This post is a little bit of an ad for one of my favorite things to give, receive and share - Thai Yoga Massage - I get alot of questions as to exactly what it is, so I thought I better give you an idea...
Thai Yoga Massage is the most delicious combination of yoga and massage! Its often called "the lazy man's yoga" because the receiver is guided into a variety of yoga positions while remaining completely passive. Once in position, the practitioner works to release muscles and open joints while the muscles and connective tissues are in gentle traction. Great for increasing range of motion, general relaxation and helping with aches and pains, its also a really amazing way to gain insight into your yoga practice.
As your therapist moves your passive body, you begin to gain a greater understanding of new ways to position your body for more ease in your poses, how to use your breath more effectively, and especially, how much you tend to get in your own way by working too hard and over-engaging your muscles and your mind.
If you are local, know that you can book a session here at Yoga del Sol with Jordan Milne. Jordan learned Thai Massage a while ago and is practicing to get her chops back, so she operates on a donation-only basis. Call or email for your appt.
If you are local and would like to learn not just how to recieve Thai Yoga Massage but how to give it as well, I will be teaching Thai at NMT this spring and you can learn how to give a great massage to friends and family, as well as get alot of great bodywork for yourself ;-). Sign up through Banweb or the Registrar's Office.
For those of you interested in getting certified, we will be hosting on of my teachers, Sukha Wong from the Lotus Palm School in Montreal this August for Level 1 - the first step in Basic Certification. Sukha is a master of Thai Massage and a master of weaving the esoteric and the practical into one comprehensive class.
If you are not local, google Thai Yoga Massage Practitioners in your area, chances are there is someone great near you!
Whew - so many possibilities! I hope you will take advantage of whatever opportunities to relax come your way!
Here's a little video action for you today... how to do a basic Cobra Pose in Thai Yoga Massage. This is one of the poses I usually teach in my Thai Yoga Massage workshops. One of the things I love about Thai Yoga Massage is how it teaches you to use your bodyweight instead of muscles through the massage. This creates a more relaxing massage for the giver which, in turn, creates a more relaxing massage for the receiver and allows us to create a greater stretch for the receiver than we would otherwise be able to provide. Awesome all 'round!
