Filed under: GERMANY

Ashi around the world

I'm back from my trip to Germany! It was great, and the new Ashiatsu therapists in Weisbaden are amazing! Trying to figure out how to explain the Ashi-bar construction using the metric system was the hardest part ;) Dawn (our super fantastic awesome host and assistant instructor who's an Advanced Ashi and Ashi-Thai trained graduate) arranged a fabulous training site for us on the Weisbaden Army base. Petra and Sabine are the dynamic Deutchland duo, graduates from the very first European Barefoot Basics class. Thanks Miss Dawn, Corey, KC, and all our amazing Weisbaden bodies that we massaged, y'all made it awesome! Here is our group, Petra, Sabine, Miss Dawn and myself in the Weisbaden Ashiatsu training room!:
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This past weekend was the TAMT (Texas Association of Massage Therapists) 10th annual convention in Ft Worth, where I taught 2 intro to Ashiatsu classes, and demonstrated the work at a booth. We showed how versatile Ashi can be at an event - we worked through clothing using Ashi-Thai and the Ashi-Anma techniques, and worked directly on the skin with the moves we are best known for from our Barefoot Basics, Anterior/Sidelying and Advanced Ashi classes. Thanks to Jamie, Robyn, Adella, Susan and Cindy for all their help at the booth, Super thanks to all the "Purple Shirts" for everything, to Terry for his awesome history lessons, and to Shelli for a FANTASTIC time :D

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Are you ready for ROCKtober?

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Since the end of my busy summer schedule of workshops, I've been having fun massaging my clients in San Antonio. My favorite yearly massage tradition, "Zeptember" is coming to an end, but I won't let the good tunes stop, as soon as I am back to work on October 20th we'll celebrate "Rocktober" with even more rockin' tunes set to a massage vibe, and yes, I do take requests, so rack your brains for what you'd like to rock out to - and I'll see if I can find it's zen interpretation. The best part about Rocktober? HOT STONES MAKE A COME BACK! Yep, thats right, a seasonal treat just for you! Complimentary during your 90 minute or 2 hour Ashiatsu session, Rocktober through December.

Earlier this month I was in Houston for their American Massage Therapy Association Unit meeting, presenting Ashiatsu to 20 fun massage therapists. It was great to meet more therapists from this huge state, and see an active AMTA Unit in action. I shared a few of our famous barefoot massage strokes from our two introductory workshops, giving the therapists all a chance to feel what it's like to give and receive an Ashiatsu session. Two lucky gals won $100 off tuition to any class I offer in the next year, and with the help of my wonderful Ashiatsu assistant Hollie, we began planning a new training facility for the Houston area. More details to come, so please "stay tuned!"

Last week I hosted a Fijian Massage class, taught by a good friend of mine, Christyn Rittenhouse from Rockford Illinois. Her and I learned Fijian massage together in Seattle years ago from the founder of the modality, Lolita Knight. In support of another form of barefoot massage from it's original source I was so excited to bring this class to Texas and let Christyn, who is now Lolita's top Fijian Massage instructor, share her talents with us. She even stayed an extra day to teach us her new Asian Fusion Facial class, showcasing her expertise in the art of face massage stemming from her esthetics, massage and Qi Gong background. It was an amazing experience and was great to soak up the knowledge of another barefoot massage instructor and friend, thanks so much Christyn! To learn more about Fijian massage, visit the modalities home page, http://www.FijianMassage.com, or Christyn's site, http://www.BarefootMassage.org

 

So whats next? I'm getting ready to leave for Germany! Off to teach Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy in far off places and see the world! Once I get home, I bounce right up to Ft Worth, Texas, to teach at the TAMT Massage Convention, then it's back to massaging my clients at Heeling Sole for a few weeks before classes start up again. Man I love my job! 

~Jeni