Naga Think: What's in a Name - Thai "yoga" Massage

Thai massage is the most comprehensive bodywork modality that I know of. In it’s full glory it encompasses elements of acupressure, bone setting*, structural integration, herbalism, energy work, deep compression, myofascial release and spiritual healing. But of all the ingredients that make up Thai massage, it is the intensive stretching that captivates the western audience. So much so that we give it new names to reflect our love of the stretches. So much so that many if not most western practitioners of Thai massage do not even know all of the other ingredients.
Thai massage, with it’s beautiful and complex stretches is frequently referred to as “Thai yoga massage” or “the lazy man’s yoga”. These names however, are a misnomer that limits a multifaceted art form to just one of it’s many component parts. It is understandable of course that westerners would fall so in love, be so enthralled with the dramatic and dynamic stretches of Thai massage as to fail to truly notice the subtler yet often more penetrating aspects of the modality. Who can blame us for calling it “yoga”, when we have, in our passion, stripped it down to this one stunning part. Understandable, yet incorrect.
I would remind the western world that Thai massage pared down to little more than intensive stretching is a small and naked thing when held next to all of it’s glorious potential. And of course, “yoga” is an Indian creation, and Thai massage is, well, Thai. It even has a Thai name, “nuad boran”, which translates as “traditional massage”. Not, one might notice, “traditional stretching” or “traditional yoga”. In respect for Thailand, calling it either Thai massage, or nuad boran, seems less the cultural theft.
I know there are those who have stated that the stretching in Thai massage stems from India, and that the theory behind traditional Thai medicine is in actuality ayurvedic. However it is the argument of my teachers in Thailand that in fact the hunan body only stretches in so many ways and that regardless of your geography, work with stretching will result in positions that look the same the world over. The stretches in Thai massage, I am told, have been in the region of Thailand pre-dating Indian influence. Unfortunately, this comes from an oral history not likely to be discovered by westerners who do not speak Thai. Which of course, makes up the bulk of those writing about the subject.
As for the idea that Thai medical theory is in truth ayurvedic theory with a Thai veneer, I am taught that medicine goes with the land and that the medicine of Thailand is strongly rooted there. Evidence shows us that there were hospitals in the region one thousand years ago and common sense tells us that by the time one finds a hospital, there must be a long history of medical practice leading up to it’s creation. Work with an elder Thai massage master from outside the modern city limits and you will see an ancient art that is clearly connected to the dust of the bones of the local ancestors and not merely an import from a distant neighbor.
Then again, it would be false to deny the similarities between Thai and Indian medical theory. They are not complete, but they do exist. Thai medicine is not ayurveda, but the two do share common blood. Not siblings, but more like distant cousins, or half siblings. The beginnings of traditional Thai medicine pre-date ayurvedic medicine it is true, but that is not to say that there is no connection. It’s just an older connection, with the blood lines mingling when Indian medical theory was in a pre-ayurvedic state. Whatever marriage took place brought with it the genes of it’s own country, and the offspring, while now related to one another, grew into different beings. The resulting medical practice in Thailand is then, strongly based in traditional medicine from the region, yet does carry in it some traits from it’s Indian blood. But just as I would not call you by the name of your third cousin, I will not call traditional Thai medicine “ayurveda”, and I will not call Thai massage, “yoga” or any derivative thereof.
My hope is that in encouraging people to use the correct name for the modality, they will begin to see it in a more holistic sense and not focus purely on the stretches, which limits not only the scope of healing possible, but also the range of people capable of receiving Thai bodywork. I frequently work with clients who do not need, or cannot have dramatic stretches. Some of my most exciting and therapeutic sessions have not included a single noticeable stretch while other times they are the primary focus. One of the things that I love the most about Thai massage is how incredibly well rounded and multi-faceted it is. The toolbox inherent in it never ceases to amaze me. As a teacher of it, I strive to help my students to see the seemingly endless path of study and practice that Thai massage offers while at the same time giving respect always to the country of origin. I don’t wish to “Indianize” it any more than I would wish to “Westernize” it. Thailand is a thick deep rich country and it is enough for me to know that this is where this modality that I love so much comes from.

* bone setting refers to what westerners call chiropractic. It is a traditional medical skill practiced in many cultures. Of course, it’s use in Thai massage in the U.S. is subject to state laws.