Hi, it’s Victor! You’re receiving this because you were a subscriber of my old newsletter Align Centre, joined one of my workshops, received a session, or shared interest in this work. If you’re not interested, click here to unsubscribe.

I’d like to extend a special invitation.

Over the past nine months, I’ve had the privilege of learning alongside fifteen other therapists, each bringing their own gifts, stories, and ways of caring for others. I’ve watched them show up month after month with curiosity, vulnerability, dedication, and heart.

Next Saturday, June 20, we’ll be gathering at The Shire in the Cowichan Valley for a Community Celebration marking our graduation from the Zenthai Therapist Training.

Many of you have heard about The Shire or some of the workshops and ceremonies held there, but haven’t yet had the chance to visit. Nestled near Skutz Falls and a short walk from the Cowichan River, it’s a magical space that’s hard to describe until you’re there.

This is one of the few opportunities to spend a day on the land while experiencing the community, movement, music, and bodywork that emerged from this training.

Your ticket includes a 30-minute Zenthai treatment, a community movement class, access to a wood-fired sauna, and a song circle to close the day.

I’m especially excited for the song circle with Chaitanya Dasa and Safiya Labelle. If you were at Other World last weekend, you may have witnessed the beautiful closing set Safiya and Shireling Willow shared at Under the Mother Tree. It was one of my favourite moments of the festival, and I’m excited for what we’ll co-create together for this gathering.

More than anything, this day is a celebration of people. A chance to meet sixteen newly graduated therapists, connect with friends old and new, and experience some of the care, playfulness, and community that has emerged over these past nine months.

I’d love to see you there.

Visit the Facebook event for details and registration:
Zenthai Community Social - 2026 Student Graduation

As graduation approaches, I’ve been reflecting on lineage and the people who have shaped me along the way.

Over the past nine months, I’ve been fortunate to learn from Clara Jasper Rose, our teacher and guide through this training. I’m deeply grateful for her steady presence, wisdom, patience, and dedication she brings every day.

I’m also grateful to have spent two weeks this past Spring with Merryn Pennington, a true Hanuman whose dedication to service and the wider Zenthai community offered a beautiful window into the who and the why behind this practice.

And of course, Gwyn Williams, founder of Zenthai Shiatsu, whom I met at Divine Play (now AcroLove) in 2018. Through Gwyn, I’ve come to appreciate the lineage of teachers who inspired him, stretching from Thailand to Europe and beyond.

I’m also so thankful for Sue Horning, who was the first yoga teacher who truly spoke to me and introduced me to many of the practices I still love today. More than a decade ago at Unity Yoga in East Van, she opened the door to a whole new world of movement, touch, and community. Looking back, it’s hard to imagine where that Friday night Lunar Acroyoga practice would eventually lead.

The deeper I go into this work, the more I realize none of us arrive here alone.

Try it yourself: Think of someone who changed the direction of your life through a class, workshop, or a single conversation.

With a partner: Share a story about someone whose influence is still shaping you today.

The deeper I go into this practice, the more I realize that every offering is built upon the generosity, wisdom, and dedication of those who came before us.

A reminder that wisdom comes in many forms, and that each of us is invited to carry it forward in our own way.

The people who have shaped me came from many different worlds: yoga, movement, meditation, Thai massage, AcroYoga, Zenthai, and beyond.

Perhaps the work of a lifetime is to gather those treasures, honour where they came from, and then share them in our own unique way.

The deeper I go into this work, the less it feels like a solo journey.

This graduation is really a celebration of all the people who helped make it possible.

Thank you for being part of the community that makes it possible.

I’ve updated my summer offerings on my website: www.victorlai.ca

If our paths haven’t crossed in a while, here are a few places you can find me this summer:

Come say hello if you’ll be there too! 😊

May these reflections ripple into your life. If something here resonated, I’d love to hear from you.

As you look back on your journey, who are the people you’d like to thank for helping shape who you are today?

A few ways to connect:

Until next touch, 

Victor

Na a na wa roka paya ti vinas santi.

May all illness and suffering be cleared. May the body, heart, and mind be free from harm. May health, happiness and peace be restored.
- Traditional Thai Healing Prayer