Brandon Raynor

Diploma of Naturopathy, Diploma of Remedial Massage, Diploma Shiatsu, Diploma Chinese Herbs, Diploma of Ayurvedic Medicine, President International Natural Therapists Association (I.N.T.A.) Brandon Raynor is the founder and principal of Brandon Raynor’s School of Massage and Natural Therapies. He teaches his powerful form of massage called "Raynor Bodywork" globally with his caring and committed team.

Born in Ottawa , Canada in August 1969, Brandon was raised in Canada , Central Africa, the United States and Australia . He completed his early schooling in these countries where he was privileged to experience and learn a great deal about other cultures at an early age.

He attended Sydney University in the late 1980’s where he studied Psychology, Philosophy, Comparative religion, Sociology, Education, Government and Economics. He then went on to study yoga, meditation and the Vedic philosophies of India , as well as different martial art forms including Kung Fu, Karate, Aikido and Judo.

Brandon first embarked on his study of natural medicine in 1990 undertaking his Diploma of Naturopathy with Health Schools Australia and then going on to complete his Diploma of Remedial Massage.

Brandon’s travels and studies had led him to understand the benefits of a vegetarian diet and he has been vegetarian since 1987. He has studied wholefood nutrition and worked in the health industry for several years dispensing nutritional advice while continuing to learn about whole foods and their preparation. Brandon then put this study to use, teaching numerous seminars on vegan wholefood nutrition and how to obtain all your nutrients from a vegan diet in addition to food preparation methods and the Ayurvedic approach to nutrition.

Brandon interest in Eastern medicine was heightened in 1992 when he first experienced shiatsu massage from a clinic operating in the same building as his workplace. He found this method of massage treatment so fascinating and effective that he decided to study it. He then went on to complete a course on Shiatsu Massage and practiced in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney before moving to Byron Bay , the alternative lifestyle capital of Australia .Brandon also studied shiatsu with many Japanese practitioners of this art form both in Australia and Japan.

By 1994 Brandon had completed his Naturopathy Diploma and was practicing as a Naturopath and Massage Therapist in Byron Bay, Australia. His learnings were furthered in Byron Bay where he often traded massage treatments with many of the other therapists of different healing arts practicing in Byron Bay and the Gold Coast during this time. It was here also, that Brandon first came across re-birthing and the Integrative Breathe Therapy and started to understand the power of using the breath to release deeply held emotions in the body. He would later combine this with massage to help make his unique style of massage called Raynor Bodywork.

Brandon was also drawn to Chinese Medicine and decided to study a Diploma of Chinese Herbal Medicine which he completed in 1995. Chinese Medical theories especially the yin-yang theory and the 5 elements theory would also greatly influence the development of his massage style later on.

Brandon understood the importance of diet in dealing with a large number of the world's problems from environmental issues and health to animal welfare and world starvation and became involved in political campaigns to highlight these issues. During these years of campaigning, he formed a New South Wales state political party called EarthSave, ran for Byron Bay council twice and formed a federal political party called Brandon Raynor’s Green Liberals with a business friendly environment platform.

Brandon’s other political activities included heading a campaign to stop McDonalds setting up in the Blue Mountains in 1997, involvement in the campaign against old growth logging in Goolengook forest in Victoria in 1998 and working with a group of yoga and meditation ashrams who objected to the perverted depiction of Vedic and Hindu culture that was being put forth by organizers of a Sydney event in 1999.

Brandon was passionate about lobbying for causes he believed in but at this time, he realised he could make the most difference through his healing and massage and moved back to Sydney in 1998 to start teaching massage courses.

10 years after he first started studying massage, Brandon had developed a unique style of massage that was becoming very powerful. Combining much of the knowledge from the various traditions of healing that he had studied, Brandon was using massage to move the chi in the body as well as working on the very deep muscular levels to provide a powerful physical and emotional release of tension and stress. He had learnt about the power of the abdomen through shiatsu , rebirthing and via other practitioners he had worked with over the years and had incorporated this into his massage also.

By 2001 Brandon's massage classes were very popular and he had started teaching nationally in Australia as well as running his own clinics in Sydney and Brisbane. By late 2001 Brandon had begun full time teaching and administering his now Australian wide school.

Brandon continued his studies at this time and completed his Diploma in Ayurvedic Medicine with Ayurvedacharya David Frawley in 2002. Ayurveda had a profound influence on Brandon ’s philosophy of healing and his way of viewing the world. Ayurveda has very detailed understanding of the connection of the mind, body and spirit. Along with the understandings that Brandon has gained through studying meditation for almost 25 years, Ayurveda has had a very large influence on the way he views people and the nature of healing.

Brandon teachings were very controversial when he first began teaching and still continue to be so today. This is because Brandon teaches as much as possible in short courses. He also believes that he won't teach anything he doesn’t use himself. He only teaches practical ways to help the practitioner totally free their client up from tension, stress and emotional blockages. Brandon believes that most important qualities of a massage therapist are empathy, communication skills, depth of character and being physically and emotionally healthy.

Following his own path and choosing what he believes is the best way to teach people massage has won him a lot of friends and also made opponents of some people in the more conventionally minded massage industry who tend to emphasise more western rather than eastern approaches to the body. These people don’t see massage an art form and they view Brandon ’s massage schools' ability to teach people massage in short courses to be a threat to their livelihood and status.

By 2002 and 2003 Brandon had expanded his very successful classes from Australia to the United States , the UK , Ireland , New Zealand and later Canada. Since 2002, his school has held classes in London quarterly and has held many classes across North America.

In the years between 2003 and the present, Brandon's school has also taught in countries such as South Africa , Malaysia , Singapore , Germany , Dubai and India .

With Brandon's unique approach to training massage therapists as well as his own unique style of massage, Brandon decided there was a need for an association to represent the needs of the School's graduates and so in 2003, he formed the International Natural Therapists Association. This body has been active in campaigning to keep freedom of artistic expression and respect for cultural diversity in the massage profession.

In 2007 Brandon and one of his teachers Terry Masson, travelled around the US protesting at the lack of freedom in various states for massage therapy training and practice. This "Freedom Ride" as it became known attracted a large amount of interest and still generates many discussions and debates on the internet and in the newspapers.

Settling in Hawaii in 2005, he became a licensed massage therapist there in 2006. He is currently setting up a retreat centre in a very beautiful setting on the West side of Oahu at a place called Makaha. This will be permaculture retreat centre which will grow organic fruit and vegetables with beautiful ocean and sunset views. People will be able to visit, stay and learn to massage in this idyllic setting. This project is underway with the aim to have the centre open within the next few years.

Brandon has two sons, Jayananda (Jai) and Balaram and his duties as a father are a great source of joy for him. He also home schools his eldest son Jai.

Brandon travels the world both teaching and researching massage, natural healing methods and philosophies from around the world. So far he has travelled to almost 45 countries and many different regions within those countries both receiving massage and healing from local practitioners. He also takes great pleasure in sharing his methods and knowledge with practitioners worldwide.

He now spends his time between his homes in Hawaii and Australia (including his massage centres in Sydney and Brisbane) and frequently visits Canada and Europe whilst continuing to teach his advanced courses globally.