Ancient
medical texts in Bangkok were carved in stone, which can
still be seen today within the walls of the Wat Po
temple. Thai massage blends styles from its Asian
neighbors passed down through generations. The Thai
people, like many others in the orient, saw illness as an
imbalance in the body, mind and spirit. When needed, they
would visit their local temple to seek out and consult with
those who could help restore harmony to their body, mind and
spirit through the four elements of traditional Thai
medicine, respectively: Nutritional, Herbal, Spiritual,
and Massage.
Thai massage forms
the backbone of the physical treatment for Thai medicine.
Unlike the scooping and continuous strokes of the western
massage traditions, the Thai method uses pressure points,
muscle stretching and compression performed in a rhythmic
movement of gentle rocking. Therapists not only use their
hands to free tension from the client's body, but they
also employ their feet, forearms, knees, and elbows, with all
work being done fully clothed on a floor mat. Thai medical
massage works on the deeper levels of the mechanical
functions of the human body to dramatically reduce muscle
tension while improving joint mobility,
flexibility, as well as stimulating internal organs and
balancing the subtle energy systems of the human
body.
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