faqs

What is thai massage?

Thai Massage is a unique experience in healing and rejuvenation, which combines assisted yoga postures and massage. It originated in India in about 1,000 BC and reached Thailand in about 200 BC, which makes it one of the oldest forms of massage in the world. The founder of Thai Massage, an Indian ayurvedic doctor named Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha, was a physician to the Buddha.

The first people to practice Thai Massage in Thailand were the Buddhist monks who came from India. It was taught in the monasteries and the instruction manuals were kept with the other sacred texts. After a Burmese invasion in 1776, many of these texts were destroyed and Thai Massage survived to the twentieth century, thanks in part to the way it was engraved on the walls of temples and passed down through generations of Thai families.

In the same way that Yoga entered Western culture gradually and has now become very popular, Thai Massage is also starting to be very popular. It’s the way it combines the benefits of yoga and massage that makes it so effective. If you like yoga or you like massage, you’ll probably find that you love Thai Massage.

How is it done?

In Thai Massage, practitioners move your body deeply into a wide range of yoga postures using their own positioning, alignment, and bodyweight for support. They also combine more restorative yoga postures with massage, using the palm of the hand, the thumbs, the forearm, the elbow, the knees, or the feet. Massaging someone while they are relaxing in a restorative yoga posture deepens the effect of the posture and the massage on their body.

Thai Massage works with pressure points, energy lines, and muscle compression and stretching. The massage is applied by the practitioner in a rhythmic movement of gentle rocking, sometimes side to side, or forwards and back, or in circles. No oils are used and you remain fully clothed throughout the massage.

What does a thai massage feel like?

Thai Massage is a full body massage that is immensely therapeutic to your body, mind, and spirit. You’ll feel energized, lighter and more open in all these areas afterwards. It’s like having all the benefits of a full yoga practice with none of the effort!

Thai Massage takes place on the floor on a specially cushioned mat. This gives the practitioner room to move around and allows the whole massage to flow along smoothly from one posture to another. It’s very easy to drop into meditation when receiving a Thai Massage, something that enhances its relaxing and therapeutic effect.

Because it was originally practiced in the temples of Thailand many thousands of years ago, Thai Massage is very much a spiritual practice for those who give it. Receiving a Thai Massage from a place of unconditional acceptance is an essential part of its therapeutic value.

Everyone can benefit from thai massage

If you are looking for a way to unwind, reduce stress, and relax, Thai Massage is ideal. Its stretches your whole body and helps to remove deeply held tension in your muscles. No experience of yoga or flexibility is needed to receive it. It’s a perfect gift for someone you care about, including yourself.

Thai Massage is also a wonderful way to take a preventative approach to your health. It helps to fortify your immune system, rebalance your muscles and joints, and maintain a feeling of vitality. It also combines well with any form of exercise or holistic health work. In addition, it’s a great way for people doing sports and athletics at all levels to stay flexible and injury free.

People who have undergone surgery or who have been hospitalized will find Thai Massage helps to break up their tight scar tissue and get their circulation moving again.

For moms-to-be, Thai Massage is a great way to cope with the physical strain of pregnancy and prepare your body for childbirth. The usual postures of Thai Massage are adapted to meet the needs and limitations of pregnant women. See Prenatal Thai Massage.

What do you need to bring?

We ask that you wear comfortable cotton or cotton/hemp clothes, as nylon and lycra tend to be too slippery. A T-shirt and loose long pants are fine. Make sure you haven't eaten for a couple of hours beforehand.

Safety first

As with all forms of massage, there are a few situations where Thai Massage is not appropriate, or needs special medical clearance.

• If you have just undergone surgery, please wait for your doctor's 'all-clear' before booking a massage.
• If you are suffering from a fever, wait until the fever has past; give your body the time it needs to eliminate these toxins at its own pace.
• If you have an infectious skin condition, you need to avoid all massage, in case the condition is transmitted to others.
• If you have thrombosis, then any form of massage is potentially dangerous to your health.
• If you have a high-risk pregnancy or are still in the first 12-14 weeks of your pregnancy, make especially sure that you receive your doctor's clearance before you have a prenatal Thai Massage.