I traveled to Hong Kong and Thailand in April 2011.  Check out the blog of my trip.

My trip to Hong Kong and Thailand was FANTASTIC!  It really could not have been any better, and I am not simply abusing hyperbole.  I feel fortunate that it unfolded as it did, and I did my best to soak in as much learning as I could.  It was a gift to see Thai healing practicies in their natural environment, and intriguing to ponder how the experience will translate back here at Chakra Khan.
If you haven't checked out my travel blog, click on over to http://juliekesti.com/2011/04/day-9-sawatdee-ka/

 to start at with the begining entry of my time in Thailand (or if you don't feel like reading, see tons & tons of pictures and video).  --julie  

Published in the Star Tribune August 31, 2009

As aerobic warriors and diehard athletes, we never stretch enough, don't drink enough water, ignore muscle pain and fail to take the occasional break. Over time, we hurt, we get cranky, lopsided and stagnant. Our energy doesn't flow. But we don't slow down enough to listen to our bodies.

Frankly, I just assumed that body pain went with the territory. But then Stone Point Shiatsu therapist Bonita Kosciolek called and offered me a challenge. Shiatsu massage is based on Eastern medicine and will help release toxins, let energy flow more freely and heal those chronic sore spots, she said. And she was willing to prove it.

Read the entire article at: 

  http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/55864597.html?page=3&c=y

 

Founded in 1995 by JoAnn Reinhardt, Burnsville Shiatsu Center (BSC) recently celebrated its 15th anniversary.  Karen Hielsberg bought the practice in 1997 when JoAnn retired and moved to Nevada.  Karen's interest in shiatsu started while she was teaching English in Japan after college.  She graduated from Minnesota Center for Shiatsu Study, now CenterPoint, in 1994 and practiced shiatsu at BSC starting in 1995.  Since 1999, bodywork has been her full-time job.

Shortly after Karen bought BSC, she was joined in the practice by Laurel Regan, a 1998 graduate of Minnesota Center for Shiatsu Studies.  Laurel was already a yoga teacher, and her interest in practicing shiatsu came in

Bonita Kosciolek has just been approved as a Registered Instructor through the AOBTA®! This is an excellent landmark of the time, energy and progress that she has dedicated to her bodywork practice, continuing education, and the Shiatsu wisdom she mentors to her students. Next she will be expanding her teaching scope to include Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory and will accomplish her long term goal of becoming a certified AOBTA® instructor in the future. 

Bonitaʼs Story

Since she was very young she remembers naturally wanting to help, touch and heal with people. Bonita pursued a successful career in advertising for 20 years when she realized her body was in pain, she was overworked, and had no energy to take care of herself and invest in her spiritual pursuits. It was obvious it was time for a change, so she took a leap of faith and a leave of absence from her high powered job to take care of herself and walk "the road less traveled". During this time she played with her daughter and took her to kindergarten.

The Diamond Heart Qigong workshop was a HUGE success!!! It was a deep and fun-filled course that I encourage anyone who is a caregiver or in the healing arts to attend. This was such a helpful look at how people experience healthy relationships with clients or friends. Instructor, Chandler Yorkhall offered many heart-centered problem solving tools that lead "the way" to the most truthful and brightest outcomes. This 2 day ethics workshop has given me a deeper understanding of healing energy. How much substantial progress can happen when the practitioner focuses on "What would bring the person into health?" instead of making the main focus "What is the clients disease?"

Each Qigong movement was profound, practical and offered easy ways to center after each client, be present in daily life, heal the heart and find our own authentic movement as an individual and a practitioner.

Inspire and heal your hearts, the Diamond Heart Qigong workshop is not to be missed. Contact Chandler to become part of his email list for future classes and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

CenterPoint's open house was a great success!!! Cari Johnson Pelava and Jackson Petersburg cut the ribbon on the newly built CenterPoint location and opened the doors to the public. This huge celebration marked the achievement of 10 years of growth, evolution, and progress for CenterPoint. Here eastern bodywork and western massage meet under one roof and together become a new "force of nature"!

At CenterPoint on February 16, 2011 about two dozen people gathered to hear more details regarding the proposed Voluntary Registration for Massage and Bodywork bill.The presentation was given by Jeremy E. Miller, Chair of the Alliance for Licensing Massage Therapists (ALMT).Over the course of 2.5 hours a lot of material was presented and many questions from the audience were addressed.

The bill would create a protected title of "Registered Massage and Bodywork Therapist" abbreviated "RMBT."Registration would beCOMPLETELY VOLUNTARY.Those who choose to register under the law would be allowed to call themselves RMBTs, would no longer be subject to city licensing requirements and would no longer be covered by Minnesota's CAP law (commonly referred to as the CAM law).Those who choose not to register could not call themselves RMBTs, would continue to be subject to municipal licensing laws and would continue to be covered by the CAP law.Bottom line: those not registering would see no change to the way they are able to practice.  

The Jin Shin Do® neck release workshop held on Monday, September 20, 2010 turned out to be a wonderful learning experience for all!  The space used was very warm and quite lovely and happened to be that of fellow Shiatsu Practitioner, Ben Bartlein, of Eastern Shore.  There were 15 participants ranging from students to full-time practitioners.  We even had one student fill out the paperwork to become an AOBTA® member. 

Deborah Valentine Smith has a wonderful way of incorporating real-life experiences into her teaching,