THAI MASSAGE

Introduction

Traditional Thai Massage is a beautifully structured whole-body massage, which uses a combination of stretching and pressure to achieve a unique and comprehensive holistic massage.

Thai Massage is a healing form widely used all over Thailand – in institutions, hospitals, and within families – it is a living tradition whose origins extend over 2000 years to the time of the Buddha.

The Thai word for massage, nuad, means much more than the soft tissue massage known in the West, and  could be more accurately placed under the heading of a manipulative therapy. The massage works on both superficial and deeper fascial layers, muscles and ligaments, nerves, and on joints and bones, as well as  all internal organs. Thai massage also includes peripheral stimulation therapy as found in Chinese acupuncture, Shiatsu and hand and foot reflexology, all of which deal with balancing the flow of energy (prana, ki, chi) within the body.

Origins

Yoga  and  Ayurveda (the traditional medical system of India) are generally considered to have been practiced in the ancient Indus Valley, the first documentation being recorded about three thousand years ago. One volume of the Vedas known as the Suchi Veda deals entirely with acupuncture. Both Ayurveda and acupuncture were taught at the then famous Indian Buddhist university of Takshashila.   The theoretical basis for acupuncture belongs to the ancient science of subtle anatomy known as Svarodaya. It describes the concept of  Prana ( life energy, also Chi, Ki) which is distributed throughout the body by channels known as Nadis. Lying along the nadis are ‘vital points‘ called  Marmas, which are seats of Prana and areas of  high concentrations of energy. They are in many cases identical to the acupuncture points of  traditional Chinese medicine. The use of  Marmas formed an important part of tradional Indian medicine and is referred to as ‘Marma Chikitsa‘ (Marma therapy). The practise of Marma Chikitsa declined (through the efforts of the British  who banned its use) and is only now receiving more attention. It did survive as part of the ancient martial art of  South India called Kalaripayattu. (It too was banned but is undergoing a renaissance). There are about 107 marmas considered lethal if a blow is received on one. This knowledge, along with the use of Marmas to treat injury and disease, was also taught at the Buddhist universities and monasteries as a means of self defense. This body of knowledge was taken by Buddhist monks on their journeys throughout the Orient, establishing  martial arts at what is now the Shaolin monastery in China, and practising massage within the Theravaden Buddhist monasteries of Thailand, Cambodia and Burma.

The origin of Thai massage as it is now practised is attributed to the legendary figure of Jivaka Kumar Baccha, known in Thailand as Shivago Komarpaj. Jivaka lived approximately 2000 years ago and was the royal physician to King Bimbisara of Magadha, now part of Bihar. The king appointed him to personally supervise the health of the Buddha and his followers, and he is mentioned in the Pali canon, the scriptures of Theravada Buddhism.To what extent Chinese concepts of traditional medicine influenced Thai massage remains debatable. The knowledge was transmitted orally for centuries, being first recorded in Pali, using Khmer script, in the 17th century. These texts were treated with the same respect as the Buddhist scriptures. In 1767, the old capital of Thailand, Ayuttaya, was overrun by the Burmese, who destroyed most of the texts. The surviving fragments were collected, and under the order of King Rama III engraved in stone. They can now be seen in the temple of Wat Pho in Bangkok.

Comparison of Indian, Chinese and Thai concepts of energy lines

Most yoga systems consider that there are 72,000 nadis, although some texts state as many as 350,000. They are not ordinary nerves or veins but subtle channels which also  manifest in the physical body.

Since the physical centres have a close relationship with the subtle centres, the vibrations produced in the physical centres will have effects in  the subtle centres. All nadis originate from the Kanda, situated just above the Muladhara chakra (although some texts put it 12 inches above the anus). As long as these channels perform their normal functions the body is free from disease. Fifteen nadis are considered important, three of which play a highly significant role in  Hatha and Kundalini Yoga. In the Chinese system, there are twelve primary  meridians and eight ‘extaordinary ‘ meridians, two of which play an important role in the esoteric science of Taoist Yoga, and in Qigong,  In the Thai system there are ten primary nadis known as Sen, which like the Indian system, originate near the navel. There is an approximate correspondence between these three traditions: for example, the Sen  line called  Sen Sumana, which starts at the tip of the tongue and ends in the solar plexus, is almost identical to the Sushumna nadi in Yoga, and forms part of the conception vessel (Ren Mai) of the Chinese system. The Sen Ittha, which runs from the left nostril over the head and down the left side of the spinal column to the back of the thigh corresponds to the Ida nadi of yoga and the bladder meridian of Chinese acupuncture. The Sen Pingkhala is identical to the Ittha but runs down the right side of the spine corresponding to the Pingala nadi.

Techniques of Traditional Thai Massage

Balancing the energy flowing in the Sen channels is accomplished by a combination of pressure and stretch. Pressure is applied to specific points (often identical to the acupuncture  points of Chinese medicine) and along Sen lines using the thumbs, hands, feet and elbows. Many of these points are automatically stimulated in  many asanas (sirsasana, mayurasana, bound lotus, to name a few).

The manipulative aspect of Thai massage is particularly interesting, because the positions closely resemble the asanas of Hatha Yoga, and have the same benefits. The receiver is moved into a position by the giver, the movement often being repeated several times with an increasing degree of intensity. This passive experiencing of the stretches allows the receiver to relax deeper into the position, releasing tension and creating space both physically – for example within the joints – and mentally (‘letting go’). The positions in Thai massage follow a definite order which forms a natural and logical sequence. Each position is a preparation for the next, leading the receiver to increasing degrees of stretching and opening. This sequencing follows the principles of Vinyasa – the intelligent ordering of asanas – in the same way as found in Astanga Vinyasa yoga or in any well-structured yoga programme. Another advantage of  sequences is that they  aid learning the many separate moves involved. A full Thai massage consists of over one hundred and thirty separate positions. Learning sequences of moves rather than separate moves is an aid to memory. The sequences are also ordered to minimize the changes of position required of the giver, leading to a more efficient and flowing massage. A massage received from an experienced masseur will feel like one flowing, dance-like sequence.

Receiving

Usually the massage begins with the receiver lying on the back. The Sen lines of the feet and legs are worked using both palm and thumb pressure, and gentle stretches. This serves to relax and prepare the receiver for the more intense stretches which follow for the legs and hips.The work on the hips also stimulates the internal organs and serves as a preparation for the abdominal massage. This is followed by massage on the chest, arms and hands, finishing with the head and face. The receiver then lies on one side and work on the energy lines and some of the stretches are repeated in this position. If time is limited these can be omitted. However, the side position can be used as an alternative to lying on the back, for example for pregnant women, or people suffering from asthma, or for any other reason that makes lying on the back uncomfortable. This position is good for working the energy lines on the back, and to start some of the back stretches. This is also a good position for twists. After repeating on the other side, the receiver lies on the front, and the lines on the back of the legs are worked, followed by a variety of stretches to open and relax the pelvis and lower back in preparation for the back stretches. Once these are completed the masseur brings the receiver to a sitting position using moves which also act as counterstretches to the backbends. In the sitting position the back and in particular the shoulders and neck are worked, using a variety of stretches like the one illustrated in the picture. The massage is concluded by the receiver lying in Savasana, or Corpse pose, for at least ten minutes to allow the full assimilation and rebalancing of the internal energies.

Giving

A great advantage of Thai Massage is that giving is as good as receiving. Thai massage is part of a spiritual discipline, and reflects the tenets of Buddhist teaching. The massage is given with a sense of loving kindness (Metta), compassion, joy and equanimity. Before giving a massage, the masseur invokes the help and guidance of the founder Jivaka by offering a prayer. The prayer is a way for the giver to centre him/herself so that the massage is given with awareness and mindfulness. Thai Massage is really a form of meditation in movement, which results in increased sensitivity between the giver and receiver. The giver synchronises his/her breath with the each movement, establishing a gentle, controlled, and rhythmical pattern which  induces an almost trance like state in the receiver, and a meditative state in the giver. The giver moves from the centre of the body, just below the navel, using his/her body weight without effort. Moving in this way, working through a sequence of yoga-like stretches combined with the breath, has remarkable similarities to practising Astanga Vinyasa yoga. At the end of the massage the giver feels energised and relaxed.

Thai massage is given lying on a firm mattress or futon, the receiver and giver wearing light, free-fitting clothes. Oil is not suitable for Thai massage because if prevents effective application of pressure.

Benefits

Experiencing yoga postures passively allows time to `taste` the posture and internalize the mind/body connection. The receiver is able to learn that many asanas are more about relaxing muscles than employing them. This often comes as an insight which is translatable into ones own yoga practise. The overall effect of a Thai Massage is an opening of tight joints and a lengthening of muscles, combined with a sense of very deep relaxation and well-being. The emphasis put on  relaxing the receiver makes the deep stretches much more effective. Problem areas (especially backs) are often considerably improved because the whole body is treated, rather than concentrating solely on the specific area. Releasing tight hips, for example, often has an immediate effect on lower back pain. Thai massage is very useful for sports people because of the increased mobility and range of movement. It can be used as a preventative measure against injury, and because of the controlled and careful application, is a useful addition to any Massage style.