreciated construction work in a zone that was devastated by the 2007 earthquake. So far I’ve been too busy pouring concrete, clearing rubbish, and working on my Spanish with the locals to do much massage for my fellow volunteers, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not asking. In the afternoons, though, I’ve been leading yoga classes for my friends, and that’s been great.

Pisco’s a terrific place to be for me right now. I’m learning a lot helping other people, and how that might fit in with my plans for living my life.

May 2009:

Enjoying the traveler life in Montanita, Ecuador, and Mancora, Peru – mostly just beaching it! After two years of living in Portland, Oregon, I’m appreciating the chance to make up for some of my sunlight deficiency.  Just drinking it in and feeling happy in a very elemental way.

April 2009:

Living in Taganga, Colombia, practicing massage at my friend Ursula’s new studio, “Ejasam!” (which is massage spelled backwards in Spanish – but you knew that, right?) Taganga is a laid-back little town with Carribbean sun and a vibrant traveler community.

As of March, 2009, I am in Cartagena, Colombia, working for the American fitness company Escape to Shape, as their resident massage therapist.