Thai-Yoga Bodywork

So recently I went to a class for Thai-Yoga Bodywork or Thai-Yoga Massage or Thai-Yoga Assisted Asana. I’m still not clear on exactly what it’s called. My certificate calls it Thai-Yoga Bodywork hence the title above. It’s one of those “that which we call a rose” dilemmas. It is what it is.

For me it’s a new method of bodywork, new tools in my arsenal of weapons against physical pain and suffering. And they seem powerful. The good news, I can integrate some of what I learned immediately. The not so good news, some I won’t be able to do until I get a mat for the floor. And the downright tragic news, others I won’t be able to do because we didn’t learn them. Apparently to properly learn Thai-Yoga Bodywork from this organization they need 150 of my hours with which to teach me. Never fear though, plans are being hatched as I write this. This wasn’t the last I’ve seen of this instructor.

The class itself was intense. A Wednesday afternoon through Sunday morning affair at Gray Bear Lodge in Hohenwald, TN. My certificate says 25 hours, but we stayed on-site due to the rustic, out-lying nature of the training center so it was more like an immersion experience where time gets lost.

The instructor was absolutely brilliant. I didn’t understand a portion of what he was saying as I’m pretty sure he was speaking several different languages and I am only proficient in English. Fortunately so was he so I don’t think I missed anything critical though I still have to figure out what molobunda (oh, go ahead and look at the link, it demonstrates just how lost I actually am) means as he seemed to use it quite a lot. I think I missed the explanation as I was desperately scribbling away in my book trying to write down the most egregious gaps in my body of knowledge. Also I think it’s entirely possible to learn this type of massage by experiencing it and watching the demonstrations. Verbal communication certainly hastens the teaching experience, but not strictly necessary, I think. But then again the experience of sitting in a classroom and being completely lost at times is inspiring. I have much to learn.

And then there’s Gray Bear. It’s a place, it’s an experience, it defies. In general, it’s a tract of largely undeveloped land where the owners have built a lodge, several small cabins, a meditation hut, the Yoga Room, a stone hot tub, a dedicated watsu pool, and a sauna. I’m sure there’s more, but that was the extent of my experience with the infrastructure of the place. The experience is one of love, warmth, family, and just being home. At night it’s dark and you can lie by the hot tub and see the stars, really see them like we used to as children before we felt the need to turn the night to day. During the day there are forests to trek, waterfalls to find, nooks and crannies to explore, classes to take and the best darn food you can imagine.

It’s impossible to write just one post to encompass this experience. It would take numerous posts to even begin to touch it and then my skills certainly wouldn’t do it justice. Let’s just say it was one of the most interesting experiences in my life and I’m still mourning it just a little.

The combination of the serenity and beauty of Gray Bear, the open and loving nature of the staff and workshop participants, and Michael Buck, aka, Mukti was something I will be tempted to do again and again.

Enjoy this Picture Gallery from Gray Bear and Thai-Yoga with Mukti – You’ll need a Facebook account to view.

Harvest Moon Massage is Decatur, Alabama’s Newest Provider of Vedic Thai-Yoga Massage