About Bianca Raffety, LMP
Yoga Training
I started practicing yoga in 1991 when I needed a stronger positive voice in my life. My practice helped me to open the part of me that wanted to feel connected, inspired, and healthful. On the long road that followed I never lost my commitment to following a path that incorporated yoga. During that journey, in 1993, I found my long time teacher and friend, Denise Benitez, founder of Seattle Yoga Arts and Certified Anusara Teacher and teacher trainer.
In the deepening of my practice and my commitment to learn I became Denise's assistant in 2000 and continued learning from her in this capacity until 2003. During that time I began attending workshops and doing extra study. Thanks to Denise I was immersed in the beauty and balance of Anusara Yoga and began attending trainings with John Friend and some of his senior students. Eventually, in 2002, I was drawn into the seat of the teacher and found great inspiration there.
While having been exposed to several approaches to yoga, I've found my home within the Anusara Yoga community and became an Affiliated Anusara Yoga Teacher in May 2003. I am currently diligently working towards certification. In my exploration I have studied with many amazing and talented yoginis and yogis in the Anusara Yoga community, accruing hundreds of hours of practice, philosophy, technique, and therapeutics.
Due to my exploration of the body through yoga and my many hours of training and practice as a massage therapist, I offer to my students deep of understanding of anatomy, physiology and kinesiology. In my classes I weave that into the inspired language and spiritual potential available within yoga inviting students to use the space to explore all aspects of themselves within their practice.
Masssage Training
I began my training at Brenneke School of Massage and completed the 650 hour massage program in August 2002. My goal was to foster a life that reflected my values and the balance between massage and yoga come together beautifully. To date I have become certified through the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and am a Professional Member of the American Massage Therapy Association. Besides my thorough training in Swedish Massage, I have introduced Systemic Deep Tissue Therapy, Strain Counter Strain, Trigger Point Therapy, Myofacial Release and Cranio-sacral therapy into my practice with the training, guidance and support of fabulous advanced practitioners in these modalities. I am also certified in Bodywork for the Childbearing Year as developed by Kate Jordan and am a teaching assistant at Brenneke School of Massage for their introduction to pregnancy massage and for Kate's trainings when she is in Seattle.
Personal Pursuits and Experiences
In my life I've had the privilege and necessity to live many different places, explored many different vocations and had commitments to varied courses of study, all of which have helped me to cultivate a wider perspective that serves both my massage and yoga training and services.
I know what it is to work in an office, drive a forklift, assist and chef in high volume restaurants, working in holistic organic collective restaurants, doing basic maintenance (electrical, painting, plumbing, and light carpentry), and tending bar. Within these many work experience I also had the opportunity to complete a Bachelor of Arts at the Evergreen State College.
During that time I have spent many years studying nutrition, Aruyvedic approaches to healing and wellness, and homeopathic remedies. While I don't offer consultation or advice in a professional capacity in these areas, I can provide referrals to wonderful practitioners specializing in these fields and support greatly how they can contribute to one's overall health and wellness when appropriately applied.
An undercurrent and constant in helping to inform and integrate my life has been my commitment to a regular meditation practice, which began in 1993 and became a part of my regular routine in 1998. This practice is largely informed by my long term study and exploration into religious and philosophical teachings from all over the world, but primarily of east and west, and has helped greatly to foster my ability to be present and accessible not only in my personal life, but also in my professional life.
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