Thailand's Naud Bo Rarn Massage

Naud Bo Rarn Massage

Throughout the world there are myriad forms of bodywork and massage. One of the most interesting and therapeutic is the Thai Massage, or Naud Bo Rarn. Thailand may bring to your mind  exotic images with colourful costumes and taste of lemongrass but to me it brings thoughts of the country’s unique form of massage therapy. Massage is one of the ancient healing arts of traditional Thai medicine others being herbal medicine and spiritual meditation. The Naud Bo Rarn methods can be traced back over 2000 years and is credited to an Indian physician named Shivago Komarpaj who was a contemporary of the Buddha.  Buddhist monks and nuns preserved Nuad Bo Rarn therapy, the only surviving text of these traditional forms of bodywork which were carved in stone and set in the wall of a temple, Wat Po, in Bangkok. Thai massage has been passed down, by practice, as part of that tradition. Therapists outside of Thailand must receive training in the special method from select group of instructors who have received their teacher training and certification in Thailand.

Thai massage is a form of body therapy which incorporates gentle passive stretching techniques, compression and acupressure. This type of massage differs from the Western massage in a number of ways, as Thai massage is performed on a mat or on the floor, rather than a massage table. This allows the therapists the freedom to reform the stretches by utilising both his and the client’s body weight. Since both the therapist and client are dressed in lightweight comfortable clothing, no lotion or massage oils are used in Thai massage.

One of the unique features of this work is a use of rhythmic compressions following the client’s energy lines or “sen” lines. These lines resemble, but are not identical to, the meridians, or energy lines of Chinese medicine, to which the bodies of vital energy or “chi” travels. This energy is called “prana” in the Indian tradition. The goal of Thai massage is to promote the free flow of vital energy throughout the body. This energy is believed to be subject to becoming blocked at the joints, therefore the focus on gentle stretching is to open up the joints. The end result is that a Thai massage session is both relaxing and energising at the same time.

While experiencing this type of massage, one will experience influences of India’s Ayurvedic medicinal tradition. It is said that the Thai massage is like “assisted yoga” since the therapist does all the work while the client remains passive.

Nuad Bo-Rarn has many benefits such as increased flexibility, relaxation of muscles and increased range of motion at the joints. These benefits make Thai massage is a great bodywork system for anyone involved in athletic activity or physical training. Thai massage will also help keep your muscles stretched and healthy this will assist you in athletic performance and help to prevent muscle injuries. You don’t need to be an athlete to enjoy and benefit from these massages. Virtually everyone qualifies for these massages because therapies, as in other types of massage, can adapt the massage techniques to meet your special needs or capabilities. Since you remain cloaked throughout the session, the massage can be given almost anywhere.

Nuad Bo-Rarn is medative for both the therapist and client, as the slow rhythmic techniques and increased body awareness facilitate a military state. This helps to reinforce the mind-body connection of both therapist and client and also assist in an overall sense of relaxation while being and in the piece. In Thai massage, as in any other form of massage, “to receive his golden, but to give is divine.”