MASSAGE AT THE TEMPLE©
by Carole Terwilliger Meyers
I am flat on my back in
a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand. My body is just one on a sea of cots
that resembles the operating ward in "M*A*S*H." My masseuse, who
speaks no English, straddles my leg, pressing hard on my inner thigh. Though I
speak no Thai, she has no trouble understanding my groan. In her saffron-colored
smock she smiles at me with friendly eyes, pushes more, and slowly releases her
hands. I feel heat emanating from the spot she has just released. She smiles
again and turns to my other thigh. I am mid-way through the best massage I've
ever had.
Recognizing the value of massage in healing the body, a turn-of-the-century Thai
ruler (at that time the country was known as Siam) established the Traditional
Thai Massage School at Wat Po temple (sometimes referred to as Wat Pho) so that
his subjects could afford to enjoy the blessings of a good massage. My one-hour
massage cost just $5.
This massage experience is not private, so clients remain in their street
clothes. It's a good idea to come in loose, old clothing. Oil isn't used, so
unless you want to add an herbal enhancement, which has staining properties (but
is also a great way to decorate up a t-shirt without going to the bother of
tie-dying), your clothes will not be damaged. Loaner shorts and shirts are
available if you ask. But not everyone worries about the end result. I saw a
Japanese woman in a stylish pantsuit stretched out on one cot, her fashionable
handbag doubling as a pillow.
Thai massage is based on the idea that invisible energy lines run throughout the
body. When these lines get congested, energy imbalances are created in the body.
So muscles need to be loosened and blockages disrupted to bring the body back
into harmony. Movements, though sometimes harsh, are never abrupt. My masseuse
continues, looking me over and then pressing firmly on various pressure points.
She manipulates muscles and pulls on my fingers until the knuckles pop, and
then, using her own body for leverage, she stretches my upper thigh by pushing
with her bare feet, followed by a hard pressing with the heels of her hands. A
few times she walks on me. I endure. This is an assertive body-to-body massage,
with my masseuse at times using her feet and elbows to execute the treatment.
Part-way through all this manipulation I fall into a Zen-like state and become
aware of the sharp mewing of a cat, of birds chittering in the trees, of a gecko
moving along the wall, of electric fans keeping things cool, and of the constant
chattering among the workers and between them and their children--who are with
them on the premises. I also take deeper notice of the fact that we are within a
covered pavilion with a chain link fence serving as walls; it is reminiscent of
a refugee encampment.
My massage ends with my masseuse looking me straight in the eyes. She plugs my
ears with her fingers, causing noise to fade away, and then quickly pulls them
out, causing a pop and the rapid return of reality. I'm still wondering what
that was all about.
After my massage, I explored the old temple site, which is best known for its
enormous Reclining Buddah, featuring mother-of-pearl feet and said to be half as
long as a football field (I was able to get only a small portion of it into my
camera's viewfinder). I also viewed its exotic chedis, or spires, and
inscriptions carved in marble in 1836 that illustrate the principles of Thai
massage. I heard too late from a Japanese-national friend, who was the person
who first told me about this Thai temple massage, that the gift shop here sells
a book on Thai massage written in English. I so wish I had purchased one when I
was there.
More expensive massages are also available in Thailand, as are the more
traditional styles of massage that we are used to in the West. But why opt for
anything less than this bargain native miracle? It is the perfect antidote to
pulling an over-packed suitcase, and to the general stress of travel.
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About the author:
Copyright 2001© by Carole
Terwilliger Meyers. Ms. Meyers is the author of WEEKEND ADVENTURES IN
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA and the editor of DREAM SLEEPS: CASTLE & PALACE HOTELS
OF EUROPE (both Carousel Press: http://www.carousel-press.com).
The author has granted one-time rights only. Reproduction of this work in whole
or in part, including reproduction in electronic media, without documented
permission from the author is prohibited.
You can reach her at:
P.O. Box 6038, Berkeley, CA 94706-0038
(510) 527-5849, e-mail: TraveLuv@aol.com
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