Thai Yoga Massage
Thai massage is a form of body work that has gained wide popularity in the West.
Thai massage is a dynamic yet comparatively little-known form of bodywork that has benefits for anyone-young or old, active or inactive, healthy or not. Sometimes called "lazy man's yoga", it stretches the muscles, increases the joints' range of motion, and balances the flow of energy throughout the body for an invigorating and balancing experience.
The healing art of Traditional Thai Yoga Massage is an ancient and sacred system of healing; working the 'Sen' lines, which share historical roots and functional similarities with the nadis and meridians of Indian, Chinese and Japanese bodywork. Using palm, thumb, and elbow pressure, these lines are rhythmically, systematically worked, and then stretched, throughout the massage.
The massage begins with your feet, and works its way up towards the crown of your head. The massage unfolds like a continuous and effortless dance involving deep tissue release, joint mobilisations and applied hatha yoga asanas.The acupressure of these lines stimulates the flow of wind energy throughout the body and dissolves energetic and myofascial blockages which are released.
Thai Massage Sessions
Thai massage is a unique all-in-one treatment being practised in four positions: supine, side-lying, prone, and sitting and that a session takes around one and half to two hours with a little extra time before to fill in your consultation form, and a little time after to come back to yourself.
A Thai massage session should be a flowing, dynamic and meditative form of bodywork. This is not the painful and bruising work that many people have experienced as Traditional Thai Massage. Thai Massage is received on a mat, on the floor and you can remain lightly clothed as no oil is used.
The combination of stretching and meridian work and the treatment in all four positions gives the client an experience of a complete workout and clients after having had a Thai massage session say they feel taller, expanded, balanced, and looser - putting them in a new and different place.
Thai Massage: Precautions
Although Thai massage is safe it's not recommended for people with certain medical conditions; if in doubt please get in touch or speak to your doctor before booking a Thai massage with Massage Medic.
- Not if you you have an infectious skin disease, rash or open wounds.
- Not immediately after surgery.
- Not immediately after chemotherapy or radiation, unless recommended by your doctor.
- Not if you are prone to blood clots. There is a risk of blood clots being dislodged. If you have heart disease, check with your doctor before having a Thai massage.
- Thai Massage should not be done directly over bruises, inflamed skin, unhealed wounds, tumors, abdominal hernia, or areas of recent fractures.
Please leave 2 hours after a heavy meal, and one hour after a light snack. Be prepared to feel highly energised, or extremely relaxed, or both in succession, after your Thai massage.
Thai Massage: A Little History…
Thai Massage is one of the three main branches of the ancient Thai Medical system. The founder of this system is thought to have been Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha, a doctor from North India who was the personal physician to the Magadha King Bimbisara more than 2,500 years ago. The teachings of Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha are said to have reached Thailand from India along with Buddhism in the 2nd or 3rd century BC. For centuries, Thai massage was performed by monks as one component of Thai medicine.
Thai Massage exemplifies the four divine states of mind described in Buddhist teachings. These are: loving kindness, compassion, vicarious joy and equanimity. Thai Massage is traditionally taught and practiced with the aim of embodying these states in action. For this reason the massage is sometimes referred to as 'meditation in movement'.
Nuat Boran [noo-ut bo-rahn] is the name of an ancient bodywork practiced in Thailand. In the west it's variously called "Thai Massage", "Thai Yoga Massage" and "Thai Bodywork". The Thai people call it 'Nuat Boran'; 'Boran' translates as "ancient", in the sense of “classic” and not just “old”. 'Nuat' is often unfortunately translated as "massage", however 'Nuat Boran' is so different from what we think of as a "massage"; perhaps better referred to as 'bodywork'. In Thailand this form of bodywork is called 'Nuad Phaen Boran' which translates to 'ancient healing touch'.
Thai Massage: The Physical Aspect
Thai massage blends point pressure and stretching; it benefits those who find themselves stiff, sore, and tired from over-exertion in work or sports, or from arthritis or other debilitating diseases.
Thai massage enhances strength and flexibility, relaxes sore or tense muscles, and can help to recapture lost range of motion. By encouraging lymphatic function, Thai massage can also detoxify the body, heighten the immune system, and prevent disease and/or injury by promoting flexibility.
Besides being therapeutic for most common complaints of muscular pain in low back, shoulders, and legs, receiving a Thai massage is also educational for the client. The nature of this whole 'bodywork' on a mat means you'll experience most of your joints and muscles being mobilized which makes you more aware of your ‘whole body', especially where there's tension. Thai massage can therefore teach us about letting go; something we need to do fully to allow passive movement of our limbs. Letting go sounds easy, but most people have a natural tendency to hold, protect, resist, tense, and assist. Clients often discover that the pain they are used to lessen or doesn't happen - it's about working towards fully letting go.
The Thais interpret stiffness in muscles and joints as stagnation or blockage which leads to disease. So they have developed some very “persuasive” techniques to loosen one up, which includes stretching every part of the body and taking all joints through their full range of motion. Other techniques are also strategically employed, especially compression, cross-fiber, plucking, and pressure point and may be applied with the practitioner's hands, knuckles, elbows, knees, and feet.
People sometimes say Thai Massage is painful because of certain aggressive techniques. Indeed it can be but being mindful to a more western approach along with my particular style of work and intention means I am always adjusting the amount of pressure and movement to fit the client's condition and needs from very gentle to vigorous, as and when appropriate.
Thai Massage: A Deeper Look…
The attitude or spirit in which Thai massage is practiced is all important, and elevates it from being just a mechanical and technical treatment.
The spiritual aspect which underlies or permeates it has developed during the centuries it was practiced in the Buddhist monasteries and temples. This aspect is also evident in the Thai cultural virtues of generosity, compassion, and respect. Giving Nuat Boran is considered an act of compassion, not just a business, or technical exercise. So before each session practitioners pause and make a gesture of respect (called wai) to teachers and client.
As with any true art, the effect of the whole is greater than its parts. Thus Nuat Boran always treats the entire body in all positions, never just the one place that may hurt, though of course adjustments are made in emphasis and the specific movements chosen to address the specific needs of the client. But the full effect comes from the whole process, the whole choreography.
Treating the whole body in four positions allows one to treat the same area several times from different angles. On the other hand, if for some reason a client is restricted and is only comfortable in one position then a whole treatment can be given in that one position. For example, a pregnant woman can be given a whole treatment in side-lying position. Likewise, all the treatments for sitting position can be given to someone sitting in a chair.