Bio

I was born in Sydney, Australia, in June, 1950, and was raised there. I became interested in natural healing and Far Eastern culture and philosophy when I began macrobiotics in 1974. I left Australia in 1978, headed for Boston via Japan, to find a way of making a living from macrobiotics. A few months before leaving, a book by Shizuto Masunaga, “Zen Shiatsu”, had been published. When I met him in Tokyo, I thought that shiatsu may be what I was looking for, reason being, he had studied macrobiotics with George Ohsawa, the father of modern macrobiotics, and the mindset of his practice was similar in both spirit and theory to that of Ohsawa. I decided to study there and spent 4 years in Tokyo, devoting as much time as possible, especially in the first three years, to learning whatever Icould from Masunaga and his staff. In July, 1982, I left Japan with my wife, Toko, who had studied cooking with Ohsawa’s wife, Lima, to study for a few months at the Kushi Institute in Boston, before returning to Sydney. Michio Kushi invited me to teach there for one year, that eventually became 15. In that period, I wrote a book, “The Macrobiotic Way of Zen Shiatsu” reprinted as“The Natural Way of Zen Shiatsu”. In 1990, we moved to Fairfield, CT, and raised two children here, and I continued to teach both regionally and overseas, as well as running a full-time shiatsu practice.

Macrobiotics has been good for, and to, me and my family. Since Toko began macrobiotics more than 30 years ago, none of us have had to resort to medical drugs or surgery; indeed we haven’t even taken nutritional supplements. I am not against western medicine; we just haven’t needed it. There has been little sickness in all members of the family, and I think we all have a positive, productive outlook on life. Just as important to me, this practice has become the basis for me to understand life. The most important lesson to me is that nature is the great teacher and healer. Abide with nature, don’t try to control it, and life will go more smoothly, healthfully, and meaningfully. With this view in mind, more than a few years ago now, I began a project that is the basis of this website, which is explained in the “About” section.

Toko and I offer macrobiotic related services here in Fairfield: shiatsu supported with macrobiotic-based way of life and dietary guidance from me, and macrobiotic and natural foods cooking services from Toko. I make myself available to teach and offer shiatsu, in the tri-state region, and elsewhere.