Thai Massage
What is Thai Massage?
Thai Massage is an ancient practice of moving energy through the body to promote wellness. Unlike table massage, Thai is practiced on the floor, on a thick mat, while fully clothed. Although performed fully clothed, Thai can be more intimate than table massage because of the positions of the client and therapist throughout the treatment.
Energy is moved through the body by gentle rocking compression along the Sen Sip, or the Ten Energy Lines, while the therapist moves the client's body into different positions on the mat. Each of the Sen relates to a different part or different side of the body and begins at the navel, or belly button. Because each line begins at the navel, there is a significant portion of the treatment at the abdomen. This abdominal treatment and several of the positions of the treatment are not recommended for pregnant people. Many of these positions relate to Yoga poses, which is why the treatment is sometimes referred to as Lazy Man's Yoga.
If you'd like to know more about each Energy Line and what it is associated with as well as where each separate line is, continue reading.
Sen Sumana originates at the navel, travels up the midline of the body and exits at the tip of the tongue.
​
Therapeutic Indications:
Asthma, bronchitis, chest pain, cough, heart disease, spasm of the diaphragm, and back pain.
​
Sen Itta (left) originates at the navel, and descends diagonally across the pubic bone to line 3 inside on the thigh. It crosses the knee and ascends the thigh on line 3 outside up to the piriformis. It crosses the sacrum and travels up the back just beside the spine. It proceeds up the neck to just lateral of the central line of the skull. It continues on this plane exiting at the nostril.
​
Therapeutic Indications:
Common cold, nasal obstruction, sore throat, fever, abdominal pain, intestinal disease, back pain, urinary tract dysfunction and all internal organs.
​
Sen Pingkala (right) originates at the navel, and descends diagonally across the pubic bone to line 3 inside on the thigh. It crosses the knee and ascends the thigh on line 3 outside up to the piriformis. It crosses the sacrum and travels up the back just beside the spine. It proceeds up the neck to just lateral of the central line of the skull. It continues on this plane exiting at the nostril.
​
Therapeutic Indications:
Common cold, nasal obstruction, sore throat, fever, abdominal pain, intestinal disease, back pain, urinary tract dysfunction and all internal organs. Diseases of the gall bladder and liver.
​
Sen Kalathari (orange) originates at the navel and branches into four lines, two on each side of the body. Two lines proceed from the navel up through the chest (right and left sides), across the nipples to the shoulder, and then down line 2 inside of the arm exiting the fingertips. The other two branches of Kalathari descend to line 2 inside of each leg and exit and the tip of the toes.
​​
Therapeutic Indications:
Pain and numbness in the arms and legs, arthritis of the fingers, knee pain, angina, cardiac arrhythmia, epilepsy, schizophrenia, hysteria, and various mental and psychic disorders. This is the emotional or psychic line.
Sen Sahatsarangsi (purple left) and Sen Thawari (purple right) originate at the navel and travel down the abdomen to line 1 inside of the leg. It crosses the ankle and ascends the leg on line 1 outside and continues in the same plane up the abdomen to the nipple. From there it proceeds up through the front of SCM to the chin and exits the eye.
​
Therapeutic Indications:
Sen Sahatsarangsi Redness and swelling of the eye, arthritis of the knee, chest pain, manic depression, sore throat and toothache.
Sen Thawari Redness and swelling of the eye, arthritis of the knee, chest pain, manic depression, sore throat and toothache, jaundice and appendicitis.
Sen Lawusang (green left) and Sen Ulangka (green right) originate at the navel and ascends the chest across the nipple up to the medial head of the clavicle. It continues behind the SCM, up the back of the ear, coming down the front of the ear, exiting just above the TMJ.
​
Therapeutic Indications:
Deafness and ear disease, middle ear infection, facial paralysis, and toothache.
​
In the image to the left, the red line is a visual representation of 2 sen lines:
​
Sen Nanthakrawat consists of two subline. Sen Sikhini originates at teh navel and exits the urethra. Sen Sukhumang originates at the navel and exits the anus.
Sen Khitchana consists of two sublines. Sen Pitakun (male) originates at the navel and exits the penis. Sen Kitcha (female) originates at the navel and exits the vagina.
​
Therapeutic Indications:
(These lines are worked in abdomen massage.) Frequent urination, diarrhea, female infertility, impotence, irregular menstruation, hernia and uterine bleeding.
​