LOTUS - About Thai Massage
- What
is Thai Massage?
- History
- Principles
- Benefits
What is Thai
Massage
Thai Massage is a comprehensive
bodywork modality that includes therapeutic stretching, joint
mobilization, rhythmic deep-tissue compression, toning of energy lines,
acupressure, assisted hatha yoga poses. Rooted in the Indian Ayurvedic
medical practice, Thai Massage is one of many forms of Oriental
bodywork based on energy balance theory of health and healing. Although
the origins of this ancient tradition date back over 2,500 years, Thai
Massage is still popular and widely practised in Thailand today.
Thai
medical theory is based on the idea that the body’s vital
energy flows along channels called ‘sen’. The
Chinese meridian theory calls this energy ‘chi’ and
the Indian Ayurvedic system of nadis refers to it as
‘prana’. It is believed that blockages in the flow
of this energy manifest in discomfort, disease and pain. Most ailments
then are the result of an imbalance in these meridians, whereas free
flow along the sen lines leads one to feel energetic, relaxed and free
from stiffness and pain. Working pressure points along the sen releases
blockages of energy and increases energy flow, thereby helping to
restore balance, the key to good health. Thai massage focuses on the
ten major sen lines by
palming and thumbing along these energy pathways.
From the Indian Ayurvedic medical tradition comes the influence of yoga. In Thai massage the body is literally put into assisted hatha yoga postures. However, the practitioner is able to direct the intensity of the stretching and pressure points for a much deeper result than one practicing yoga on their own would be able to achieve. It’s like having yoga done to you, receiving all the benefits without the effort. Movements are flowing and harmonious, creating a deeply soothing yet energizing effect for both giver and receiver.
History
of Thai
Massage
The
origin of the
Traditional Medical Massage of Thailand is found
within the story of its people. Throughout the course of its history
Thailand has seen an influx of different cultures. The history of
traditional Thai medicine is interwoven within the cultural imprint
left by these people.
One of the great historic movements into Siam (and later called Thailand) came the diffusion of Buddhism from India across Southeast Asia starting some 2,500 years ago. With this, came Ayurvedic principles, Hatha Yoga poses and Buddhist spiritual practice. Mixing with indigenous Thai medicine, this Indian influence forms a significant basis of what is now Thai bodywork. The Indian Doctor Shivaka Komarpaj, a friend and personal physician to the living Buddha is credited as the founder of Thai medicine and the Father of traditional Thai Massage. A prayer chant to “the Father Doctor” is still recited each day by practitioners of massage in Thailand.
At
that time, none of the Thai
Massage procedures were written down,
but passed down through the generations orally. Eventually however,
medical texts were recorded including descriptions of the massage
techniques. These were held as sacred religious texts in the old
Siamese capital city of Ayutthia until the 18th century Burmese
invasion. Most of the ancient medical texts were destroyed in 1776
during the invasion of Ayutthaya by the Burmese. In 1832 King
Rama III
ordered all surviving texts inscribed in stone and set into the walls
at Wat Pho, the largest temple in Bangkok, to preserve the valuable
records that were left. The epigraphs consist of 60 stone plagues, 30
depicting the front of the body and 30 of the back, each demonstrating
the energy lines (sen lines) and pressure points along these lines.
These stone carvings are all that remain of the theoretical foundations of Thai Massage as we know it today. Therefore, much of the history and tradition is obscured in time and somewhat mysterious. The epigraphs can still be seen on visit to Wat Pho, the national center for the teaching and preservation of traditional Thai medicine.
Principles of Thai Massage
The theoretical foundation of
Thai Massage is based on the concept that a life force (also known as
prana, chi or energy flow) circulates throughout the body maintaining
health and vitality. This life force - invisible currents that can be
felt and experienced - is believed to run along approximately 72,000
energy lines or Sens, roughly equivalent to the meridians of Chinese
acupuncture and to the Ayurvedic channels. When this energy flow is
blocked or restricted, it creates sickness or disease.
Thai Massage is an interactive form of bodywork that is often compared to dance in which the bodies of both the practitioner and client merge in a continuing flowing motion. The influence of yoga is apparent from the positions and stretching movements.
Thai Massage is like having yoga done to your body. The muscle stretching which takes the form of yoga asanas free up joint spaces and deepens the stretch in a way that is passive for the recipient, yet very active in its effects. Because of the muscle stretching, joint release and emphasis on breath, Thai Massage also offers similar benefits to yoga: flexibility, internal organ massage, oxygenation of the blood, mobilization, postural alignment, and quieting of the mind. Yoga practitioners have said: “With Thai Massage you are having the movements done to you. It removes the preoccupation with trying to get there and suddenly you are in a pose and enjoying it.
Benefits of Thai Massage
The ancient practice of yoga is generally accepted as a method of remaining flexible and healthy. Thai Massage is a passive way for the client to receive the same benefits of yoga. Thai Massage offers benefits that are multi-level by removing the obstructions that cause illness within the body, the most notable effects being an opening of tight joints, relief of pain, a lengthening of muscles, and a very deep sense of well-being and relaxation.
Thai
Massage can also be
considered a form of meditation in motion. Before beginning,
the therapist focuses his mind with an emphasis on awareness 
towards
the client, similar to the Buddhist teachings of compassion, loving
kindness and mindfulness. By paying particular attention to
his own body mechanics and breathing
during the session, the therapist receives some of these same
benefits. As a result, at the end of the session he feels
energized
and relaxed. "Thai Massage is also very beneficial for me as it keeps
me strong and flexible at the same time" notes Shawn.
Benefits
of receiving Thai massage include:
- relief of muscle pain, tension and stress
- deep relaxation
- increases flexibility, joint mobility and range of motion
- spinal adjustment
- improved circulation
- increased energy level
- helps to heal long term injuries
- balances the energy flow through the body
- helps strengthen the immune system by eliminating toxins in the
system
Live life fully, love with all your heart.