What is Thai Massage?

Have you come in to see me for a massage and maybe wondered what the dog bed looking cushion was in the corner? Though I do on occasion use it for clients with pups, it’s actually a Thai massage mat, folded up to stay out of the way while I have my massage table set up. When I have Thai sessions scheduled, the mat gets unfolded, covered with a heating pad just like we use on the table, a sheet over that, and voila!

Thai massage, though sometimes practiced on a massage table, is more commonly performed on a soft cushioned mat on the floor. Clients wear loose, comfortable clothing that allows movement through one’s full range of motion, and access to the skin, in order to apply balms or liniments, cups, or other tools when indicated. The session includes compression, stretching, point work, and deep tissue techniques applied with the therapist’s hands, forearms, elbows, knees, and feet. Generally these sessions are focused on one or two areas of the body to promote flexibility and improve range of motion, restoring balance and energy to the system.

The practice of Thai bodywork is one of many branches of healthcare that stems from the vast system of Thai Medicine. Similar to Chinese Medicine, Thai Medicine treats the person as a whole, meeting them wherever they are in the moment, and not distinguishing between the physical body and the spirit that animates it. All work is seen through the lens of Thai medical theory which is rooted in Buddhist philosophy and element theory. In the type of Thai Medicine I practice, from the northern Lanna tradition, there are five elements we focus on: wind, water, earth, fire, and space. As we work through the layers of the body, from skin depth to the organs, our goal is to work with these elements as they manifest in the body, providing support for the physical, emotional, energetic, mental, and spiritual body.

I love this profound and deeply healing work. And I know you will, too.

When was the last time you tried something new?