Michael Eisenberg will be leading a three week
trip to study at ITM in Chiang Mai in mid-November,
and some of the ITM-USA students will be on board for
their first Thailand adventure. Anyone interested in
participating, contact Michael directly at
Michael@..., or at 360-724-4673. Promises to be a great trip,
as they have been for over 7 years. Hopefully
everyone can meet up while there and exchange ideas.

Hello Ian, ITTA will have a large group in
Chiangmai four about three weeks in November, all though we
are not training at ITM this trip we will be
visiting. Additionally , I will be doing some breakouts in
Medical theory of traditional Thai Medicine and these
will be open to the public. I will be posting
schedules on the Thai Massage Network. Lastly, I will be
organizing a group blessing for Loi Krathong,on the River
Ping on behalf all practitioners, and students world
wide. This will be representing ITM, Old Medicine
School and ITTA as well. This ceremony also will be for
anyone who can make it. Be well, Dr. James

Hi, I am heading a trip to Thailand on 9th
October with a group massage therapists to spend 2 weeks
at ITM. Will any of the forum members be here at the
same time as it would be a great opportunity to meet
up with some like-minded practitioners.<br>Let me
know. I am also hopeful of spending some time with Poo
as I believe that he has great skills to pass on.
<br>Ian

Thanks, Rose. I will mail your message to a
mother who just found out her 5 year old son was
diagnosed with Tourette's. She is interested in seeking out
alternative treatments, so I want her to know what Thai
massage might have to offer. If I do get involved I will
keep you posted.<br><br>Before that however I will
take level I thru IV, and possible V, at ITM Chiang
Mai. It's thru this website that my love for Thai
massage has been rekindled to the extent that I want to
do whatever I can to improve my skills and
sensitivity. Thanks for all your efforts.<br><br>Inge

According to Mosby's medical dictionary, Gilles
de la Tourette (or Tourette's syndrome) involves
facial grimaces, tics, and involuntary arm and sholder
movements, possible use of obscene language, and has been
aided by treatment with dopamine antagonists (which
shows an organic interaction/cause). Tho I have not
worked on anyone with this condition, I think it would
be aided by Thai massage since the work seeks to
bring the body/mind back into balance. Acheiving a
relaxed, meditative state of mind coupled with an open,
flexible body, where a healthy, natural interaction exists
between all the systems of the body, could positively
affect the brain chemistry and neurological connections
such that the length and frequence of episodes could
be theoreticaly lessened.My treatment focus would be
on BALANCE, working the Sen lines (particularly
Kalathari, inside line 2) and the hara (abdomen) to help
restore organic harmony and emotional calm. Also focusing
on stretching, softening, opening the muscle groups
that are involved in the involuntary spasms (arm and
shoulder, upper back, face). Keep us updated if Thai
massage becomes involved in treatment. Good luck.

Does anyone know of the neurological illness called Giles de la Tourette? And if
so, what can be done to help thru Thai massage work?<br><br>Thanks,<br>Inge

My own experience with doing Thai while pregnant
was positive. I worked into my sixth month and
stopped when it was physically difficult to get into the
proper positions because my belly was getting too big! I
was doing daily practice of Tai Chi/Chi Kung and/or
yoga for my own physical/energetic benefit, and I am
sure it contributed immensely to a safe and healthy
and (predominantly) pleasant pregnancy and
birth.<br>What 'kiva' says I agree with - energy is meant to be
channelled from a higher source, that is part of the reason
it is important to connect with the Father Doctor
before each session. Trust your own inner voice and be
sure and do your own daily practice to cleanse and
clear and build your energy.<br>Also look at my earlier
message re: receiving Thai while pregnant.<br>Best
wishes, and welcome to the forum!

Thanks for your quick response. What you say
seems right. If I feel I lose energy giving massage
treatments, I must be doing something wrong, with or without
child. Anyway, it's not my experience to feel depleted,
rather the contrary. But if I do get pregnant I like to
be well informed. Thanks again.<br><br>Inge

Hello!<br>I have been studying energy therapies
for a few years and have not run into any concerns
about giving treatments while pregnant. As I understand
it , if the energy is channeled from it's greater
source and not in a way that depletes you of your
energy... then giving treatments can be as beneficial to
the giver as to the receiver. I will let you know if
I find any more information.

Hi, I live in the Netherlands and I've just
decided on a carreer change going from computers back to
massage and Thai massage in particular. I started up
giving TTM a couple of years ago, but due to an accident
I was physically unable to continue. Now I've heard
it is unwise for pregnat women to give energy
massages since the energetic exchange might interfere with
(that of) the baby. I don't know what to think. But
since I am hoping to become pregnant this is an
important issue to me. Anyone have any ideas.<br><br>Thanks

Just a welcome to the new members of the forum!
Feel free to post a message on any aspect of Thai
massage that interests you, or questions you may have, or
information you would like. The more the members interact,
the more beneficial the forum will be for you. Have
fun.

his forum is for discussion of Thai massage
related issues, support for Thai therapists, exchanging
of ideas, asking and answering questions about Thai,
and forming a COMMUNITY of Thai enthusiasts
supporting and assisting and helping each other.<br> As one
practices Thai massage, our understanding of what it is and
what it does evolves and shifts and grows...which is
part of the process. We can light the path for others
and have them light our way also, by remebering the
starting place for the spirit of this work...Compassion.
And by honoring the Father Doctor and being mindful.
<br> There is a saying from the Buddhist texts that I
like to remember which goes like this..."As the
mountain of solid rock remains unshaken by the storm, so
the wise man remains unmoved by praise or blame." And
another, which as a teacher I try to always keep in
mind..."Behave yourself as you instruct others. Train yourself
first before training others, for it is difficult to
train one's own self."<br>There are a number of
teachers of Thai massage now across the country, and I
imagine the number and quality will continue to expand as
people discover this work. Always check their
qualifications and get a referral from a previous student if you
can. It is also helpful if you "connect with" or feel
a respect for the teacher. But remember that
different people have different energies, and try to see
the truth that may lie behind words and actions.

here are more than one authorized
representitives of ITM in ChiangMai Thailand. We are the other
and the Older I might add. We actually participated
in the original formation of ITM in Thailand and are
proud of our long association. We teach and
professionally certify the complete curriculum in 21 states and
five countries, for over ten years. Master Chongkol is
a Certified Master member of our association since
1994. We have certified over fourthousand students in
the US in the ITM style curriculum which alltogether
is considered our Level Three Program. One serious
component in our comprehensive training consisting of five
levels. Please feel free to contact us at
<a href=http://www.thaimassage.com target=new>http://www.thaimassage.com</a> for
more information.

fternoon gang,<br> For the past few months
clients with mild cases of MS have been coming into my
practice and life. I met a doctor from Chicago who has
been using the rhythm of Thai Massage as a mind body
therapy for her MS patients. The results are quietly
amazing. Last weekend at a student clinic here in Atlanta,
we had a client, whose MS is in remission, seeking a
massage. I suggested a Thai massage which she agreed to.
The student was so focused it took her a hour to
complete the lateral lines on the legs of the supine
section. The client was positively goaling
afterwards.<br><br> If anyone has discovered or learned any protocols
for MS I would love to read about them. <br><br>Not
to mention I hope we use this forum to make a
collection of protocols or a source of knowledge based on
our experiences.<br>Peace. Chris

an, thanks for your input and spreading the word
about the forum to overseas practitioners. It could be
a very helpful way for us all to assist each other
in learning and growing with the work. I just read
in our local paper that the founder of the Golder
Door spas (one of the oldest in the US) feels THAI
MASSAGE is the massage of the future. So maybe even more
places will start looking for therapists to do the work,
which will benefit everyone, and as the Om Namo prayer
says, "may this healing medicine encircle the world".

i I'm just back from a great 3 weeks at ITM in
Chiang Mai, college is extremely busy at the moment with
a fantastic variety of students from all around the
world. So interesting to mix with so many people - you
can learn so much about world events and the
different approaches to bodywork. <br>Rose - I have
promoted this forum to all the interested bodyworkers , so
hopefully you might see an increase in numbers which will
be a good thing for Thai Massage.

i Rose! Just got back in town and saw your
message about CP. As you know, I also have a client who
is paralized, and also find it quite challenging to
do Thai. I think that my strong belief and love for
the work has helped me make some great progress with
my client. When I first started doing Thai Massage
on him I was mainly just doing as many of the energy
lines as I could, which over a short time made his
spasms less intense and less frequent. I am now able to
perform much more than just the energy lines, we have
slowly worked our way into doing much more of the leg
work in the front and side positions which seem to
help in releasing the muscle groups that get locked up
from sitting all day. I have also found a neat little
trick. whenever a spasm kicks in. I go down to Stomach
41 and press my thumbs in both points and it seems
to instantly relax the body and the spasm stops. It
has worked like a charm every time. Maybe you have
some input on why that is? Needless to say, the work
gets better and better every day. Does anyone know of
a Thai Massage therapist in Dallas, TX ? Thanks,
Angel

ative Thais are having a hard time getting visas
to come teach in the USA. They simply are not being
issued either tourist or work visas. This is a real
disadvantage for students of Thai massage here, and I would
like to do something about it! Realizing that I have
neither the time nor knowledge to tackle the immigration
dept. single-handily, I am putting out a call to all
interested parties to see if we can get together and come up
with a way to influence the dept. to start issuing
visas to let these teachers share their work with us.It
could just be a matter of communicating the desire to
have them here, and why their info is unique. So
perhaps gathering signatures would be a way to start. Or
maybe someone knows an immigration lawyer who could
point us in the right direction.Is anyone willing to
take on this project and see what can be organized? If
so, go for it!Please respond on the message board,
and let's see if we have a strong enough interest to
make some changes for the benefit of all interested in
traditonal thai massage.

have a new client who has C.P. due to spinal
meningitis as an infant, and it has been wonderfully fun and
challenging working with him. He is 14 and wheelchair bound.
I am interested in talking with anyone else who has
experience doing Thai on someone with CP, or on children, or
on people with paralysis. Thanks for your input!
Rose

i everybody,<br>I will visit ITM in January so
if anybody wants me to pass on any hello's or
messages to khru Chongkol or Atchara or any of the staff
let me know and I will be happy to do so.<br>I am
leaving for o/s next weekend so let me know before
then.<br>Ian

es, I rec'd Thai while pregnant, but only from
Arthur because I trusted his touch and neither of us
were sure how it would go!<br>Now I am much more
confident with Thai massage during pregnancy as I have
worked on a number of women at different
stages.<br>Follow the basic guidelines (no abdomen work, or if so,
VERY lightly), no lying on back and not too long on
front if in later months, emphasize side-lying
position, cautious with psoas & hip stretches, be aware
that tendons are loose and elastic-so do not go too
far with your stretches, emphasize leg lines as they
greatly relieve leg cramping and discomfort.<br>Re:
energy aspect, in all honesty, who knows exactly how our
energies interact with a spirit while it is in utero? We
know they can see and hear as they develop, but what
do they feel? Opinions vary as to when the spirit
enters the body, before or after a birth.<br>My personal
guidance with the energy aspect of the work with pregnancy
is to have the utmost respect, and to be very clear
not to interfer with the energy of the baby. We are
there to watch and assist and support while
facilitating opening and releasing, not to impose our energy
on them.<br>And always remember, if ever in doubt
about what to do in a session, let the client and the
Father Doctor guide you.

hris<br>Can not see any problems with TTM during
pregnancy provided you follow normal contraindications.
<br><br>The energy balancing and the stretching should be
very benefical -- TTM does not have to be "energetic"
in the sense that everything has to be pushed to the
extreme. <br>Just be mindfull of what you are doing and
let your client guide you. <br>Ian

he site looks wonderful! I am so glad someone
finally created a forum for Thai Massage, and especially
a world wide forum at that. <br>I do have a
question for the forum:<br><br>Does anyone know the do's
and don't's of giving a pregnant woman a Thai
Massage? I plan to follow western guidelines, but it is
the energetic side of the massage that has me
worried. Rose did you receive Thai massages while you were
pregenant?

ey Rose, I finally got hooked up! Nice to see the great responses to the club.
I've been having some great experiences lately with my sessions. Would love to
tell you about them soon.

ooking forward to having some interesting
discussions and exchanging some idea's on TTM.<br><br>I will
be in Chiang Mai at ITM with Khru Chongkol in early
January.This will be my 7th visit to ITM - starting to feel
like part of the family.<br>Would be interested in
hearing from other members if you have time .

isa, thanks for the great shots from Thailand
and your story about your trip there. Loved reading
about it. Makes me remember my trip and what a life
changing experience it was! Keep the news coming.

i Rose, nice web site. ;-) I just got back from
ITM in Chiang Mai, Thailand and had a wonderful time.
Chongkol at the school went so fast that I’m glad I took
Thai I & II at ITM in Lake Worth, FL before I went. It
made it a lot easier to keep up. I had the best Thai
Massage while there. 4 ½ hours with the best Thai massage
therapist in Thailand (probably the world). It was the most
incredible bodywork I have ever had and I’ve been in the
business for over 10 years now. The therapist was only 24
years old but really had a gift for Thai massage. I
think if it was the only thing I did the whole three
weeks the trip would have been worth it. The therapist
name is Poo. Just ask around at the school about how
to reach him. The rest of the trip was great as
well. Trekking through the Jungle, white water rafting
and riding the elephants were an experience of a
lifetime. I’ll post details and pictures from the trip on
my home page at <a href=http://www.jupiterflorida.com/lisa
target=new>http://www.jupiterflorida.com/lisa</a>
as soon as I get a chance to settle in.

elcome to this forum for Thai massage news and
ideas. My hope is that this site will serve as a
resource base and communication hub for Thai practitioners
spread around the country and world.<br>After my mentor,
friend, and teacher Arthur Lambert passed away last year,
I have felt a gap - how I miss our discussions
about Thai massage, meditation, chi kung, energy, the
Father Doctor, and life and healing!<br>Speaking with
others, I know that many of us would benefit from
developing a network of colleagues to share ideas and
questions and experiences with. That is one of the main
purposes of this forum.<br>Another purpose is to create a
link to ITM in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Some students who
just returned from Thailand used a "cybercafe" to
e-mail home about their experiences. This site could
serve as a place to visit with ITM students as they are
in Thailand, enabling their experiences to be shared
with those of us who are in our home countries. What a
great treat that would be!!<br>Feel free to post
messages about your work, what's going well and what's
not, and perhaps someone else out there can help you.
Or share inspiring stories, insights, experiences.
<br>And may we all be connected by Thai massage, and by
the Father Doctor. Sawasdee-ka!

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