Hi Jeni - Yea, I really enjoyed Texas. Everyone was so congenial and really went out of their way to take care of the therapists. We got a lot of favorable commets about the putting green and the Patrick Swayze movie.

This year will be 5 times as big with all the Hall of Famers and instructors returning for the Reunion. Biofreeze is the Institution too, so we're looking forward to their show.

Hope you make it!

Keep the Faith,
Mike

Hi Jeni - Did you have any other ideas about the Festival?

The entertainment will be: Thurday 7PM pick-up Bluegrass music in Old Town, Berea. We will shuttle people to the event and back to the college. Friday AM is the three Yoga classes by Linda Cramer to vendors, therapists and the general public. Friday PM is the Symposium like we had this year. And Sat PM will be the Hall of Fame ceremonies and reception. Comedian Lanny Moody from Atlanta will be on prior to the Hall of Fame.

Sunday evening I am thinking about a special ceremony around the circular fountain on campus.

The town is the "Arts & Crafts Capitol of Kentucky". The therapists and vendors will access to all the facilities on campus from the weight room, handball courts, gymnasium, the outside and inside tracks and the Olympic pool. They can stay on campus for four nights, have all-you-can-eat buffet style meals and choose from 14 instructors teaching 30 different classes. We had over $31,000 worth of free prizes last year and we want to surpass that amount this year. Volunteers even have a chance to win points and get next year free.

Hi Jeni - We just added a ceremony to close out the program. 2009 Hall of Famer Jenny Ray will perform the ceremony. Here is her explanation...

Together we 'Become' the ceremony...Creator looks down on the drums, the people, the fire, the water and sees it all as ceremony...so they 'become' the ceremony.

Because so many people are doing 'smudge' before they work on a client, we will relate, from a Native perspective, the reasoning behind it. The Legend will be told as long as it takes to finish the process and will be expanded into 'Hollow Bone' teachings which is so powerful for healers as they imagine Creator moving through their bodies.

We will all then create Prayer Ties, showing how it is only one perspective on prayer and yet is open to every faith and religion with no conflict....this allows every person to add their own beliefs to the ceremony for even more diversity to prove that all humans are related. Then all ties are placed in a Medicine Wheel Altar which empowers us as a group because our prayers are blended.

As we focus the prayers on the Bridge Builders both in the massage profession and around the world, we will 'feel' the energy build as the prayers are set on the altar. While we are placing the ties on the altar Jenny and Janelle will play a couple of flute songs. Once the altar is set they will sing some simple songs with drums that are instantly learned in English with 'Indian Sign Language' (It is so beautiful to see so many hands moving in harmony!) And they will sing one verse in their Native tongue which folks feel gives it more power. We finish by burning the ties to make a 'picture' of our prayers for Creator in the smoke.

Hi Jeni,

You do know Ruthie Hardee will be teaching Ashiatsu at the Festival next year in KY ?

Saw Ruthie at World Massage in Tx, in April, We really didn't get to talk too much. I wanted to get her CD then but time got away from me. Need to do that, I bet its fantastic. I will be looking forward to seeing her in June. So your going yes?

maybe we met at the texas festival? Margie Meshew's Thai class? I'v only been to TX a couple times.. Ever been to Fla? I grew up in Illinois.

yeah stupid me broke my right big toe, doing things that 20 yr olds do not 30 yr olds.

Hey Jeni: Hope you had a great Christmas! Are you ready for 2011? If certainly feels odd to write 2011. What happened to 2010? I suppose when I awake in the morning it'll be 2020.

Do you still want me to come to SA an teach Acupressure & Tuina? I'll be returning to Amarillo next month at Cindy's. I'd love to have you attend, since you were unable to come the 1st weekend in Dec. Let me know what's going on for you.

Don't get to wild on New Year's Eve. If you do, invite me over.