No aspirin, but Thai yoga massage

Thai yoga massage offers much more than just relaxation. I discovered this during a 10-day massage course from the Sunshine network, in Northern Thailand. It helps prevent diseases and accelerates the healing process. Read all about it in my personal story.

Imagine lying on a bamboo massage platform, deep within the jungle, with tears streaming down your face. My boyfriend had just placed his hand on my stomach, and the abdominal massage hadn't even truly begun. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Yes, go on. It feels good," I managed to say. This was the beginning of an incredible journey into the gentle yet powerful world of Thai Yoga Massage.

The Unexpected Release: Unveiling the "Emotional Cesspool"

Our massage teacher, Andrea Baglioni, explained something profound: "Most Thai masseurs skip the belly area with westerners, so much tension is often stored there. They dare not open that emotional cesspool.". His words resonated deeply. My stomach has always been a mirror of my inner state – bloated and hard when I'm busy and tense.

Andrea isn't one to shy away from emerging emotions. In fact, he encouraged us over the twelve-day course to give space to all our feelings, emphasizing that "Thai massage brings you in touch with your body and your emotions and that can initiate a transformation process". As my boyfriend gently explored my belly, I trembled, my body shocked, and then, rivers of tears flowed. The geckos on the ceiling seemed to disappear into the caverns as I wept.

There was no specific reason for my crying; it was pure, raw emotion. Deeply stored feelings seemed to be released, and the relief was immense. This loving touch was incredibly powerful, and sharing it with my boyfriend was truly special. We lay in each other's arms, warmed by the sun, laughing at the grunting piglets and cackling roosters that are a familiar part of village life.

Discovering Huai Naam Rin: A Village Rooted in Tradition

Our unique classroom was Huai Naam Rin, one of the mountain villages of the Lahu tribe, nomadic people originally from China. This fertile jungle area, a two-hour drive with dozens of hairpin bends from Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand's largest city, is where residents grow organic coffee, corn, limes, oregano, lime grass, cauliflower, and zucchini. The villagers greet you with "Daveo" as you pass, wearing floral print skirts, while dogs wag their tails and children eagerly grab your hand.

It might sound unusual: a Thai massage course among a Chinese tribe, taught by an Italian. Yet, this village holds a significant place in the history of Traditional Thai Yoga Massage. About thirty years ago, Harald Brust, also known as Asokananda, one of the leading Western teachers of this practice, opened a massage school here. Harald dedicated his life to massage, yoga, and meditation, deeply researching Thai Yoga Massage and publishing his findings in "The art of traditional Thai Massage" in 1990 – the first publication in a language other than Thai.

He fell in love with Huai Naam Rin during his travels and studies, married a local resident, and had a son. After Asokananda's passing in 2005, his most loyal student, Andrea, took over his mission. Today, people from all over the world – yoga teachers, masseurs, physiotherapists, inquisitive globetrotters, and even my hard-working boyfriend and I – come here to learn Asokananda's vision, discovering that it offers far more than just deep relaxation.

The Philosophy of Thai Yoga Massage: Beyond Muscle Kneading

On day four of the course, we returned to the abdomen. In Thai Yoga Massage, the practice always begins at the feet and ends at the head, following the natural energy flow from bottom to top. This is a crucial distinction from Western massage. Traditional Thai massage primarily works with the energetic body, rather than just kneading muscles. While it certainly relaxes your body and mind, releases emotions, relieves pain, and stimulates the lymphatic system, its main goal is to balance the life energy in your body.

Think of it as a deep cleansing of your energy channels, or meridians, removing blockages that can lead to disease. The effect is remarkably similar to acupuncture, but instead of needles, you use your hands, thumbs, elbows, and feet to activate these channels by applying pressure. This theory shares common roots with Chinese acupuncture and Japanese Shiatsu massage, suggesting a shared ancient source for these healing traditions. Thai Yoga Massage can even address specific complaints like menstrual pain or headaches by targeting acupressure points.

Andrea, for example, uses a specific point on his hand as a natural pain reliever instead of local anesthetic at the dentist, highlighting its ability to release endorphins and support healing processes, still part of care in Thai hospitals. However, as Andrea wisely cautions, it's not an antibiotic; sometimes medicines are necessary, and like any holistic healing, it requires improving your lifestyle.

The Masseur's Heart: Energy, Love, and Meditation

Opening the body's energy channels is an art, and traditionally, a good masseur is also a spiritual practitioner who meditates regularly. "Meditation brings inner peace, makes you attentive and helps you transcend the ego. In that state you can give truly good massages," Andrea explained. Observing him, it's clear he spends many hours on a meditation cushion; he is calm, clear, gentle, cheerful, and grounded, even when discussing deep spiritual matters.

Andrea further emphasized, "Just think how a massage feels when someone is tense, absent or trying to prove something... You transfer your energy to the other. When it is no longer about you, the energy, or love, can flow freely. And you feel that as a receiver". This is why we meditated morning and evening, and sang mantras, to cultivate the ability to give love with an open heart, love that demands nothing in return.

"Lazy Yoga": The Influence of Ancient India

By day six, we were exploring the chest, arms, hands, and "Shiva's stretches," named after a Hindu God. Thai Yoga Massage actually originated in India, with the philosophies of yoga and Buddhism spreading to "the land of smiles" around 2500 years ago.

This explains why you'll see many yoga postures incorporated into the massage, making it truly unique. Poses like the Cobra, where you stretch your abs and lower back, or Savassena, the final relaxation pose, are fundamental. Because of these deep stretches and twists, Thai massage is done with clothes on and without oil, allowing the practitioner to lift, lengthen, and twist the body effectively.

It's often called "lazy yoga" because someone else performs the yoga poses for you. The advantage is profound: a skilled practitioner can guide you into deeper stretches than you might achieve on your own. It also offers an incredible opportunity for people who are physically unable to do yoga to still experience the benefits of stretching their bodies and stimulating energy flow.

Applying these yoga techniques to another person is an art form. I, along with my fellow students, stumbled at times, but Andrea would regularly intervene, demonstrating with an almost dancing grace how one movement flows seamlessly into another. His constant reminder: "Look, I'm standing wide-legged, moving from my center and always using my body weight to give pressure or stretch the body. This way you avoid having to use muscle strength, you protect your back".

The Full Immersion & A Lasting Impression

By the end of the course, I had the opportunity to experience a true Thai yoga massage from a fellow student. A Norwegian woman gave me a facial massage that transported me to seventh heaven, her fingers gliding over my cheeks and forehead like brushes drawing waves on the sea.

Evenings brought another traditional element: the herbal sauna. Medicines from the jungle cleansed our lungs and pores, and the heat relaxed our muscles even further. As the luminous full moon dispelled the sunset sky, I drifted into a deep, long sleep.

During my onward travels through Thailand, I visited several massage parlors and traditional schools. While the treatments were technically proficient, they simply weren't comparable to the massages I received from my fellow students. I deeply missed the real attention, love, and energy transfer.

It makes sense; these masseurs likely treat dozens of tourists daily, making it challenging to maintain that profound level of attention. I am incredibly thankful to have experienced the true essence of Thai Yoga Massage, with Andrea, at its source.

This journey was more than just learning a massage technique; it was a profound transformation, connecting me to my body, emotions, and the incredible power of mindful, loving touch. And that's what I want to share with the world, with Thai massage workshops in Utrecht.