Over the past few months, several friends have nudged me to write more frequently. I enjoy thinking about what I will share each month in these e-newsletters. Many of my clients, students, and friends tell me they ACTUALLY read my newsletter. Always good to know!

Some of you may not know this, but before I found Thai Massage, or before it found me, I was studying English Literature at Denver University. I was in an MA/PhD program, teaching first-year grammar and rhetoric classes to DU students. I hesitate to tell you this because now I have to be careful about EACH comma and improper word choice. Awww well, I'm not much of a grammarian any longer.

When I left graduate school and took off to Thailand, I also chose to purge many aspects of my previous dependence on knowledge--all of my books were given away--and in the process I also distanced myself from writing.

I needed some time and breathing space from the essays upon endless essays that I wrote for school--mainly about subjects that were purposely esoteric, academic, and abstruse.

I used to write haiku. I have about 600. Yes, I know. That was my "haiku" period. The haiku is a nice contrast to a critical essay. Short, simple, and meditative.

I'm in a more "communicative" period now. My writing mood is about sharing knowledge and teaching others about the healing arts that have inspired and changed my universe.

All of this to say, I now have a weekly blog: "Butterflies Within: Preserving Thai Wisdom with a Modern Twist."

I have 3 posts on there now--Introduction, Benefits of Ginger, and a fresh, Ginger root compress recipe to treat muscle pain and stress. Let me know how you like it!

Namaste and Kap Kun Kah, Hillary Olsen Hilliard, Blogtrice Extraordinaire

TFT (Thai for the Table) is an amazing introduction and a clever modification of the Traditional Thai Yoga Massage style. TFT was created to be more accessible for current massage therapists and bodyworkers who would like to incorporate different techniques and different layers of awareness into their current practices on the table and who would like to first experience Thai Massage before taking the full 50-hour training program.

Along with learning a specific sequence, we will touch on the history and theory of traditional Thai massage, as well as focusing on the therapist's ergonomics on the table--how to use body weight and leaning pressure to administer deeper pressure with the most ease. In our experience, TFT inspires our students to take the full 50-hour training, and it gives them an array of techniques and sequencing to start using in their current practices. The student will have enough knowledge to give a 60 - 90 min TFT session.

Dates: Saturday & Sunday, February 20 - 21, 9:00a - 6:00p, 16 CE Hours

Cost: $350

Instructor: The One & Only---Celeste O'Brien !!!

It's now official: The Denver School of Thai Massage!! We now have a separate website from our Textured Motion site, and all of our course, instructor, and updated schedule information is on there.

I hope you'll visit the new site, learn about our newest instructor, Celeste O'Brien, and read about our new course offerings: Thai for the Table--a 2-day, weekend workshop and Intro to Thai Massage--also a 2-day weekend workshop.

Here's to teaching more people about Thai Massage and Thai Herbs in 2010!!

I recently had a Vedic Astrology reading with Sherif Sakr--it was a very profound experience. Sherif has a serene presence and a way of easily explaining this work and it's applicable significance to your life. I encourage you to make this 60-minute session a priority--an essential gift to yourself. Please read on for description and details:

Vedic Astrology is a technology that helps you expand your perspective to encompass your highest life purpose. It is not a psychic reading. It is closely tied to astronomy as the exact time and place of your birth is required to calculate the stars rising on the Eastern horizon on your birth date.

This technology comes form the ancient Vedic civilization of India and is called "Jyotisha", which means "to cast a light". A light will be cast on your life that will give you validation, confirmation, or revelation as to why you are how you are and what direction your life should take.

Sherif Sakr is originally from Egypt and grew up in Germany, Puerto Rico, and finally in Cincinnati, Ohio. After a career in engineering and corporate sales, he has found his calling in coaching people who are seeking to understand their higher purpose in life. He is the founder of StarReader Coaching, LLC and also does commercial real estate investing. Sherif is grateful to share his life with his wife and kids in Denver, Colorado.

To schedule, please email or call Sherif directly. If you don't live in Denver, Sherif offers phone appointments as well.

Email: ssakr99@gmail.com

Phone: 303-478-7229