Thai Yoga Background

Thai Yoga is an ancient physical form of body work, designed to balance and increase flow of energy through the body. Commonly described as “Yoga for the Lazy Person” due to its large movements, extended stretches, and flow movements by the therapist.

Dr. Jivaka was well versed in Yoga philosophy, Asana practice, along side his Ayurvedic studies. Connecting the philosophy of accepting the moment with Yoga’s knowledge that through movements and stretching the physical body grows stronger and better, like a bamboo stick, that grows strong if only given water.

Working with individuals, he developed a dance that provided the opportunity for meditation in motion, while benefiting the bodies of the therapist as well as the client. Through breathing, connecting to the moment, without needing to do something special, cultivating Metta toward clients and the world, people feel better. They feel stronger, smiling, they can serve the world even more.

He taught this dance to the monks, so they might share this work for the benefit of their bodies. By moving and positioning themselves while helping others he was able to create a practice where both people benefit, as opposed to just the yogi practitioner alone.

This was to become the basis of Thai Yoga.

For more on the two paths that provide the meditative and application theory

Mindfulness……………Application

Authors note: I use the term Thai Yoga in replace of Thai Massage, primarily to differentiate the Art of attending to a client’s needs, which is very individualistic and different than a sequence or a dance. Thai yoga is a Yoga Flow practice, that truly balances and expands the physical and the subtle bodies. Thai Massage is the intelligent and skilled application of Thai Yoga principles, where practitioners use all their skill to help specific issues with client’s tissues.