Certified Thai Massage Therapist

Last Friday was my last day of massage class, and after 120 hours of instruction I am now an internationally recognized Thai Massage Therapist. But don't believe it! Four weeks is definitely not enough time to learn all there is to know about Thai massage. When I come home I hope all my friends (*hint hint*) will be my massage dummies, because I need the practice.

Thai massage is very different than the classic Swedish oil massage we most often encounter in the US. First of all, the massage is done fully clothed and on the ground, not on a massage table. This aspect of the massage is nice because I can give massage almost anywhere, as long as the floor surface is soft enough. Second, Thai massage originally meant to be used in hospitals to cure sick patients, and therefore involves many more deep stretches and work on specific pressure points than Swedish massage.

The first two weeks of my course covered the very basics of Thai massage - how to move my client's body, how to position my own body, how much pressure to apply, what kind of touch to use. Thai massage requires that the bodyworker lift, stretch, press, and rotate the client's body (see pic below) and it takes plenty of physical strength to give a good Thai massage.

The second two weeks of the course covered specific medical treatments: massage for back pain, headache, shoulder pain, numbness, dizziness, etc. I've also learned all sorts of interesting pressure points on the body. Certain points can cause abortion and others can kill the client if pressed too hard. Yikes!

During the last four weeks I've also received plenty of massages from students and teachers. The teacher massages were fabulous...I felt like a new person after each two hour session. Massage can truly change one's outlook on life if done properly. The student massages weren't always so good, and occasionally I'd leave massage school more bent out of shape (literally) than when I arrived in the morning. My best moment during the last month was when one of my "clients" fell asleep during her massage. Now that I'm done with school I will try and have a massage every couple days while in Thailand, since they are so cheap here (only about $6 US for a two hour session) and receiving massage is a good learning experience.

Tomorrow I will take an overnight meditation course at Wat Suan Dok and then go to the rainforest for five days of whitewater kayaking with friends. So don't worry if you don't hear from me for a while - I will either be meditating or having sanook (fun, in Thai) in the jungle!