History

Thai Healing Therapy
Traditional Thai MassageSchool

History of Thai Traditional Massage

Jivaka Kumarapat

Where did Thai massage originate? Naturally, you would think of Thailand but what’s interesting about Thai massage is that the roots trace back to India. The founder, from Northern India, is Jivaka Kumarapat. Kumarapat, a well-known physician is named the father of medicine. He offered his medical services free of charge to many buddhist monks, including the Buddha, and as a result of this humanitarianism he is held in very high regard in Buddhist scriptures. At this time in history, medicine and religion were synonymous and Kumarapat became the central figure to the Buddhist medical systems. His technique, the Thai massage is a sacred method of healing in the Buddhist faith.

The connection between Kumarapat and Thai massage begins when he was a young adult and chose to study the medical craft for his profession. After years of study and completing his apprentice work with a world-known physician he passed the required medical herb examination and went on to practice medicine. He is a great source of knowledge in the healing powers of plants, minerals, massage, etc. Buddhism eventually traveled to Thailand as did his teachings due to the connection of religion and medicine. As an aspiration for all practitioners of Thai massage, before every session with a client the practitioner will take a moment to pray and pay respect to the master Jivaka Kumarapat.

Another great figure in the history of Thai massage is the Buddha. Through Thai massage a balance is created in the body, which is what Buddha was trying to attain in his life and others. Buddha discovered the importance of balance through years of discovery and meditation. The journey all began back in the 6th century BC when the Buddha was born. At birth he was named Siddhartha Guatama. He was born to the ruler of the Sakya people in what is now modern day Nepal.

As a young prince, the Buddha, still going by his birth name Siddhartha, lived an extravagant life. He married at a young age and fathered one son. Ordered by his father to live a life of seclusion, he rebelled and ventured out anyway only to discover the inevitable suffering of the real world. At that point, at age 29, Siddhartha decided to leave his family and kingdom to lead an ascetic life and discover a way to relieve universal suffering.

For six years he studied and meditated with numerous religious teachers but never felt truly satisfied. He realized that a life of balance is what will lead you to liberation. Not physical austerities or extremism. This, the Buddha called “The Middle Way” At age 35, after meditating all night and purifying his mind he attained enlightenment, earning him the title the Buddha, meaning “the enlightened one“. The remainder of his 80 years were spent preaching the Dharma in order to help people reach enlightenment.

During this time, Buddhism was formed. Medicine was a large part of this ascetically based religious movement. Medicine progressed with the Sangha and Buddhist monastaries. It became codified as part of the Buddhist scriptures and gave rise to the monk healers and was the foundation for development of Buddhist monastic universities.

When Buddhism traveled to Thailand the temples were built with adjacent dispensaries and medical schools. Massage and other healing arts were taught in the monasteries and within the family. Before the Sangha preserved the tradition of massage and healing arts it was passed down orally in families and from teacher to student, as most people were unable to read. The Sangha wanted the tradition to be passed on to all the generations to come so the tradition was preserved in pictures. Most of the pictures were destroyed in the Burmese invasion but the remaining sixty pictures were preserved by King Rama III in 1836. The pictures, which depict the lines and points in the human body as well as specific massage techniques to be used for specific symptoms and ailments were saved at Wat Po University in Bangkok, Thailand.

On May 1962, Moh ponl Tomyanim, the first manager of The Wat Po Medical and Massage School opened the massage course. He invited many massage teachers from various places to teach there. They are still teaching their own skillful teachniques to their massage students.

In 1991, Mr. Kumthorn Tangtrongchitr, the former chairman of Wat Po's Medical and Massage Association advised the school to set up a standard massage course. Many seminars were held during October to December 1991. The conclusion of all 18 massage teachers in the basic massage lines should be based on the important points of the TEN MAJOR MASSAGE LINES. There lines should be easy and common to practce.

Reference: Thai Traditional Massage Manual, Predee Tangtrongchitr B.Sc. (in Pharm)., M.Sc., on 09/03/1992

Massage is an ancient and natural healing method. Now a days, it is very popular and useful. Because it's safe, without side effects, and not toxic or harmful to your health. The most advantage is the warm touch of the massage.

The first international document to mention about Thai massage was the memorandum of Simon de Loubere, French liaison to the Thai Royal Court in Ayutthia 1661.

Thai Massage has been taught from generation to generation by their own skill. The massage students learn by heart. Some of the difficult lessons were lost and omitted.