Komsak Tirakuntorn, RMT
Professional hands you can trust
What is Thai Massage?
Thai massage is one of the oldest massage techniques in existence today. Dating back 2,500 years, Thai massage is said to have been developed by Buddhist monks right at the time when Gautama Buddha himself was still alive. These monks handed what they know to their students, who then passed them on to their own students until it spread throughout the east.
Thai massage incorporates the philosophies surrounding the Chinese concept of acupuncture and combines these philosophies with the stretching exercises done by yogis in India. The ultimate aim of Thai massage is for the receiver to attain spiritual enlightenment and harmony. On a base level, Thai massage is supposed to activate the capacity of the body to heal itself and to promote better health and well-being.
Client lays on a mat or a big massage table, fully clothed except for shoes and socks. The practitioner uses thumbs, palms, forearms, elbows, feet, knees and even shins to press and stretch client's body. Thais believe that good health and freedom from pain result from the unhindered flow of vital energies through the body's tissues.
The main 'channels' for distributing these energies are called 'Sen'. There is no general agreement as to the exact number of Sen but those who know something of Chinese Medicine quickly recognise that the Thai practitioner is effectively working along the Chinese Qi meridians.
Pressing is the mechanical process used to stimulate energy flow in the Sen, and to release blockages or stagnation which result in pain. This part of the massage is very thorough.
Each Sen channel is pressed repeatedly from every direction, with the relative positions of the limbs and trunk being constantly changed. The process is very thorough. When the practitioner is satisfied that all soft tissues have been adequately pressed, stretching begins.
This will be subtle at first but gradually progresses to the elegant, large scale stretches for which Thai massage is renowned. Every muscle and joint is treated.