About Thai Massage

Founder of Thai Massage tradition - Doctor Shivago shrine at the feet of Doi Suthep Mountain, Chiang Mai

PHILOSOPHY

Life is a flow and exchange. If there is no flow, there is no life. Its a flow betwen polarities. Like waves tof the

ocean, life has rythms, like inhalation and exhalation... like stillness and movement, activity and rest, giving

and receiving... This rythms have their own pace, in order to be healthy and have life of fullfilment, we have

to respect this rythms.

According to ancient medical traditions of the East, sickness is caused by blocks in enerdy flow in

our bodies and by imbalance of elements it is build from: Eart, Water, Fire, Wind and Space. This

disturbances can be caused by external factors like excess of heat or cold, epidemics etc... or/and

by internall factors like our attitudes, activities and emotions.

This philosophy is particualy valid in our modern society, where steress, speed of life, alienation

from nature, polution of the planet and chemistry in food are so evident. Many people leed life of

chasing ambitions and desires, followed by alienation of inner life, whatever in might mean...

spiritual or emotional.

Thai Massage offers something much more than simply treating muscles and bones, it gives

oportunity bring back inner rythm and balance. By its meditative aproach it can enriche ones inner

life!

THE SPIRIT

The spirit of Thai Massage is based in Loving Kindness and Compassion. This ideas derrive from

Buddhism but are not exclusive for Buddhism, they can be and often are put into practice by

people of any faith orientation.

There are four mental atitudes that are particulary cultivated in Thai Massage tradition, called

four Brahmavihara or sublime states of mind. They are:

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Thai massage had sunk to the point of beeing regarded as quack practice.This was not helped

by the fact that thinly disguised prostitutionin massage parlors was masquerading as "Thai

massage". Substandard massages offered at the beaches and in some commercial massage

places made metters worse.

In the remote countryside though, the flame of serious Thai traditional massage was kept

burning by masters practicing in the spirit of the teacher of ancient times.They were well

known and highly respected in their villages but virtually unknown beyond their village

boundaries.

Traditional Therapeutic Thai Massage in Thailand is called NUAD BORARN. The

word "Nuad" means "Ancient", "Borarn" means "Massage".

The therm "Thai Yoga Massage" is used today mostly by western practitioners who learned, practice

and respect the ancient art of Traditional Thai Massage. It is also used sometimes to distinguish the

so called Northern Style, which uses more stretching, "yogic" techniques then the Southern Style,

in wich there is more focus on deep acupressure.

Nevertheless in Thailand nobody really uses the therm "Thai Yoga Masage", redarding it as rather

western or touristic definition.

The reason why many practitioners today use the "Thai Yoga Massage" term is that they relate their

practice to the real tradition and its origins in Ayurveda, Yoga and Buddhism. They perceive the

depth and purity of this long tradition in contrary to what is often heared about some places where

Thai Massage is mixed with other type of services, giving it bad reputation. As Asokananda (Harald

Brust) profoundly explaines in his book THAI TRADITIONAL MASSAGE FOR ADVANCED

PRACTITIONERS:

THE TECHNIQUE

In Thai Massage tradition, similarly to other oriental systems,

human is perceived and treated wholisticly. Important part

of theory and practice of Thai Massage takes the concept

of energy lines within human body called SEN. They are

invisible energy pathways similar to NADI channels in Yoga

and acupuncture meridians. There are 72 000 SEN in this

system but in practice 10 main ones are being used.

The technique of Thai Massage consists of slow and rhythmic

compression along energy lines, work on acu-points and

stretching, joint opening movements looking like assisted

yoga positions. One aspect of work in Thai Massage is similar

to what in western terminology should be called peripheral

stimulation, witch means that certain effect in some areas

of the body will be attained through stimulation of some

other, distant areas, as it takes place in therapies like

acupuncture, rolfing or Shiatsu. The other aspect of

stretching and joint opening movements makes similarity

with certain kinds of manual therapies such as

osteopathy, physiotherapy or chiropractics. As we can see

the therm "Thai Yoga Massage" doesn't really reflect what

is used to be understood as "massage" in western world.

During the session the client remains fully clothed, laying on

a mat on the floor.

The practitioner uses their thumbs, palms, feet, elbows and knees to press, pull and stretch,

guiding the recipient into various assisted yoga postures, while remaining focused on their own body-

center. In areas of tension the pressure can be held for a longer time. This combination of slow,

rythimic movements and focused awareness creates a sense of flowing dance around and with the

recipient's body. Sometimes it is called "yoga for lazy people". It is good both for receiver as well

as for the giver. A good practitioner should be able to give very effective treatment effortlessly. In

fact it is yoga for both.

A huge leverage is being created by proper use of the practitioner's body weight. It can create

very strong and stable pressure on recipient, yet it feels safe and painless, although at times sort of

"good pain" can be feeled and usualy is perfectly accepted and ejoy by the recipient.

The sessions are tailored according to the individual needs and body condition of the client. The sort

of techniques and pressure strength might be soft medium or hard dependent on his or hers

sensitivity, flexibility, muscular tension and general health condition.

Full sessions last 1.5 - 2 or even 3 hours. One hour treatment is considered to be short. It is so

because, techniques of Thai massage are performed in slow pace and cover the whole body, from

feet to the head and face. Also, it take time to get one into a deep, relaxing state, where all the

tension melts. More on technique and anathomy here.

       1. Mettta or Loving Kindness
       2. Karuna or Compassion
       3. Mudita or Sympatethic Joy
       4. Upekkha or Equanimity

This way of thinking depends on recognition that all beeings are subjest to birth, old age, pain and death and all wish to be happy and free of suffering.
       1. Loving Kindness is genuine wish for all beeings to posess happiness and cause
of happiness. It can be compared to a loving heart of a mother she has towards her children. It should be practiced towards all regardless any personal preferences and relationships.
       2. Compassion is genuine wish for all beeings to be free of suffering and cause of suffering. It meens beeing sensitive and aware of others condition and feeling others suffering as own. Similarly, practiced towards all, regardless of personal relatins.
       3. Sympatethic Joy is enjoing others happiness and beeing free of envy or jelosy we might feel seeing others happy, prospering and having good luck. It is feeling happy when seeing others happy, regardless any personal preferences.
       4. Equanimity is seeing all beeings equal, without attachment towards dear to us, hatered towards enemis and indifference towards others. It is totally mindfull and caring atitude towards all.

This states of mind can be developed through daily practice and be helpull to be a good therapist and better human in general. They can even change ones life for better! Basic Buddhist idea is that all happiness comes from wishing others to be happy and acting accordingly. All suffering comes from caring for ons own happiness and forgeting others. This in law of karma, law of cause and effect.
In Mahayana Buddhism this sublime state of mind are called four immeasureables as the number of sentient beeings is beyond measure.

                                            RULES OF THAI MASSAGE:

               1. Study diligently the the art of Ancient Massage NUAD BORARN

               2. Do not practice in a public places or places unsuitable for massage.

               3. Charge a fair price and don't be motivated by financial gain.

               4. Do not take clients from another practitioner.

               5. Do not boast about your knowledge.

               6. Ask for advice and listen to people who are more knowledgable then you.

               7. Bring a good reputation to a tradition of NUAD BORANRN.

               8. Do not give certification in Thai Massage to a unqualified person.

               9. Give thanks to Father Doctor before and after treatment.