STUDY THE DIVINE DANCE OF THAI MASSAGE
Over the last couple of months I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time in the traditional place to study Thai massage; Chiang Mai. My love for the sangha community that congregates at this time of year, means that I get to meet my favourite teachers and practitioners of Thai massage. Like Chiang Mai, the art of Thai massage is constantly evolving. With innovative teachers such as David Lutt holding courses in Dynamic Thai and Osteo Thai both inside the city and out at a magical place “Om Waters”, Sri lanna national park (http://www.facebook.com/omwaters?fref=ts). His OsteoThai for internal organs held with water all around was the best course yet in my oppinion! Check out www.osteothai.com for courses.
Then there are the traditional masters such as Argent Pichet who teaches 30 minutes outside of Chiang Mai. A visit to him is an experience in itself, as you enter the temple room, it is filled with candles, incense and offerings from everyone who is studying with him. He may or may not turn up to teach and if you’re lucky enough to see him, the morning will consist of a dharma talk (‘too much thinking, tension tension, too much yoga!!) and chanting. He may then pick someone to work on and tell them how many problems they have! The afternoons are spent practicing.
Teachers such as Krishna Takis and David Lutt, Kaline, Till Heeg and many more all began their sacred journey into Thai massage at Lahu village (http://www.thaiyogamassage.infothai.com/coursesvillage.html), one hour from Chiang Mai. A traditional village where you go back in time, live in nature with the pigs running around, enjoy local dance and music, Lahu language and traditional dress. If you are thinking of learning this wonderful practice, Lahu village is the place to begin and I’d recommend Sunshine network. You will get into the basic living as its your roots living in nature and your heart will be full with joy and love by the end.
If Thailand is a little out of your reach and you cannot get there anytime soon, do not despair as there are lots of courses happening in Europe this Spring and of course you get to experience Takis, Kaline and David together at BYC this year. (Early Bird tickets available nowhttp://www.barcelonayogaconference.cat/index.php/en/register ). Takis will be teaching a pre-conference day and both David and Takis will hold a 4 hour workshop through the w.end. Check out the Sunshine House video for a taster of what the 10 day Thai massage courses are all about.
http://youtu.be/zSH4oSONM54
The next upcoming course that I can highly recommend is with two wonderful teachers Till and Pau at Om Shanti, Barcelona (http://omshanti.cat/index.php?option=com_contentandview=articleandid=229andcatid=4andlang=en). Till and Pau have spent many years studying at Lahu village and with Takis at Sunshine House, Greece. Till has been a physiotherapist for many years and Pau is an incredible acro yoga teacher, this provides a winning combination of structure, anatomy with the fun and games of acro yoga , all blending together into one amazing 10 day course. This course is almost full so if you want to learn with them sign up ASAP. I was lucky enough to receive a massage from Till in Chiang Mai and what a wonderful 2 and half hours it was. As one of my friends described this kind of massage, “it’s like you’re taken apart and then put back together again, whilst creating a connection to one another hearts”. Till’s touch is gentle and caring, working throughout the body combining dynamic Thai, OsteoThai and Till.Thai’s own sweet touch. I was taken on a journey around my body, rocked into a dream state with many deep moments of silence and then gently brought back around with a gentle hand on my head and heart.
Begin a journey that will change and rock your world. Join the Sunshine Thai Massage Sangha.
Metta xx
