What's up with Rocky Mountain Institute of Healing Arts?

Rocky Mountain Institute of Healing Arts was what I referred to as a "massage school with heart" from 2001-2011.  The Durango, CO  massage and energy healing school has officially ceased operations. 

I almost feel as if I'm writing an obit because I have so many good things to say about the school and all the people who were involved over the years.  I (Rebecca Mauldin) founded RMIHA and had a feeling of great things to come.  I had no idea!!   From both professional and personal perspectives, owning the business offered me all the potential for growth I could have imagined.  We had some really amazing teachers and the students and I learned tons from them.  I could tell stories forever and maybe someday, we'll all get together for a grand reunion and do just that!  Many of the students will be in my life forever.  And if you feel you've lost connection and are reading this, add a comment and we'll reconnect!  Massage education was and is a passion for me.  I believe that body work and physical healing is an integral part of healing the whole of our lives, individually and collectively.  So it only made sense to me to create an incredibly excellent massage school where students could learn the physical elements the science of massage in detail, but could also explore the spiritual and emotional dimensions.  What a grand ride it has been.

Many people have asked why the school is closing.  Basically, it's that I'm being called to new ventures.  As fulfilling as RMIHA was, there are new things out there for me.  Running RMIHA as the sole owner, took a huge investment of time and energy from me and it's now time to open that up for something else. 

To all of you who've come to this post looking for RMIHA info, thanks for your interest.  To those of you who've been a part of it all, much love and gratitude.

Rebecca

In the Circle

At RMIHA, we sit in a circle for our non-lecture class discussions.  To me, it is an expression of unity, connection, and respect for one another.  In a traditional classroom set up, you can't look into the eyes of everyone in the class.   I think that makes the experience more solitary.  (Which I suppose could be valuable in some testing situations)!

Today in yoga class, our teacher started the class with everyone in a circle.  We closed our eyes and experienced a guided meditation and felt the energy of each other.  I realized since I've been on sabbatical, I've missed the experience of sitting in the circle.  I plan to be proactive in seeking out the experience of communing with a circle of friends, meeting round the metaphorical campfire (or literal for that matter!), and allowing the free flow of one person's energy unimpeded through the group. 

I recently started a personal blog and did another post about the circle and social networks. 

Love,
Rebecca

Saying Goodbye to Davida

I know everything in this world is impermanent. But as much as I know and have experienced this truth, it's still sad to say goodbye to good friends. Davida Millburn has been a teacher at RMIHA for 6 years, and has been in my life since I moved to Durango in 1999 and started working at South West School of Massage. Davida and I shared a massage studio back then and since, we have shared ups and downs and connected on a deep level.

It's not just me who's been touched by Davida's insight and loving nature. She's been teaching massage students for over 20 years. She was at Heartwood in CA before she even moved to Durango and then at Silver Sword Academy in Dgo back in the DAY as they say.

When Davida agreed to teach at RMIHA, she was coming from a huge loss in her life and was willing to commit to teaching a small 20 hour course called the Realm of the Heart. She brought the tenderness of her recent loss with her into her preparation for the class. She was willing to be a beginner in teaching a course she'd never taught. (For all of you non-teachers out there, this can be very challenging, especially when you're used to teaching a different curriculum and the classroom is usually as comfortable as the proverbial worn in pair of slippers). Entering into new subject matter, Davida explored her own heart and opened it up to a new set of students. Since then, she has taken on more and more responsibility at the school and has become an integral part of the Heartworks Approach program and Asian Modalities.

Davida's moving a thousand miles from Durango and will be spending time with her family. In Durango, we can never replace her, but I know that she won't really be gone either. Last graduation, one of the students shared that he was working on another graduate from a few years before. As he was working on her hara, she said, "Oh, I can feel Davida's hands through yours." I shared that with a couple of other people and got the same feedback: "Yes, that's happened to me too!" It's beautiful and amazing how literally she is touching so many people receiving bodywork today.

RMIHA was blessed to have her on our faculty and even as I say goodbye and acknowledge the transition that's occurring, I acknowledge that she will always be with us. Lucky us!

New School Slideshow

Here's our latest YouTube video for the class that just graduated:

When Times Are Tough

Two weeks ago, a student shared to the class, "My cancer is back." It was a sad moment for all of us and we gave hugs and listened to what was going on. Over the next week and 1/2, the student came to class and participated fully despite her distractions. She sat through meditation class and watched her breath while experiencing her thoughts and sensations. She attended the Singing Bowls class and felt the powerful energies of the sounds of the bowls, and along with the other students, received a short personal session. She participated in exercises where we explored listening to our own inner guidance, clearing our energy fields, and calming and centering ourselves. I don't know, but I imagine she worried about being able to stay in massage school, about what her future was going to look like, about what was going to happen with her health and her life.

Then, a week and 1/2 after getting the initial news, she learned that the nurse practitioner had mis-read her lab reports and she did not have cancer, not even close. It was, as you can imagine, a huge relief.

She told me that being in massage school during all of this was a huge support for her. The meditation classes and the energy healing of the different modalities we explored had given her more peace and insight. And the love and support of classmates and teachers was always there for her.

The number one reason students don't make it through massage school is personal and health reasons. As a massage school director, I have seen students unable to stay in school who are very upset by their life's circumstances. It's sad to watch someone have to change or postpone their dreams when life gives them a detour. But for students who are able to stay in school, the gifts of love, support, and the tools for being present, centered and grounded are huge. I've always said massage school is an amazing experience. It's through both the good and the tough times that this becomes apparent.

I am grateful this beloved student does not have cancer. I'm also grateful she had the additional loving support of her massage school community and experience to help her through her week and 1/2 of scariness.

Teaching Presence During Bodywork

Today Ryan and I co-taught Swedish Massage. The class was about blending energy work with massage. We decided not to really teach much in terms of energy work technique (the 200-hour Heartworks Approach Program does a lot of that), but to instead focus on the quality of bring presence, attention, and awareness to the session. It was a wonderful day in the classroom and I felt incredibly grateful to have participated in the day. We started out with Ryan describing how he had grown from a newbie at massage therapy into a practitioner who blended energy awareness into each of his massages. His story was quite lovely and I was inspired by his relating that the changes in his bodywork came from changing himself. I spoke a bit about why paying attention to energy during a session is beneficial (something they hear from me a lot in neuromuscular therapy class, but not with the same clarity and intention). We gave some tips on how to handle big energy when it's encountered during a session and can feel distressing (like nausea, dizziness, etc.). And then I gave a short demonstration where I showed how I connect in with my client and then proceed with the bodywork.

We gave simple guidelines for doing the trades which were this:

Practice "Routine" for Integrating Energy/Presence into Massage

1. Client sets intent.

2. Decide if client starts prone or supine.

3. Do a series of holds while listening to the client's body.

(i.e., WHAT IS YOUR CLIENT SAYING TO YOU WHEN YOUR EYES ARE CLOSED AND HIS/HER MOUTH IS SHUT?)

4. Follow your intuition with the bodywork that ensues.

The students were absolutely amazing in the bodywork they did today. It was beautiful to watch. At times there was so much love in the room that my heart felt the fullness and hugeness of it all. Afterward as we shared in closing circle, one student remarked that doing this type of bodywork would really make a difference in the world. I think we were all struck with how deeply we can connect and touch one another. The tools of presence and awareness and allowing ourselves to trust our intuition are powerful.


© 2009, Rebecca Mauldin, all rights reserved

Busy Lives

Making the most of break-time!

The new day class has completed 4 weeks of the program and I am sure they are feeling full of information and experiences--learning massage, doing homework, studying new vocabulary, connecting with new friends, and juggling life's experiences. I, too, am finding myself busy with all sorts of aspects of school and life.

One of the most satisfying things in my life lately has been connecting with RMIHA graduates. We have a page on Ning (http://massageschool.ning.com/) and grads have been posting there as well as emailing and calling me. Heidi P from the very first class we ever had came to visit last weekend. She's now living and practicing in Santa Fe and her brillant, sparkling energy is as vibrant as ever. Nancy is days away from having her 3rd child; Crissy weeks away from having her first. Kristi's getting ready to move to Hawaii. Jeremy's getting married in January in Mexico.

While we slog along in our everyday lives, worrying about the economy, our practices, and our normal everyday concerns, miracles and connections are happening around us. I think practicing massage therapy is a foundation for remembering the amazing gift of life we have and share with one another. The simple act of touching each other reminds us of the importance of our connections.I am blessed with knowing all the students who've made their way through our doors. We find common ground of life's ups and downs and remain attached to one another through it all.

Life can get hectic, but there's always the relational aspect of it to pull us through.

Rebecca

Massage School Graduate--Interview with Crissy Williams

Crissy Williams graduated from massage school and energy healing school at the Rocky Mountain Institute of Healing Arts in June of 2008. I recently asked Crissy some questions about becoming a massage therapist and she was willing to share our conversation with you.

Rebecca: Why did you want to become a massage therapist?
Crissy: To be honest, I was never really sure that I wanted to become a massage therapist. It was never that clear for me. Instead, I spent a long time mentally catalouging attributes and knowledge that I admired in others--things that I wanted to call my own. I was lucky enough to have a few women in my life who repeatedly shared with me their knowledge of the body and recognition of its ability to manifest emotional challenges. Throughout various stress related conditions, from chronic infections to actually losing my hair, these women always had suggestions or solutions to offer. Yoga, breathing excercizes, meridean points, mantras, even a few massage treatments. These wise women seemed familiar with a world that I found both mysterious and endlessly intruiging. A world with "chakras" and "energy", a world where people recognize the toll that busy life takes on the body and spirit, a world where people are advocates of their own health and well being. This world, or body of knowledge, was ultimatley appealing to me. It sparked an chord in me that felt like deep unquestionable truth; I wanted to know more. Unfortunatley, I had no idea how or where a person learned these things, nor had I heard of a career path in which these practices were used.

Previously in life had come to the conclusion that if I could have it my way, my career would be as a "proffesional friend". To me, that is what these women had embodied-- support when I was in a weakend and vulnerable state. They had stepped in as someone who could teach me how to take better care of myself, and by the radiance in their smiles it was obvious that they applied this knowledge to themselves. I had no idea how they had gotten to where they were, but I knew it was somewhere I wanted to be.

Rebecca: How did you choose your massage school?
Crissy: It was a grand and exciting moment for me when I realized a person may actually be able to go to school to learn about natural health. This may sound funny, but in 20 years of life it had never occured to me before that there were schools out there to teach a person about "energy" and "healing". Having grown up in a very small and isolated Southeast Alaskan town, I had never been exposed to this type of educational possibility. I remember feeling positivley giddy when I sat down on a computer and first googled "natural healing". I was even more excited to find there were many school out there that offered various courses in body-based knowledge. I sent my adress to many schools asking for more information, but I only recieved one catalog. At the time I thought it a fluke that I had entered my address incorrectly to every school but the Rocky Mountain Institute of Healing Arts, but now I know it was no mere coincedence. This school had everything that I had wanted. Rigorous academics, intensive hours, small classes, varied topics of study. There were 2 things that really stood out for me about the Rocky Mountian Institute of Healing Arts. One, they offered a combined massage therapy/Heartworks program in which a person could learn about the physical and energetic body. This was my chance to learn what the heck a chakra was and how work with energy. Two, the school had an intimate feeling. I could tell it was a place where things were noticed and addressed, where I would be challenged to open my heart and break down emotional walls that I had learned to hide behind. I had been told my whole life that I was "over-sensitive" and I felt at this school I would be heard and empowered for what I saw in the world and in other people, not condemned. I chose this school becuase it seemed equally a place for personal and spiritual growth as professional training.

Rebecca: What stands out most for you in your massage school experience?
Crissy: What stands out for me the most is the process I went through in order to get to know myself. If someone had told me before hand that I didn't know who I was, or what it felt like to live in my body, I wouldn't have believed them. There are things that we avoid in ourselves; experiences we have stored away in the "can't deal with this" file, recurring feelings that are unpleasant and also unexplained. During massage school I was led these forbidden corners of my psyche, and was given the support and tools to begin some long overdue sorting and recognizing. I was introduced to my super-ego, not my favorite character but an incredibley important contact in becoming aware of the workings of my mind, and finally putting a name to that ever self-critical voice. I was re-introduced to my body, to places that I had quit feeling and loving becuse I had been too busy criticizing. Massage school started me along a life long path of discovering and uncovering my true self--and this stands out for me everyday, in every relationship, in every moment.

Rebecca: What advice do you have for students in massage school?
Crissy: Stay on the pill until you are done with atleast 3/4 of the massage program. : ) HA!

My advice for prospective students would be to try your best to abandon your expectations. This is something that is especially hard for me, and therefore all the more important. So many of us talk about having an "open mind", but what doesn that really mean to us? By letting go of expectations for your massage school experience, you allow yourself to truly take in what is being offered to you in the moment and to let your heart guide you through the journey. I am not talking about letting go of academic or ethical expectations of the establishment. I just mean to be gentle with the expecations that we carry of ourselves and our relationship to massage therapy. You may spend nine months in massage school to conclude that massage therapy is just a stepping stone towards a different field of study. Perhaps practicing massage will open up an internal world that you had not anticipated and is now insisting that you take time to attend to and heal yourself. There are ups and downs, days you doubt your abilities and days you feel like a total badass. Take it all in. Let it be what it is. And don't beat yourself up if you end up going a direction you did not forsee.

Rebecca: Now that you are a professional massage therapist, what is you experience in the profession?

Crissy: My experience in the profession is different everytime I lay hands on another human being. The energy of a session varies so wildly, from strange to smooth, from tiring to envigorating, dreamy to electric. One thing that seems to hold true, it is almost always profound. There are many experiences I have as a massage therapist, but what feeds me the most in my practice is the power of compassion. There are so many sources in the world (both on a personal and a global scale) of pain and trauma, so many "big" issues, mountains of problems that leave us feeling miniscule and irrelevant in their shadow. I dont know, as one human being, how to tackle these attrocities, or even to accept them. Massage therapy is an outlet for me to give compassion to the planet, through individuals. Its like people come to me and their bodies say, "I'm so tired. I've been working so hard. Life isn't easy," and through touch I can say back, "I know. I see how hard you are trying. Maybe this will help you feel better." Massage therapy is a profession where it is your business to provide comfort through touch, and who are we to put boundaries around the possible outcomes? Practicing massage allows me to give something in the spirit of healing, growth, and love. I cannot think of a better job.

Massage Classes are Underway!!

Day 2 of class--New Friends!

Whew! It's been a long time since my last post and a very busy time indeed! The new session of the Daytime Massage Therapy Program began on Tuesday, and so far it's been great. The students feeling good about their group and the 9 months ahead. I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with another group of students making their dreams come true, and the teachers have a level of enthusiasm that's inspiring.

Mark (our Anatomy & Physiology teacher), has been getting together some great audiovisual materials for presentations, and Ryan and I have been exploring new ways to blend Katherine's meditation classes with Swedish Massage. We're underway and it feels great!

Rebecca

The Gospel of Sacred Touch--My Soapbox

I was recently asked why I do what I do, and instead of falling back on the same old reasons I've had for years, I decided to take the opportunity to do some soul searching.

I've always been sympathetic to activism, but never considered myself an activist. I'd like to see the end of wars and poverty and environmental degradation, but these causes have never drawn me into the fight. And it's not that I don't care deeply. Both as a child and an adult, I've literally been moved to tears at the sight of a smokestack dumping toxins into our air, the killing of our global brothers and sisters by violence, and the starving to death of children on this earth. Yet, I haven't made it my life's work to tackle these issues.

My life work is to touch (literally) other human beings and to teach others to touch too. In my recent soul searching, I re-discovered just how passionate I am about this. I know that touch can change a person's life. Being touched can connect a person to his own depths, to another person, or all beings in the cosmos. Being touched can bring a person to a place of stillness and peace, where she can realize her essential nature. Being touched with honor, love, and understanding can remind us of our inherent worthiness and basic goodness.

Wow.

Touching another human being is no small matter and I want to do my part to make sure that touch is given it's true status as a sacred art. Every person who lies on the massage table, regardless of what they've done in their life, is a spirit in a body that can be reached with touch. I have no idea how many massages or bodywork sessions are happening in the world in one given moment, but it has to be a lot. Imagine glowing balls of light and love pouring from the hands of all the therapists working throughout the world at this very moment. That's my vision.

And sadly, just as there are toxins pouring into our environment everyday, sometimes there is professional, healthcare-related touch that is fails to honor the client's body and soul. Sometimes it's because an otherwise conscientious massage therapist is having a bad day; sometimes it's because the therapist has an agenda to achieve a particular outcome; sometimes it's because the therapists or schools that taught them were motivated by things other than spreading the gospel of sacred touch :) and in the worst cases, there are people who are consciously harming clients through sexually inappropriate touch.

I know I can't do a lot about most of this, but I can do my part in making sure massage students are educated to revere the bodies, hearts, minds, and souls of everyone they touch. And I can try my best to approach every massage I give with reverence for my client's body, heart, mind, and soul. It's not always easy--for any of us--but it's worth trying.

That's what drives me. That's my quiet activism. That's why I do what I do.

Love to you,

Rebecca

© 2008, Rebecca Mauldin, All Rights Reserved

Interviewing New Students

A fun and wild ride together!

The next session at RMIHA starts September 9th, so it's that time of year when the applications are coming in and I am interviewing prospective students. The applicants don't really know what to expect out of the massage school experience, but they are full of enthusiasm for whatever it holds for them.

This is the staging phase for a wild ride together. I'm witnessing the arrival of the people who will make up the Day Class of 2009.

Soon, we'll be sitting in a circle for the first day of class. Most will be nervous, wondering if they will be accepted and liked, if they will do well in the program, if they will like their classmates and teachers. The first few weeks can be intimidating because there's so much to learn and get used to. We're all getting to know each other and it's a heady time.

For now, it's a one-on-one relationship. The applicants know me but not each other. I try to imagine what they will be like as a group and guess who will be friends. I may have some inklings, but I truly have no idea what will unfold. I am hopeful and anticipatory myself.

These interviews remind me why I'm in the business of educating massage therapists. I feel lucky to have found this place in the world. So here's a big thanks to the incoming students. I'm looking forward to teaching and learning from you this year.

Rebecca

Self Love: An Added Benefit of Massage School

Sometimes it's hard for me to convey how much of a difference massage school can make in a person's life. I got this thank you email last month and was really touched by our graduate's words. I've reprinted it with his permission.

Rebecca (as well Donna, Davida, Ryan, and Kim),

I've been meaning to write to you for a while now but find this is the best time for me to do so. I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for helping me discover, in myself, the ability to be who I can. Even though I was still and arrogant little shit while at RMIHA, I was instilled with the tools to be someone who is compassionate and can learn to love-to love with my entire being. These last few years have been extremely difficult for me, and most especially my relationship with [my partner]. We entered each others lives as unhealthy, destructive children, who tried to love each other without knowing how to love ourselves. We tried, but our fear of pain kept us from fully opening up to each other and that fear spilled over into every aspect of US. When the bottom fell out we were both wounded so deeply, and old wounds that were never resolved joined in the fray. I pushed her away, and she felt abandoned. If, for nobody other than myself, I want you to know that I am indebted to you, because in that darkness of fear and pain, I found a grain of light. A grain of infinite possibility that I am a beautiful person. A grain that was revealed to me through my education at RMIHA. I realized that the person who really hurt me the most was myself, because I had not forgiven myself for things I still carried with me, and they prevented me from loving myself, and in turn, loving [my partner]. I have been buried in David Richo's books (which I also would not have known without my education) and I have realized that I can forgive myself, and I can love myself. And that now I can truly love those around me. To love them in a way which I had never known before. I see now that massage was not what I really learned, rather, I learned how but be human. How to feel, and how to love, truly and deeply. And so, from the bottom of my heart, thank you-so very much thank you. I'm ready to begin a new chapter in my life, and a new relationship with [my partner] that will finally be healthy and productive, and be the father that [my son] needs...I'm ready to grow up.

much love always,

-ef, Class of 2005

George Carlin blessed our massage classroom

Massage school can get intense. There's all those muscles to learn, all that anatomy & physiology--and that's only the mental aspect of it all. There's also the emotional aspect that accompanies personal growth and transformation. That's when everyone in the classroom is grateful for humor.

This morning, when I heard that George Carlin passed away, I stopped and thought of all the times in the classroom when someone was reminded of George Carlin. Of all the comedians out there, he was most often referred to. It gave us a great relief from the pressures of everyday massage school life. With his passing, our world is losing a voice that inspired people to look at ordinary things differently, to have fun with language, and to laugh at the outrageous. He will be missed, but I am sure his humorous insights will continue to grace our classroom for years to come.

We'll also make do with the amateur comedians in our midst. Most classes have their class clowns, and there's always our Anatomy & Physiology teacher, Mark Little, with his Chuck Norris jokes and bigfoot tales.

(The photo is of Damon and Adrienne enjoying a laugh during physical assessment class).

© 2008, Rebecca Mauldin

21 Things I Learned from My Massage Students

Today was graduation day at Rocky Mountain Institute of Healing Arts...

What I Learned from the Class of 2008

Even though your deeper self knows you’re not going to use it, it can be reassuring to sit close to the exit.
Thinking your husband is the most amazing person on the planet is a great foundation for marriage.
The aroma of turnips cooking in a crock pot is unrelenting.
Some of the greatest moments of liberation in the human spirit begin with tears or laughter.
Moving your business is easy when you have 15 people helping.
Thumping and cross crawling does wonders for group dynamics.
You don’t need a big house or a fancy kitchen to make the world’s greatest éclairs.
How you show up can be more important than when you show up.
Do NOT be complacent when a student holds the sheet for you to get dressed.
When it comes to working with terminally ill clients or clients who have asked you out, young people have more poise and generosity than you might think.
When someone tells you your tire looks like it’s low on air, you should listen.
How to make kombucha.
You can’t tell how deep a person is going by looking.
Chris Entz is a good soul to have around.
Growing potatoes in your garden is not complicated.
Feeling judged is not really a true feeling, like anger or fear.
Shoes are bad.
Sometimes people appreciate being left alone.
It is possible to make a 100 on the kinesiology final.
Discussing shared food can lead to division; actually eating shared food leads to unity.
When you say congratulations and goodbye to a group of people you love very much, your heart feels exquisitely raw, burning hot, and as big as the sun.

Thanks to the Class of 2008 for touching my heart! Love, Rebecca

© 2008, Rebecca Mauldin

Learning Styles

Like all students, massage students can learn kinesthetically, visually, or auditorially. Most massage therapy students I've encountered say they learn best when they can get their hands on and try something out for themselves. If a student is predominantly a kinesthetic learner, the textbook assignments and lectures can be more of a challenge than the massage techniques. It's important to structure classes that connect to all types of learners. My amateur drawings can sometimes be the accidental cause of a lot of laughter. In class last week, when I drew this depiction of an anteriorly rotated pelvis on a male, the students said it was the best drawing of the year. So we took a picture! In this lesson, we viewed the drawing, felt it in our bodies, and talked about the principles of this posture and the muscles involved. Fun!

© 2008, Rebecca Mauldin

14 Tools for Healing

Today we took a group photo and someone had the bright idea

of taking a photo of their hands. Here they are: hands from the

RMIHA class of 2008. I imagine some pretty amazing massages

and energy work from these hands in the future!

© 2008, Rebecca Mauldin

Beyond the profit motive

I just came from Julia Onofrio's blog (see blog list to the left of here) where there's a nice comment thread about the number of hours that's optimal in massage education. You can also go to http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/massage-therapy-training/#comment-1977. One of the themes is the effect of large profit oriented massage centers, large profit oriented massage schools and even the profit oriented motivation of massage students entering the field seeking a good way to make some great money.

It seems like we see this all around us in American society. People question where quality and caring goes when excitement for profit eclipses other goals.

To me, the act of giving a professional massage is one that has the possibility for tremendous effect on the client in emotional and spiritual ways as well as the obvious physical ones. Collectively, massage therapists have the potential for making a big difference in the world and the question of how we educate these therapists to be the best they possibly can be is an important discussion to be having.

I believe part of the answer lies in schools where the student and what is learned in the classroom are the priorities, where individual attention sparks enthusiasm for bodywork and the desire to continue learning throughout one's career. One of the most important things a massage therapist can have is the ability to be present, providing attention and acceptance for a client and his or her body. Regardless of the number of hours it takes, if this is addressed, the level of massage education is enhanced. For the benefit of massage therapy and massage clients, let's hope there continue to be massage schools that are dedicated to providing this type of education.

© 2008, Rebecca Mauldin

I'm passionate about massage school

If you're lucky, when you go to massage school, it's a life changing event. Of course you learn many new skills, acquire lots of academic knowledge and gain tools to start a new career. But at its very best, the massage school experience shows you more of yourself than you knew before you started. The experience of giving and receiving bodywork opens your physical and emotional body, exposes your defenses, and gives you tremendous opportunities for growth and healing.

At Rocky Mountain Institute of Healing Arts, we're gearing up for a graduation in a couple of weeks. A lot of times at graduation, family and friends of the graduates come up to me and say, "Until I saw this ceremony and heard what the graduates had to say, I had no idea massage school was like this!" So lately I've been reflecting on the profound things that happen during the school year.

In the classroom, we laugh and cry, support each other through challenges and cheer each other in success. When the classroom becomes a microcosm for life with all it's ups and downs, the students have a chance to learn to be great listeners, to stay compassionate, not to become ungrounded by someone else's experience, and to stay present with another human being. These are things that make a person a great massage therapist and they truly can be learned in the classroom. This is why I think it's an honor to be a massage teacher. Because we get to guide and direct our students during this special process.

In this blog, I plan to write about the things that excite me about massage education and share what it's like to be in massage school. Sometimes massage lessons are only applicable to bodywork, but usually they are applicable to life.

© 2008, Rebecca Mauldin