The Roots

Traditional Thai Massage (TTM), originally: Nuat Phaen Boran ( Massage nach uraltem Muster). The origin might be in India, because of the similar yoga positions.

The North Indian doctor Jivakar Kumar Bhaccha was considered to be the founder of TTM. He lived in the 5th century BC in India and was the personal doctor of the the king Bimbisara.

There are two main forms of TTM:

- The southern style is characterized by a strong acupressure and a focus on the sen-lines. It’s more technically focused. Traditionally you can find this form around Bangkok.

- The northern style has more of a spiritual focus, a slow and relaxing rhythm and focuses on stretching. This northern form you find more in Chiang Mai.

Modern Thai Yoga

Like yoga teachers, every Thai Yoga facilitator has its individual style. And yet it’s important to know your roots: I am trained in the northern style. It fits to my personality. At the same time I am interested in dynamic TYM movements, osteopathy, and the flying elements of Acro yoga.

If you are interested in receiving a TYM session check carefully beforehand. There is a wide spectrum of styles and individual forms. And it’s important to distinguish between traditional Thai Massage and Thai Yoga Massage.

Metta

Thai Yoga Massage is including the most important ingredient: Metta. The quality of touch. Metta can be translated as loving mindfulness. Especially being in the field of competition and performance it’s the most important quality to get reminded of.

We can cultivate Metta for example during yoga, mediation, breathwork, Thai Chi as well as during being in nature, being with beloved ones. To cultivate Metta in our busy day life, it can help to practise Metta.

The most beautiful way to remind each other of Metta is in our daily interaction with each other and with life.

Giving and Receiving

In Thai Yoga the Bodyworker is often called the “giver” and the client is described as the “receiver”. The giver is actively creating presence, focusing on breath and relaxation in the own body and mind. This invites the receiver to create relaxation and the presence to listen to their own body and mind. The so-called “sacred dance” can emerge. The principles of receiving and giving are overlapping.

A rhythm of mediation of movement can be created to enter a space of listening, presence and respect.

One principle is: what feels good, is good. That applies to the receiver as well to the giver. In contrast to traditional Thai Massage, which can include concrete painful techniques to gain muscle relaxation, TYM does not to try to create any muscular or any physically pain. Through the rhythm of stretch and acupressure it allows the fascial tissue to loosen up and find more connection in between the tissue itself as well as in the connection of the body and the mind.

TYM is also called “lazy yoga”, because the receiver is moved passively into different asanas, (yoga positions). A concrete letting go of being active is allowed. Also the giver uses their own yoga practise to be smooth in the own movement and uses gravity to allow a giving with ease. The optimum is when also the giver is flowing as the receiver through yoga positions and stretches.

Healing

In the northern style the receiver is seen as an already whole and enlightened being. It’s not the giver’s responsibility to fix anything. Rather it’s about creating a space of healing, so the self-healing of the receiver can be activated.

Healing has a individual own rhythm. A TYM session can be one puzzle piece of the whole path of healing. Sometimes it matches perfectly to several other pieces, sometimes other pieces are still needed to see an element of the whole picture. That is a longlive path. Pause.