Course Descriptions | VT Holistic Bodywork

Intro to Lomilomi

(4 days) ~ 32 CE Credits ~ No prerequisites

This is our intro-level course where we dive into the practice of Lomilomi. Despite its characterization as "intro-level", this course will cover a wide range of techniques, and you will leave with a full-body routine that you can offer to people.

The class focuses on building confidence in the techniques through experiential, hands-on practice time. We also devote time each day to exploring the spiritual principles of the work, practicing meditation and breathwork, and discussion of our experiences to help us truly embody the practice and engage in our own healing along the way!

Lomilomi is the traditional massage style of Hawaii. Each island has unique lineages of Lomi that have been passed down since ancient times. Although there are many technical differences between the lineages, each share the common belief that humans are more than the physical body. Lomi practitioners work with the receiver on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels to enhance their overall wellbeing. This approach makes Lomi highly effective at releasing tension, calming the nervous system, promoting integration between the different areas of the body, and bringing people back into a sense of alignment. Its movements are inspired by the ocean and there is a heavy focus on the breath as a tool to move stuck energy. In modern times, Lomi has become popular around the world. Receivers love the way the massage feels and often have powerful experiences while receiving this work.

In this course, students will learn a full-body Lomilomi routine that incorporates techniques from 3 different lineages.

This class is open to people of all experience levels, from beginners to long-time practitioners. The routine you will learn can be the foundation of a new massage practice or a wonderful addition to an existing practice.

Lomilomi: Hawaiian Massage Training

(5 or 6 day versions) ~ 32 CE Credits ~ No prerequisites

This is our primary Lomilomi course. It is not necessary to have taken the Intro to Lomi Course first. This class contains all the material taught in that class and much more.

Lomilomi is the traditional massage style of Hawaii. Each island has unique lineages of Lomi that have been passed down since ancient times. Although there are many technical differences between the lineages, each share the common belief that humans are more than the physical body. Lomi practitioners work with the receiver on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels to enhance their overall wellbeing. This approach makes Lomi highly effective at releasing tension, calming the nervous system, promoting integration between the different areas of the body, and bringing people back into a sense of alignment. Its movements are inspired by the ocean and there is a heavy focus on the breath as a tool to move stuck energy. In modern times, Lomi has become popular around the world. Receivers love the way the massage feels and often have powerful experiences while receiving this work.

In this course, students will learn a full-body Lomilomi routine that incorporates techniques from 3 different lineages. Material covered includes:

• Cascading wave-like strokes using the hands and thumbs from the heart-centered, meditative lineage of Heartworks Lomi from Sherman Dudoit and the Kahunas of Maui

• Rhythmic forearm and elbow strokes, deep stretches, twists, and hip openers from the Temple-Style Lomi Lineage of Kahu Abraham Kawai’i.

• Creating space in-between the vertebrae and joints through pulling, rotating, and shaking AND Lomi Ha Breathwork as a tool for releasing blocked energy from modern-day Kahuna Harry Uhane Jim.

We will also devote significant time to exploring the meditation and breathwork techniques and spiritual principles of Lomi to ground our understanding in where it comes from and engage in our own personal healing and evolution.

This class is open to people of all experience levels, from beginners to long-time practitioners. The routine you will learn can be the foundation of a new massage practice or a wonderful addition to an existing practice.

In the 5-Day Class, you will learn the full-body routine. You will learn more techniques and have more practice time than in the 4-day intro course.

The 6-Day Class, doesn't contain additional massage techniques. Instead it offers additional practice time to really fine tune your techniques and the option to experience a full Lomi HA Breathwork session and Lau Lima.

Advanced Temple-Style Lomi Training

(7-8 days) ~ 52 CE Credits ~ Prerequisite: One prior Lomi training

This Advanced-Level training is designed for people who have taken a previous Lomi training with me and want to go deeper. In this training you will learn a full-body routine based on a lineage called Temple-Style Lomi.

This lineage primarily uses forearm and elbow strokes that flow across the body in a rhythmic, wave-like motion, incorporating sacred geometry into the movements, which can induce a trance-like state of deep relaxation. Temple Style also includes a variety of manual stretches and deep twists which create expansion in the body and Deep Joint Rotations. You will learn to generate mana (energy) through breathwork and a dance step called the Ka'alele'au, which brings you into internal alignment and allows you to glide around the massage table. Breathing deeply through the heart center, this energy is shared with the receiver through the bodywork.

There are 5 main focuses to this class:

1.) Fine-Tuning Your Skills: In previous levels, the routine I share merges elements of 3 styles of Lomi. In this training, we focus in on the Temle-Style work which is arguably the most technically complex. The routine includes all the Temple-Style techniques included in the previous training, allowing time to really fine-tune the basics and add more nuance to your moves.

2.) Learning New Techniques: In addition to adding nuances to your existing techniques, I will share more advanced massage strokes including some really nice double forearm techniques for the limbs, and under-the-body strokes which are heavenly (if I do say so myself). You will also learn some additional stretches.

3.) Deep Joint Rotations: DJRs are unique to Temple-Style Lomi and I only teach them in the Advanced Level Training. Each joint is gently torqued to its maximum capacity and then rotated at an extremely slow pace several times in each direction, using the ball of the joint to clear the socket. This improves flexibility and range-of-motion and also frees stored energy and traumas that get stuck in the joints.

4.) Enhancing Your Flow: In this class, we put an emphasis on increasing the creativity and flow of our movements, getting away from "following the routine" and developing your ability to listen to the body and move spontaneously following your intuition.

5.) Spiritual Principles: We will dive deeper into the spiritual principles and tenants of the work, deepening our experience with meditation, breathwork, Ka'alele'au, and internal navigation.

I know that people coming to this class may be in very different places with their practice. Perhaps you;ve been offering Lomilomi sessions regularly, or maybe you haven't done much with it since the last training. I will meet you where you are and help you bring your practice to the next level!

If you have not met the prerequisite but are drawn to this class, email me to discuss the options for getting you up to speed, which includes setting up a private training.

This class can be done in full in 7 days. The 8 day option allows more time for practice and integration.

Tandem Lomi Training

(3-4 days) ~ 24 CE Credits ~ Prerequisite: One prior Lomi training

Offering Lomilomi in a Tandem format, (meaning 2 practitioners work in harmony on a single receiver), brings a new dimension to the work. The practitioners sync their breath and their movements and work as one. With 4 hands moving in harmony across the body, the mind is lulled into a trance, and deep healing can take place. The receiver enters a state of deep relaxation, the nervous system is calmed, and the masculine and feminine energies in the body are balanced. It also feels incredible!

With 2 practitioners working together, a greater amount of work can take place during a single session and it provides an extremely unique experience for the receiver.

In this class, you will learn a Tandem routine that includes techniques drawn from 4 different lineages of Lomi:

Heartworks Lomi from Sherman Dudoit and the Kahunas of Maui

Temple-Style Lomi from Kahu Abraham Kawai’i.

Big Island Lomi from Aunty Margaret

Creating Space and Lomi HA from Uncle Harry

This class is open to pairs of people who have already taken a Lomi Training with me. You will work with your partner throughout the entire class so you can develop the connection and non-verbal communication that is critical to staying in sync with each other and developing your own unique flow with the work. This will allow you to go home and begin offering this very unique and rare style of bodywork together!

This class can be done in full in 3 days. The 4 day option gives us more time for supervised practice and fine-tuning.

Hawaii Retreat

Specific content will vary from year to year

Our Hawaii Retreats in Waipi’o Valley give you an unparalleled opportunity to practice Lomi in the environment it came from. Immersing ourselves in the energy of the aina (land), and moana (ocean), we will integrate the practice of Lomi on an even deeper level. In addition to the bodywork training, days will include embodied movement practices, meditation, breathwork, group reflection, and ample time to explore the jungle, beach, and waterfalls! With extended retreats in a safe container, we have the opportunity to dive deep into our own personal healing work and have a transformative experience!

The course content will vary a bit from year to year to keep things fresh for returning students, but whether it is your first or hundredth trip to the islands, this retreat will have an impact on your practice and your life.

The Body Tune Up Training

(7 days + Followup Session on Day 14) ~ No Prerequisites

In this all-inclusive 7-day training, you will learn both pieces of the Body Tune Up. You will begin by learning the art of Applied Kinesiology - using muscle testing to assess the body and get direct answers about what it needs. Muscle testing relies on two premises: that the body has an innate wisdom and knows best what it needs for its own healing AND that we can use the body as a 'biofeedback mechanism', to get direct answers from the body itself.

Next we will focus on Digestive System Rebalancing. You will learn:

To balance meridians using different acupressure points to bring the body's energy system fully online.

To test the function of 5 different aspects of the digestive system and reset them.

A 14 day meal plan to heal the colon

To muscle test different foods, herbs, and supplements.

The following days will be devoted to Spinal Alignment. You will learn how to test and correct misaligned vertebrae, ribs, cranials, and more.

The final full day of class is a practicum clinic where you will have the opportunity to offer BTU sessions to members of the community with supervision and support! You will leave this training with the skills to offer this work to clients, family, or friends.

In addition to learning the work, you will be receiving it and going through the healing process yourself. Students will give each other Tune Ups every day and you will be following the meal plan for 14 days. We will be providing your food for the week you are in training, and you will get to experience cooking your own meal plan food for the 2nd week following the course.

On day 14, will reconvene for a follow up session where everyone will share their experience of completing the meal plan. We will share a final meal together and you will receive your certificate! Certificates will only be handed out if you complete the meal plan, because if you haven't ever done it yourself, how can you have credibility when recommending it to others?

This class is open to anyone and everyone. Bodywork experience is not required. The Body Tune Up is a great modality for massage therapists, bodyworkers, and nutritionists to add to their repertoire for helping clients, but it is also a fantastic tool for people to use with friends, partners, and family members!

Private Trainings

For individuals or groups

If you are called to work with me and either can't attend any of my scheduled trainings or would prefer to host me at your space, contact me!

I am happy to travel to your space or host you for a private or group training in either Lomilomi or The Body Tune Up. The training can be customized to suit your needs in many ways including content covered, number of days, and cost.

If you're an individual who knows people that would like to take this class, let's talk about you hosting a training!

If you run a spa or resort and want to add Lomilomi to your menu, we can setup a workshop to get your therapists trained in Lomilomi.

If you run a massage school, we can hold a class to provide continuing ed opportunities to your current and former students.

Contact me at benj@vermontholisticbodywork.com to discuss the options!