Ming, a stout Thai mother of three grown kids who came recommended by the yoga guru in Ko Lanta, Thailand introduced me to Thai massage this week.  Part stretching manipulations, part acupressure massage on specific pressure points, with a few cracking moves thrown in here and there to mix it up a little, Thai massage is unlike any I’d experienced before.   The stretching is like yoga, but where you lie limp as they manipulate you into a variety of sometimes contorted positions.  This is often accompanied by their driving a body part like an elbow, foot or knee into one of the outstretched large muscles to loosen it.  When I first learned this, I had the same reaction you’re having: this must be painful.  But surprisingly, it’s quite complimentary to deep relaxation and release.

It’s just 300 Thai Baht (about $10) per hour to have Ming come to your place and work her magic.

And magic it is!  At the start of my last massage, I could hear a symphony of chirping birds from our bed.  Very relaxing.  At some point during the massage, it began to rain. Hard. But lost as I was in the massage, I didn’t realize it until she did some power move on me, releasing something deep that coincided with thunderous lightning that shook the room.  We both gasped.  It was a surreal moment. 

Speaking about as much English as I speak Thai, communication was primitive.  After the massage, the best I could muster was a “Kawp Khun Crap” (Thank you), which was entirely insufficient to express the gratitude I felt for her mastery of release.

Would you be surprised that I’ve already booked the next appointment?

Here are some photos from the massage environment: