Thai massage is a form of body work that has gained wide popularity in the West. A complete Thai massage incorporates a traditional combination of point pressure, energy meridian work, and yoga-like stretching for an invigorating and balancing experience. 

Clients are raving about Thai massage, its great stress relief and the way it eliminates tension helping them to feel completely relaxed.  Its unique style and graceful movements bring well being to both the client and practitioner.

Thai massage, Thai Yoga massage, Thai Therapy, Nuad Phaen Boran, or Nuat Thai all mean the same thing and is fast becoming the most popular massage technique offered in America because of its lasting effects.  Thai massage requires qualified instruction to ensure safety for both the client and practitioner.  

Thai massage is most different from other forms of massage in that there is no oil used, that the practitioner uses a comfortable floor mat (as opposed to a table), and that the client remains comfortable clothed throughout the massage.  That helps to open this modality and your services to many new clients.  

Thai massage blends point pressure and stretching benefiting those who find themselves stiff, sore, and tired from over-exertion in work or sports, or from arthritis or other debilitating diseases. Thai massage enhances strength and flexibility, relaxes sore or tense muscles, and can help to recapture lost range of motion. By encouraging lymphatic function, this traditional massage can also detoxify the body, heighten the immune system, and prevent disease and/or injury by promoting flexibility.

Interested students should carefully consider and seek a qualified school in which to learn this highly therapeutic technique.   Thai massage can be a beautiful blend of stretching and energy work executed effortlessly by the therapist with proper training.  Proper body mechanics and knowledge of Thailand's culture is so critical when seeking education in this modality.  See our courses, click here.

History of Thai Massage

The origin of Thai massage is largely misunderstood and misrepresented in today's literature.  Based on recent research and understanding amongst the Thai community it is now known that Thai massage was created by the Thais between 800 - 1200 AD.  

The Thais were "influenced" by multiple disciplines that ultimately ended up contributing to the creation of Thai massage.  Theravada Buddhism, Ayurveda, Hatha Yoga, Understanding of Chinese Meridians, and Indigenous Practices of the Tai people dating back several centuries all contributed to what we now call, Traditional Thai Massage or Nuad Phaen Boran in Thai.

Keep in mind these 5 areas amounted to an influence that the Thais ultimately understood in the creation of their own healing art.  All too often, it is written that Thai massage was created in India 2500 years ago or that the Thais took the Chinese Meridian system when creating Thai massage.  These statements in effect take away the credit from the Thais who actually created Thai massage between 800 - 1200 AD based on their own understanding of health.

There is genetic information that allows us to determine that this is much closer to the actual facts and conversely no evidence exists to proof the other theories.

A reason for this topics wide debate, is due to the fact that mostly all historical information related to Thai massage was destroyed during the wars between Thailand and its neighbors throughout history.  To understand this topic and others more deeply, additional study is warranted.

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Multiple theories and ideas have emerged over the years which we discuss at length in mostly all our courses.  It is our goal at the Thai Institute of Healing Arts to ensure we are teaching only authentic knowledge directly from Thailand although it may not match with western authors current writings.  Our teachings come directly from Thailand sticking closely to the traditions, culture, and knowledge of Thailand.

Mostly all practitioners from qualified schools trace the origins of Thai massage back to the legendary figure Jivaka Komarabhacca or Shivago Komarpaj.  Shivago lived during the time of the historical Buddha and become a renowned healer and is largely credited with being the founder of traditional Thai medicine which Thai massage is part of.

What has emerged in Thailand are two predominate schools teaching authentic traditional Thai massage.  Wat Po, in Bangkok the capital city of Thailand, and the Shivagakomarpaj Institute of Traditional Thai Medicine or (Old Medicine Hospital) in the northern part of Thailand, Chiang Mai.  The Thai Institute of Healing Arts teaches the same curriculum from the Old Medicine Hospital and our lineage traces back to this prestigious school.

The Thai Institute of Healing Arts has implemented teachings from both Wat Po and teachings from the Old Medicine Hospital.  Our teachers are passionate about advancing Thai massage to the level of a medical discipline in the Western world and work closely with the Royal Thai Embassy and other organizations to pursue this goal.  David founded a Therapeutic Thai Healing Center in Northern VA, called Touch of Asia.

Our courses explore the rich history of Thai massage in a more detailed context to ensure the beginning student is well educated on the origins of Thai massage based on current research in the Western world and knowledge among native Thais.  See our courses, click here.