I first learned Thai Bodywork here in Dallas. But in 2015 I went to Thailand. I wanted to clear any doubts I had about the authenticity of what I had learned. The lesson I learned, was, The Important Things to Know About Thai Massage Aren’t Learned in a Classroom.
Yes, what I had learned here in Dallas was perfectly authentic. Except I didn’t learn the most important things.
A lot is taught in a Western classroom, that a Thai Therapist would never do. A lot is taught that is way more intimate than a Thai would do. But it goes way beyond that. It goes to Compassion, Loving Kindness, Sympathetic Joy, Equanimity. Which mean a complete respect and love for the other person, other people, that you meet in your journey. Don’t let your ego control your actions. Don’t be so caught up in your iPhone. Don’t be too busy to listen and help. These are the things that I learn when I visit Thailand. The things that I have a tendency to un-learn when I come home.
What’s this got to do with Massage Therapy? Everything. When you can trust others, they can trust you. When you truly want to help others, they will let you. When you can truly understand that you’re here to help others. Then you can start doing that.
