Skip to main content
The spiritual practice of yoga is one of the oldest disciplines in the world, and from that discipline stems the sacred practice of Thai yoga massage. We all know the health benefits of doing yoga; this massage, in essence, is the equivalent of having yoga done to you.
Shelagh Binks of Yoga with Shelagh, describes it as a truly unique and beautiful experience, one that is unlike any massage treatment out there.  Thai yoga massage is a ‘partner practice’,  performed on large, comfortable mats on the floor, wearing loose and comfortable clothing. The practitioner uses their hands, feet, arms and legs to gently guide the recipient through a series of yoga postures, while palming and thumbing along the body’s energy lines and pressure points.
Shelagh defines the palming and thumbing as a way to open the energy lines (also known as sen) that run throughout the body, move the energy through these lines and then close the lines by palming again. Together, the postures and the movement of the energy makes for a comprehensive full body treatment.
The origins of traditional Thai massage date back 2500 years ago with roots in India and in Thailand. It is well known in the Eastern world as a sacred healing practice, essential for overall well being. This dynamic bodywork therapy manipulates the sen lines, which follow the muscular contours providing stability and structure to the whole body.
Eastern practices are performed on the basis that the whole body and mind are connected. Releasing tension in one area of the body can correct postural imbalances and relieve pain symptoms elsewhere in the body. Thai yoga massage also

·         Improves movement
·         Stretches and tones your muscles
·         Improves circulation
·         Boosts your immune system
·         Balances your body’s energy

The Western world is used to working on the physical, it is used to working on one area where the injury is and the symptoms are, and it is used to working on sound evidence. The concepts of Thai massage focus on the body as a whole. When one part is injured, others areas of the body are working to compensate for the injury, and areas are working to heal the injury. That is why the body must be treated from head to toe, as a whole.
This practice involves intuition and it is a deep feeling art. Shelagh adds that it is important for the recipient to relax and have trust in the practitioner. This will help the movements become smooth and harmonious, allowing the recipient to get the most healing out of the session.The practitioner remains focused and centred throughout the massage, really listening to and connecting with the needs of the recipient. There is great emphasis on giving Metta (Indian sanskrit for loving kindness) during Thai massage. When there is mindfulness in massage, and spiritual awareness, real healing can take place. Therefore, this entire connection can at times feel quite emotional as you realize you are really being cared for.
There are times in our lives when we must care for others, and we know that we must also make time to care for ourselves; Thai yoga massage is allowing someone to take care of you. For some, this may sound selfish, but others know it is a transformative experience. Allowing someone to take care of you has profound affects on your overall health. It makes you want to tae better care of yourself. That, in turn, helps you take care of everything and everyone in your life better! And that will indeed give you long term health benefits. 


As they say in the yogi world, Namaste.

Photo credits Phil Binks
©Janet Jarrell 2016

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

One Day I Saw Ty Conn

(This is being recalled from a very young mind...) When my father would begin telling a story from his childhood, he would begin with “When I was a little girl…” which would cause an uproar of high pitched objections from my sisters and myself. He would simply smile and continue on, as he now had our complete attention. I started this post at the beginning of November of this year when thoughts of my father return annually on the anniversary of his birthday. This story, however, is not about my father… When I was a little girl, I lived in a small house on Pine Street with my father, mother and three sisters. Ours was a busy, full house. Lisa was the oldest, very beautiful and very bossy. Pam was next, also very beautiful and we envied her fashion sense. I was the third in the line of my sisters, a middle child that cried a lot, made funny faces and was very comfortable at the centre of attention. My little sister, Joanne, enjoyed the status of being the baby in the family. She wa...
16 comments
Read more

Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf

Rich in History. High in Achievement. Belleville is home to Sir James Whitney School, one of North America’s oldest schools for the Deaf, opening its doors on October 20, 1870. This past October, SJW held a celebration to commemorate its 140 th anniversary. One of my all time favourite grade school memories was touring this amazing school with my grade six class from St. Michael’s Academy almost 30 years ago. Recently, I was privileged to visit it once more. “The school was founded through the persistent efforts of John Barrett McGann, an Irish immigrant and educator,” says Gary Wheeler, a representative with the Ministry of Education. McGann was a pioneer of deaf education. The school is named after the former premier of Ontario, James Whitney, who was known for his advances in education.  Crossing onto the grounds and up the long circular drive, you can feel the rich history this school and the vast grounds hold. This history includes a self-sustaining community that at...
1 comment
Read more

San Murata and the The Truth about Art

Skating on St Lawrence san-murata.com Anyone who meets San Murata knows that he is someone whom you won’t soon forget. Lively, charismatic and honest; he is certainly a true reflection of his art. He currently lives in the small historic town of Grafton where he loves to paint the beautiful Northumberland countryside. He also enjoys spending time in Quebec during the colder months to paint. The painting on the front cover is a scene from winter, one of the things San says he likes most about Canada, particularly in Quebec. San grew up in Japan, with admittedly a stricter social system, which encourages all children to work hard in school and go to university. San’s father was a banker and wanted his children to be professionals, so San studied at the University of Musashi in Tokyo, and although he says he wasn’t the best student, he graduated with a degree in Economics. He, too, worked at a banking job but it was always his dream to one day be an artist. In the late 60’s...
Post a Comment
Read more