ABOUT THAI YOGA MASSAGE (TYM)
Touch seems to be as essential as sunlight.
(Diane Ackermann)
The traditional Thai-Massage or ‘Nuad Phaen Boran’ (in Thai) has its origins in India. The doctor Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha (this is only one name, he is also called Shivago Komarpaj) is seen as the founder. He was a contemporary and friend of Buddha and the physician of Magadha King Bimbisara more than 2,500 years ago. Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha is respected and revered as ‘father of medicine’.
The theoretical foundation of TYM are invisible energy lines in and around the body. This energy body represents, so to speak, a second skin, it is our vital energy, the so-called Prana, and provides us with vital energy. The TYM focuses on ten energy lines, the Sip Sen (in Thai). The background of this theory comes from the Yoga philosophy.
The physical body is always the vehicle for imbalances in the energy bodies, so a physical, emotional, mental, psychological or spiritual imbalance can be the trigger or even a combination of them. By massaging and pressing the physical body the blockages are released and a harmonic prana flow is activated, in addition, pain is alleviated, diseases are healed or even prevented. The TYM regulates the energy flow in all bodies and can therefore be regarded as a holistic massage.
This healing art is closely linked to the Buddhist teachings, so it is not a mechanical massage but is understood as a spiritual practice. Originally, this type of massage was given and taught in temples. The Wat Pho Temple in Bangkok is still one of the most famous schools today. Therefore to unfold the full power of a TYM the training of mindfulness (=Vipassana Meditation) and the development of Metta (=loving kindness) are important parts for learning this healing art properly.
ABOUT SUNSHINE NETWORK
BY ASOKANANDA
Asokananda (Harald Brust) was born in 1955 in Western Germany. He studied social pedagogy. From 1978 onwards Asokananda travelled regularly to Asia and since 1983 he lived mainly in India, Sri Lanka and Thailand and taught Yoga, meditation and Traditional Massage.
Asokananda was one of the first Western teacher for Traditional Thai-Massage. He opened a school in a Lahu hill tribe village, 80 km north of Chiang Mai, to pass this unique form of healing to the people from Western countries and to clear the inhered connection to prostitution.
Asokananda published the book ‘The Art of Traditional Thai Massage’ in Bangkok in 1990, which was the first book about Thai-Massage not written in Thai language. And he founded the Sunshine Network to spread the word about the great benefit of TYM in the world through authorized teachers.
Asokananda died on June 24th in 2005. The family and a few teachers decided to continue the Sunshine Network and the school. To keep Asokananda’s teachings and the Sunshine Network alive even today people are trained to become a teacher by the three senior teachers Laurino Bertelli, Andrea Baglioni and Kira Balaskas.