Page 51 - massagethai
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dukkha (unbearableness), and anatta                would be to create causes and conditions
(non-self). Idappaccayata is the principle of      favorable for healing and recovery.
conditionality - that all things arise, persist
and cease due to an endless stream of eve               TTM has embraced these Buddhist
- changing causes or conditions.                   natural laws in all aspects of its healing and
                                                   treatment process. Traditional doctors are
     A Buddhist view informed by these             trained to understand the unique nature of
three principles holds that health and             each individual patient, specifically his or her
illness are phenomena that arise, change and       basic characteristics, gender, age, temperament,
disappear, being dependent on causes and           character traits, physical characteristics
conditions that are in a state of constant flux.   including body shape, positions of organs,
Illness is simply something wrought by the         their normal functioning or irregularities, the
elements that constitute the body as nature        bodyโ€™s different parts and overall system,
takes its course. If we cling to illness as ours,  the basic nature of illnesses, remedies and
it would only add mental suffering. This           treatments to be prescribed (Yongsak, 2016:
awareness led to the realization that things       175-176).
are determined by causes and conditions, not
by oneโ€™s craving or godsโ€™ blessings. From this          As part of TTM, Nuad Thai takes this
perspective, healthcare and healing should         holistic approach to health and healing, but its
concentrate first on avoiding causes and           main aim is to redress imbalances in the wind
conditions that could give rise to diseases. But   element in the body, especially lom (wind)
if illnesses have already occurred, the focus      that is carried through sen or energy channels
                                                   through the body. When lom in sen is
                                                   imbalanced, whether being agitated,
                                                   weakened or deranged, it will affect lom in
                                                   the entire body and have repercussions on
                                                   the water and fire elements. Unless being
                                                   treated, the abnormalities will eventually
                                                   spread to the earth element, which
                                                   constitutes the body organs. Restoring
                                                   balance to the wind in sen simultaneously
                                                   improves blood circulation. Therefore, the
                                                   focus of Thai massage therapy is on the wind
                                                   and blood, two of the most vital elements of
                                                   human body, according to TTM.

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