It is the tradition of our Thai Massage culture to remember the lineage and to remember where our knowledge originated from. First we think the Buddha for teaching compassion and the teaching for purification of the mind. Then we thank Jivaka Bachu, The Buddha’s physician and Great Father Doctor of this ancient healing art. We thank all those from then till now who have devoted their lives to the preservation of ancient medicine.

~My teacher, Ariela Grodner

Over the course of many centuries, people living in the villages and temples of Thailand developed a unique type of interactive body-work called Nuad Phaen Boran (“traditional style massage”) or Nuat Thai or (‘Thai Massage”). It is based on the principles of compassion and healing, and it is an amazing synthesis of many different techniques, among them acupressure, stretching, reflexology, herbal medicine, prayer, and meditation. Traditional Thai Massage tones the muscles, increases the joints range of motion and balances the flow of energy throughout the body. The lineage is traced to Jivaka Komalaboat, also known as Shivago, the personal physician to the Sangha, a friend and physician to the Buddha and renowned as a healer in Buddhist tradition.

Based on a combination of influences from India, China and indigenous Thai traditions, Traditional Thai Medical arts have been handed down through generations, mostly through oral tradition and is practiced across Thailand in various forms today.

The basis for Traditional Thai healing is rooted in the belief that all forms of life are sustained by a vital force (lom) that is carried along invisible pathways (sen) that run through our bodies. This force is extracted from air, water and food, and it is believed that disease and dysfunction come about when blockages occur along these pathways. Accordingly, Thai Massage’s intent is to free this trapped energy, stimulate the natural flow of life-force, and maintain a general balance of wellness.

Through assisted yoga, the body is able to be moved in ways that are difficult to attain through normal exercise and individual practice. Relaxed, deep breathing helps to bring about proper balance and a peaceful state of mind. Thai Massage is also a spiritual discipline since it incorporates the Buddhist principles of mindfulness (breath awareness) and loving kindness (focused compassion). The benefits of all these techniques, when shared by practitioner and client, help to bring the treatment session to a focused and profound level. The result of a full-body Thai session is often an exciting and powerful mind/body experience, bringing both the recipient and the practitioner to greater states of physical and mental well-being.