Traditional Thai Yoga Massage (TTYM) is one of the three main branches of the ancient Thai Medical System. Its founder is said to have been Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha, also known as Shivago Komarpaj, a doctor from North India, who lived more than 2,500 years ago. His teachings are said to have reached Thailand from India along with Buddhism in the 2nd or 3rd century BC. 

T TYM was made accessible to Western students by Ashokananda, (Harald Brust), who practised and taught the discipline near Chiang Mai and wrote The Art of Traditional Thai Yoga Massage.

TTYM is based on the Yogaic concept of an energy system or an energy body comprising 72,000 sen lines, or in Yoga terms nadi, ('nadi' translates as sound or vibration, the foundation of all matter), through which energy flows in the body. The masseur works to stimulate, open and balance the flow of energy through the sen to help the body heal itself. This is achieved through palming and thumbing of the sen lines; moving the joints; stretches and applied Yoga asanas (postures).

What makes TYM powerful?

The massage is sometimes referred to as 'meditation in movement'. During a good TTYM both the giver and the receiver experience this meditation as a state of energised clarity and calmness.

Having taken part in an introductory workshop, I knew that this was the massage for me! It worked far deeper than any other massage I have encountered. Secondly, its spiritual and intuitive aspect aligned with what I had experienced in my Yoga practice. I was amazed at the change in my state of mind (not to mention the benefits to the body) from receiving the massage.

During my Yoga practice, I was reminded of the connections between the Thai sen and the Yoga nadis from which the sen are derived, even the names still sound similar. However, in their journey from India to Thailand, the sen have developed many differences too.

The nadis

Out of the original 72,000 nadis, Yoga philosophy concentrates on just three: Sushumna, Ida and Pingala. Sushumna nadi (correlating with sen Sumana) flows from the perineum, near the root chakra at the base of the spine, travels up the spine to the crown centre and is said to correspond to the central nervous system.

The Ida and Pingala nadis (as with their corresponding sen lines Ittha and Pingkhala) are said to correspond to the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, respectively. In Yoga philosophy they start at the reproductive organs and spiral around the Sushumna nadi in a helix ending at each nostril. The points at which they cross each other and the Sushumna nadi form the seven main energy points, or windows into the body, known as chakras.

According to Indian Yogaic texts, the chakras are energy centres in the body. They can be thought of as spinning wheels which radiate spokes of subtle energy or prana, the universal energy. Each chakra corresponds with different organs of the body and levels of consciousness. The less or more active they are on any particular individual reflects a person's physical and psycho-spiritual condition.

There are also chakras on the feet and legs, but in some Yoga schools of thinking, the entire area from the toes to the hips is seen as containing the 'animal' sphere of consciousness. Concentrating on this part of the body is seen as inadvisable as the energy produced by the lower chakras is believed to pull the mind down to a primitive level!

The sen

This thinking differs considerably from the Thai teaching, where 10 main sen, are worked upon. The sen follow the form of and are connected to the entire body, mind and spirit. Acupressure points along the lines also have connections to particular parts of the body. Rhythmically working by palming and thumbing, first on the feet and leg lines, relaxes the recipient (sometimes to the point of sending them to sleep!), the energy is pushed up the body, tension is released, blockages dissolved and balance is restored.

TTYM practitioners will immediately recognise the similarity of the first three sen lines Sumana, Ittha and Pingkhala to the three Yoga nadis. The differences are also plain to see: TTYM has no fear of the animal within us - many of the sen including Ittha and Pingkhala travel down to the feet.

Sumana is shown to lie from the tip of the tongue to the solar plexus down the front of the body and up the back. If we look at the body as an energy body, we see that all is connected up the central column. In both philosophies energy is channelled up the body to the higher realms.

Visualisation and breathing

Another important aspect of Yoga is the attention paid to guided relaxation, visualisation and breathing. Through my Yoga practice, I became much more conscious of the power of breath (prana), and how deeply fundamental breathing is to all aspects of our lives. Ashokananda also emphasises the power and importance of breath in TTYM.

In spiritual terms, prana is said to be the life force or energy of the universe. Yoga developed a system of breathing, Pranayama, which harnesses the power of the breath as an aid to releasing, relaxation, meditation and higher spiritual development.

According to Yoga philosophy Pranayama actively stimulates the two main nadis: Pingala is activated through the breath in the right nostril and its energy is said to be warming like the sun, Ida is activated by breathing through the left nostril and is said to be like the soft and cool light of the moon. In TTYM sens Ittha and Pingkhala also correlate to female and male aspects - but not as far as I can find in Yoga philosophy. This type of breathing is effective in cleansing and relaxation for the masseur after giving a massage.

Inspired by my Yoga practice I have experimented with starting the massage with a short healing visualisation. This, coupled with guiding the recipient to synchronise breath during the massage, definitely helps to build our connection, helping me to tune in to my patients' needs and helping them to relax and release tensions more easily.

I have found the study of Yoga and meditation an excellent complement during my practitioner course. It has deepened my understanding of its spiritual ancestry, offered many techniques to help in my spiritual development and enjoyment of the massage. This, I believe, has made me a more sensitive, intuitive masseur. TT  

Sharon Little studied at Metta, the College of Traditional Thai Massage. Courses are offered in London, Brigton and Glasgow. For further information please call: 07956-911159 or visit www.Yogamassage.co.uk

References:

1. The Art of Traditional Thai Yoga Massage - Ashokananda (Harald Brust)

2. The Hidden Power in Humans - Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda

Sep Oct 07