// October 13th, 2009 // No Comments » // Massage For Your Health
Thai massage can be also known as Thai Yoga massage, Assisted Yoga, Ancient
Medical massage, Thai Classical massage, and a whole bunch of other names. But as
the book of Ecclesiastes reads, ‘… there is nothing new under the sun.” And certainly
there is nothing new about Thai massage. This technique was developed in ancient
times, over 2,500 years ago, when there were no cars, no computers, and no cell
phones, therefore whiplash, carpal tunnel or shoulder pain were not as prevalent as they
are today.
We could place the origins of Thai massage in Thailand, but it is a mere combination of
different South Eastern, Chinese, and Indian practices from ancient traditions in
medicine back in the days of Buddha, and it has had variations from region to region
throughout the years, therefore there is not one particular routine that might be
considered as a standard.
The principle of loving kindness permeates every single movement in a Thai massage,
with the sole purpose of healing through touch. The practitioner works based on loving
kindness towards the receiver, but also towards him/herself, being kind to his/her own
body while applying touch. This aspect of the massage makes the session individually
special every single time; not one session is exactly the same, and there is a reciprocal
exchange.
Most western people in today’s world associate the word ‘massage’ with a table, oils and
towels. Thai massage, however, is very different, but very eclectic at the same time.
While it is usually practiced on the floor, with a padded mat, and the client fully clothed,
Thai massage is so flexible that it can also be practiced on a table, with the client
disrobed and draped under a sheet, making it easier to incorporate the use of oils or
lotions. The practitioner then uses his/her thumbs, palms, elbows, forearms, feet and
knees to ‘listen’ to the client’s body and then apply the necessary pressure, motion, or
stretch, creating in this way a sort of dancing choreography to bring healing.
A session can be as short as 20 minutes or as long as 4 hours or more depending on
the client’s need and the practitioner’s healing intentions. It is recommended that the
receiver wears comfortable clothes: long cotton pants and a shirt, as for a yoga class.
The main objective in a Thai massage session is to bring balance and harmony within
the body so that it can heal itself. Both practitioner and client may enter a deep
meditative state as loving kindness and compassion take over, this is why it is very
important that the client feels comfortable with his/her therapist and that the therapist
feels comfortable with the client in this quest for balance and harmony.
As the practitioner gets acquainted with the client’s body and the client gets comfortable
with the touch, the practitioner then may start applying different yoga poses in order to
stretch a muscle or a group of muscles and expose the energy flows along the body.
These flows can be affected by slight or deep compressions.
It’s important to keep in mind that a Thai massage can be a very relaxing experience or
a very invigorating one, depending on what you are looking for as a recipient, just make
sure you communicate with your therapist and give him/her constant feedback
throughout the session.
Body Works Massage & Wellness Center is proud to present Thai Massage, offered by
Esther Bricio, LMT
Please call Esther for your appointment, 504-296-6197
