This past weekend, I went for my first Thai massage (Kenika Thai Massage for those of you who are interested).
Thai massage is fabulous! Here’s what you need to know:
1. The lady at the desk procured me a little bowl of water on a flower-covered serving tray. The provision of water is, without a doubt, one of my favorite parts of a body treatment service. Finally, someone concerned about my hydration. This is how dogs must feel all the time!
2. I was led into my little Thai massage room and given pajamas! Yes, I love spa robes. But I don’t love anything as much as I love pajamas.
3. This adorable Thai woman came into and started crawling all over my back. There is an element of surprise and wonder to the whole experience: “Is that her foot? Her elbow? Can she pull my arms any further back without dislocating my shoulder?” It promotes a vital sense of curiosity.
4. The massage table had a bowl of flowers underneath the space where I put my head. (See photo)
I thought this was an especially nice touch.
Because even with all the hydration and the spider-monkey massage techniques, I find it difficult to relax if I don’t have something to focus my mind on. It turns out obsessively counting plastic flowers is a good focal point (there are 16 in that bowl, in case you’re curious).
In deeper thoughts on relaxation (which I had time for while I was locked in the massage room with the nice spider-monkey-lady), I find images and easy, repetitive mental exercises help to lull my mind into a state of low-frequency thinking. I think it’s why people have meditation shrines and mantras. But anyway…
5. The best thing about Thai massage? No oil! I was free to wonder out of the room, enjoy some sweet Thai tea, and carry on about my day without a shower (there are many activities where I consider a shower optional, but being slathering in massage oil is not one of them).
Overall: Highly recommend!
(Disclaimer: it there is much more to the whole shrines/mantras thing, and bowls of anything in a place of relaxation are actually a big deal: check out extra information here and here).
Banner photo credit: Photo by Rune Enstad