July/August 2010 - GreenList Louisville

teaching these capable young women an
ancient craft that has been in existence at
least 4000 years. Aside from learning some
woodworking skills, they are learning
much more about themselves ... that with
a little sweat and dedication they can
accomplish extraordinary things.
Dennis and I will be returning to Louisville
at the beginning of July and will be
starting up our second season of summer
day camps. Last summer we helped eleven
youths and adults build kayaks and find
their way to the water’s edge. This summer
we hope to get even more people out on
the water, proudly paddling the fruits of
their labor and enjoying the sanctuary and
discovery that quietly paddling along a
water’s edge generously offers up to us all.
Kimberley Hillerich is co-owner of
Skipping Fish Boat School located
at 609 East Washington Street in
Louisville. Call her at 502.298.0932 or
visit www.skippingfishboatschool.org
Tibetan Acupressure: A New Approach to an Ancient Art
By Rae Hatherton ND.,CMT., CMI., CHt.
be applied under the most challenging
environmental conditions.
For thousands of years the Tibetan nomads
took their herds of yaks and ponies up and
down the sides of the highest mountains
in the world, moving with the seasons for
grazing. Historically, the conditions were
among the most brutal that human beings
have endured. Diseases and injuries were
plentiful and the environment offered
little to support the healing traditions.
Using the elemental earth connection,
meditative concentration, the stimulation
of pre-acupuncture reflex point therapy,
local herbs and prayers, the Bon shaman
kept the tribe healthy physically, mentally
and spiritually.
When Indian teachers brought Buddhism
over the Himalayas, they brought new
medical knowledge too. The basic
practices of the Indian Ayer Veda and
the rudimentary medical knowledge of
the Bon shaman were blended. The basic
physical practices from these ancient
times were simple to learn, easy to
administer, effective and can to this day,
14
The Tibetan Acupressure System (TAS) is
an ancient system of reflexive pressure
point healing, harkening back to the times
of the Tibetan nomad. TAS accesses the
body’s natural corrective energies in order
to bring balance to the body as a whole.
This system can be used to treat specific
conditions or for the overall well-being of
the body and the mind.
In the classical style, the recipient remains
clothed and seated upright in a chair. The
practitioner accesses the reflex points
by using the tip of the index finger and
occasionally the thumb, adding a twist of
the wrist to deepen the contact. Because
the points require only a quick, deep and
penetrating touch, professional body
workers who have had finger or wrist
injury due to the mechanical stress of their
work can deliver this system with ease.
An entire TAS classical treatment takes
45 minutes to 1 hour. A CD version of the
system may be played while administering
the treatment to increase the focus of the
practitioner and enhance the relaxation of
the client.
The TAS reflex protocols are extremely
useful for massage therapists to integrate
into their existing massage sequence or to
add another modality if used in its classical