Thai massage
Historical roots of Thai massage has got about 2500 years. In Thailand we can find Thai massage under the name Nuat Boran (traditional massage). Sometimes it is called Yoga for lazy people because of that yoga position you can do with your client. Thai massage comes mainly from India. As we can see sometimes it has also its influence from China (probably southern Guang Xi province). To Thailand it was brought firstly by doctor Jiwaka Komaraphat. Doctor Jiwaka is well known as a doctor and healer of Buddha. Thai massage is divided into two main schools. First is northern style (for example in Chiang Mai). Which is little bit softer than southern style, it has variety of stretching techniques and it walking thumbs technique. Second one is southern style also known as a Wat Pho style (Wat Pho is the name of royal palace in Thailand (Bangkok) and it´s famous Thai massage school. This style is well know for therapeutic acupressure. It teaches how to use pressure points and which of the lines we can use for treatment. We have also Common style and Royal style. In royal style therapist is chosen strictly. It is forbidden to teach foreigners. It is mainly used Thai acupressure. There must be distant between therapist and client from royal family. Behavior must be according to the royal codex. Lot of techniques like a stretching is forbidden here. Common style we can see all around Thailand not only in massage places but also in families where children massage their parents and so. Here all techniques are allowed, you can use palms, fingers, elbows even foot as a massage tools. In Thailand I have been thought with Thai acupressure and common style, usually they are mixed together. We can also add tool like Tok sen, which is small tool mainly used in northern Thailand. It is great tool to loose muscles and tendons, dredge sen (energy) lines.
Same as other Asian massage therapies (Shiatsu, Tui na) Thai massage has got energetic pathways (called Sen lines). Thai massage has 10 main lines. If we study Thai massage our teachers want us to know them well. Like in Chinese massage every lines has its purpose. On lines we have acupressure points. When we study Thai massage in Thailand, it has been thought in levels. Usually last level is the therapeutic one. Which teach us how to use various techniques and points to help people with their common problems. It is also used in hospitals and rehabilitation centers. In last decades lot of osteopaths and physiotherapist come to Thailand study Thai massage and use it in their daily work.
Sen lines and it´s name:
Sen 1. Itha
Sen 2. Pingkla
Sen 3. Summana
Sen 4. Kanlataree
Sen 5. Hadsarangsri
Sen 6. Tawaree
Sen 7. Jantapusank
Sen 8. Rusum
Sen 9. Sukumang
Sen 10. Sikinee