|
"Nuat phaen boran" which accurately translates as ancient massage and traditional massage is also know now as Thai massage, Thai ancient massage, ancient massage, traditional Thai massage, Thai yoga massage, yoga massage, Thai classical massage, Thai bodywork, passive yoga, or assisted yoga. Originating in India and drawing from Ayurveda, it has inevitably incorporated modalities like yoga. The receiver is put into many yoga like positions during the course of the massage. In the northern style there are a lot of stretching movements whereas the southern style emphasis is given to acupressure. It was believed that the massage art was brought over to Thailand by Javika Kumar Baccha, known in Thailand as Dr Shivago,a contemporary of Buddha some 2500 years ago. The massage recipient changes into pajamas and lies on a mat or firm mattress on the floor. (It can be done solo or in a group of a dozen or so patients in the same large room.) The massage giver leans on the recipient's body using hands and forearms to apply firm rhythmic pressure to almost every part of the receiver's body. The massage generally follows the SEN lines on the body (these are energy lines comparable to Chinese Meridians). In some gestures, the legs and feet of the giver are used to fixate the body or limbs of the recipient. In other gestures, hands fixate the body, while the feet do the massaging action. Usually no oil is applied, but sometimes a hot herbal compress is used to warm and sooth the receiver's body. A full course of Thai massage typically lasts two hours or more, and includes pulling fingers, toes, ears etc., cracking the knuckles, walking on the recipient's back, arching the recipient's back in a rolling action etc. There is a standard procedure and rhythm to the massage. Sometimes in a large group massage, the practitioners do the procedures in unison. A full massage in Thailand of typically two hours costs around 300 Thai Baht (8 USD in 2005) depending on location (it may cost 5 times more inside a five star hotel). Click on each category for supplies and classes. | |
|
