Article Index - Oriental Medicine
 
Table Thai Massage
 
A Dynamic Fusion of East and West
 
Why Table Thai?
"Table " and "Thai" - the two words don't really seem to go together; Thai massage, like many Eastern techniques such as Shiatsu, is traditionally carried out on the floor on a futon enabling the massage therapist to optimally use their body weight to apply wonderful palming compression strokes and deep stretches. This contrasts with techniques such as Swedish massage, sports massage or remedial massage, which again for reasons of body mechanics, tend to work better with the use of a massage table. This often leads to a rather arbitrary division where massage therapists tend to practise one or the other of these massage styles without integration, even if they have training in both. There are occasions where pure technique is appropriate but we can lose out on the potential benefits to our clients of combining different styles. This is one of the hallmarks of the "Jing" approach - a form of integrated bodywork where the practitioner is able to draw from a wide "toolbox" of techniques. We encourage combining styles in a creative way to give the client the best possible treatment for them. This is how you build a practice; this is how you retain clients week in week in out, year after year, and most of all this is how you stop yourself getting bored with your work. You can constantly reinvent the passion that drew you to bodywork in the first place.
 
Traditional Thai Massage vs Swedish Massage
The casual observer of Thai massage may be surprised to learn that it is in fact an energy based technique. Traditional Thai massage is based on a very different "map" of the body than Swedish based massage styles, taking as its starting point a view of the body that is based on energy lines known as "sen". It is important to note that, although there are similarities, these lines are different than the Chinese meridian lines used in shiatsu, acupuncture , tuina and amma. The aim of a Thai massage session is to balance energies throughout the body by working these lines through palming/thumbing techniques and a series of powerful stretches that resemble a kind of assisted yoga.
In contrast the "map" employed by Swedish based massage styles is based on more familiar notions of soft tissue; our goal is to affect the muscles, fascia, tendons and ligaments. Swedish based strokes such as effleurage work to assist the circulation, the blood and the lymph flow, and are traditionally carried out in a direction towards the heart - exactly the opposite way to many Eastern based styles.
 
"The map is not the territory" integration of East and West
If you understand the essence of the different styles, East and West can easily be integrated to create a truly powerful bodywork that is unique in its own right. Although Swedish and Eastern styles are looking at the body in a very different and seemingly mutually exclusive way, they are only "maps" of the body. As the great quote goes " the map is not the territory", here, the body itself is the "territory". Once we develop our bodywork and knowledge skills we can understand our way around it with less need for "maps". It's a bit like trying to find your way around London, there are many different maps of the city for different modes of transport, for example the A-Z which shows you how you can get around by foot or car; the bus map, or the map for the tube. If you don't know the city it's much easier to use only one map to navigate your way around and choose one transport system. But when you know the territory itself, you can start to integrate different maps. You can get to where you want in the most enjoyable and efficient way; hopping from the bus to the tube; or deciding to get out and walk between tube and bus. It's no different with the body. This is the essence of true bodywork mastery. If you are well versed in different bodywork styles and understand their "essence" you can use whichever style will help that client most at that particular time and in most cases, blend styles appropriately.
In relation to Table Thai this is exactly what we have developed at Jing. For the eclectic bodyworker. The wonderful techniques of Thai massage can be adapted quite easily into a Western system - the compression, and thumbing can be used to work muscles rather than energy lines and the fantastic yoga type stretches can be used to increase flexibility and re-vitalise the body. More than anything, Table Thai is really a great excuse to have FUN with the body and we all need to have fun to prevent our practice getting stale.
Table Thai techniques
One of the most basic Table Thai techniques is palming. Palming is a very versatile technique that can be used in many places on the body such as the back, buttocks or legs.
 
Palming
Palming is used to warm up the body and open the energy channels. When palming, relax your hands and fingers, use the palm and heel of the hand and "fall" into your client's body with your body weight. The amount of pressure that is needed will differ from person to person, body part to body part and with the same person at different times. At Jing we put a lot of emphasis on developing what we call "listening touch", the ability to sense phenomena about the body, from touch alone. The first step is the ability to sense how far the body will let you in, both physically and emotionally, without tensing up or registering pain. In Thai massage this is used to feel the energy and where it is blocked in the body.
Imagine sinking down into your client's body, millimetre by millimetre, through layers of the skin, fascia, muscles and energy until you feel a barrier. If you wait patiently at this barrier you may feel the client let you in even further. This is the essence of working deeply without causing your client pain or expending too much of your own energy in the process -"work deeper not harder". Remember that until you have developed your listening touch to a high level you should always check in verbally with your client about the pressure you are using.
 
Variations on palming
There are 2 ways that you can use palming techniques while working on the table. One is to stand by the side of the table; the other is to actually climb on the table itself! The latter can seem scary at first but is actually a good way of working deeper with clients who require a lot of pressure.
Palming from side of table: Client prone: Stand face on to the side of the table and place your hands on the opposite erector spinae, making sure you are on the soft tissue and not on the spine. Lean in with your "listening touch" and sink down with both hands. Slowly "walk" down the muscles with your hands - you can take this stroke all the way into the buttocks and all the way down the hamstrings. Then move to the other side of the table and work the other side of the body in the same way.
 
Palming while kneeling on side of table.
Please note that although this technique is safe if done properly you should always follow any general health and safety precautions that may be operating at your place of work. Always use your common sense, as there may be some situations where this is inappropriate. To palm from the side of the table, simply kneel on the edge and in a "table top" body position, lean into the erector spinae with your listening touch as before. Keep your arms straight but not locked and slowly walk your hands down the back. If appropriate you can also straddle your client's body in a "lunge" position and do double palming down both erector spinae at once.
 
Stretching
Thai massage is based on unblocking stagnant energy that causes dis-ease. Stretching clients on the table can have amazing effects, opening the pathways for energy to flow. If you use your "listening touch" you can stretch all of your clients in an appropriate way. These techniques can change people's lives, releasing blocked energy and opening the body and mind to a life of freer movement.
 
Want to learn more?
If you are interested in the integration of Eastern and Western techniques come along to our one day Table Thai course. This exciting class will enable you to incorporate the wonderful dynamics of Thai Yoga massage stretches and techniques into your existing massage work. You will learn Thai techniques for the whole body, plus appropriate draping skills to allow you to confidently blend this work with Swedish or other table based massage styles.
 
© Jing Advanced Massage and training is an organisation dedicated to excellence in all aspects of postgraduate massage training. Based in Brighton we offer courses around the country. Please call or check our website for further information and course dates.
 
www.jingmassage.com
info@jingmassage.com
Tel: 01273 628942
Copyright Jing Advanced Massage. Text Rachel Fairweather and Meghan Mari. Photos Meghan Mari
 
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