What is Thai Massage?– Thai Traditional Massage –

Thai Traditional Massage
It has been practiced for over 2500 years, is based on the Ayurvedic principles of balancing one’s energy flow. In both Eastern and Western Integrative healing systems, maintaining equilibrium in the body is the key to good health.

The Meridians
Thai Massage is based on Sen, energy lines that run throughout the body, similar to the blood vessels carrying blood throughout the body. When the Sen become blocked, the energy stagnates and the body loses its balance, allowing disease.

Different Traditional Techniques
In Thai massage, stretching, Sen work and acupressure are used to open energy channels, allowing the body to rebalance itself and heal. Applying pressure points along the energy lines, combined with gentle rocking, compression, and elongation of the muscles with yoga-like stretches, serves to relax muscles and open joints, thus allowing energy to flow.

Styles and Traditions
In general, You will hear about two mainstream styles of traditional Thai massage in Thailand. They are the “Royal Style’ and the ‘Northern/Rural Style’.

The Southern style is taught, along other styles, in State Schools and is mostly focused on adopting very polite postures, using precise acupressure pressure along the energy lines.

Strict etiquette must be observed. The distance between practitioner and recipient must be no closer than the stretched arm. No stretching positions are applied and minimal body contact is maintained.

The Northern style is said to be taught mainly around Chiang Mai and has more stretching techniques and a slow and relaxing rhythm. Its main qualities come from the fact that it relies on cultivating a meditative state, nursing the ability to be present without Judgment, with the patient.

THAI HERBAL MASSAGE

Traditional Thai medicine curative massages are often accompanied with herbs that are wrapped in cotton and immersed in hot water or vapour.  Massage with hot herbs benefits both the whole body and parts of it that are in pain.  Herbs together with the pleasant scent of ether oils soothe the skin and the warmth they provide reduces aches and tension.  During the massage vapor penetrates into the pores of skin and reaches into the lungs.  This way body absorbs natural medicinal materials and regains tranquility,

• Soothes skin, makes it flourish

• Removes muscle tension, stasis, fatigue and relaxes

• Suppresses rheumatic, articular, muscle pains