Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1451559
Both of us spurred to experience and learn more of Thailand's magic, we swiftly made our way to our first traditional Thai massage course, in the northern capital of Chiang Mai, at the foothills of the Himalayas. LIVING METTA Thailand is steeped in rich Buddhist traditions, with a prevalence of temples (wats) as plentiful as coffee shops, and visitors may be surprised to receive the prolific local greeting of the wai (pronounced "why"). To perform the wai, bring your hands into prayer position and bow your head to your heart. This is the ubiquitous hello, a friendly bow performed not only in sacred sites but whenever you enter a Thai restaurant, when you check in at a hotel, or even when you ride in a tuk-tuk (some powered by engines, some fueled by human exertion, akin to the Flintstones' legwork). The prayer hands are often accompanied with the Thai greeting sawadee, which loosely translates as "May the Buddha bless you." Though we are not practicing Buddhists, this everyday act of surrendering the head to the heart and attesting to the divinity in all is perfectly aligned with our own values, and we feel at home in this honorific exchange. We have been blessed by the opportunity to study at the feet and under the hands (and sometimes under the feet, knees, and seats) of some of the greatest healers in Thailand, especially those in the north, near and around the healing mecca of Chiang Mai. Our first teacher more than 20 years ago was Ajahn Wasan at the Old Medicine Hospital, and since we've been inspired and impacted by the deep wisdom of Ajahn Pichest Bonnthumme, Kam Thye Chow, Mr. Nat, friends at the Sunshine Network, and many, many more. These teachers taught us more than a bodywork style. They helped us find the inspiration for a lifestyle that most aligns us with our passion and purpose: metta, the Thai expression for loving kindness. L i s te n to T h e A B M P Po d c a s t a t a b m p.co m /p o d c a s t s o r w h e reve r yo u a cce s s yo u r favo r i te p o d c a s t s 41 One of Buddhism's main goals is to release the world (and oneself ) of suffering. Thai bodywork indeed goes a long way in achieving this goal, and we were especially inspired by what our teacher Kam Thye Chow, founder of the Lotus Palm school, reinforced in his practical application of metta. He helped us discover how to use metta as a guiding principle for practicing, learning, and teaching Thai massage. Indeed, relieving suffering with Thai massage alone is powerful and possible. When you add in the bonus feature of metta, the healing potential is exponentiated! Focusing on metta both in and out of sessions allows us to grow the capacity of our nervous system to give and receive larger amounts of loving kindness for longer, sustained periods of time. This has been so central to our lives that several years ago we changed our continuing education business name and our personal life intention to "Living Metta." Living metta or embodying loving kindness is practiced when we can answer yes to these two questions: Does it feel good to receive (metta for your client)? And does it feel good to give (metta for you)? According to Living Metta, if it feels good to give and good to receive, you're doing it right. With that in mind, we want to share a few of our favorite Thai approaches to practice and grow your metta. BACK WALKING This technique can be practiced traditionally on the floor or on a massage table and is easiest to perform with your clients clothed. Begin with your client sitting in a comfortable position in the center of the mat or table (be sure they are not sitting in the center crack of a table). Sitting behind your client, ask them to reach their hands behind them and interlace wrist to wrist or palm to palm. On your client's exhale, begin to gently press one foot alongside the