Biography

Massage

At the Palo Alto Body Therapy Center, I first studied Esalen® massage with long time Esalen resident, Arthur Munyer and Daniella Urbaseck. Esalen® massage is an intuitive, nurturing blend of Swedish massage, deeper work like Rolfing (though it’s not Rolfing, it’s just been influenced by it), and the joint mobilization work of Milton Trager that incorporates many long, flowing massage strokes that move fluidly from heal to head and back. Esalen® massage emphasizes the wholeness and is always working to integrate the body. I was also able to pursue my interest in anatomy and physiology under the tutelage of Michael Murphy, Rolfer and Mary Ann Furda, D.C. as well as body structure reading and massage techniques with these teachers.

After completing my studies at The Body Therapy Center, I enrolled at DeAnza College. Here, I studied with May Ann Furda and then with Medical Qi Gong practitioner and Doctor of Chiropractics, Seth Lefkowitz. I continue to take courses whenever I find good teachers and the time to slip away from work for a few days.

Yoga

While spending several years as an office worker, the soreness I felt from constantly sitting was relieved daily with my yoga practice. My early yoga practice from 1982 (as a freshman in high school) to 1990 came from a book I found on my mother's bookshelf: Richard Hittelman's 28 Day Yoga Exercise Program. I thought if I followed the instructions very carefully, I might glimpse enlightenment. :P

Though it was the inner peace, connection to source, beauty, and strategies for relieving body tension that drew me in to yoga, I wanted a deeper understanding of the technical aspects of the poses. After much complaining to my teachers, that I knew there had to be more, Julianne Rice, Yoga Director at The Center For Spiritual Enlightenment advised me to check out Iyengar Yoga. I was delighted to find answer to my long asked alignment questions, and aspects of alignment that I'd never considered, from the Iyengar teachers at Yoga Fitness.  That year I also started a nine month Yoga Teacher training program with local Physical Therapist and Yogi, Joyce Anue of Yoga Educational Seminars (Y.E.S.). I’ve just started Bija Yoga’s 500 hour Iyengar teacher training with Senior Iyengar teachers Manouso Manos and Gloria Goldberg. I will complete this three year program in December 2012.