|
|
| Thought I might start a post with a more accurate subject in case it might help folks interested in TYM to find it...
So I finally had my first session yesterday, and I feel great. I don't, however, feel like I've had any sort of workout, there is nothing but relaxed muscles in my body, and so I think my body could have handled a yoga practice later in the day if it had been possible. My teacher, who gave me the massage, told me at the end that I might be sore later on, but that she didn't think so since I already practice yoga regularly. I also think that since it was the first time, she was a bit "conservative" in some of the work she did, and now that she knows my body better, I think next time she will concentrate more on problem areas that she found and go a bit deeper into the stretches.
She pointed out that I have a lot of tension in my forearms, which isn't a place I had identified as problematic on the questionnaire I was asked to fill out beforehand. She's right though, when she did work on that it felt a bit painful. She even thinks that the pain I sometimes get in my wrists (which has been lessened since I've been practicing yoga mind you) is because of my tense forearms. I had accepted them as just a consequence of working as a waitress, but maybe she can do something for them with further sessions. She also found my feet to be holding a lot of tension, and will do more stuff to them next time (please do! felt amazing!). And, no surprise there, she found that I have extremely loose hips, but also shoulders apparently. She thinks that is caused by my scoliosis: since it affects the range of motion in my spinal column, my hips and shoulders compensate by doing more of the movement, she said. It seems my spine is quite bendy in the backbend direction, but less so in forward bending.
I tried very hard to relax and not resist her in the movements she created. I had to be reminded a couple of times, but eventually relaxed into it. One of the best parts was a bit unnerving. She did stuff to my head and neck, felt outstanding, but before she began, she spent some time sort of hovering near my head. My eyes were closed so I don't know what she was doing, but I could actually feel it even though she wasn't touching me. Also, she did something that activated my digestion, as I could feel rumbles in my tummy for the rest of the day - and I'm almost certain that it was from doing something to my upper calf and knee area that triggered it. Weird.
It was a 90 min session and I wanted it to never end. In fact, when it was over, I was all bundled up in some blanket, felt like I was levitating or floating on a cloud, and it took me a few minutes to successfully reactivate my limbs in order to get up. I felt light for the rest of the day, and still do to a lesser degree. I had these energy pulses running through my body, like shivers without the cold, the kind I get sometimes in savasana. And after a few minutes, I kind of felt exhilerated, like after learning some very exciting and happy news, and felt like laughing out loud.
I really appreciated that she did not just jump right in to the massage and then end it abruptly. She took the time to discuss my various issues beforehand, inquired about the quality of my shoes and encouraged me to invest in a better pair, and answered my questions. Afterwards, she sat down with me, answered my questions again, discussed what she had found, and even took the time to demonstrate some yoga poses and ways that I should modify them to get something out of them despite my freakish hips.
She thinks I should return for another treatment in one month at the latest. If you wait too long, it seems, the effects of the former massage dissipate completely and then you can't have a sort of cumulative effect. I wasn't originally planning on going more than once, and maybe again in many months, but now I definitely want to see what will come of future sessions. She mentioned that it is different everytime, and already has things in mind that she will do next time. So I'll be looking forward to that.
So, I think I can genuinely recommend Thai Yoga Massage now. With a good practitioner that you can learn to trust, it can be a very rewarding experience. I'm sure mine will be even better next time when I have a sense of what to expect and am even more comfortable with my teacher.
sp |
|
| |
|
Location: Upstate NY | Om Namah Sivaya
SP,
Great story! 
Can't wait to go to get my TYM certificate myself, I plan on going at the end of May.
Om Shanti,
Ravi |
|
| |
|
Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| sp - sounds awesome. I am not surprised at all that you have wrist/forearm issues - keyboarding! I know there is a stomach meridian that runs in the upper calf/knee area. I could never find it myself, but have had treatments that activate it. The note about scoliosis is interesting. At least one of my students who has it also has very flexible hips. I am going to observe the others (I am amazed at how many people have scoliosis!) and see if it holds true in general. |
|
| |
|
| I suppose that I could look it up, but I'll be lazy and just ask... Ravi, what's involved in getting certified for thai yoga massage? Is it a lengthy program? Are there some prerequisites, such as already having a few years of experience in regular yoga, or some sort of degree (like university)? It would seem to require a pretty advanced understanding of the human body. Anyways, I was pretty impressed.
Tourist, you mean to say that there might be a way to learn to stimulate some spots on yourself like they do in this massage? I thought it was rather interesting that my tummy responded in this way, and I do have some rather frequent digestive troubles, so it might be nice to actually figure out a way to stimulate that "stomach meridian" you talk about.
After going to yoga today, I can't say that the massage had a very discernable impact on my ashtanga practice. I suppose that I felt a little more comfortable in downdog than I usually do, but that could just be because I was reverting to my old ways, I can't be sure because for some reason the teacher today hardly did any adjustments on anyone, and none on me. I did modify some of my poses the way she suggested I should, and found new parts of my back being activated, which was nice. And I came out of it still feeling a bit of that residual floatiness from yesterday.
I don't know if this is related, but I fell so deep into meditation that I completely lost track of the stuff the teacher was saying. I almost missed moving from seated meditation to savasana, and then back to seated for the final chant... I was completely tuned out. Maybe it's a sign of being more relaxed, I don't know.
sp |
|
| |
|
Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| sp - yes, my chiro tried to teach me several times how to activate that particular pressure point but I never got the hang of it. You could look it up on any online accupuncture chart, I'm sure. I never had that much change from the point, which is likely why I didn't work on finding it. Essentially my problem is with the opening to my stomach, rather than digestive issues per se anyway. |
|
| |
|
| you might be interested in the training through this group--Touch of Asia in sterling VA--it's where i get my training and they're great.  hppp://www. greatmassageva.com |
|
| |
|
Location: Upstate NY | Om SP,
I have been mulling the idea of going to Thailand........ I even have been excepted to a school in Miang Chai to start training in late June.
But within the last several weeks I have been corresponding with a friend who is presently in Thailand now. Her suggestion was for me to learn Thai not having to be in Thailand. Practice for a year and then go to Thailand and study under a master healer.
So now I am kicking the idea back and forth of participating in the Lotus Palm 420 practitioner certification in Montreal.
I have spoken with a couple members of the staff on the phone and really like what i have see and heard so far. Plus one of the head teachers is a disciple of Swami Vishnu Devananda and still has a great deal to with the various Ashrams, this is which leads me to assume the practice is reputable.
But things are still in the air........ just taking it a day at a time right now. Thank you for the story of your experience though......... it deepens my desire to learn Thai.
Om Shanti,
Ravi |
|
| |
|
| Hey Ravi, as you may or may not know, I am in Montreal, so there is a fairly good chance that my yoga teacher who is also a TYM practitioner attended the program you are talking about... Don't know if you are looking for individual opinions to help you make your decision, but I could ask her what she thought of the program if you like. And the bonus? Being in Montreal means you could come to my amazing studio, if you happen to be a fan of ashtanga anyways.
I have a question... I was talking to the chef at my restaurant (he's an avid fan of body work and has tried many different types, though not TYM) and he happened to mention that he gives a tip... Being in the service industry myself, I don't know why I didn't think to give one. Is it an expected standard, or a welcome surprise, or inappropriate, to tip a TYM practitioner? I'm embarassed at the thought of having done wrong perhaps and would like to rectify the situation as soon as I see my teacher again, so I'd love to know what the appropriate approach to tipping is. 
And another question (you all know I'm full of them!!): does it make sense to you that my skin has started to break out like crazy? I don't have the best skin to begin with, and had hoped my increased practice (and sweating) would eventually improve by detoxing my body a bit, but not much change has come until the day after my TYM, when I started to breakout like mad! I feel like a teenager again, in the bad way. I suppose it could have nothing to do with it, but could it have been caused by some sort of toxin release that has worked its way into my skin? I need to drink more water, methinks.
sp |
|
| |
|
| "I had these energy pulses running through my body, like shivers without the cold, the kind I get sometimes in savasana. And after a few minutes, I kind of felt exhilerated, like after learning some very exciting and happy news, and felt like laughing out loud." Taken out of context, anybody else notice what this might also be describing? Certainly sounds like afterglow to me. Moving energy around is truly a wonderful thing. Glad you had such a positive experience, and now you can understand how Thai could be considered more related to bodywork than to traditional massage. OM |
|
| |
|
| "I don't know if this is related, but I fell so deep into meditation that I completely lost track of the stuff the teacher was saying. I almost missed moving from seated meditation to savasana, and then back to seated for the final chant... I was completely tuned out. Maybe it's a sign of being more relaxed, I don't know." I would say it's related, sure. How did you feel when you were "tuned out"? Just kinda spaced out and out of it, or more like blissed, or expanded and totally connected? And if my question makes no sense, no worries. I just had to ask. OM |
|
| |
|
| Hm, how did I feel? Well, in regards to the "afterglow" thing, um, it didn't feel like what you're thinking about, but I guess I could say it felt equally good,  .
As for my feeling as I was in seated meditation and savasana in my class the next day, it was not a "tuned out" feeling, but a "tuned in" feeling. I wasn't thinking about anything, but I felt sort of like I was inside my own body and mind more than I have felt in, well, ever. Sort of like being in a bubble that was not being penetrated by anything outside of my being, no sensory data, no nothing. But I wouldn't say it was blissful, but it was "unblissful" to have to pull out of it. I wonder how long I would have stayed spaced out like that if I had been left to my own devices...
sp
Edited by slowpie6 2007-01-28 9:10 PM
|
|
| |
|
Location: Upstate NY | Om SP,
I would be quite interested to hear if your teacher recieved her TYM training from Lotus Palm and her opinion of it.
In regards to trying out your studio if i were to come up there......... I would Love to. I always go to various studios during my travels, it is so inspirational. I guess i will need to brush up on the primary series
Om Shanti,
Ravi
Edited by Ravi 2007-01-29 8:20 AM
|
|
| |
|
| i chose ToA, a part of Tao Mt, because i liked the perspective of Tao Mt. the training is great, though maybe not as cool as staying in montreal. though i stayed in an awesome, rural hostel which was nice (except you had to be back by 10 or they locked you out!).
my plan has been to do the complete training with Tao Mt, which is to intern in the basic courses and then take the advanced one this summer or next fall. And then eventually go to thailand to study. there is also a thai herbalism class and thai language classes that i can take--so i may do those before i go to thailand too. i haven't decided yet.
|
|
| |
My first thai yoga massage
