What is Thai Massage?

Thai massage is a system of massage and assisted stretching developed in Thailand, and influenced by the traditional medicine systems of India, China, and Southeast Asia. This form of bodywork is often performed on the floor, and the client wears comfortable clothes that allow for movement.

In Thailand, Thai massage is one of the branches of Thai traditional medicine (TTM), now recognized and regulated by the government, and is widely considered to be a medical discipline used for the treatment of a wide variety of ailments.

The founder of Thai massage and medicine is said to have been Shivago Komarpaj (ชีวกโกมารภัจจ์ Jīvaka Komarabhācca), who is said in the Pāli Buddhist Canon to have been the Buddha’s physician over 2,500 years ago.

Thai Massage in Practice

The massage recipient changes into loose, comfortable clothes and lies on a mat or firm mattress on the floor. The receiver may be positioned in a variety of yoga-like positions during the course of the massage, but deep static and rhythmic pressures form the core of the massage. The body will be energized and rejuvenated after the massage.

The massage practitioner leans on the recipient’s body using hands and usually straight forearms locked at the elbow to apply firm rhythmic pressure. The massage generally follows the Sen lines on the body—somewhat analogous to meridians or channels and Indian nadis. Legs and feet of the giver can be used to fixate the body or limbs of the recipient. In other positions, hands fixate the body, while the feet do the massaging action. A full Thai massage session typically lasts two hours or more, and includes rhythmic pressing and stretching of the entire body; this may include pulling fingers, toes, ears, cracking the knuckles, walking on the recipient’s back, and arching the recipient into bhujangasana (or cobra position). There is a standard procedure and rhythm to the massage, which the practitioner will adjust to fit each individual client.

The true practice of the art of healing in traditional nuad boran (Thai massage) is the compassionate intent of the healer. The Buddhist spiritual practices associated with Thai massage cultivate humility, awareness, and concentration in the healer designed to bring the practitioner to a deeper level of awareness of herself and the client. This compassionate state of being is termed “metta”, which usually translates as “loving kindness”.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_massage

Bringing Authentic Thai Therapy to Inverness

By recreating the peace and tranquillity of the spas she has worked in within the prestigious Samui Island Resort, Kanraya’s vision to bring traditional Thai treatments to Inverness and the Highlands had been achieved.

Providing traditional therapeutic treatments just like those in her home country of Thailand was the foundation of her vision, and gaining the additional skills and qualifications on a return trip to Thailand at the Wat Po Medical School. This enabled her to confidently return to Inverness, identifying a niche market in the Highlands and create her business.

Combining the immediate tranquil surrounding environment with her relaxed, soothing, authentic thai treatment rooms gives the client the best possible experience of traditional thai therapy within the Scottish Highlands.