Why Try Thai?

Why Try Thai?

Do you stretch enough? One thing most people have in common is not stretching enough, or at all! The beauty of receiving a thai massage is you get to lie on a mat in a “Ś​avāsana”​, “nap­time” state of mind with your eyes closed, while the practitioner stretches you out.

Chongkol Setthakorn, master of thai massage taught in Chiang Mai describes this type of bodywork, “It is like a thousand gentle waves washing over the body.” Setthakorn developed ITM­USA (Institute of Thai Massage) in 1992. Stephanie Churn Lubow, my personal instructor of a Thai massage course I took this past February, explains “why to try Thai”: It is a unique and powerful system of bodywork which combines rhythmic massage, acupressure, gentle stretching, energy work and meditation. The goal of Thai massage is to stimulate and balance the flow of healing energy within the body, opening blocked areas and bringing the client deeper into balance and harmony. A session creates a powerful release of stress and tension, improves flexibility and circulation, increases vitality and deepens the connection between mind and body.

The foundation of Thai massage is the rhythmic compression on energy lines called “Sen lines” and pressure points that are found throughout the whole body. There are 72,000 Sen lines in the body with practitioners focusing on the 10 major ones. It is believed that wherever energy is blocked along these lines, there is a greater likelihood of dysfunction, pain and disease. Practitioners of Thai massage believe that applying pressure to points along these lines helps to increase the flow of energy in blocked areas and redirect it to parts of the body that need healing.

The AMTA (American Massage Therapy Association) has also promoted the benefits of a thai massage in their article, Thai Massage May 2014: “Similar to other forms of massage therapy, the benefits of Thai Massage for clients can include relaxation, increased mobility, as well as relief from the pain associated with many chronic conditions.”

Since my first course in Thai Massage in 2008, I have enjoyed introducing Thai Massage to my clients on the table, integrating it into a standard massage session. But after this most recent course I took in February of this year, I have been really excited about offering full 90 minute Thai Massages. If someone has never received this kind of massage before, I enjoy offering 30­45 minutes of hot stone massage to the back and neck on the massage table immediately following an hour thai massage session, as a 90 ­120 minute session of pure bliss. Receiving regular body work is a treat, but it is more than that, it is a wonderful way to be kind (to yourself and others), and unwind! In other cultures, receiving body work is a regular part of your week and it is a way to achieve optimal health, not just a special treat.

Even though Colorado does not require massage therapists to seek or maintain a National Certification, I do choose certification by National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork. The NCBTMB requires continuing education in the field of massage therapy and therefore, I have studied and offer my clients any combination of the following modalities in my massage practice:

Thai Massage, Neuro­Muscular Deep Tissue, Reflexology, Pre­ Natal, Child and Infant Massage and Hot Stone Massage techniques.

For further information or to schedule an appointment, please contact Ambrosia Brown at Alison Palmer Physical Therapy and Wellness Center at 435­260­1122, www.ambrosiabrownmassage.com , www.telluridethaimassage.com. We are located in the Cimarron Lodge at the bottom of Lift 7, next to Carhenge Parking Lot. Wellness is the full integration of mind, body and spirit. We look forward to helping you towards a healthier life.