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Thailand is known for great massages, for good reason. The roots of Thai massage began in India among Buddhists monks and then spread to Thailand around 2500 years ago, through Shivago Komarpaj (Jivaka Kumarbhacca), a contemporary of Gautama Buddha. Since then, traditional Thai massage, also known as nuat phaen boran, has grown and been perfected and is now one of the best known massage methods around the world.

Originally, Thai massage practitioners were all male, since all training was done through Buddhist monks and men were the only ones permitted to be trained by Buddhists monks. Men trained in traditional Thai massage in Buddhist temples then verbally taught their families how to do traditional Thai massage. Traditional Thai massage instruction was passed on from generation to generation. There are now many places in Thailand where both men and women can be trained in Thai massage. Although there are still male Thai massage practitioners, the majority of Thai massage practitioners are now female.

Although practiced throughout Thailand, traditional Thai massage is local to the northern Chiang Mai area, and most people trained in traditional Thai massage receive their training in Chiang Mai. Although massage practitioners from the west may attend a traditional Thai massage school which lasts only 10 days, most traditional Thai massage practitioners are trained for two years.

Thai massage is different from what most people in the West think of as massage. Among other things, the person receiving a traditional Thai massage remains fully clothed (usually in a pair of pajamas provided by the massage parlor). No oils or lotions are necessary in traditional Thai massage.

Thai massage usually takes place on a mat on the floor. There may be a small room with a single mat, or a room with several mats, where several people receive a massage at the same time.

Prior to a traditional Thai massage, the practitioner will typically conduct a short puja (worship) to both center and connect his or her mind to the Promwihan Sii, or the four states of mind (loving kindness, compassion, vicarious joy, and equanimity). The purpose of this is to get into a meditative state of mind and also to ask assistance from a line of teachers (God, Buddha, etc.) prior to beginning the massage. The traditional Thai massage practitioner may also use this time to ask permission from the gods to give the massage to the recipient.
Traditional Thai massage can be used on many parts of the body including elbows, thumbs, knees, hands, feet, legs, back, and so on. The massage giver will often use his or her own weight by leaning on the recipient's body. A full traditional Thai massage will involve pulling on toes, fingers, ears, etc., cracking knuckles, assisted yoga positions, and a good deal of assisted stretching. It my also involve the practitioner walking across or arching the recipient's back. The practitioner will also use his hands, arms, elbows and knees to apply firm and rhythmic pressure to various parts of the recipient's body.

Although Thai massage can feel good, the primary purpose is not to cause a person to feel good, but rather to improve the recipient's overall health. It can at times be painful, but most practitioners are sensitive to the pain tolerance level of each individual client.

Traditional Thai massage is not in any way sexual in nature.

Sources:
http://www.rims iam.com/history.html
http://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_massag e
http://findarticles.com/p/art icles/mi_m0KWZ/is_3_3/ai_87703 763

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