How fantastic would it be to get all the benefits of a great yoga session without doing any of the hard work? Lying down, letting go of all your stresses and strains, and having someone else stretch your body and apply deep pressure into your tired muscles.

That, in a nutshell, is Thai yoga massage! Or, as some people call it, lazy-person’s yoga. The ultimate lazy way of getting all the benefits of yoga and more without having to do it yourself.

What’s in a name? The difference between Thai yoga massage, Thai massage and Traditional Thai massage

There’s actually no difference - they’re exactly the same and the names are interchangeable. 

The word “yoga” was introduced into Thai massage when people brought this style of massage to the West (i.e. to Europe and the US). As it’s such a different form of treatment to other styles of massage, such as deep tissue or Swedish, people were surprised by the different techniques that are used.

So, by using yoga as part-of the name, people had a better idea of what was involved in the treatment. The version of Thai massage that most Westerners favoured came more from the Northern style which focused more on stretches than the Southern style. And many of these stretches were reminiscent of yoga stretches - hence Thai yoga massage.

Is Thai yoga massage the same as yoga massage therapy?

Yes, again some people describe Thai massage as yoga massage therapy. However, it is very different to yoga therapy (without the word massage) which is a different discipline altogether!

What to expect from a Thai yoga massage

Unlike most other forms of traditional Western-style massage, the treatment is generally carried out on a comfortable floor mat and you remain fully clothed throughout. 

This allows the practitioner to use their feet, knees and hips as well as their hands, forearms and elbows to massage their client. This results in an amazing form of deep tissue massage for the client but with minimal effort from the therapist.

Muscles, joints and acupressure points are stretched and opened to stimulate flow of energy, encouraging more freedom of movement throughout the body. Although the massage is very physical, the overall objective is to bring balance and harmony to the energetic body and mind of the receiver as well as their physical body.

In Thai massage, your muscles are stretched and your joints manipulated just a little more than if you attempted the same moves unaided. This often gives you the benefit of increasing your flexibility, suppleness and range of movement. It can then help to restore balance within and between the major muscle groups, easing pain and helping to improve your posture and reducing the likelihood of getting injured.

How long does a Thai yoga massage last?

Although a treatment can last between one hour and two hours, most people tend to have a 90-minutes massage. And the time flies by! Often, people can’t believe that their session is over so soon.

Each treatment is different and is specifically designed for you; it will always begin at the feet, working up through your body, finishing with the shoulders, neck and head. This follows the flow of energy through the body, ensuring a full-body massage where you benefit from the openness it brings to areas that might feel stuck and/or painful.

The massage is given in silence and can either be a wonderful opportunity to switch off or used as a form of meditation.

Is lying on the floor comfortable?

There are four positions you’ll be placed in during a typical Thai massage:

Lying on your back

Lying on your front

Lying on your side

Sitting up

The futon is usually padded and is surprisingly comfortable to lie on. However, your body will be moved around, so you never stay in one position for too long. We can use cushions and pillows as extra support as well as blankets to keep you warm. It’s generally so comfortable that most people fall asleep at some point - even though we may be putting you into some deep stretches. It’s amazing what happens when you let go and allow someone else to do all the work!

Traditional Thai massage - an ancient healing art

Thai massage is also known as Nuad Boran and has been around for many, many years. Some say that it originated over 2,500 years ago when the Buddhist travellers first came to Thailand, spreading the knowledge of this ancient healing art.

However, for obvious reasons, there is no written record of it till drawings were carved in stone in the early 19th century. These are placed at the Wat Pho temple in Bangkok and can still be seen today.

Although there are some contradictions between the drawings and the explanatory notes, these 60 figures at the temple are shown with therapy points along energy lines known as Sen lines. They are a schematic device to show the pattern of invisible energy lines and acupressure points and their influence on the body.

Theory of Thai yoga massage

Thai massage is based on the concept of invisible energy lines running through the body. It is thought that disturbances in the flow or energy can result in a poor supply of energy, (Prana, breath, life-force), which in turn leads to sickness. It is thought massage can break up the disturbances, facilitating the free flow of this energy to restore the body to good health.

Finding a really good Thai massage practitioner

It’s believed that a truly good massage therapist will perform their art in a meditative mood and will work with full awareness, mindfulness and concentration on you. This is a difficult mental state to achieve, but the therapist should keep the ideal in mind and to learn in that spirit. By consciously wishing that others are well and happy and working with the physical application of Metta (loving kindness), we can aspire to give a great treatment to each client, every time.

All the graduates of our Thai yoga massage course are nurtured and encouraged to work in this way.