Whatever you touch touches you back. This is Newton’s third law of motion and reflective of the very nature of our touch sense organ: the skin. Covering every inch of our bodies, the skin is our outer barrier; it lets things in and it lets things out. It is both a sender and a receiver of information (among other things). When … Continue reading Touch goes both ways
Here we are, counting the days to winter solstice. Well, at least I am. Because, after that darkest day, slowly, incrementally, our days will start to brighten and become longer. We just have to endure a little darkness first. Really, the darkness is not so bad. It provides us with a natural place to rest and reflect, … Continue reading Bring out the sun
I dream of giving all of my living room furniture to Goodwill and replacing it with a few low tables, a couple of floor mats and an assortment of cushions. I want to spend more time on the floor. On the floor, I can put my legs up the wall while I read. Or, I … Continue reading More on the floor
One of the (so many) things I love most about Thai Massage is that it’s practical. You don’t need a special massage surface or sheets or oils or any fancy equipment to help someone feel better. All they need is you and all you need is them. Sometimes, you don’t even need them! You just need … Continue reading Keep it freshly squeezed
July was HOT. Have you been feeling sluggish? What about weary and swollen? As much as we can relish these beautiful, sunny summer days, heat can cause vasodilation, meaning our blood vessels expand, causing us to feel fuller, heavier and slower. With the help of gravity, legs up the wall can support healthy venous return–the rate … Continue reading Legs Up the Wall
Staring into my plate of half-eaten breakfast, I wondered if I had the strength for what came next. Last time, I sweated, whined and writhed in discomfort as my Thai Massage Therapist sank his forearms into my anterior lower leg, which rested securely in his lap. “Can I go deeper?” he asked. “A little,” I … Continue reading Massaging the person who shows up
Often, what my clients see when I give a Thai Massage are the efforts of my physical body as I move around the mat, maneuvering their own bodies into various shapes, shifting my weight forward to apply pressure or leaning back to traction a joint. “Wow!” they say, “You are basically working out all day … Continue reading The true definition of holistic health
Originally posted on Service Learning in Thailand:
By: Chris Roundy, Mamta Chaudhari, and DeAnna Castro History shows that Thai people have been using herbal medicines for healthcare since before 1238 AD (Chokevivat 2005). The principle concern of Buddhism, the main religion of Thailand, is eliminating suffering, which coincides with the values of medicinal practice well… Continue reading Traditional Thai Medicine
