Hey there beautiful you.
I hope you’ve had a good beginning of this new week.
Since I am hosting the first part of a Thai Yoga Massage workshop/event on Saturday, I think it’s a good time for me, to write down some facts and some of my thoughts about Thai Yoga Massage.
(psssst. if you are already now interested in knowing more about this event I am hosting, click here)
Ever since I was a young teenager I’ve been trying out a lot of different treatments due to a major injury in my back. I saw a reflexologist a lot. She was also the mother of a friend from school. I absolutely loved her. She was, and still is a very inspiring soul. Even in my young days I had a thing for striped leggings. And I had this one pair, black and white striped. I remember them as really comfortable. I would wear them under my dresses or skirts, alone or while doing yoga. I was wearing them one day, when I came for a treatment. She complimented them a lot and asked me where I bought them. I told her, and we continued with the treatment. A few days later, I walked along on of the bigger roads in the village I am from (a every small village, but we had a rather busy road going through back then). I heard someone shouting “Stine, heeey Stine”. I turned around, and there she was – on her bike cycle in the middle of the road. I waved to her, and then she pulled up her ankle-long, dark green skirt, and happily shouted ‘look what I’ve got’. Underneath she was wearing a beautiful pair of turquoise and black striped leggings. Somehow I will never forget this moment. It brought a great feeling of simplicity and happiness to my mind.
Anyway, back to the treatment talk. Receiving treatments of her taught me a lot about energy-lines, body-mind connection and life in general. In a very young age I started dreaming about being a reflexologist, alongside my dream about being a yoga teacher (in an age of 15). I still have a dream about being a reflexologist, but unfortunately I suffer from weak joints in my hands, which makes be doubt I will manage to give a lot of treatments as a reflexologist. BUT I’ve been fortunate enough to meet the Thai yoga massage. Thai Yoga Massage has been giving me the opportunity to work with the reflex-points and energy-lines in the body.
Here is a bit about I met Thai Yoga Massage.
I think I receive my first Thai Massage when I was 15 or 16. I was working in a bakery shop in the nearby village. The baker was married to a Thai woman, whom I had so much fun working with. She called me bird in Thai – because she thought I was talking so much. Over one summer I had worked every day, and I could definitely feel it in my body. The woman I was working with, told me her friend was a masseuse, and asked me if I wanted a treatment. I said yes of course. I remember being really amazed by this woman’s strength and performance by giving this treatment.
In my wild backpacking years 5-6 years ago, I travelled around Thailand, and returned to Thailand, and stayed in Thailand. I’ve been returning for several times, something there just makes me feel home. If you look past the tourist industry, and look deep into the culture, the nature and the people you just see pure beauty. I have had a ritual about receiving massage daily while being there. The way of giving treatment has always appealed to me. In 2011 I took my first small training in Thai Massage with a private teacher, and in 2014 in completed a full course in Thai Yoga Massage.
Why Thai Yoga Massage, and its benefits;
Thai Yoga Therapy or massage is an ancient healing art, which roots back to the days of Gautama Buddha – around 2500 years ago. The founder of the treatment form was Jivaka Kumara Bhaccha. He was a famous physician and surgeon in Northern India and a contemporary and friend of the Buddha. The migration of Buddhism towards South-East Asia brought this art into Thailand.
With a short explanation, Thai Yoga Massage is a beautiful combination of acupressure, Indian Ayurvedic principles, assisted yoga postures and meditation. There is no use of cream of oil in Thai Yoga Massage. The receiver is wearing comfortable clothing, and lying on a mattress or a blanket on the floor. The massage or treatment often begins with the therapist to send a prayer or do a short meditation. The therapist do this to center him/her-self fully for the work and healing he/she are about to do. The massage is giving from feet (the lowest point of gravity) to head. By beginning with the feet we help the energy and the circulation of the energy to move upward.
Thai Yoga Massage has a deep holistic approach with the believe that in the human body energy flows through a network of channels or lines. (These are called nadis in India and meridians in China).
It is believed that there are 72,000 energy lines in our body, and 10 of them have been selected to bed used in Thai Yoga Massage. These are the 10 main lines that are sufficient to treat the whole body and its internal organs. If there is a sickness, disease or even stiffness in the body it’s believe that there is a blockages or a restriction on the energy flow in the body. Thai Yoga Massage is used to clear these blockages, with the combination of acupressure, Indian Ayurvedic principles and assisted yoga postures.
I have made a list over the benefits of receiving a Thai Yoga Massage. I have listed them in three categories; the western approach, the Eastern approach and the magic touch.
Western way of looking at the benefits
Improved circulation – if you work on a muscle the circulation will naturally be improved.
Endorphins are released (natural painkiller)
Immune system benefits – simulating specially the abdominal area the defend system of the body is activated
Muscles get relaxed
Increased range of motion
Eastern way of looking at the benefits
Release energy blockages
Re-establish energy flow – the body can heal itself when the energy flow is re-establish
Balancing the energy flow
Stimulating the healing process
The Magic of Touch
Changing cell memory – the stucked memory of tightness, discomfort and pain can be changed to be relaxed, letting go by touching the area in a kind, loving way
Releasing stuck emotions
Touch is relaxing, and relaxation is healing.
Would you like to know, more about what I offer as a therapist? Check it out here Or would you like to learn the basic principles and techniques yourself? Then this event might be interesting for you. May you all have a beautiful day. Love and laughter, Stine Brink