Massage has a long history
of therapeutic healing in Thailand. It has been practiced for centuries as
it sill is to day.
The roots of Thai Massage are traced back to India. The fonder of the
practice was Jivaka Komarabhacca, a doctor friend, and contemporary of
Buddha, some time about 2,500 years ago.
Much of what is know in Thailand about massage and traditional Massage
and Traditional Massage was handed down orally and thought from one
generation to the next, and teacher to student and often, parent to child.
Most of the ancient medical texts were destroyed in 1776, with the
destruction of Ayutthaya by the Burmese. What was left was literally
carved in stone in 1832, when
king Rama 3, in hopes of preserving the
tradition of massage, had stone inscription set into the walls at the
temple in Bangkok, called Wat Poh.
Therapeutic massage for
treatment of specific conditions and diseases is also practiced , by only
a small number of very skilled people. It takes several years of study and
a good working knowledge of the language.
The Chinese and Indians are thought to have had an influence in the
therapies and treatments developed in Thailand.
The theoretical basis of Thai Massage lies in the theory of energy
lines running through the body. Out of the 72,000 energy lines said to be
in existence, the focus is on the 10 major lines, called "Sen"
Important acupressure points are found on these lines. Treatments for
the whole body, different organs and diseases are often done using the
System of the Ten Sen.
Working on these energy lines will help to remove any blockages and
allow free flow of energy through the body.
