What are the Thai Lines? The body has meridians of energy flow, just like the Earth does. On the Earth, the lines are called ley lines. On the body they are called Sen lines. Through the practice of Thai Massage, these imaginary lines on the body are palpated with acupressure treatment to release energy blockage in the physical body and energy bodies. My teacher, Ariela Grodner, describes like this: your body had rivers of energy and there may be areas where sticks or debris collect and a blockage in your flow results. Have you seen this in a stream? Imagine clearing those places out. This is what the line work does! This means less energy for you in the physical and also your other bodies.
A goal of Thai Massage or Bodywork is to clear the physical and each of the layers of the body. In Thai Massage, which is an ancient healing system from the time of the Buddha, the body is seen as being the earth layer. The layers of energetic bodies relate to elements from earth to ether. The balancing and integration of these layers with their energetic clearing allows us to feel the Anandamaya Kosha, or the bliss body. This is our connection to our natural self, which is complete whole and blissful, and with the realization of oneness with our divine self Aside from bringing us physical well-being, Thai Massage brings us to wholeness and wellness in our emotional body, our energy body, our wisdom body as well.
The way the lines function is as a means to trace important meridians with healing intention. Different lines have special therapeutic application and in fact, Thai Massage is a complete healing system. It is more than something to help you relax, though you will receive that too. The derivation of the line system is from the Ayurvedic realm.
"The lines when woven together and taken as a whole, become a map to be used as a means of maintaining a conscious presence while tuning into a higher vibration."
~ Ariela Grodner
The Thai Practice of tracing these energetic sen lines is powerful and adds depth to Thai Massage. We often start working on the feet (that have sen lines that reflex to the whole body) and then the leg lines which prepares the body for receiving the rest of the work on the rest of the body. It opens up the energy channels, balances these koshas (layers I was speaking of) and then by the time the part of the body, say the back, is touched, it will easily let go of tension in the stiff place or area with pain.
Acupressure on the Sen Lines in Thai Bodywork is one thing that is part of the treatment. We also work on marma points which are special points that unblock and move energy on the body. There are stretches, palming, holding, gently stroking, in many ways that make the experience of Thai versatile and interesting, yet therapeutic.
They call it "Lazy Man's Yoga" for moves that open your body into yoga poses, yet it is done for you and feels easy instead of having to do the yoga. And you don't have to be a yoga practitioner to benefit from Thai Bodywork. Elders, pregnant women, and athletes and others can find relief in a customized way for their body type.
I hope this gives you a bit of an understanding of the lines in Thai Bodywork which are similar but different from lines used in Shiatsu, which is a similar modality.
Feel free to come in for a Thai Session and try it out.
Thanks so much, Shivrael
A goal of Thai Massage or Bodywork is to clear the physical and each of the layers of the body. In Thai Massage, which is an ancient healing system from the time of the Buddha, the body is seen as being the earth layer. The layers of energetic bodies relate to elements from earth to ether. The balancing and integration of these layers with their energetic clearing allows us to feel the Anandamaya Kosha, or the bliss body. This is our connection to our natural self, which is complete whole and blissful, and with the realization of oneness with our divine self Aside from bringing us physical well-being, Thai Massage brings us to wholeness and wellness in our emotional body, our energy body, our wisdom body as well.
The way the lines function is as a means to trace important meridians with healing intention. Different lines have special therapeutic application and in fact, Thai Massage is a complete healing system. It is more than something to help you relax, though you will receive that too. The derivation of the line system is from the Ayurvedic realm.
"The lines when woven together and taken as a whole, become a map to be used as a means of maintaining a conscious presence while tuning into a higher vibration."
~ Ariela Grodner
The Thai Practice of tracing these energetic sen lines is powerful and adds depth to Thai Massage. We often start working on the feet (that have sen lines that reflex to the whole body) and then the leg lines which prepares the body for receiving the rest of the work on the rest of the body. It opens up the energy channels, balances these koshas (layers I was speaking of) and then by the time the part of the body, say the back, is touched, it will easily let go of tension in the stiff place or area with pain.
Acupressure on the Sen Lines in Thai Bodywork is one thing that is part of the treatment. We also work on marma points which are special points that unblock and move energy on the body. There are stretches, palming, holding, gently stroking, in many ways that make the experience of Thai versatile and interesting, yet therapeutic.
They call it "Lazy Man's Yoga" for moves that open your body into yoga poses, yet it is done for you and feels easy instead of having to do the yoga. And you don't have to be a yoga practitioner to benefit from Thai Bodywork. Elders, pregnant women, and athletes and others can find relief in a customized way for their body type.
I hope this gives you a bit of an understanding of the lines in Thai Bodywork which are similar but different from lines used in Shiatsu, which is a similar modality.
Feel free to come in for a Thai Session and try it out.
Thanks so much, Shivrael