Rose Ortiz

My intention when I give a massage comes from my own personal experience receiving my first massage. The first massage I received was from a Tibetan Buddhist monk, Lama Lobsang Palden, in Chicago. I was in my twenties and dealing with depression, allergies, and body issues. I had just starting teaching Studio Art in an urban high school near downtown Chicago while simultaneously getting my MAT. I was very stressed as a new teacher and felt overwhelmed by meeting the needs of my 100 + students. To help deal with my stress, I started taking Tibetan yoga and attending talks on Buddhism at my local yoga studio. This is when I saw a flyer about receiving a massage. I did feel a little apprehensive about receiving a massage from a man – especially a monk who spoke very little English. That massage was a life changing experience. Because of the language barrier, he decided to sing to me in Tibetan, as if I were a child – and my mind and heart were immediately filled with ease. Early on in my massage practice I experienced the same feeling as I was giving a massage. As my hands touched my client I had, and still have, a profound feeling, a knowing that this is someone’s child, regardless of age. I need to be fully present, as if in meditation, so that I can move with intention and grace.

I have been refining my massage practice for the last 10 years. I started my massage practice while completing my yoga teacher training and Ayurveda certification in 2006, in Albuquerque New Mexico. I was fortunate to be able to continue my studies of Ayurveda while attending school at the Ayurvedic Institute in Pune India in 2007. In Pune I was given the opportunity to apprentice Ayurvedic massage with one of the local practitioners. When I returned to the States, I immediately enrolled at the New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics for their 800 hour massage program. My massages are a combination of Ayurvedic and Therapeutic Table Thai. Both schools have taught me to approach massage with the practice of Vipassana (moment to moment awareness) and Metta (loving kindness).

In addition to giving massages I also am available to give private yoga practices to my client and I also provide energy sessions with special attention to the chakras and matras. I have found that I am a natural healer, a good listener, intuitive and excited to get to the root of my clients’ needs through the various modalities I have picked up along the way, Many of my long standing clients say that they are drawn to me for my sensitivity and nurturing touch.