I’ve been AWOL for a while it seems, that’s because I’ve been busy with something very exciting…  Doing my Thai Yoga Massage Course!  I love yoga, I love massages, so what better than to combine two of my greatest loves?!

So Thai Yoga Massage, what is it exactly?  Well number one, it’s the best massage in the whole wide world.  No jokes.  Here’s why…

Thai Yoga Massage actually came from Ayurveda and evolved in Thailand to what is now known as Thai Yoga Massage.  The name itself honours the two lineages of its origin.  It is practised with the receiver of the massage fully clothed, so everyone’s dignity is preserved.  No oil is used during the process so you won’t feel like you’re paying someone to lather oil all over your body in any weird way (sometimes that’s how I feel with massages that involves oil!).  Thai Yoga Massage combines the best of yoga and massage, with assisted stretches, acupressure, energy work, meditation, and much much more!  Whilst you can just release and let go and enjoy the massage for some physically relaxation (perhaps catch a great nap), you may also choose to remain mindful of the massage and focus on the breath and find yourself at a meditative state.

What I loved most was that we were taught to do this with Metta, a Buddhist teaching of loving kindness.  Not only do you treat the receiver of the massage with loving kindness, but the giver of the massage should also practice with Metta on themselves.  Techniques used allowed the giver of the massage to practise with minimal effort.

There were many remedial massage therapist at the course I did, and most of them were there as a result of realising the damage that remedial massage has done to their bodies.  That’s almost the ultimate irony that someone who pursue a path of healing is doing damage to their body in the process.  Count-intuitive?  Yeah I think so!

I was shocked when the one girl told me that when she was studying remedial massage, the teacher had actually informed them that it will only be a 5 year career!  Assuming we live in a perfect world, one would only want to study things they are passionate about and be told that their passion would only last them 5 years before their body is too damaged to carry on?  OMG.

If I love something, I want to be doing it for as long as I possibly can!  And with Thai Yoga Massage I think I can!  The techniques used are so brilliant that not only does that receiver benefits from it, but as a giver of the massage, I felt as if I was doing a meditative practice throughout.  As our teacher said, you almost feel a bit selfish when you give the massage because you feel so good as well!

Wow, how great is that.  And I experienced this myself during my course.  It was the first time in weeks I felt as calm and serene as I did whilst giving someone a yoga dream.  I can’t wait to start offering this to my community as I continue on my path of healing.  Watch this space for more coming soon!

What’s the best massage you’ve ever had?  Try Thai Yoga Massage if you haven’t had one before and tell me what you think!