Vedic Conservatory

Michael Buck holds a prominent profile in the massage arts and is a recognized inspiration among his colleagues and students. He has been licensed and in full time practice since 1984. In 1985, Michael graduated from the Swedish Institute in New York City while at the same time attending the Ohashi Institute where he graduated from the advance program in 1986. He received his license in New York in 1986. In June of 1987, Michael graduated from the Anma Institute in San Francisco, California. In June of 1997, Michael was awarded a level three instructor status from the International Thai Therapist Association (ITTA). He has been teaching Ayurvedic-Thai Bodywork courses internationally since 1996. He has initiated over 9,000 students in 7 countries into Traditional Thai medical massage. In 21 years of practice totaling an estimated 35 thousand hours, he has documented over 12 thousand treatments.

Each year, Michael travels and studies in Thailand. He holds certificates from the prestigious Institute of Thai Massage (ITM) in Chiang Mai and concluded an intensive study of traditional thai herbal massage with the legendary teacher "Mama" Lek Chaya. His experience also includes two years as medical massage instructor at the Ocean Massage Institute (OMI) and at the Garden State Holistic Center where he taught Vedic Massage and Oriental Diagnosis (5 element theory). Presently Michael serves as an elective instructor at several schools and yoga centers through out the United States and Europe. His credits also include founder/director of Touch Dynamics Massage Guild, member of ABMP, former member of ITTA, and founder/director of The Vedic Conservatory.

In 1976, Michael received formal initiation into the Vaisnava monastic order and was ordained by the celebrated sanskrit scholar A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Serving under his tutelage for four years, Michael executed sanat varnashrama dharma (living and study vows) and was instrumental in opening several Vedic yoga and meditation ashrams (full time live-in centers) nationally. His spiritual sentiments and devotion remains unchanged.

Michael's classes are routinely infused with the teachings of the illustrious and auspicious Vedic culture. Traditional ayur-vedic ceremonial rituals such as puja (sacred invocations for family/social progress), tratak (centering meditation opening the "third eye" for physical/emotional stability), pranayama (conscious breathing disciplines producing inspired insight), and mantra (vocalizing sound resonances for mental clarity and self-empowerment) are typically experienced in his courses as satisfying and elucidating supplemental instructions.

"Michael's class is informational, exciting and always fun. A true teacher doing what he loves to do."

Joseph Knight, Founder, Community Aikido Center, Ocean City, NJ