Thai Massage

"It's not just a massage, it's a beating!"

It's nice to be kneaded. America doesn't seem to have a massage of it's own: shiatsu (Japanese), Swedish, Thai, Vietnamese — are all associated with their country of origin. Massage delivered in America seems to me a hodgepodge of different styles, each Therapist seeking to deliver their own "spin", combining the styles they learned together to what they think an optimum massage. I try to get a massage whenever I visit Thailand, although it seems like business ends up getting in the way of pleasure. To make up for it, I've gotten two massages in the few weeks we've been in Asia: Kathy, three.

Thai massage seems decidedly different from Western styles. First, it's an "intimate" interaction between Masseuse or Masseur and recipient (I'll explain this later); and second it's really a fundamental part of the Thai culture. "Everybody" does it; there are schools everywhere including Buddhist temples.

I know very little about massage; it's My Brother The Chiropractor's Art. Even if Mark hasn't studied the Thai version, it would look familiar to him — and to anybody he's "cracked", to use the lay term — Thai massage feels, and sounds, a lot like Chiropractic. (Kathy calls it a mix of massage, yoga, and a visit to the chiropracter)

The massage takes place either in a thin robe, or shorts and a shirt. There isn't so much rubbing across the skin as pressing, and while I've experienced different delivery styles: they all follow a similar pattern, starting at the feet, up one side then down the other.

Most Thai massage (at least for foreigners) seems to be blocked in 1 hour intervals, but this may be just because Westerners are (or are perceived to be) always in a hurry. A two hour massage seems so... decadent. (though at $4/hour, it certainly doesn't break the bank)

Thai massage (for me) isn't especially pleasant at the time its being received. the practitioner follows pressure points and major muscles with prolonged, intense pressure. It's applied not only with the hands, but by the feet, elbows, and knees of the giver. This is the "intimate" part; there's nothing sexual about it (although almost no part goes untouched, and some of those points are closer than we're perhaps accustomed to have strangers pressing). He (in my most recent case) kneeled progressively along a large muscle (e.g. quadricep). To my threshold of pain, this hurts.

Along with this deep pressure, Thai massage also uses several Chiropractic-like moves, which result both in strange sensations and some interesting joint noises. Fingers, toes, knees, neck, shoulders get "cracked" in the process. Like Chiropractic, one is never sure at the time whether this is mercy or sadism. To get at bones in the spine, the masseuse will contort you around his/her own body (think of a wrestling half-nelson or something) 

It feels pretty great after the seizures stop [just kidding] and for me, it brings not only a new suppleness, but I think improved mental clarity. It's easy to be skeptical about all the New Age talk about energy flow in the body; chakras (as I understand them, sort of distribution points for your body's electrical system) and the like — but the proof seems "in the pudding" — or in this case, "in the beating". 

I can't take Thai massage too often — it does feel pretty brutal at the time. But I don't question it's end result, which is quite pleasant, indeed.