The Kingdom of Thailand - a mysterious and beautiful country - is located in the heart of Southeast Asia between India and China. Thailand or, as it was called before 1939, Siam, is one of the most exotic countries. The Thai call their country "Myanthai", which means "Free Country", since it is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been nobody's colony. In addition, Thailand is the "Land of Smiles", because the Thai philosophy of life "sanuk" assumes the perception of every moment of life as a great joy. The most important feature of the Thai character is, in the Buddhist religion, a sense of respect for all living things and unity with them.

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We want to tell you about the traditional Thai massage, which originated in India, but has got the main development in Thailand. Its history dates back to the spread of Buddhism and lasts 2,500 years. The founding father of this practice, Jivaka Kumar Bhasha, was a famous yogi, a physician and adhered to the traditions of Ayurveda healing. The mastery of the healer and surgeon became so popular that he was invited to treat the kings and princes, but the most famous of those who was cared by Jivaka was his close friend - the Buddha.

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Thai massage for centuries developed in Buddhist monasteries, where they showed attention to the health of ordinary people. The only place where the massage was taught was the temple (wat). The most famous of them is Wat Po in Bangkok - the Center for Traditional Thai Medicine and Massage, which trains highly qualified specialists till the present time. Thai massage, along with herbal medicine and meditation, is the oldest method of traditional Thai medicine, the fruit of Thai culture with its exclusive philosophy. It cannot be taught without being imbued with deep Buddhist worldview. It is inaccessible in the knowledge of Europeans. This is the view of Western doctors who settled in Thailand, studied the craft of traditional Thai massage for several years in a monastery. A copy is always worse than the original. The mastery of massage is transmitted by the Thais from generation to generation.

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The Thai system requires a genuinely kind relationship between the masseur and the patient. It is based on a kind of universal energy, represented in two opposite essences, complementing each other - Yin and Yang. As in the entire vast universe, so in various points of the human body, Yin and Yang should be in a strict balance. The purpose of the practice of Thai massage is mainly to bring the body to its harmonious state, quickly achieving both deep relaxation and an intense influx of vital force.

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The foundation of Thai massage is built on the theory of invisible energy lines running through the body, on which are located important acupuncture points, which are responsible for the work of internal organs and body systems. Through them, as through a kind of "window", the vital energy flows into the person. Blockage of these points leads to an energy blockade - a violation of equilibrium and the occurrence of various diseases. A skilled masseur, working on energy points and lines, restores the flows of "prana" (according to the philosophy of yoga - vital energy) and promotes healing. A skilled masseur, acting on energy points and lines, restores the flows of "prana" (according to the philosophy of yoga - vital energy) and promotes healing. Thai massage combines in a single whole the techniques of three therapies: linear massage, deep massage of muscle-tendinous meridians and manual therapy with yoga elements, through which the energy system of a person is revealed. Another name for Thai massage is "yoga massage". It is through the mild stretching and massaging of energy lines by the method of Thai yoga massage, the tension of the body is removed, the energy channels of the organism are opened, which activates blood circulation, promotes muscle relaxation, increases their elasticity, stimulates metabolism in the blood and lymph vessels, increases their tone, improves mobility of the joints, toxins and slags are eliminated from the body, while also reducing the risk of blood clots and vascular occlusion, increases and strengthens the body's immunity in general. Traditional Thai massage, which is conducted by a real Thai specialist, renews and normalizes the work of the body's organs and systems, strengthens and rejuvenates the body, and the massage of hands and feet, where there are more than 60 acupuncture points, is the prevention and treatment of many diseases: pain in the lower back, arthritis, headaches, digestive problems, stress-induced ailments...

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Massage is carried out on a special mat, made of rubber tree juice. During the session, which lasts 1-2 hours, you need to be as relaxed as possible, completely trust the masseur. Massage is performed by the technique of smooth stretching of muscles, joints, spine, tendons, pressing the whole palm and forearm on the reflex zones and lines of meridians. In the massage of the feet and legs, a special stick is also used. All this contributes to the removal of stress, nervous tension, sleep improvement, work of the gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary system, oxygenation of organs and tissues, which has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart and the human brain (prevention of heart attacks and strokes). As such, the concept of "Thai massage course" does not exist. If possible, it is recommended to do it daily (or at least, every other day) to maintain the balance of all organs and systems of the body. In Thailand, this is a kind of daily exercise for prolonging life, improving the tone, relieving tension and maintaining health for many years.

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Are there any contraindications? There are usual contraindications of Thai massage, common for many other forms of massage therapy: serious cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure; oncological diseases; osteoporosis (a disease in which the bone breaks, but the new bone does not build up); rheumatoid arthritis (inflammation of the joints, causing their deformation and stiffness); skin diseases (the affected surface is not massaged); during pregnancy and lactation; neglected thrombophlebitis (surrounding tissues are massaged, to improve local blood circulation); postoperative period; hemophilia - an innate illness when blood does not coagulate. And yet, it is appropriate to quote the famous expert on massage Enrique Castells Garcia, who calls traditional Thai massage an art: "Has someone contradiction to the heat of human hands? If the door in the house is closed, we open it with a key, if the key is broken, you can open the window. So with the massage: if you cannot work with one’s legs, then you can work with the head, you cannot with the head, you can with the foot. Help your neighbor, pick up the key to the body, find the root cause of the disease - that's the main task of the masseur. "

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And only Thai masters brilliantly cope with this task!

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