Treatment
The temple tradition. The muscle is not loosened — the body is opened.
The Wat Po massage takes its name from the temple in Bangkok where the tradition was codified over two centuries ago. It is very different from what the West often calls "Thai massage" in its commercial forms. It is practiced clothed, on a mat on the floor, and combines deep pressure along the Sen energy lines with passive stretches similar to assisted yoga.
The sequence is precise, codified. It begins at the feet and rises through the legs, hips, torso, arms, neck, and head. The hands use their own weight more than muscular force. The stretches are taken with patience, never forced.
It is not a treatment for those seeking passive relaxation — it asks for a minimum of participation, a present breath. But at the end the body feels different: longer, more open, more in line.