THAI BO D YW OR K I N YOUR C L A SSR O OM a fusion of Thai & TCM at school

Submitted in partial fulfi!ment of the requirements for the diploma of Thai Massage Master Practitioner Bodyharmonics Institute, Cheltenham, GB January 2009

Thai Bodywork in Your Classroom

Karen de Bie

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TA BL E OF CONTEN TS Introduction

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Whereto From Here?

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What is Thai Massage

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Qi

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Holistic Healing

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Massage and Your Classroom

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The Program

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Gym Sessions

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Class Sessions

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Concluding

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THAI BO D YW OR K I N YOUR C L A SSR O OM a fusion of Thai & TCM at school Karen de Bie

January 2009

✤Introduction In the East, we stumble accross massage. It is seen on street markets, at the hairdressers’, in public. When a mother comes home from work, she has her child walk over her sore arms while watching TV together. In the West, (Thai) Massage has been reserved for (ill) adults and sometimes infants but what about children and adolescents? Thai Bodywork is an ideal adjunct to pediatrics not only for its numerous effects on common mental health issues, but also because it provides a clear container for touch issues to be met in a psychologically effective manner. Thai Massage is an excellent addition to an integrative model of health care and should be readily available for all. The provision of massage at community health centers and schools would help provide services to those that would otherwise not be able to afford them.

with thanks to BSO Naranja, 2008

In my family, massage has its distinct unique place. During childhood, and now with my own family, I am steadily shown the self-healing benifits of touch through massage. Years ago, I took up Thai Massage in Chiang Mai, Thailand, to respond to the needs of clients in my practice. My sessions had increasingly better results and it became clear to me that my way is the Thai way. Ideally, massage would be part of our daily routine in personal well-being. Preventive maintenance and a means of attentive family-contact. However, in my practise it became clear to me, that a majority of clients only turns to massage for aid, when other treatments have failed. I also noticed that many clients who came in for massage (whether consciously or unconsciously) did so because of unmet touch needs. The reasons for the lack of touch were many. Working with the body-unconscious via touch can help release trauma, emotional holding patterns, and body armor in a way that cannot be done via talk therapy alone. Thai Bodywork in Your Classroom

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So I wished to take my treatments to another level. Maria Mercati and Peter Packard of the Bodyharmonics Institute in Great Britain taught me better fluidity in the familiar routines and various movements. They also showed me the missing link to broaden my knowledge: “Maria Mercati will also include basic Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the location and function of 100 energy-points. The knowledge of meridians and acupoints makes the use of Thai massage more therapy oriented. Her courses are specifically structured to include 14 energy channels and their main energy points so as to make them highly relevant to the techniques being taught. Being able to accurately locate the energy channels and their specific energy-points, feeling and locating pathological changes in the underlying tissues is an essential for the use of Thai massage as a therapy to treat musculoskeletal problems rather than just a wellness massage. We also cover basic TCM theory enabling you to make a diagnosis based on Yin & Yang, Qi, Jing, Shen, Blood & Body Fluids.” (www.bodyharmonics.co.uk)

Whereto From Here? I meet children on a daily basis. Some of them are very laid back, or shy. Some of them are diagnosed with ADHD. Others have touch taboos or are being bullied by peers. I have noticed most feel quickly at ease with me when they wonder what I do as a masseuse and I show them some ‘cool’ moves and some ‘mysterious’ points they can try on each other. One thing led to another, and last year I started giving Thai Massage sessions at a daycare center and school. This essay explores the potential of Thai Bodywork with a pinch of TCM in our classrooms. ✴ Thank you children and teachers of BSO Naranja and Nassau School, for having me.

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✤What is Thai Massage Thai Massage therapy is a wonderfully flowing sequence of gentle controlled stretches interspersed with pressure applied to various parts of the clothed body. It teaches the subtle and complex interactions between the giver and receiver which are so important in Thai Massage therapy at all levels. (www.bodyharmonics.co.uk) Thai Massage, or Thai Bodywork as we know it now originates in Asia more or less 1000 years ago. It is said it was brought over to Thailand by Shivago Komarpaj over 2500 years ago.The great ancient civilizations of China and India developed complex medical traditions involving holistic approaches to total health of mind, body and spirit. And it makes sense that the birth of Thai Massage would be in South East Asia, where Chinese Confucius and Indian Brahmin civilization would exert their influences to various degrees.

Qi Based on the theory of the flow of energy between specific points on the periphery of the body and the internal organs, Thai Massage is a fusion of TCM and Ayurveda for meridian use; Tai-Chi and Yoga for numerous positions. The energy-highways are called Sen. The Chinese call energy Qi (Yogic Nadis in India) and it travels through meridians. It is not just the energy that makes you get up and go to work, it is all the energy we use both physically and mentally. Additionally, it is the energy of interactions with others, our connections, and our environment. The idea of Qi signifies a certain strength. Health comes from an abundance of Qi in the body and this abundance effects our mental abilities to focus and direct our energy. (www.yinyanghouse.com)

Holistic Healing Holism (from ὅλος holos, a Greek word meaning all, entire, total) is the idea that all the properties of a given system (physical, biological, chemical, social, economic, mental, linguistic, etc.) cannot be determined or explained by its component parts alone. Instead, the system as a whole determines in an important way how the parts behave. (http://en.wikipedia.org) In Thai philosophy, life is holistically viewed as a combination of energy, body and mind/heart. The energy travels along the Sen-lines and nurtures the mind/heart and body together. The true practise of the art of healing is in the compassionate intent of the healer. What is impressive is the degree to which this natural instinct for healing touch has historically been developed and sys-

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tematized in Asia while it has largely remained dormant in many western cultures. (C. Pierce Salguero) Holistic healing means taking a holistic approach when seeking treatment for imbalances and choosing to live a more balanced lifestyle. What primarily distinguishes holistic healing apart from alternative medicine, complementary medicine, and integrative medicine is that physical health is not necessarily the main focus. Physical illnesses are the symptoms of a greater imbalance that may or may not have a root cause in the physical. Holistic healing addresses all parts of the individual, and is an ongoing journey of discovery in search of more answers and ultimately; living better, being healthier, and striving for wholeness. (www.about.com) This makes it a strong self-healing medium.

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✤Massage and Your Classroom Imagine yourself having a Thai Masseur stretch and press your body in Tai-Chi rythms and Yogalike movements. You sink deeper into your body, your nerves calm and your muscles soften. Now imagine how you feel after: aware, rejuvenated and spacious. Children and adolescents can feel just as amazing, and what better way to let them experience that than a massage. We do not have to suffer from a disorder to benifit from Thai Massage! But if massage can help calm the nerves, improve self esteem and bring awareness to one's body, it would most certainly provide an alternative option for classrooms dealing with ADHD-related beaviour. Two studies conducted by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami reported that regular massage therapy can be an effective treatment for kids with ADHD. One study found adolescent boys who received ten 15-minute daily massages were observed by their teachers to be more focused in their schoolwork, and they fidgeted less. In addition, the children rated themselves as happier than those who participated in a relaxation therapy program. Another study involved kids aged 7-18. Each subject received a 20-minute massage twice a week. They showed immediate improvement in their moods and longer-term behavioral improvement in the classroom. They also reported feeling happier and their teachers found them to be more attentive. Incorporating Thai Massage into school routine may help kids to develop an age-appropriate ability to focus, a calmer disposition, and even increased confidence. Two 20-minute massages a week are enough to show significant improvement in ADHD children. In 2003 schools in Denmark started introducing massage at school. Among the immediate results were decreased bullying and less agitation. Just try bullying your classmate after he’s given you a massage! Ashley Page, www.alleviare.ca

The Program First of all: we are going to enjoy ourselves. There will be trust, warmth and giggles. Why not throw in some bonding too. Make it a fun thing. Massage thrives in a good atmosphere. So do we. My mission now was to find out what moves to make using TCM points to achieve funloving results within a short time span...

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Thai Bodywork is excellent because it accesses and initiates the parasympathetic nervous system response. Stimulating that shows slowed breathing, reduced heart rate and increased digestive sounds -which is what you want to happen. I nearly allways get the digestive sounds when I do footwork on a client. I doubted though, how the children would respond to foot-touching. I decided on a multi-level program. One for in a classroom, seated at the desks, and one for in the gym, lying down. I studied my notes, did research, and found information about Spleen deficiency, Liver excess, and Kidney Yin deficiency. I am a Thai Massage practitioner, with extreme basic knowledge of TCM so I tried to keep it simple. I came up with this set of points:

main head points: GB13, GB19

LI18, SI16 together

liver excess

all around DU20, DU17

kidney yin deficiency

SI3

P6, P8

L7

H7, H8

LV2, LV3

ST36

ST40, ST42

K3, K7

BL58

SP6

Gym Sessions Sessions consist of simple breathing exercises accompanied by slow raising and lowering of the arms, twisting and turning of the arms and legs, shifting body weight, rotating and changing direction. Especially enjoyable for the more active. Then we split up in pairs, and get into massaging the head in seated position. After that, the legs and arms in supine position. I give them photos of Thai postures they can try, and put stickers on important bodyparts for massage. I bring my acupuncture doll George in to show us where he wants to be massaged. I do stuff on the teacher, which has a disarming effect on him/her. Kids love to see their teacher on the floor at the mercy of me. Thai Bodywork in Your Classroom

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These sessions are very suitable for also the younger children, for they are easy to do, and playful. The whole thing takes about an hour or a little longer. The after-school daycare has a voluntary signup. Usually I start-off with an all-girls group. Soon, some of the boys will be peering through the windows, pressed noses, wanting to participate. I show them a hand massage they can surprise mom and dad with and I give them a handout to try stuff at home with the family.

Class Sessions These are done with older kids, about once a week. There is an introduction about Thai Massage and its history, a demonstration on the teacher, point locating, sharing stories. All leading up to a 20min session of moves they can share with each other every day or week in class. We spend 3 mornings and 3 afternoons together and practise thumb pressing the back, head/neck massage, and arm pressing. One afternoon is reserved for massage at home and how to surprise your parents. This workshop comes with a handout for the teacher, who takes over after I leave. There is more depth in this one; touch issues might come up, social behaviour is addressed. Shame, shyness, grief, tenderness and joy you name it. It is a good thing the teacher is at your side. He/she knows the children well. If for some reason a child is not up for massage, he/she can watch a massage video, watch us or massage themselves. Everything is done seated on chairs at desk, except when the class wishes differently.

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✤Concluding • It takes a hell of a lot of inventiveness to get everyone to a certain level of ease with touch. There is a lot more touch deprivation out there than we would probably wish. But it is quite remakable to see a class calm down over time due to massage. It is perhaps even more special to see the teacher calm down too. Basically, it comes down to having fun with one another. In class, the word massage once resulted in bored sighs. Words like chill and other slang open doors that would otherwise remain closed. It’s all about being ultra-slick, apparently... We had some good laughs here and there. • It is necessary to ask how a society such as ours which is so technologically advanced and civilized in appearance can be simultaneously so violent and unsuccessful in interpersonal and intercultural relations. In time, these workshops could also play a modest role in the signalling of (domestic) problems. • Very significant, is the immediate decrease in teasing and bullying. It is hard to tease someone who has just thoughtfully massaged you. I treasure this result. Teachers told me there was more bonding, mindfulness. Concentration levels seemed to have improved. I found it definitely worthwhile to incorporate TCM into Thai routines. • For the active or agitated, one-on-one professional sessions inbetween workshop sessions can also be useful. Not everyone is up for massage first thing. For the die-hards of agitation and hyperactivity: “Get some needles in there!”, Peter and Maria would say. Chances are, because they are impulsive, they would actually give it a try, instead of being scared of needles. • From a holistic point of view, massage gets better results when it interacts with other providers for wellbeing. Studies have shown that removing processed and packaged foods high in sugar and sweets can benifit our health. Not only can the “crash” associated with sugary foods add to impulse control problems, but it may also make it more difficult to concentrate. Same for sleep conditions. Sleep in a well ventilated, quiet room makes all the difference to a stuffy, noisy household. I noticed a fresh curiosity and grown awareness in classes for choices of lifestyle after the Thai Workshop. • Familiarity with Bodywork is an important predictor of its success; greater benifits come about when a person has learned how to recieve Bodywork. The children teach me to take my time and be patient. Thai Bodywork in Your Classroom

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• Many animal species, especially the primates with whom humans share the closest evolutionary history, groom each other. These behaviors play an important role in maintaining the health of individual animals and in establishing and maintaining the social bonds between them. By adding massage to a child's routine, you're giving him much needed physical contact and helping to calm his nervous system, which will help in his ability to do school work, interact with peers and teachers, and be happier in general. And if you're massaging your child yourself, you'll create the opportunity for a stronger emotional bond between the two of you. • Thai Massage is favored by many children because there is no undressing and no fussing with towels and oils. This massage can be practiced virtually everywhere. It has no side-effects and can be done on nearly anyone of any age.

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B IB L I OG R A P HY Michael Reed Gach, Drukpunt Massage, Altamira-Becht, 2007

Holism, http://en.wikipedia.org Holistic Healing, www.about.com

Maria Mercati, Thai Massage Manual, Asia Books, 1998

What is Acupuncture, www.yinyanghouse.com

Maria Mercati, Tui Na, Gaia Books, 1997 Touch, http://www.touchisgreat.com/ C. Pierce Salguero, Encyclopedia of Thai Massage, Findhorn Press, 2004 A. Rijkeboer, Anatomie en Fysiologie, Educaboek, 1970 Massage Tegen pesten op School, www.pedagogiek.net, 09.07.2005 Traditionele Chinese Geneeswijzen, www.chinesegeneeswijzen.be, 2009 J.A. van Bekkum-Visser, MD, Acupunctuur en ADHD, 11.04.2003 S. Becker, A Ritalin Alternative: Acupuncture in the treatment of ADHD, www.goldbamboo.com, 2001

Touch Institute Miami, http://www6.miami.edu/touch-research/ Soma Brings Peace of Mind to Families, Massage and Bodywork, June/July 2004 Massage for ADHD, http://ezinearticles.com/ http://news.cenacletreatmentcentre.co.uk/ ADD, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine & Acupuncture Helath Information Organization, 2002 http://www.massagepraktijkisis.nl/tcc.php

nan little, www.anxiety-and-depression-solutions.com Ashley Page, www.alleviare.ca 15.08.2008 Maria Mercati, www.bodyharmonics.co.uk Thai Bodywork in Your Classroom

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