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Layers and Levels
skin, tissue, sên, bone, organs
Let’s examine other theories involved in more detail.1
skin, tissue, sên, bone, organs
Let’s examine other theories involved in more detail.1
skin, tissue, sên, bone, organs
The most effective method is to work through them in order; it is essential not to skip over a superficial layer/level and attempt to treat the ones that are beneath it before addressing the overlying ones.
Sometimes it’s better to stop and wait.
Layers of the Physical Body
Skin
This is the outermost layer of the body and is often the point of entry for disease-causing pathogens, such as heat, cold, Wind, dampness, and germs. The skin is an organ of both abortion and elimination, so while it can take on pathogens and toxins, it is also one of the ways that we release them. According to Thai medical texts, the skin is composed of three layers, which roughly correspond to the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis.
Tissue
Just below the skin is the layer of tissue made primarily of fascia, muscle, and fat. This layer easily takes on pathogens, as seen when a chill wind hits the skin at night, becoming a muscular crick in the neck by morning.
Sen
This layer refers to the tendons, ligaments, veins, nerves, arteries, and other pathways of movement. Because the Sên are areas of movement, they can spread things from the tissue to the rest of the body.
Bone
The next layer of the body is the skeletal structure, underlying the tissue and channels.
Organs
Organs can be divided into two categories: open organs, which have connections to the external world, such as the lungs, bladder, and stomach, and closed organs, which do not connect to the external world, such as the heart, liver, and spleen. In a disease progression that begins with the skin, open organs are reached before closed organs. This understanding of the five layers of the physical body is important to Thai massage therapists, who generally reach the channel layer and sometimes the bone and organ layers, whereas all bodyworkers deal only with skin and tissue. Understanding the order in which these layers are accessed affects how we work. For example, a massage therapist must always warm up the body’s skin layer before addressing the tissue layer, and the channels, which are a significant focus in Thai bodywork, often cannot be reached until the tissue layer has been released. It is important to listen to each layer, be aware of any resistance, and refrain from forcing your way past areas that are not yet ready. The layers of the body also come into play in herbal formulations; if you were to make a balm for achy muscles, you would need to include herbs that penetrate the skin. The concept of the layers of the physical body, while taking up only a small portion of the course, will be mentioned over and over in Nephyr Jacobsen’s book, Seven Peppercorns, and must be prominent in any bodyworker’s awareness.
Traditional Thai Medical Theory
For Bodyworkers
by Nephyr Jacobsen (Author)
ISBN 1844096556
Nephyr Jacobsen is the founder and director of the Naga Center, School of Traditional Thai Massage and Medicine. She is a writer of articles and curriculum on Thai medicine and massage. She divides her time between Thailand and Portland, Oregon.
“Seven Peppercorns” encompasses the vast scope of traditional Thai medicine practices, including Thai element theory, physical therapies, medical Buddhism, herbal medicine for massage, divinatory practices, and spirit medicine, all presented within the context of a Thai bodyworker’s instructional manual.