Thailand Spa Paradise

Thai Spas

By Chami Jotisalikorn

Thai spas may be known the world over for their pampering and rejuvenating treatments, but what few people realise is that the feel-good factor of these Thai spa treats comes from their origins as ancient health and beauty therapies in the Thai healing tradition that have been practiced by local people for centuries.

Thai traditional healing is based on the use of herbal remedies and traditional practices such as massage and heat therapies. In olden times, each village had a traditional healer who used a combination of herbal knowledge and shamanism to cure their patients. Traditional healing carried with it elements of spirituality, such as the performance of rites and rituals when picking certain plants and flowers. Traditional practitioners believe that herbal healing is based on the healer's belief in the power of nature and earth, and the ability to harness the power of plants and minerals for energy. The practice of traditional healing was kept within families, and the knowledge was passed down orally from generation to generation, thus certain families in some provinces gained fame for their particular skills.

Like many aspects of Thai culture, certain aspects of traditional Thai healing were brought over in the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC from India with the spread of Buddhism. Buddhist missionary monks brought with them knowledge of ancient Indian healing techniques, which were absorbed by local folk healers. Thus, many people may be surprised to learn that the stretching and twisting poses performed by the masseuse during a traditional Thai massage are derived from the stretching poses of Indian yoga.

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