"How about a Thai massage to invigorate you?"

The isolation resulting from covid-19 allowed us to think about life, fear for health and leave therapies for better times. But a classic Thai massage could be the starting point you dreamed of returning to your spa now.

After the pandemic was declared, the world as we knew it changed. We moved away from public transport, trips to the office, human contact, and with that the massages with which we used to take care of our pains (both body and mind). Now that we just want a return to normality, Thai massage is the best way to start making up for lost time.

THAI MASSAGES: BECAUSE IT IS WORTH TRYING IT OUT

To start with, it is done with clothes on, without oil on the body or direct contact with the skin. What better way to restore confidence in touch?

Relax and stay healthy with the healing power of Thai massage, the experienced  will tell you that this practice of body manipulation based on pressure, twists and stretches, has been working wonders for centuries.

“There is a powerful combination of the energies of those who massage and are massaged, hence it is used to relax, act at the level of common disorders and prevent illnesses”, confirm the therapists who practice it.

Our body is composed of a network of energetic lines through which vital energy flows. By stimulating these lines, Thai massage restores the well-being lost in the rush of everyday life.

In fact, Thai massage is one of the most respected branches of Thai medical therapy.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE THAI MASSAGE

It is estimated that it originated more than 2500 years ago in Thailand, refined by the arrival in the country of Buddhist monks and some doctors knowledgeable in Ayurvedic knowledge.

Indian traditional medicine thus joined with the natural medicine of ancient Thailand to form Traditional Thai Medicine, of which Thai massage is an integral part.

The principle of practice is simple: to understand considering everything that science has validated in the meantime (and that the Thai´s and Indians have known for a long time): our body is composed of a network of energetic lines through which vital energy flows.

These lines accommodate acupuncture points that act as energy portals. Whenever muscle, joint or any other blockages occur that prevent vital energy from circulating freely in our personal network, the organism is more vulnerable to disease. This is where our massage sets in.

HOW THE THAI MASSAGE IS DONE

Traditionally, the patient is dressed in comfortable clothing and lying on the floor on a thin tatami mat, more suitable than the couch due to the  stretching and traction techniques typical of Thai massage. It is not oiled, as it would be in Ayurvedic massage, to avoid the risk of slipping from the therapist's hands.

By stimulating such lines and points of the energy network, combining pressure and muscle stretching that mobilize the body, Thai massage soothes pain, regulates internal functions, and dissipates stagnation, restoring well-being to the person.

The massage therapist's knees, elbows and feet are used for greater pressure on the patient's body. Still, Thai massage is comfortable and very relaxing.

And yes, at first glance it may seem a less gentle treatment than a relaxation massage, although it is incredibly calming for the giver and, above all, for the receiver (at least in the end, when everything is lined up).

The massage therapist's knees, elbows, and feet come into play if hand strength is insufficient to activate key points. In big muscles in need of big medicines, it is not uncommon to see the therapist walk on the patient's back to achieve maximum pressure.

Still, none of this makes Thai massage painful, disturbing, or brute force, on the contrary. It is done without haste, one movement after another. It induces serenity as if we were in a yoga class.

Hence the designation of yoga Thai massage, or massage Thai yoga, has emerged to highlight a series of active postures very present in Thai massage, influenced by Thai yoga (not to be confused with Indian yoga, based on different foundations).

THAI YOGA MASSAGE OR THAI MASSAGE?

Basically, Thai yoga is just another name for the sequence of stretches, delicate twists and harmonious positions of Thai massage, which are reminiscent of yoga asanas (postures).

In Thailand, farmers applied them to themselves to be able to withstand the effects of hard work on the body, as the asanas stretch the energy lines and all the tissues of the body. Over time, they were integrated into Thai massage and two people – the patient and the therapist – started doing them together for even better results.

Basically, the big difference between a Thai massage or practicing yoga is that in massage it is up to the therapist to guide the patient through the yoga postures, always opening and stretching, without the person making any effort or worrying about maintaining the structure (the therapist takes care of everything).

It is called passive yoga or yoga for lazy people. By stretching all the muscles of the body, while rebalancing the energy and posture so often abused in everyday life, Thai yoga massage calms the mind, releases stress, and reconnects the massaged with the inner self.

THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS THAT THE THAI MESSAGE OFFERS ARE MANY:

• Decreases tensions accumulated in problem areas (each person with their own);
• Improves breathing, posture and flexibility;
• Works pain in muscles, tendons and joints, relieving chronic pain;
• Benefits the nervous system and the functioning of internal organs;
• Strengthens the immune system;
• Regulates blood pressure and blood and lymph circulation;
• Promotes relaxation and detoxification of the body;
• Eliminates energy blocks;
• Slows down the central nervous system;
• Delays the aging process.

 Is your body asking you to stretch it? Turn it inside out to relieve that muscle tension? Start with a traditional Thai massage.

OTHER TYPES OF THAI MASSAGE TO TRY WITHOUT DELAY

If you prefer something more exotic than traditional Thai massage, also inspired by ancient Thai wisdom, we suggest the Abhyanga massage, which re-establishes the flow of prana using heated oils and alternating pressure.

Another alternative is a Thai massage with steam-heated linen poultices filled with medicinal plants, to help with muscle relaxation and unblock energy.

Or even a Thai massage with tok sen, in which the therapist “hammers” the body's energy meridians with a tamarind wooden instrument, generating a vibration that combats accumulated stress and muscle pain.

When in doubt, try all the versions to see which one feels best. And then come back for a new session for each of them. Just to make sure this is your favorite Thai massage.