|
|
| I asked this within another thread, but got no response so I thought I'd ask in a separate post in case someone else knew the answer...
Are you supposed to tip the Thai Yoga Massage Practitioner? Is it expected, or just a nice gesture, or inappropriate like it would be to tip your doctor?
Thanks!
sp |
|
| |
|
| Well since you asked TWICE... I don't have the answer, but I did find this link with a discussion of your question. Well, it's about massage therapists in general, not specifically TYM, so maybe you'll find some insight there anyway. And while I was out googling... I found this entire list of who to tip and how much. I don't know, I'm a useless information junkie, I thought it might be interesting! OM |
|
| |
|
| my answer is that i do not know.
i've never tipped any of the massage therapists that i've worked with--and no one has ever mentioned to me that tipping is part of it. and, i've only been tipped once--when i gave a free 1/2 hour thai massage.
so, i would say generally no--as i've never done it nor had anyone tip me really. so there that is. |
|
| |
|
Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| I might tip in a spa setting but in a theraputic setting, I treat the worker as a professional. I don't tip doctors, lawyers, teachers, so why tip a therapist? |
|
| |
|
| Well folks, after reading your posts and following the links that were posted by OM, I decided to stop being such a scaredy-cat and just ask my teacher/TYM practitioner herself. So I hung out and waited for her after class, apologized for not having thought of it before, and asked whether it was customary to give a tip. She sort of shrugged it off, in a "bah, don't worry about it" sort of way, to which I insisted that she'd done wonders for me and I would like to tip her if it was acceptable, so she accepted my tip gratefully and happily. She then explained that some people tip and some don't, that it isn't expected but it is welcome when someone chooses to tip. I'm in the service industry myself (restaurant, mind you, where it's expected...) and I know what a difference it can make when someone goes beyond the expected and gives a little more. And I'm not talking about a financial difference, I'm talking about the good feeling you get from a gesture that says you did a particularly good job. I felt she did, and she deserved it.
It was also an opportunity to discuss my treatment a bit more, and I mentioned how weird things had been happening to my body since the massage, like my upset tummy for a couple of days. I said I thought that she'd loosened up some toxins in my body and I was really getting cleaned out... She also suggested that the sickness (fevers, migraines, chills, weakness, sinus congestion) I've been fighting these past few days, which has finally turned out to be a bad case of sinusitis, might have been triggered by the massage and the toxins being released, and that it could be a good thing... not that it's good to be sick, but that at least it is coming out and then I should feel better. I think she may be right, which puts a good spin on the miserable state I'm in. I skipped yoga on Tuesday because I was too ill, but went yesterday since my fever had broken, and felt marvelous for a few hours, then back to sick again. I went this morning despite a migraine and bad sinus pressure, and I feel much better now again.
And now, I want another massage!!! I'm going to hold off for another 3 weeks, but I swear I would happily go every week if money was no object!
sp |
|
| |
|
Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| sp - I would get that checked. A sinus infection can flatten you for weeks. Sometimes it is gradual and you don't really notice how sick you are until you cave and get antibiotics (or whatever treatment - I bet accupuncture would work too) and suddenly don't feel like crap anymore. Lots of up and down poses - 2 minute uttanasana, 2 minute urdhva hastasana sort of stuff plus deep twists can release the blockage sometimes. |
|
| |
|
| Oh yeah, I waited a couple of days when it was still unclear to me what was going on, but I went to the doc's this morning after yoga and got me a prescription for antibiotics. This morning's experience (prior to going to yoga) made it clear that some sort of medical intervention was necessary (don't make me go into the details it was icky!). And yes, the yoga has helped with the stuffiness, I feel much better after practice, and it takes a couple of hours before I get crappy again. From what I read, it appears that sarvangasana and halasana are therapeutic for sinusitis, so I tried it on Tuesday (my sickliest day) and it worked wonders, I felt cleared up and was easily able to fall asleep. For a while at least...
sp |
|
| |
|
| I would say it depends where you get the TYM. In Thailand, a tip is expected and appreciated, of course. As a TYM practicioner, we are not told that we should not accept a tip either.
Tips are sometimes even given to yoga instructors teaching private classes.
If you are in a country where salaries are "good" and/or if the spa is owned by the masseur, you may not wish tip. Otherwise, ...
it is up to you.
 |
|
| |
Tip for TYM practitioner?
