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More and more tourists are coming to Thailand to get traditional Thai massage.
Performed through your clothes, it leaves you in a state of sublime relaxation.
What happens in a massage session?
You lie on a mat on the floor, fully clothed except for shoes and socks. The
practitioner uses thumbs, palms, forearms, elbows, feet, knies and even shins to
press and stretch your body. Thais believe that good health and freedom from
pain result from the unhindered flow of energies through the body's tissues.
 The main "channels" for distributing these energies are called "sen". There is
no general agreement as to the exact number of sen but those who know something
of Chinese medicine quickly recognize
that the Thai practitioner is effectively working along the Chinese "Qi
Meridians".
Pressing is the mechanical process used to stimulate energy flow in the sen and
to release blockages or stagnation. This part of the massage is very thorough.
Each sen channel is pressed repeatedly from every direction, with the relative
positions of the limbs and trunk being constantly changed.
When the practitioner is satisfied that all soft tissues have been adequately
pressed, stretching begins. This will be subtle at first but it gradually
progresses to the elegant, large-scale stretches for witch Thai massage is
renowned.
What does massage do?
Thais have long recognized that most muscles-skeletal pain and lack of mobility
of the joints is the result of muscles shortening under the influence repetitive
strain. The pressing techniques of Thai massage prepare muscles for stretching
by increasing their permeability to the flow of sen energies. The manipulations
are designed to stretch the muscles a little more than would be possible
unaided. Even advanced yoga cannot compete with the stretching capabilities of
Thai massage when applied y expert.
Tension and spasm in a muscle are the result of a vicious circle of events
involving the muscle and its sense organs, those muscles that are antagonistic
to it and the brain. The more tensed the muscle, the shorter it gets and the
brain interprets this as contraction, thus inhibiting the function of the
antagonistic muscle, which weaken as a result.
Regular Thai massage stretches the muscles back to their normal resting length,
which deceives the brain into "thinking" that all is well and it stops
inhibiting the antagonist. Before long, tension disappears and joint mobility is
restored. Muscles are the masseur's ultimate target but fibrotic connective
tissue and weak circulation are also treated during massage.
How does it work?
Massage is different from other forms of bodywork; smoothness, rhythm and flow
are the three words that come to mind. Nothing is hurried; there are no sudden
changes of rhythm or speed. Every technique melts into the next with total
economy of motion; it looks like a beautifully choreographed performance.
First-time recipients of the massage react differently. Some find the pressing
techniques - particularly those done with the thumb - a little uncomfortable;
others are shocked at the degree of stretching their stiff body can achieve.
Almost all feel relaxed, refreshed and much more flexible afterwards, and those
who have regular Thai massage come to enjoy the deep-pressure techniques and
spectacular manipulations.
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