Plunge into the world of the real traditions of Thailand , experience the healing power of massage in combination with the compositions of flavors and colors of this wonderful country !
The Kingdom of Thailand – a mysterious and beautiful country – is located in the heart of the South – East Asia between India and China. Thailand, as it was called until 1939, Siam, is one of the most exotic countries. Thais call their country “Miangtay”, which means “land of the free.”
In addition, Thailand – is “The Land of Smiles” as a philosophy of life of Thai people “dignity” defines the perception of every moment of life as a great joy, and most feature Thai nature – is a sense of respect for all living things and unity with him.
What is today called “Thai massage” or “Thai yoga massage” is an ancient healing system combining acupressure, Indian Ayurvedic principles, and assisted yoga postures. The founding father of Thai massage was an Ayurvedic doctor named Jivaka Kumar Bhacca, who is revered still in Thailand as the “father of medicine”. Born in India during the time of the Buddha, he is noted in ancient documents for his extraordinary medical skills, his knowledge of herbal medicine, and for having treated important people of his day, including the Buddha himself
Traditional Thai massage uses no oils or lotions. The recipient remains clothed during a treatment. There is constant body contact between the giver and receiver, but rather than rubbing on muscles, the body is compressed, pulled, stretched and rocked.
The recipient of the massage wears loose, comfortable clothing and lies on a mat or firm mattress on the floor. In Thailand the massage is often given to a group of a dozen or so subjects receiving massage simultaneously in the same large room. The true ancient style of the massage requires that the massage be performed solo with just the giver and receiver. The receiver will be positioned in a variety of yoga-like positions during the course of the massage, that are also combined with deep static and rhythmic pressures.
The massage generally follows designated lines (“sen”) in the body. The legs and feet of the giver can be used to position the body or limbs of the recipient. In other positions, hands fix the body, while the feet do the massaging. A full Thai massage session typically lasts two hours or more, and includes rhythmic pressing and stretching of the entire body. This may include pulling fingers, toes, ears, cracking knuckles, walking on the recipient’s back, and moving the recipient’s body into many different positions. There is a standard procedure and rhythm to the massage, which the giver will adjust to fit the receiver.
There are two main variations of the healing art: a traditional form which can be found most prominently in Thailand, and an ancient form which can be found more readily in Nepal and northern India. Although to the uninitiated onlooker the two forms are perceived as the same, there are in fact many crucial differences that will be felt by the receiver. Ancient Thai massage always starts with meditation performed by both the giver and the receiver.
History
The founder of Thai massage and medicine is said to have been Shivago Komarpaj , who is said in the Pāli Buddhist canon to have been the Buddha’s physician over 2,500 years ago. In fact, the history of Thai massage is more complex than this legend of a single founder would suggest. Thai massage, like Thai traditional medicine (TTM) more generally, is a combination of influences from Indian, Chinese, Southeast Asian cultural spheres and traditions of medicine, and the art as it is practiced today is likely to be the product of a 19th-century synthesis of various healing traditions from all over the kingdom. Even today, there is considerable variation from region to region across Thailand, and no single routine or theoretical framework that is universally accepted among healers.
Mechanism of action
Generally speaking, givers of modern Thai massage operate on the hypothesis that the body is permeated with “lom”, or “air”, which is inhaled into the lungs and subsequently travels throughout the body along 72,000 pathways called “sen”, which therapists manipulate manually. This is the commonly accepted hypothesis, mostly likely originating in Indian yoga, and promoted by the government and schools, the sen being understood as either physical or non-physical structures depending on the interpretation. Traditional regional medicine, however, follows a different, more comprehensive theoretical system, which involves massage as being the manipulation of the five body layers (skin, tissue, channels, bones, organs) to influence the relationship of the four body elements (earth, water, wind, fire), within this system, the sen are defined as tendons, ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels, and the element “lom” or “wind” is understood as the property of movement. This understanding derives from Buddhist medicine which has its roots in ancient Indian medicine.
As such, the concept of ” Thai massage course ” does not exist . If possible , it is recommended to do every day (or at least every other day) to maintain a balance of all organs and systems. In Thailand , it is a kind of daily diet – to prolong life , toning , stress relief and health for many years.