Thai Massage

Traditional Thai Massage – A combination of acupressure and yoga-like stretching techniques that employs the use of the therapist’s fingers, thumbs, elbows, arms and feet on the body’s muscles, pressure points and energy lines (“Sen”) to clear energy blockages and balance the body’s energy.

Thai Massage can be performed either on a massage table or upon a cushioned floor mat. Loose-fitting,
comfortable clothing is worn by the client at all times, and no creams or oils are used.

Benefits of Thai Massage

  • Relieves muscle tension and soreness
  • Increases blood circulation, lowers blood pressure
  • Helps detoxification of the body and boosts immune system
  • Improves breathing
  • Reduces stress and relieves anxiety
  • Increases flexibility and range of motion
  • Improves posture, balance and corrects body alignments
  • Releases energy blockage and balances mind, body and spirit

What to expect?

For the Client –

  • The massage can be performed either on the massage table or on the cushioned floor mat.
  • This form of massage can be done while you are fully clothed, provided that you wear loose-fitting and comfortable clothes.
  • No oils and lotions used when performing Thai massage.
  • A typical session of Thai massage can last from 60 minutes to two hours.
  • Hands on meditative movement.
  • Gentle yoga-like stretching, sometimes called lazy man yoga, because somebody does yoga for you and doing yoga without any work.
  • Thai massage comes with detoxifying effects to your body.
  • Feel energized and relaxed after the session.

For the practitioner –

  • Combine different techniques on clients in supine, side, prone or seated position.
  • Use most parts of the body to perform Thai massage such as thumbs, elbows, palms, feet and knees on the client.
  • Work with both rhythmic and slow compression along the energy lines of the human body.
  • Combine meditation, stretches, and mindful breath in the form of passive yoga.

Benefits to Practitioner

  • Career longevity – uses the bigger muscles together with gravity to prevent hands, shoulders and arms from getting injured.
  • Spiritual and physical well-being – combines meditation and yoga movements. It will be relaxing, energizing and rejuvenating to both giver and receiver.
  • Versatility and increased client base – learn exciting modality as well as new healing techniques which could be incorporated in regular massage therapy session.
  • Expand your present practice.

History

Traditional Thai Massage, or “Nuad Boran” in Thai language, was founded over 2,500 years ago by Dr. Jivaka Kumara Phaccha who was a private doctor of Buddha. It was introduced to Thailand at the same time as Buddhism – as early as the 3rd century B.C.

In the past, Thai Massage techniques were passed down from generation to generation orally within families as most people could not read or write. The formal manuscripts were written in ancient Pali by the Buddhist monks. In 1767, many of the manuscripts were destroyed by the Burmese invaders.

In 1832, King Rama III commanded his people to collect the remaining fragments of the original texts carved into stone as descriptive epigraphs at the Pra Chetupon Temple in Bangkok (popularly known as Wat Pho).

Concept

The theoretical foundation of Thai massage is based on the concept of invisible energy lines running through the body called “Energy-Based Healing System”. The system consists of the following:

Energy Lines (Meridians/”Sen”)
A pattern of invisible pathways along which life energy travels throughout the body. There are total of 72,000 life energy lines throughout the body, but there are only ten major lines which we call Sen Sib Theory.

Energy Points (Meridian Points)
The energy points are similar to Chinese acupressure points and located along the energy lines throughout the body.

Wind Gates (Chakras)
Acupressure points that are located on aorta; Pressing on these points will open up their corresponding meridains/Sen and allow energy to flow more freely.