The history of Thai Massage.
As per the name, Thai Massage is a technique of bodywork that finds its origin in Thailand.
The history of Thai Massage starts about 2500 years ago with Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha (Shivago Kompara ) a friend of the Buddha, who had a really wise knowledge about medicine.
Still nowadays, along the different mantras pronounced during the morning prayer time, for many Thai Massage courses, there is a prayer to Shivago, for his teacher’s role.
As time did pass by, the technique did start differing from the rural Thai Massage and the Royal Thai Massage.
The first one was passed orally from teacher to students between the pour people and monks.
The second one, indeed, was based on the Royal family knowledge and had more influences coming from India, the Muslim world and China too.
But what’s the difference between Thai Massage and other practices?
Thai Massage is a dry massage therapy that is performed using different compressing and stretching actions that are similar to those used in Yoga.
Indeed, as practitioners, when we offer a treatment we concentrate on our breath to ensure that we feel present, and also to improve the movement of our body.
Personally to improve my technique I then on my own time practice Thai Yoga and meditation (Vipassana).
But let’s get back to the History of Thai Massage and its benefits.
Thai Massage is well known for:
1. Relieves pain and relaxes muscles.
By combining stretching and firm pressures along with trigger points, this technique allows tight muscles to relax and length. Improving mobility, motility.
2. Improves joint motions
By doing direct work on muscle tensions and occasionally on tendons too, there is an indirect benefit for the stimulation of lymph, synovial and cerebrospinal liquids, that run in the space between joints.
3. Improves blood circulation
Along with the Thai Massage History, there are techniques of blood stops that help in improving blood circulation.
4. Improves immunity
Many are the benefit of improving blood circulation. Along those, there is the strengthening of the immune system.
5. Improve mental relaxation
By bringing the body to a deep level of relaxation, the mind would follow and adjust to a more relaxing state.
6. Improve sleep
Combining all the benefits listed above, Thai Massage is a great technique of work that can help improve sleep.
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Giovanni La Rocca
Giovanni moved to Melbourne, Australia, from Italy in 2008 and became a citizen in 2017. He started studying massage therapy in 2016, then completed a Bachelor of Health Science in Clinical Myotherapy in August 2024. During those years, he also specialised in Thai Massage and Manual Lymphatic Drainage for presentations like Lipedema and Lymphoedema. Nowadays, he runs his clinic in Fitzroy North, Melbourne, where he integrates movement therapy into his practice to enhance overall well-being. He also values meditation, having completed several Vipassana courses. Committed to continuous learning, he aims to share his expertise in integrated therapies to help others achieve balance and resilience.