Thai Massage, Sacred Bodywork is a complete guide to an ancient practice that benefits body, mind, and spirit. Interest in Thai massage has been growing rapidly. This is no surprise given its unique multifaceted approach to the body. Thai massage combines acupressure, stretching, reflexology, assisted yoga postures, herbal compresses, prayer and meditation. It benefits everyone. Sometimes called the "lazy person's yoga", Thai massage stretches and relaxes the muscles, increases the joints' range of motion, and balances energy flow throughout the body. Thai Massage, Sacred Bodywork provides fully illustrated, step-by-step instructions which enable the reader to use this integrative and interactive therapy with a partner at home or with a client. The book explains the historical and philosophical background of Thai massage as well as its religious origins. Throughout the book, Ananda always reminds us of the deeper meaning of this sacred modality—compassion in action. A must for all those interested in the healing arts.
A companion volume to the Encyclopedia of Thai Massage, this interactive teaching tool provides an overview of the basic course for classic Thai massage routines. Instructors who have had to create their own study guides will welcome this time-saving accessory, and students will appreciate the thoughtful design that allows room for taking notes, as well as links to images and pages in the original text. Updated with new content and a revamped layout, this handy reference also includes alternate steps from advanced courses as well as a section on Sen lines.
An authentic guide to Thai yoga massage, a unique therapy that combines stretching, breath work, assisted yoga postures, and pressure point therapy. • Includes more than 80 illustrations, 30 charts, and a complete series of postures for a two-hour full-body massage. • Author Kam Thye Chow has taught massage in Thailand and throughout Europe and North America. Until recently Thai yoga massage was virtually unknown in the West. It has its roots in both the ancient healing traditions of Ayurveda and Thai Buddhism. In this unique practice, the therapist gives a full-body massage that combines palming and thumbing along the Thai energy lines and pressure points with gentle stretching, movement, and breath work reminiscent of tai chi. Using his or her own hands, feet, arms, and legs, the practitioner gently guides the recipient through a series of yoga postures, creating a harmonious and therapeutic “dance” that leads to greater physical awareness, grace, and spiritual energy. In this comprehensive guide for practitioners, Kam Thye Chow leads readers through every aspect of this dance--from its history and philosophy to a detailed presentation of a complete Thai yoga massage session. This important reference includes more than 80 illustrated postures, 30 charts and drawings, and a complete series of postures for a two-hour full-body massage that focuses attention on both the upper and lower body, which receive equal stress in the Western lifestyle. Information on contraindications, anatomy, and physiology integrates Western medical knowledge and theory with this ancient tradition. Massage therapists, physical therapists, nurses, and other medical professionals will find Thai Yoga Massage an important and innovative complement to their practice.
Drawing from Thai history, cultural studies, Buddhist religion, and yogic practices, as well as a modern understanding of anatomy and physiology, this guidebook bridges the gap between theory and practice while presenting bodywork as it is understood in Thailand--as a therapeutic medical science. Presenting detailed analysis of each step in a Thai massage routine, the history, spiritual traditions, and ethical codes are offered in an engaging, informal style. Numerous photographs and diagrams illustrate the variety of techniques used, and examples of routines for treating specific disorders are discussed. Updated with new layout, photos, and expanded text, this exhaustive handbook is complete with a section on the main energy meridians and diagrams of acupressure points, making it the perfect tool to accompany anyone studying this popular healing modality.
Thai herbs are part of a vibrant culture of healing that has been practiced and preserved over the centuries in traditional medicine schools, Buddhist monasteries, and village homes all over Thailand. Many quite ancient herbal traditions continue to be practiced throughout Thailand to this day, and some of these have now been recognized by the Ministry of Public Health as an important facet of the country’s national healthcare system. This revised and updated edition provides an overview of traditional Thai medicine--including both the theory and the practical application of Thai cuisine, bodywork, and herbal medicine. Of interest to herbalist, massage therapists, and practitioners of other alternative healthcare systems, the book introduces the basic principles of Thai herbal healing in simple and clear terms, and it includes a detailed compendium of individual herbs. Best of all, this book is fun, offering easy recipes for home remedies, healthcare products, and cuisine that will make the world of Thai tradition come alive in your home.
A full-color, illustrated guide to Chinese tui na massage techniques for whole-body health • Demonstrates each of the 15 unique Tui Na techniques with rich full-color photos and step-by-step instructions • Explains how to use qi-points to treat conditions in close proximity to the points as well as enact healing in tender or injured regions through the use of distant points • Details how to use Tui Na in all ages to release stress, re-energize the body, invigorate the mind, and relieve pain, sciatica, headache, sports injuries, and other common ailments Tui Na, which means “grasp and push,” is a Chinese system of therapy that uses massage and bodywork manipulation to relieve pain, release tension, and treat common ailments. Often practiced in conjunction with acupuncture and Chinese herbalism, Tui Na is also used as a treatment to address specific patterns of disharmony and stimulate the overall flow of qi, or vital energy, throughout the body. The leading authority on Tui Na in the West, with years of study in China, Indonesia, and Thailand, Maria Mercati combines the individual techniques of Tui Na into an easy-to-use method for whole-body health. Providing rich full-color photos with step-by-step instructions, she demonstrates each of the 15 unique Tui Na techniques, showing clearly where to place your hands as well as offering clear diagrams of the meridian energy channels and more than 100 powerful qi-points, where qi energy can be directly affected to restore balance and harmony. She explains how to use the qi-points to treat conditions in close proximity as well as enact healing in tender or injured regions through the use of distant yet connected qi-points. The author details how to use Tui Na treatments to relieve neck, shoulder, and back pain, sciatica, headache, and many other common ailments, treat sports injuries, and improve athletic performance. She also shows how it can release stress, re-energize the body, and invigorate the mind, as well as provide healing massage for adolescents, the elderly, and babies. Offering a healing method that requires no special equipment and is simple enough to do at home or in a chair at work, this fully illustrated guide provides a hands-on program to help yourself and others find whole-body health.
"Seven Peppercorns" covers the vast scope of traditional Thai medicine practices including: Thai element theory, physical therapies, medical Buddhism, herbal medicine for massage, divinatory practices, and spirit medicine; all held within the context of a Thai bodyworker’s instructional manual. This is not another step-by-step Thai massage photographic sequence book, but rather an in-depth training in the theory behind the steps, with instruction in a wide range of esoteric Thai physical therapies designed to bring practical understanding of Thai bodywork as it is practiced by traditional doctors in Thailand. "Seven Peppercorns" is divided into twelve main segments; each segment containing several chapters. The organizational flow takes the reader from introduction, overview and history, through an understanding of Thai anatomy, including element, point, and sen line theory, to instruction in Thai diagnosis, actual physical manipulations and practical application of the shamanistic and Buddhist components of traditional Thai medicine as it applies to bodywork; all in an easy-to-follow well organized format. Included in this guide are Thai self care practices and exercises as well as treatment guidelines for specific disorders. "Seven Peppercorns" serves as both an instruction manual and a reference book fully annotated with appendixes, notes, glossary, bibliography and index. The straightforward academic informational writing is gentled with moments of conversational author-to-reader comments (often humorous), and peppered with short personal narrative stories that bring the reader into the sensory tapestry of Thailand. It is intended as a stand alone manual, or as a text book for Thai massage instructors to use in classes.
Discover the healing power of massage therapy! With The Complete Guide to Massage, you can use the power of touch to soothe aches and wash away worries. Each page guides you through the time-honored practice with step-by-step instructions and photographs for massaging yourself and others. You'll learn the different strokes and movements within a massage as well as techniques for popular methods, including prenatal massage, Swedish massage, and trigger point therapy. Whether you're looking to relieve muscle tension, alleviate pain, or simply de-stress, The Complete Guide to Massage will help you uncover a whole new world of healing and relaxation.
