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Thai Yoga Massage is an ancient healing arts system believed to have been created by a friend and a contemporary of Buddha, over 2500 years ago.

According to the Buddhist scripture, the founder of Thai Massage, Jivaka Kumarabhacca was a renowned physician of his time, famous not only for his healing abilities, but also for providing free medical services to the Buddha and other monks. He is regarded as a central figure in the Buddhist medical system, the Father of Medicine, and many Thai Massage practitioners still open their session with the traditional prayer to Doctor Jivaka:

"We invite the spirit of our Founder, the Father Doctor Shivago, who comes to us through his saintly life. Please bring to us the knowledge of all nature, that this prayer will show us the true medicine of the universe. In the name of this mantra, we respect your help and pray that through our bodies you will bring wholeness and health to the body of our client...."

When the teachings of Buddha traveled to Thailand, Doctor Jivaka healing techniques traveled alongside them. At first, Thai massage was only practiced in the Buddhist temples. It was looked upon as an extension of the spiritual practice of the monks who performed it. Even today, within Thailand many practitioners of Thai Massage are also great spiritual guides. They work with full awareness, mindfulness and concentration, including meditation as a part of their daily routine, and properly trained practitioners around the world follow their example.

This unique form of bodywork -- based in Ayurvedic Medicine, Buddhist spiritual practice, and Yoga -- blends gentle rocking, rhythmic acupressure, and deep assisted stretches to open, exercise, and tone all the systems of the body. The practitioner moves with fluent, meditative motions, pressing on the energy lines, placing the recipient in Yoga postures, performing spinal movements, gently and mindfully stretching the joints and muscles. Throughout this, the recipient is resting on a floor mat, dressed in loose, comfortable clothing.

As a result of the massage, the recipient gains both physical and psychological benefits; flexibility of the body increases dramatically, the respiratory and digestive systems improve, as does circulation and energy flow. The mind becomes peaceful and quiet, allowing the recipient to let go of the stress, and become tranquil, relaxed, almost euphoric at times.

Practically everyone can benefit from this form of bodywork. Anyone with muscle or joint pain, fatigue, stress, tension. Anyone feeling sluggish, tired, lacking energy. Anyone who feels stiff and wants to become more flexible, and gain more mobility. People with digestive or respiratory problems, and people with circulation problems or high or low blood pressure.

Yoga practitioners in particular are very happy with Thai Massage. It allows them to deepen and expand their practice, providing more flexibility to their bodies, and letting them gently graduate to more advanced postures. Thai Massage adds a whole new dimension to their Yoga practice.

Yoga teachers who learn even a few techniques of this art, find Thai Massage to be a great tool for improving their classes, and adding more variety and excitement. It allows them to physically assist their students in a safe and effective way, making their classes a little different, and setting them apart from other teachers.

In short, anyone wishing to improve the health of their body and mind can most likely greatly benefit from a few sessions of Thai Massage.

Only very recently (within the last 10-15 years) has Thai Yoga Massage been taught to foreigners. The Western world is still largely unaware of this powerful healing technique, and it certainly is less popular than Aromatherapy or Reiki, but it is quickly gaining ground.

With various schools already established in the States, and several in Canada, finding a certified practitioner is a lot easier today than it was just a couple of years ago. Make sure however if you do find a practitioner, that you inquire closely about the program they have completed; how long was it and what was included (Energy work? Anatomy? Yoga?). It is also worthwhile to check if they practice any other modality -- if they do, they are most likely a serious practitioner with a solid background in natural medicine. You do not want someone with a one-weekend workshop certificate putting you into a Yoga posture!

And if you find a good practitioner, enjoy! You will soon be on your way to a flexible, vital and healthy body, and a peaceful mind. Who can ask for more?

Recommended book:
Thai Massage by Richard Gold.
Hands-on guidance in the use of Thai Massage. This is more than a step-by-step workbook. It has clear and rich photography and easy-to-follow instructions. Includes theory of Thai medicine, indications and contraindications, and a discussion of the sen (energy pathway).
Info/Order book.

About the Author

Monika Bar is a Certified Practitioner of Thai Yoga Massage, Aromatherapy, and Reflexology. She lives and works in Toronto, Canada, continuing to explore the fascinating world of natural medicine. She welcomes all enquiries about her practice, and will happily respond to requests for information or any other correspondence. Contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit her site at http://celt.drak.net/monika_bar.

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