|  |  | | THAI THERAPY STUDIO | Massage Therapy | | (920) 450-5019 | Appleton, WI |
|
|  | | |  | |  | | | |
|  |  |
Thai Massage: The Ancient Healing of Thailand
By Patricia A. Kilpatrick
Origins of Thai Massage
Traditional Thai Massage, in and unto itself, has a recorded history of over 2,500 years. However, this Ancient Massage is derived from thousands of years of traditional healing methods before its own beginnings.
Ayurvedic physician Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha, also known as Shivago Komparaj, is credited and revered as the originator of Thai medicine. He was a close friend and the doctor of the Buddha and King Bimhisara in India. Legendary tales of Dr. Jivaka are written in ancient texts of Buddhism, and his healing techniques helped to spread the teachings of the Buddha throughout Southeast Asia.
Dr. Jivaka's healing methods are a combination of the ancient Indian medicine of Ayurveda and traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine. The Buddhist monks kept his knowledge alive and recorded, teaching primarily through the healing monasteries in Thailand, the crossroads between India and China. Thailand's location helped to develop the combined cultures of Thai medicine. Ayurveda gave the yogic aspects to Thai massage with the deep stretches and assisted yoga positions as well as the philosophies of healing through marma points. Chinese and Tibetan medicine brought attention to the Sen (energy) Lines and acupressure points. Some of the rocking and percussive moves are similar to Tui Na, Chinese massage.
These techniques were recorded on palm leaves and housed in the libraries in Ayuthaya, the Siamese royal capital from 1350 until 1767 until it was destroyed by Burmese warriors. The king of Siam, Rama I, moved the capital to Bangkok In 1781, he had the Sixteenth Century Buddhist temple Wat Po rebuilt to house the national education headquarters for Thai Traditional Medicine which includes anual medicine, or bodywork, herbal medicine, nutritional medicine, and spiritual practices. In 1832, Rama III had the Buddhist monks of Wat Po glean what information was left from the Burmese destruction and carve sixty stone epigraphs depicting the Sen (Energy) Lines used in Traditional Thai Massage, thus preserving this ancient knowledge of healing. Wat Po is still, to this day, the primary education center for learning Traditional Thai Medicine and is famous for its Thai Massage School.
On the folk medicine side of this extraordinary history, Thai massage has been handed down through the generations of families by word of mouth. Adults worked long days in the fields, then came home at night, stiff and aching from the hard labor. Their children were trained in the unique methods of Thai massage in order to help restore their parents' energy, preparing them for a good night's sleep and a productive next day. They used steamed herb packs and herbal baths to ease the pain of overworked muscles. They filled the porous bags with healing herbs such as yellow ginger and lemongrass, and pressed them into the muscles and joints. They prepared the hot tea bath with the herbs. While the adult was soaking, they would get into the tub with them and pull them around, stretching their muscles and opening their joints so the herbs could do their healing work.
The wonderful, healing aspects of Thai massage are recognized throughout the world today ... still faithful to the ancient traditions built over thousands of years.
Thai Massage Practiced Today
Often referred to as Thai Yoga massage, this style of bodywork is different from what most western people think of as massage. It is practiced fully clothed on a floor mat without oils or lotions. Thai massage techniques, using the thumbs, elbows, palms, forearms, feet, and knees include: rocking, rhythmic muscle compression, assisted yoga positions and stretching, working along energy meridians called Sen lines. Three of the Sen lines run along the same areas as the yogic nadis, the Indian version of energy lines, affecting certain chakras (energy centers) in treatment. A session is practiced very slowly (sometimes for more than two hours), in a choreographed "dance" as the practitioner moves the receiver around the mat, creating a relaxed, meditative state for both.
The purpose of Thai massage is to bring the body, mind, and spirit into a state of balance and harmony, providing an opportunity for self-healing. The practitioner always begins the session with puja, a moment of centering and connection. This practice helps therapist and receiver to enter a state of meditation, to be mindful of prana (energy and breathing), creating an empty vessel to receive healing energy and to achieve freedom from attachment. During Puja, the practitioner recognizes and asks for assistance from the lineage of teachers (God, Buddha, Dr. Jivaka, her own personal teacher, etc.). The practitioner checks in with herself to make sure she is okay with doing the session and with working with the person on her mat. She asks for healing for the receiver, herself, anyone else she knows who needs healing, the world and the earth.
The benefits enjoyed from a Thai massage session may include the following: relief from stress, deep relaxation, warmed and stretched muscles, healing energy flow, greater flexibility, increased and focused energy levels, prevention of injury, relief from sore and aching muscles and joints, detoxification, and a feeling of confidence and well-being. This bodywork is perfect preparation for anyone in training for an athletic event, performance or any kind of physical or mental test. It helps one focus energy and attention on the task at hand. It is highly therapeutic for those in pain from tension, injury, or illness.
The yoga postures applied by the practitioner are intended to balance the receiver through the Ayurvedic philosophy of the tridoshas. Different asanas (Ayurveda exercises based on stretching, deep breathing, and concentration) create this balance affecting the person's nature. Self-healing is the foundation of Ayurvedic healing, and Thai massage facilitates that for anyone willing to experience it. It is healing for both the practitioner and the receiver.
|
| | | | | | |
| |
|
