What led you to pursue the healing arts professionally?  

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What made me do it professionally? I was lost career-wise.  I wondered what was next because I knew I couldn’t keep doing what I was doing. When I was in my previous job as a luthier, I had a strong feeling that it wasn’t a high enough purpose.  Something was not quite right.   I was not focused on the right things.  Trying to make a living wasn’t the focus.  The purpose was to build perfect instruments, and I realized that wasn’t serving me.  As the I Ching tells us, “it is only when we have the courage to face things exactly as they are, without any self-deception or illusion, that a light will develop out of events, by which the path to success may be recognized.”   I did a medicine walk around it and fasted for a day to really see what was next for me in my life. At this point, I was already learning Thai massage.  On that walk, it was clear to me that this was what I needed to do.  It was right there in front of me, and this was going to be my path.  I needed to make the shift from the first half of my life as a craftsman to the second half of my life as a healer.  As I started getting more deeply into it and more serious about it, I realized it is important, meaningful and serves people on a level that feels a lot more powerful.  There is no question of the importance.  It is healing people and there is no higher service than that.   

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I also was getting positive feedback from a mentor who shared kind words and was supportive. She felt that I was good at holding space and had good energy for it. She supported me trying it, and I liked it a lot.  It was extremely awkward for me at first, but I powered through it.  The thing I like about Thai massage that I don’t like as much about just doing yoga is that I am actually doing something.  I am performing the yoga on someone else.  That feels more active and creative to me. I think a lot of the things I’ve learned about sequencing in vinyasa yoga translated very nicely into Thai massage.

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At this point, I had already been through the awkwardness of becoming a men’s yoga teacher. When I got into yoga, there were fewer men involved in that.  My men’s peer support group was instrumental in me being secure in the role as yoga teacher and later as massage therapist.  It supported me in being absolutely secure in my masculinity in these often hyper-feminized spaces.  I experienced initial resistance due to programming that it was not a manly profession, even though Thai massage is structurally a very suitable profession for a man.

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I did not love Thai massage right away.  I had never done any massage before that and my first two teachers were not as good as the ones who followed.  I think the thing that really turned it around was seeing that my friend saw this as a good fit for me.   I respected her opinion, and it helped me to view myself from her perspective. I started to like it more and more.  The practice aspect really spoke to my musician background.  The sense of rhythm and touch translate well into massage.  The art of Asian massage really started speaking to me.  It seemed so much better, so ancient.  Asian massage traditions are thousands of years old vs Western which seems one dimensional and is as best 400 years old. What started as a possible career change evolved into a new purpose in life. 

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I now knew this was my career path.  In Virginia, people fly under the radar by doing “bodywork”.  Fellow people in the field encouraged me to go to Western massage school so I could do Thai Massage legitimately.  I got anatomy training in yoga teacher training but wasn’t interested in it at the time.  In Western massage school, they are very thorough with the body, muscles and bones.  You need to know these things to be a good Thai massage therapist, but you get zero anatomy with most Thai massage training.  There are extremes in training, with some using no anatomical terminology and some assuming that you already have the knowledge. The real value of Western massage as a practitioner of Asian massage is anatomical training. 

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How long have you been practicing yoga and/or meditation?

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I first started with meditation at age 16.  I started meditating as a solo musician to prepare for the performances.  That was years and years before I started yoga. I have been practicing yoga for 18 years.

 

What is the meaning of your business name?

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It was originally Mountain Metta, but my friend and mentor suggested that I flip it.  I live in Northern Virginia close to a mountain that I am deeply connected to.  Metta is a Buddhist concept, and there is an equivalent in Sanskrit.  Metta is compassionate touch and heart-centered quality of presence.  It is the soul of bodywork.  In the concept of massage, it is healing touch. Metta is the background of the practice.  You must have Metta to do good while you work, and you must continually cultivate it.  If you don’t have quality in presence, the person you are working on will realize this. 

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When I begin a Thai Yoga Massage the opening centering (or Wai Khru) is crucially important to the massage.  We are both on the ground; both in the moment. The quality in presence is immediately online.  The appropriate massage given with Metta will be better than someone who is technically proficient but does not bring this quality of presence into the massage. The centering is crucially important to the massage. This is ultimately an energetic practice and energetic exchange. Intention setting, creation, cocreation of healing is lacking in the Western world.  However, it is that very thing that I bring to each and every massage and ultimately to my classes as well.  Metta is loving kindness, and I begin and end every massage and class with this intention. 

 

What sets you apart from others who offer similar services?

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What sets me apart?  In the simplest of terms, I am a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT).  If you are going to work on Western bodies, the license and training are needed.  There are many people giving Thai Yoga Massage who don’t have Western licensing. I feel that the extensive anatomy training I received in my massage therapy training better equips me to treat the whole person and to know the impact of what I am doing on the muscle, organ and nervous systems I am working on.  Those who are not licensed and are performing “bodywork” have not been required to go through this training.

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Another thing that sets me apart are strong boundaries.  Boundaries are huge in creating safety, which is part of Metta.  Participating in men’s support groups through The ManKind Project helped me to be comfortable being in the space of people of all genders in a safe and supportive way. 

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The human aspect of it is what I am all about.  Metta is the soul of bodywork.  Ultimately, my archetype is the healer, my modality is Thai Yoga Massage.  The influences of all of the healing arts are present.  Everything is global now, and the wisdom of the entire world is available at your fingertips.  There is nothing pure anymore, so why not embrace that.  Carl Jung was a healer but simply worked in a different modality.  Dr. Jung stated it perfectly when he said, “Know all the theories, master all the techniques, but as you touch a human soul, be just another human soul.” 

 

Do you consider the previous quote to be your mission statement?

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I truly do and could not word it any better than that simple quote.  My dharma is to reduce suffering on this planet.  That’s it.  Whether that takes the form of massage, men’s support groups, yoga or anything else, how much I give to the world simply by being myself is what is at the heart of it all.  Quality of presence is fully represented in that quote. 

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The last teacher I worked with was a world-renowned Thai Yoga Massage Therapist.  His style is to throw out techniques, and you either sink or swim.  That part of it doesn’t work for me.  My preference is to perfect a handful of techniques and go deep.  Until I perfect it, I don’t experiment with it on my clients.  Everything in my massage is something I have worked on, gotten feedback about and received myself.  There are thousands of techniques, and it can be seductive to want to use the client to try them out.  However, sometimes what serves the client will be the most simple massage on the planet.  There are a lot of really flashy techniques out there, but most won’t be appropriate for everyone. My job is to intuitively determine what is best but to listen to the client.  This modality is not performative.  It is about serving the client.  While it is good to know the vast repertoire, it is important to do what the client needs at the given moment and to allow the space needed. If something doesn’t work on someone’s body, we move on. 

 

What type of environment do you want your clients to experience? 

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Safety, grounding and the ability to let go is what I try to create for each client.  I want people to have a space where they can simply let go and receive.  I have to remind myself on a daily basis how important that really is. 

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I work in different environments, so the physical environment may change, but I still bring those energies in a safe container.  I actually love doing the massages in a smaller yoga studio.  When not in a small studio, I sometimes even work in a chapel at a Unitarian church.  Either space creates an environment that is comfortable, safe open and friendly, as opposed to your typical dark, dimly lit, confined massage space at a spa. This allows for a lighter energy.  Natural light is also very important to the setting.  It feels friendly, safe, casual and not confining.   The dark treatment room of a spa doesn’t resonate with me at all.  The act of lying down on the ground, fully clothed, is inherently grounding and relaxing.  The energies I try to cultivate for my client are to counter the fact that modern life is brutally confining.  The goal is to create a sacred space where they can simply receive. 

 

Are there areas you have specialized training in?

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We do a lot of peer-supported facilitation in the men’s support groups I am in, through The ManKind Project.  A lot of that is working in dyads, which is extremely important in Thai Yoga Massage.  There are instances in Thai massage that manifest as a self-impowered way for the client to release something they have been holding onto. This can be physically, spiritually or emotionally.  While I am not a therapist, we do play therapists in the support groups. I have learned what I can bring from that environment to hold space for the client to process and release what they need to.  This is an ongoing inquiry for me.  It helps tremendously in connecting with clients both before the massage and after they integrate the massage at the end. 

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I am very deeply interested in and have put a great deal of time in meeting the Western psyche where it is.  Eastern Body, Western Mind, by Anodea Judith is the Bible of all of this, merging together.  Thai Yoga Massage is a wonderful modality of somatic release.  The idea is that our history is stored in the body.  Through these practices, we can release some of those very old patterns that are restricting our lifeforce.  My approach to Thai massage, just like the style of yoga that I teach, is slow and patient.  It is a Kripalu approach to Thai massage and brings more of a yin feeling.  The Nuad Bo’Rarn style of Thai massage has shorter techniques, with less emphasis on breathing.  My approach is a lot of cued breathing and a lot of emphasis of the techniques of the Lotus Palm School and the Still Light Center.  Their brand is more massage or a 50/50 between massage and yoga.  To contrast my style with other Thai massage, there are many people who do almost all assisted yoga.  I really enjoy the massage aspect and receiving it, so that will always be a part of what I offer. 

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When people come to me with a strong yoga practice, the emphasis may be more on massage. My approach to yoga and massage have longer holds and fewer poses, combined with Vinyasa and Yinyasa (extremely slow vinyasa practice with longer holds).  That shows up both in my massage and yoga classes.  It is very much due to the fact that I work on the Western body which is accustomed to things such as driving, using furniture, sitting, working on computers, etc. What worked for people in a different time and culture needs to be adapted to our lifestyles. 

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The Thai Yoga Massage that I practice is more unique than my yoga practice.  That seems to work for my clients, so that is what I will continue to offer.  I worked at a Thai Spa for three years, working directly with Thai people.  They seemed to appreciate that I was adapting the practice to the bodies.  That was a great cultural experience, directly from the source.  It was a three-year immersion in authentic, pure Thai massage.  Maybe it was not my path to be a pure lineage practitioner but making the conscious decision to adapt to and from it has deeply informed my personal technique.  It is a living tradition, living in another country, and I feel that it must evolve and adapt to the people receiving it.

 

What lineages of yoga are you trained in?

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I went to Kripalu for teacher training, however I spent time in Iyenger and Anusara.  Iyengar was bad for me as a recovering perfectionist but was good as an alignment foundation.  Anusara, which is now defunct due to a scandal, was great circular, straight up gym rat yoga. I also keep the Vinyasa aspect in there.  Amy Weintraub, at Kripalu, was a great influential yoga teacher for me. She taught me that compassion for the body, for the practitioner, the lack of strain and the goal-oriented practice is what is most well-received.  It is that idea of really letting go of the “no pain, no gain”  idea, which is engrained in the Western culture.  It simply doesn’t work in yoga.  In Kripalu, we are taught to be patient with the body and to let it strengthen and release on its own timeline.  For example, it may take years to use the Kripalu approach, but you are going to avoid creating serious problems in your body.  It isn’t a quick process.  It is a slow, patient, unraveling of the body, returning to a state of wholeness. Compassion is the root of Kripalu yoga, and it also informs my style of Thai massage.  I have found that when working on Western people, they need the longer holds and have varying needs for support.

 

What personal benefits have you received from Thai Yoga Massage or Yoga that led you to want to offer it to others?

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Generally speaking, I find that Asian modalities of massage are superior to Western massage.  They feel more artful, organic and kind to the body.  In Thai massage, we don’t use any one part of the body to exhaustion.  We can use other parts of the body, such as hands, feet, elbows, knees, head and can even sit on limbs.  We just use our bodies in a way that I feel is so much more intelligent, efficient and kind to the body, when done properly.  Many Thai massage therapists say it is too much work.  In the long term you are actually using your body in a much healthier way. With a yoga background, this is more natural.  I had already been involved in yoga for at least 12 years before offering Thai massage.  I don’t think you can do Thai massage without a yoga background.  You really need to experience yoga in your own body for many years before performing yoga on someone else.  All of the techniques in yoga are something a person can do on their own.  Thai massage is the icing on the cake, by offering what we can’t do on our own. Knowing the specific asana in my own body is important, as well as passive vs active stretching. 

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As for personal benefits, I noticed them the first time I took a weekend intensive in Thai massage.  To my amazement, after three days of giving and receiving, I felt better than I would have with several hours of yoga a day.  I felt absolutely amazing, even though I wasn’t all-in right away.  It was extremely awkward, but I felt amazing, and some part of me wanted to stick with it and see where it would take me.  This was similar to my first yoga class.  I walked right into a class of all women.  I did the class and felt better than I had in my life.  I knew I was going to power through any stigma that I had to because of the benefits of the practice.  My motivation was simply to do what I needed to, in order to continue experiencing this in my own body.

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As a massage practitioner, my hands are fine.  The normal lifespan of a massage therapist is 3-7 years, which I am now past.  I have no issues, with hands, thumbs or wrists because I can use other parts of my body.  Practicing on the mat with good body mechanics and moving yogically while I give massage are forms of self-care. I feel like that is going to offer more longevity as a massage therapist.  I believe that when giving Thai massage, if done well, you receive the same benefits as practicing yoga.  It keeps me free from injury. 

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You need to be receiving quality massage from someone else to be able to give a Thai massage.  I probably learned more from receiving than from anything else, and I can tell the difference when I miss one of my personal massage appointments.  In yoga, the mobility, the extra layer that we can’t get in our own, we are balancing and strengthening so many things.  However, some of those are things you just can’t do on your own.  There is acupressure, energy line work, palm pressing, tissue manipulation, as well as the massage aspect.  It feels to me that Thai massage fills in the crevices like the Japanese art of Kintsugi, where gold is put into the fissures in a cup; Thai massage is the gold filling that holds it all together.

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The personal benefits renew my convictions that Thai massage benefits yoga teachers. That is also the feedback I get from other yoga practitioners. Yoga practitioners, in particular, need to learn the difference between passive yoga and active yoga, and how their energy can flow in a different way.  Conversely, someone who doesn’t do yoga at all can still benefit equally from it.  Thai massage is also a great gateway for an active yoga practice.  If I have anyone coming to me who doesn’t practice Yoga, Tai Chi or Qigong, I encourage them to find a mind-body practice to balance in between massages.  It doesn’t have to be yoga and all are deeply beneficial.  I find it to be the best, as it has more emphasis on flexible strength.