Thai Massage Description
Thai Massage Description
Thai massage looks like a cross between acupressure, yoga, and mat-based massage and is inspired by Buddhist teachings,
namely Mettā the act of loving kindness.
The actual massage consists of a collection of techniques including slow, rhythmic compressions and stretches along the body’s energy lines, also called Sen in Thai. If you want to see a multitude of examples of what the work I do looks like, visit my Instagram profile by clicking the icon at the top of this page.
A Thai massage is typically performed on a floor mat enabling practitioners the ability to use their body weight and to incorporate the many movements that would not be possible on a massage table. A table may be used but it is not optimal unless the client has specific limitations. Normally, the client remains fully clothed, and lubricant for the skin is rarely used. A Thai massage usually lasts one to two hours, but maybe three hours or more if needed.
The effort from the practitioner works to free tension within the body
and clear blockage along the lines by which the life forces flow. Practitioners also position the body into yoga-like poses and gently rock the body to more deeply open joints and facilitate further limbering. Joint mobilization is achieved by repetitive movements designed to re-establish the full range of motion and reprogram the nervous system. Twisting the spinal column and wringing the tissues are popular measures to enliven the recipient.
One of the most important principles of Thai massage is the continuous flow of sequential movements that prepares the client for the next step in the massage. The practitioner is always aware of their position so that an uninterrupted, slow rhythm is maintained. Deep, sustained pressure ensures that the myofascia, or the muscle’s connective tissue, softens and relaxes in order to release the flow of energy along the Sen and to prepare the client for the large-scale stretches that follow.
A thorough Thai massage
includes the following basic positions:
Supine
The most likely way to begin the sequence is starting with the feet with the client lying face up. Working along the lines toward the hips. Then working along the lines from the hands toward the torso.
Abdominal massage is also rendered in this position as well as sitting above the head to work with the neck and shoulders.
Side-lying
This is one of the approaches that are unique in Thai Massage. There are so many ways to approach the body in the side-lying that it hardly serves to limit this to one picture. I was in a similar position when my classmate was working on me in 2008 when I decided to make Thai massage the focus of my therapy practice.
Training & certification
Thai massage can be strenuous for the practitioner. To become a Thai master, it is said that the best place to learn is where the therapy originates. The well-known school at Wat Po in Bangkok and in Chiang Mai, The Old Medicine Hospital, both in Thailand, are famous for their teachings of the ancient art. It is also possible to receive instruction in the United States from teachers who studied in Thailand, as well as Thai instructors who came over to offer classes in American massage schools. All of our practitioners have learned the most important aspects of the meditative spirit–awareness, mindfulness, and concentration. Correct body positioning and posture control while giving a massage are of vital importance to all of our practitioners in order to avoid injury.
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