My Experience with Traditional Thai Massage

As the team just got back from a well deserved 1 week holiday from South East Asia and Thailand, we wanted to share our experience of one of the most typical and traditional aspect of Thai culture which is it’s massage.

In Thai massage culture, in addition to different oriental structures, the human is perceived and dealt with holistically.
An important part of the principle and practice of Thai massage takes the concept of power strains within the human frame called SEN. They are invisible electricity pathways much like NADI channels in Yoga and acupuncture meridians.

There are 72 000 SEN in the human frame however during the exercise, only ten important ones are used.

Compression and stretching

 

the real thai massageThe approach of Thai massage includes sluggish and rhythmic compression along energy strains, work on acu-factors and stretching, joint beginning movements searching for assisted yoga positions.

There is an area of Thai massage that is similar to what in western terminology is known as peripheral stimulation, which tells that positive feedback in a few regions of the body might be attained via stimulation of some different, remote areas. The difference in stretching of joints and joint opening movements makes similarity with certain types of manipulative therapies which include osteopathy, physiotherapy or chiropractics.

As we can see, the term “thai massage” does not appear to mean the same thing as to what’s understood as “massage” in western regions. In the course of the consultation, the patient or client remains clothed, laying on a mat on the ground.

Similarities with Yoga

 

The therapists make use of their thumbs, fingers, feet, elbows and knees to press, pull and stretch, guiding the recipient into various yoga postures, at the same time as remaining centred on their body-center. In regions of tension, the strain can be held for a longer time. This aggregate of sluggish moves and focused awareness creates a sense of flowing dance around and with the recipient’s frame. Occasionally it’s far referred to as “yoga for lazy humans”. It is of significant benefits not only for the patient but also the therapist.

The session is tailored according to the patient’s desires and structural frame of the receiver. The strain strength can be gentle, medium or hard dependent on sensitivity, flexibility and stage of muscular anxiety however additionally on age and fitness condition. The same principle applies to regular stretching techniques.

thai monk meditating in BangkokUsually, the therapist begins the session spending massive amount of time working on customers legs. It entails energy strains acupressure, stretching and joints beginning techniques. For someone who has
by no means experienced a Thai massage before it is probably a little bit of surprise as westerners commonly need a lot of returned muscle groups and backbone frames.

But, prior legs work consequences in the opening of the hips and activating meridians that run alongside the spine, which makes the exercise more effective. The human body can be compared to a tree in keeping with an eastern view: the legs are just like the roots, the backbone just like the trunk and palms and head like branches.

This is why it is essential to treat the legs the right way.

Additionally, we often forget that the backbone is rooted within the pelvis, and the location of the pelvis can have an effect on the spine, causing all form of misalignments. Working with the legs will attempt to stabilise the muscle mass and tendons and produce the right alignment and flexibility to the hip location, indirectly but clearly to the backbone. Obviously, the spine area is very critical for one’s health as the significant nerve machine is located there. In the backbone according to Thai subculture runs the SEN SUMANA (in Sanskrit Sushumna) with the primary chakras.