As my practice in treatment-driven Thai bodywork continues to develop, so does my herbal toolkit. Though each item in my toolkit is useful, I use a few almost every day. I just finished frying several different herbs in oil to make warming Thai massage balm—item A in the image above. This is a traditional preparation … Continue reading Thai Bodywork Tools: Herbal Balms and Liniments
Sitting cross-legged on a hardwood floor, I listened to my teacher’s voice as he instructed me and the other students surrounding me in a specific method of breathing in and breathing out. The method took great concentration, especially for a beginner, which I was. When he said we would practice some breathing exercises, my first … Continue reading Now, do it again
The past few days, there has been an unmistakable snap in the air, the snap this signifies Autumn is fast approaching. Though the sun is still shining brightly on my face and shoulders as I walk my dog each afternoon, the wind is ever more persistent, and I find myself shedding layers and then putting them … Continue reading Balance through movement
In order for stretching to be an effective tool for easing aches and pains, it should first be used only in cases where it is indicated. As I wrote a few months ago in an article for massage therapists, according to Traditional Thai Medicine, stretching is indicated when the tissue layer of the body is tight. … Continue reading When stretching helps, and when it hurts
As an advocate for spending more time on the floor, I was thrilled to be recently introduced to the original yoga prop: the strap. Unlike the modern version of a yoga strap, which is frequently used as a prop in Indian hatha yoga classes for a variety of purposes, the original yoga strap was usually … Continue reading Old Ways for Modern Times
This summer, when you find yourself bustling from one activity to the next, take a moment to come back to center and connect with your root. (And gardeners, spend some time off your knees during those weeding sessions. Instead, plant your own root into the earth.) Garland Pose Variation (Malasana) aka Squat 1 – From … Continue reading Garland Pose
Adding twists to your Springtime movement practice has many benefits…increased mobility and awareness, a longer, more supple spine and a detoxifying effect. Twists can help to empty the abdominal organs of old blood and fluids, making space for freshly oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood to rush in when you unwind. Spring cleaning! Try this gentle reclining twist … Continue reading wring out the old
