I don’t often have or receive a strong YES feeling about things. In fact, throughout my life I’ve received a gentle “no” or “think again” feeling as a direction or caution, which I believe is God’s spirit speaking to me.
But when I saw a picture of Yamuna Zake for the first time, surrounded by her trademarked body rolling balls, I had a rare and strong YES feeling. It was 2005, and the picture was on the cover of a massage trade magazine on a coffee table at my friend Bob’s home office. I borrowed the magazine and immediately read the article about this amazing woman and the work she developed that I knew, before having tried it yet, would improve the quality of my life as well as the lives of my clients. I had to know what it felt like to use these balls to work through the tensions in my body and teach others to do the same.
I lived on Grand Forks Air Force Base, in North Dakota. I wasn’t earning much with my little massage business, and my husband, who was a lieutenant at the time, didn’t make enough to send me to New York City to learn from Yamuna herself.
Something magical happened, however, and somehow the North Dakota chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association booked Yamuna herself to come to Bismarck for the annual state convention. This was my chance! I was a few months pregnant by then, so I wasn’t sure how things would go, but as part of a large group class I had the opportunity to learn how to use the balls and the Foot Wakers. It was magical. I was so excited to have this new tool to help my achy body recover, rebalance, and feel more at ease.
I even shared an elevator with Yamuna, but I was too starstruck to say anything. She had no way of knowing it, and she was probably wondering herself how she ended up there that weekend, but I missed the chance to tell her I believed she was there for ME.
At that time, you couldn’t buy Yamuna balls unless you had previous training with a certified instructor, so I was able to purchase my first 2 balls, which back then were yellow and red. (The gold and silver ones you see now)
Shortly after, we moved to England, and I used the balls to support my growing belly and achy back, then to aid in the recovery from a C-section, get into better shape, and be more comfortable in everyday life. How could such a simple tool be so effective?
That wasn’t the time to travel back to America or Mexico or Japan, where Yamuna trained instructors. I had a child to care for, and we wanted to use our money to see more of Europe, not spend thousands on a class.
Soon after we arrived at our next location, Ramstein, Germany, I met Kim Nyugen, a fellow military spouse who was training to become a Tibetan Medicine practitioner, already a yoga therapist, and TEACHING YAMUNA BODY ROLLING at the gym on base. She taught me many additional body rolling skills and solidified my desire to become a body rolling instructor.
Once we returned to the US, I explored my options and I found an instructor, Dianne Glass. During the early years of studying Yamuna’s Body Logic®, Dianne brought an inflatable ball to a session. As was her gift, Yamuna saw possibilities that others did not and incorporated those ideas into the work she later developed as Yamuna Body Rolling®. Dianne became my teacher and mentor, and finally in 2017 I became certified to teach others.
I started with the face work because I could immediately incorporate it into my massage business. Then came the various modules of body training, which I completed during our family’s year traveling the US in an RV. Certification of first of two Foot Fitness trainings occurred via Zoom during the Covid era.
I have enjoyed the last decade of teaching group classes in studio settings and training people one-on-one at my home office.
Last month my Yamuna Facial and Cranial Mobilization class was approved by the NCBTMB as a national continuing education option for massages therapists and the like.
Coincidentally, while studying in preparation for the advanced certification of Foot Fitness work two weeks ago, I learned that a Yamuna had passed away at age 71. She’s been an inspiration to many and taught countless people to help themselves feel better in so many ways. I will always be grateful for her and this work.
I’m sure my time learning the intricate foot work in Vienna next month will take on extra meaning as I share the class with others who have gained so much from Yamuna’s legacy.
You can find me teaching YBR classes at McKinney Movement Center Mondays at 11am
You can attend a Save Your Face workshop with me (4 CEUs for LMTs, but open to anyone)
You can receive individual training with me at my home studio or book me for your own group or events.