Courses

WEEKEND INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOPS (12-14 HOURS)

This weekend workshop is a wonderful introduction to Thai Yoga Massage. You will learn about the historical and cultural foundations of this healing art as well as its spiritual background. The focus, however, will be hands-on skills, and students will learn a basic and relaxing one hour Thai Massage routine. Emphasis is placed on safe and easy to learn techniques and correct body mechanics. Short guided meditations and simple Qi Gong and yoga exercises are also included as a preparation for the practice.

This course is great fun and open to anyone. It is especially useful for massage therapists wishing to inspire their practice, yoga teachers to enhance their adjustment skills and understanding of body mechanics, and anybody who would just like to share this wonderful gift with friends or family.

BEGINNERS INTENSIVES (9-12 DAYS)

This intensive training course is designed for students who want to gain in depth theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the healing art of Traditional Thai Yoga Massage. It is usually done in retreat form and includes six hours of demonstration and supervised practice per day. Additionally, an optional introduction to meditation and a Qi Gong or Yoga class are offered in the mornings.

As a participant in this course you will learn

to give a complete 2 hour Thai Yoga massage, covering all 4 positions; Supine (patient lying on their back), Side-lying, Prone (patient lying on their front) and Sitting position

to adjust your massage to different patient and body types

correct body mechanics, alignment and working principles

to develop sensitivity in your touch and how to “listen with your hands”

a wide range of therapeutic applications and pressure points

therapeutic routines for common ailments such as headache, lower back pain and knee pain

energetic, emotional and spiritual aspects of Thai Massage

to apply the Buddhist principles of mindfulness and loving kindness to your work and beyond it

the historical and cultural foundations of Thai Yoga Massage

After completion of this training, students have a very solid foundation in this ancient therapy. Many decide to take their practice to a professional level.
The course is also a profound inner journey and a deeply healing personal experience. Participants usually leave rejuvenated, happy and shining…and with new friends and new inspiration for their lives.

A typical day looks like this:

06:30-07:15 Meditation
07:15-08:30 Yoga / Qi Gong
08:30-10:00 Breakfast and Rest
10:00-13:00 Demonstration and Practice
13:00-15:00 Lunch and Rest
15:00-18:00 Practice
18:00-19:00 Dinner

ADVANCED COURSES (4-5 DAYS)

Advanced trainings cover different topics and are designed for students who already have a firm foundation in Thai Yoga Massage and wish to take their practice to a deeper level.

A minimum of 5 days basic training is required as a prerequisite for attendance.

Although the focus of each course is on a specific theme, there is always enough room for exchange and discussions, sharing and exploring questions that have come up in participants’ practice.

The following Advanced Courses are offered at the moment:

ADVANCED THAI MASSAGE TECHNIQUES

In this 5 day advanced intensive, a wide range of different techniques, alternatives and variations are taught, building on the basics covered in beginners courses. We cover all 4 positions; Supine, Side-lying, Prone and Sitting position. Special emphasis is placed on correct body mechanics and finding ways to apply effective techniques while conserving one’s own energy as a therapist. Another focus is on exploring how we can integrate the use of feet, elbows and knees into our work to make it less strenuous and more creative.

As a participant you will leave this course with a lot of new skills and inspiration. You will learn the tools to take your practice to the next level, making it more comfortable, more efficient and more rewarding.

THAI YOGA MASSAGE FOR PREGNANCY/ SIDE POSITION COURSE

This course focuses on adapting Thai Massage to the needs of pregnant women and patients who can’t lie on their backs comfortably. The Side-lying position is a wonderful alternative for these patient groups. It is very comfortable and stable and allows us to do a complete and intensive workout on all energy lines and parts of the body.

In this course you will learn to give a complete 2 hour whole body Thai Yoga Massage in the Side-lying position. Special emphasis is placed on adapting the work to the needs of pregnant women. The different stages of pregnancy and their indications and contraindications as well as the use of props will be discussed.

Although this course is designed mainly for practitioners who want to offer Thai Yoga Massage to pregnant women, it is also suitable for anybody wishing to inspire their practice and expand their repertoire in the Side-lying position.

THE 10 SEN- ENERGY LINES OF THAI MASSAGE

In this course we examine the network of the 10 main energy lines that are traditionally worked in Thai Yoga Massage (10 Sen). Although it strongly benefits the physical body, Thai Massage has always been primarily energy work. Its main goal is to facilitate optimum flow of vital energy in the energy body. We will explore what this energy is all about, how it affects us and how we can open up to and perceive it.
We will examine the specific ways and techniques of energy balancing used in Thai Massage and compare the 10 Sen with other energy line systems such as the Chinese or the Shiatsu meridians.

The exact running as well as the therapeutic implications of the 10 individual lines form a central part of this course. We will also look at how different exercises address different energy lines.
This course will bring your understanding of Thai Yoga Massage to a much deeper and subtler level. It will also give you the tools and the knowledge to be a lot more specific and therapeutic in your work.

ACCUPRESSURE POINTS IN THAI YOGA MASSAGE

Although the primary focus of balancing the body’s energies in Thai Yoga Massage is by working the Sen lines, acupressure points are also an important part of our practice. They are used therapeutically to treat a big variety of symptoms and conditions, and to ensure general wellbeing and health. The pressing of acupressure points is usually incorporated into a whole body massage but can also be done separately for quick and specific therapeutic intervention.

This course covers a large number of acupressure points that are used in Thai Yoga Massage as well as their exact locations and indications. We look at different ways and techniques how to work the points and also introduce several point- routines/workouts to treat specific problems and ailments.

USING YOUR FEET IN THAI YOGA MASSAGE

Except for the head and face, all other parts of the body and all the Sen lines can be worked very comfortably and effectively with the feet. Incorporating the use of your feet as a therapist has the tremendous advantage of stronger grounding. The release of subtle energetic tensions, both your own and your patient’s, becomes easier, and you feel more centered during and after your massage. For your patient, receiving work with the feet also has a very solid and grounded quality, allowing for deep relaxation.
In this course we will develop the necessary sensitivity in the feet and look at the different possibilities and effects of using heel, instep, balls of feet and toes. A multitude of positions and techniques are taught that enable you to creatively work with your feet while standing, squatting, sitting or half-kneeling.