Thai Massage with Rissa
Serving the St. Pete/Tampa Bay Area
THAI MASSAGE IS THE FOLK BODYWORK PRACTICE OF THAILAND. IT FALLS UNDER A LARGER UMBRELLA OF THAI HEALING, WHICH IS INFORMED BY BUDDHIST PRINCIPLES, LOCAL THAI CULTURE, AND THE PRACTICAL NECESSITY OF CURING REGIONAL AILMENTS. THAI MASSAGE HAS BEEN MADE INTERNATIONAL BY TRAVELERS AND BY FOREIGN PRACTITIONERS.
ACCORDING TO THAI MEDICAL THEORY, THERE ARE ENERGY LINES CALLED ‘SEN’ IN THE BODY, THROUGH WHICH THERE NEEDS TO BE FREE-FLOWING MOVEMENT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN GOOD HEALTH. IN A THAI MASSAGE SESSION, THE PRACTITIONER WILL WORK TO MOVE ENERGY ALONG THE SEN BY COMPRESSING AND STRETCHING THESE LINES.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN A SESSION WITH RISSA:
Range of Motion + Compression. Efficiently and effectively releasing tension to free up better movement in the body.
Wearing comfortable clothing in which you can stretch and move around easily.
“Playing Dead” (aka relaxing your body) - there’s no need to help unless otherwise prompted by the practitioner!
Noticing how the techniques feel to different parts of your body - any patterns in your thoughts or emotions. Try to practice non-attachment, letting go of tension, effort, and resistance.
Keep in mind that receiving is a skill! Between the practitioner’s techniques and how you are feeling that day, we are trying to find your edge - the extent to which you can release into discomfort. Too much discomfort can cause the body to contract and reject the therapeutic techniques; too little might not elicit the desired effects. Together, the client and practitioner try to find this “edge” - not too much, not too little.