Finding Acorns

By Frank Merillat, LMT   There is a saying I learned when I lived in the Virginia Mountains that goes like this: “Even a blind hog finds an acorn once in a while”.      I think this applies well to the practice of massage and the concept of therapy. I even...

What’s The “Fuzz” about Fascial Relationships?

by Gil Hedley, Ph.D.   Over the course of my career as a student and guide of what I call integral anatomy, I have been blessed with the opportunity to dissect many human forms. Literally, every body is different; every body represents a unique expression of the...

The Only Way to Make Change in the World

“Nothing stops me. I keep working hard at what I do; it’s the only way to make change in the world”   Ariela Grodner did not plan to attend FSM. However, in 2002 Ariela convinced a good friend that she had to check out “this cool massage school” in...

How is ‘Oncology Massage’ Different from ‘Normal Massage?’

by Tracy Walton   She called me about getting massage for her brother. He was in treatment for advanced cancer, and he felt too sick to arrange massage for himself. “What is different about massage for people with cancer?” she asked me. And “How is it different...

Beyond the Veil of Stillness

by Giorgia Milne   The ground substance of our connective tissues is the matrix within which life originates.  It is composed of a liquid substrate that bathes, and is within all cells, and provides the means for global, body-wide, communication. It behaves as a...

Happy Renewal Year

By Frank Merrilat   I recently received an email, it began “Happy Renewal Year”. It was an inquiry about an upcoming workshop that I will be presenting in March and a nice play with words. I have to say that it got me thinking about the meaning of renewal....