Description:

The Karen are a diverse people in the nation of Burma, now Myanmar. The Karen were originally animists, and today most are Buddhists or Christians. Some of their 1,700 year old tradition remains to this date, although often cloaked in Buddhism or Christianity.
The Karen healers once traveled village to village, dispensing free health care, psychiatric care, marriage counseling, communications with those who passed, and so on. Their services were free, and they were held in high esteem.

Some of their knowledge survived to this day. A practitioner of this modicum isn't allowed to charge for healing, so naturally there is very little knowledge or interest in this ancient tradition. We'll be concentrating on the massage side of the modicum, which in addition to bringing relief was also believed to promote good health and longevity.
We'll be reviewing some very basic massage and energy work techniques, the Burmese ideas of body/energy connections, and the art of Regarding.

lesson plan:
- Intro to Karen Burmese philosophy and beliefs.
- Very brief explaining the Grid system, similar to the Chinese meridian system.
- Massage techniques
<br>
facilitator experience:<br>

Workshop led by Ron Hod, one of only 3 non-Karen practitioners of Karen Burmese healing techniques, who has been practicing for 14 years. The church leaders who once offered the training no longer do so, so further training can only be achieved in Thailand or Myanmar (Burma). Ron is initiated, attuned, and aligned in the Karen Burmese art of Opendove Form (/Open Dove Form) modicum, a system of energy and body work that dates back over 1,700 years.

The workshop is open to anyone interested in massage, not just body or energy workers.

http://karen.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_people

http://www.geocities.com/rainbowendsfr/karen/history.htm