Ananda Apfelbaum, featured inTIMEmagazine's August 2004 issue, is the author ofThai Massage, Sacred Bodyworkpublished by Penguin and Putnam. She also produced the instructional accompanying DVD,Thai Massage, Sacred Bodywork. She has been performing bodywork for the past 16 years. Ananda presented Thai massage workshops at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in Rhinebeck, NY from 1991 to 2003 and was on staff at Omega's Wellness Center throughout that time. She has also taught Thai Massage elsewhere in the US and internationally. Ananda is a graduate of the Swedish Institute in NYC. She furthered her studies in Japan, China, and Thailand. After getting introduced to Thai Massage, Ananda decided to specialize in it as Thai massage spoke to her dance and movement background. She trained with several Thai Massage masters in Chiangmai, northern Thailand, especially with Ahjarn Pichest Boonthumme. She is certified from the Old Medicine Hospital in Chiangmai. In addition to her Thai massage work, Ananda is a writer, documentary photographer, dancer and founder/director of the Tibetan Relief Project.