Guides
Kath Rutland, BA, RTT, RYT, CMT
Kath’s YOGA & MASSAGE HISTORY
I first practiced yoga with my Mum back in the seventies. I still have the first yoga book
she bought – from an ITV series, pretty much the first introduction of yoga to the British
mainstream population. I loved rolling around on the floor with my Mum and
creating shapes with my body. I trained as a British horse riding instructor before
moving to Canada in 1994, then life changed and I found myself in a corporate work
environment instead of outside with horses as planned.
Spurred on by the stress of that livelihood I began to seriously pursue massage and
yoga. In the last ten years or so I have practiced yoga on a more formal basis, joining
local classes in Hatha, Kundalini and Power yoga, reading much more, practicing with
intent. My urge to teach and share exciting experiences motivated me to teach yoga,
starting with my massage clients and expanding as my experience and confidence grew.
My local teacher decided to quit so I took over his classes and they have doubled in size
since I began a couple of years ago.
Concurrent with this yoga development, I began to pursue Massage training.
Looking for both massage and yoga courses I happened upon something called “Yoga
Massage” or Traditional Thai Therapy. This moment was one of the proverbial “light
bulb” moments in my life. I enrolled in my first course with Shawne Klassen in
2004 and loved it!
To further my studies, in 2005 and 2006 I went to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. I
spent time with Chongkol Settakorn at ITM. I have found great insights through
Chongkol’s teachings and am eager to return to Thailand frequently in order to pursue
studies with other Thai masters and to regularly recharge my batteries. Each time I study
with my first teacher Shawne, or with new teachers, I learn something about the practice
and about myself. New life is infused into my practice.
In 2008 I enrolled in a month-long intensive yoga teacher-training course at Yandara
Yoga Institute in Southern Baja, Mexico. This training served to deepen and enhance
the work that I had started locally and which I hope to continue developing with
workshops in Alberta and Thailand.
There are so many links between the fields of yoga and Nuad Borarn (Thai Massage)
that I am constantly learning and linking each practice. Clients who come to my yoga
classes and also receive Thai massage seem to grow, learn and achieve more by the
synchronicity of the two disciplines.
Shawne Klassen RMT
Shawne's MASSAGE AND TEACHING HISTORY
After completing his massage therapy training in Calgary, Shawne became intrigued with the healing potential of Thai Massage he studied under Thai massage masters at the Wan Dee School of Ancient Massage, Lek Chaia Massage School and the Old Medicine Hospital, in Chiang Mai where he completed his internship. He also studied the Southern Style at Wat Pho in Bangkok, in Pai, under the renowned Mr. Jan, one of the only living teachers, who practices this healing art.
Beyond the physical practice of Thai Massage Shawne has completely immersed himself in the spiritual realm of this holistic practice - Buddhist meditation. He has spent extensive time in meditative retreats coming to understand the mind / body / spirit connection.
Shawne is a licensed and registered massage therapist practicing in Alberta Canada. He has practiced massage for Fifteen years and has been teaching Thai Yoga massage for the last eight years. He has a deep understanding of both the mental and physical techniques and a profound knowledge of the spiritual aspects of Thai Yoga Massage, having spent years studying in both Canada and Thailand to perfect his technique.