Thailand is an ancient kingdom full of tradition, and one of the most interesting of these is the art of Thai massage. Thai massage began 2,500 years ago and has its roots in ancient Ayurvedic and Chinese medicinal principles. People who become licensed massage therapists must complete 800 hours of training and become registered with the Thai Public Health Ministry’s Department of Health Service Support. A Thai massage is somewhat different from Western styles such as sports, deep tissue, or Swedish massage in that it is less of a method to achieve relaxation and more of a means to promote healing. The Thai massage therapist applies firm pressure down the meridian lines of your body and will help you do light stretches.
If you are planning to visit the Land of Smiles for a holiday, we highly recommend you stay at a luxury wellness resort in Thailand where you are guaranteed to receive a top-notch massage from the staff’s highly trained expert therapists! If you are new to Thai massage, then you certainly have something wonderful to look forward to! The following is a breakdown of what to expect:
Thai massages traditionally last for 2 hours, but there are also 1-hour sessions available for those with limited time. If you can, go for the whole 2 hours, you won’t regret it!
Thai massage is aimed at deep tissue and employs an amount of pressure. Some might find it a bit intense at first but just breathe and relax into it. If it’s really too strong, just say so. The therapist’s aim is to make you feel great, and they will adjust! The goal is to compress your body’s main chakra points hard enough to release pent-up negative energy and allow the positive healing energy to flow.
You will begin the session by changing into a loose-fitting frock and Thai-style string-tied “fisherman pants” that are very comfortable. You will then lie down on a mat on the floor, although some spas employee tables.
The massage begins with you lying on your back as the therapist works on your legs and feet. This can feel strange and even a bit painful at first, but after a minute, you won’t want it to stop! Then, there will be stretching of your legs assisted by the therapist’s own body weight.
Next, you will turn over so your front is down with your face turned to one side. The therapist will go to work on your back, not only by using their fingers but sometimes even stepping on you! This is the best part for most recipients! Then, they will pull your arms back for a surprisingly pleasant backstretch.
After this, you will lay your head on a pillow in the therapist’s lap so they can finish up by massaging your head and neck. When they finish, you will feel fantastic!
The government of Thailand is very supportive of this tradition. If you visit the kingdom, you absolutely must try it!
