Jim Hartley, A Short Biographical Sketch

 

I’m an Air Force Brat who as a kid followed Dad and Mom all over the States, Germany and Portugal (The Azores).  I really enjoyed the variety of cultures we experienced.  Our last posting was New Jersey where we lived on a small lake.  At 12 years ild I had nothing to do that was more exciting for me than to catch newborn turtles, frogs and snakes every spring and let them go.  Dad decided to retire when he got orders for New Deli, India (darn!) and we moved to Washington State instead.

Our business name, Heartspire, is my dream-an inspiration that I hoped would bring spirit to the center of my life rather than the outer edge.  In the beginning, I signed up for a lomilomi class in Hawaii called “Living Breathing Hawaii” in 1993.  The class and several others lead by Shawn LaSalla Kimmel changed my life.  I began to know myself with confidence.
In one of these classes I met Kim, a golden hearted angel, silver touch, now my ever lovin’.  Before Kim, I was a geologist, jeweler and goldsmith with Hawaiian massage as a hobby.  Kim began teaching in Calgary and soon I was coming along as her helper.  I finally stopped talking about going to a State approved Massage School in 1999 and graduated from Alexander Massage School in 2000.  I though massage school would be a breeze after seven years of informal massage practice but mostly, it wasn’t.  I’ve gone on to study with a number of other teachers most centered on Hawaiian Massage and Spiritualism.
My wife and I often take classes together so I share her impressive list teachers except for Auntie Margaret with whom Kim spend a whole month.  I joined her for the last week (I had just graduated from massage school).  We both felt honored to be invited to massage Auntie Margaret”s legs after class at her home on the hill.  That gave us more time to listen to her stories and those of Uncle Dan, her ever loving husband.  I feel bless to have witnessed their deeply shared love.  Today i get that is there greatest lesson – I embrace it.  I have become deeply involved in assisting Kim as she teaches.
When I gave a Lomilomi massage I feel the spiritual side of my being come more fully open, providing the sacred guardian and nurturer as an indivisible unit.  My clients often comment on the safety and great comfort they feel during their massage.  They are often slightly surprised at feeling such a deeply altered state of consciousness after the work.  Colors seem brigter, sound more beautiful.
Jim Hartley, a short Biographical Sketch