A brief history of thai massage
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Sona and Uttara are the names of the first two missionaries
sent by Indian Emperor Asoka to preach Buddhism in Suvarnabhumi,
the Land of Gold, in the 3rd century BC. The Land of Gold is
believed to be the present Nakorn Pathom district, about 60 km
west of Bangkok, Thailand, place of the oldest Pagoda in
Thailand and to this day, the highest of the World. The Indian
monks were skilled in the art of massage, practiced for healing
light illnesses like headache and neck ache, fever, back ache,
nervous and muscular tension and stress. Because of its many
benefits, the use of massage, became popular and widespread,
from village to village, far and wide throughout the Region. For
this reason the original roots of Thai Massage are closely
linked with religion and the Indian yoga theory of energy.
The Thai Massage consists, primarily, of an acupressure on ten energetic
lines that Thais calls Sen lines. According to this theory the
Sen lines are made of points in flux that bring electrical
impulse, the stream of vital force, to the Chakras.
Chakras are like mill wheels that spin and push the energy throughout the
body.
So the aim of Thai Massage is to make the energy flow freely through
pressure techniques that deliver the Sen lines from all
blockages, allowing an unobstructed path.
In addition to the Thai Massage release, there is also a reflex
action that benefits the corresponding organs of the treated
points; using stretching movements from yoga and pressure
techniques, acting on muscles, tendons and deep tissue.
Thai
Massage is always practiced on the floor, on a mattress, with
comfortable, loose clothing (oils are not used) and the masseur
can use elbows, forearms, knees and feet besides the hands.
The benefits for the recipient are relaxation, relief of muscular fatigue
and pain, regaining muscular and joint mobility, reducing
tension, improvement of blood and lymphatic system circulation,
improvement of mood and increase in energy.
The Wat Po in Bangkok (Wat in Thai language means Temple), famous for its
impressive Reclining Buddha, was Thailand’s first University to
be opened.
The Temple was founded in the 16th century, during
the Ayutthaya period and turned into an open University by King
Rama III (1824-51). It became the center of Thai knowledge and
art, filled with ascetic statues, massage inscriptions, drawings
and frescoes, and was the place where all wisdom on Thai
Traditional Medicine and Massage was gathered and collected.
In 1955, with Wat Po already the base of Thai Medicine, the Wat Po Thai
Traditional Medical and Massage School was opened, the first
Thai Medical School under the approval of Thai Ministry of
Education.
The school presently offers 4 basics courses of Thai Medicine: Thai
Pharmacy, Thai Medical Practice, Thai Midwife Nurse, and Thai
Massage.
About The Thai Massage Courses:
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Basic Courses
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Advanced Courses
(School’s General Thai
Massage course is a prerequisite)
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Advanced Thai
Medical Massage Therapy
(60 hours-theoretical and
practical sessions)
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Oil Massage and Aromatherapy (30
hours)
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Infant and Child Massage (21 hours-theoretical
and practical sessions)
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Professional Courses
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Professional Thai Massage for Health (c/o Salaya, Nakorn
Pathom; 100 hours practical sessions and 65 hours
theoretical sessions and examination)
Today, The Wat Po Thai Massage School in Bangkok has 4
affiliated schools: in Tatien, in Chaeng Watthana, in Chiang
Mai and in Salaya.
Check the “massage courses” for updated
information on courses and certificates at Wat Po.
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