Thai temples are not only religious centers for devotees, discover all the secrets that these places keep and their impact for the Nuad Boran with us.
Many might think that the historical Buddha, the original, was a being who managed to reach Nirvana without needing the banal help of the earthly plane, who lived totally detached from physical reality. But this is not the case, because at the right hand of this great character was Shivago Komarpaj, monk and personal doctor, at all times. Komarpaj was the one who laid the foundations of our art, the Nuad Boran, and thanks to his instructions, his knowledge and his wisdom, the keys to the treatment that relaxes the body and frees the soul have come down to us almost intact from the Kingdom of Siam. . But how do you teach a style of massage as complex as Nuad Thai?
We come directly from there. By now we all know that Thailand is one of the best places to enjoy a relaxing massage. The variety of its geography that goes from the most paradisiacal beaches to the rockiest mountains also means that the environment that surrounds the massage that you are enjoying is not only the most welcoming, but also that each one can choose the best setting depending on their needs. personal tastes. At Thai Spa Massage we want to talk to you about Nuad Boran in all its facets and today’s involves learning about it
A historical look at an exclusive specialty
To understand the development of Nuad Boran, we must first understand the context in which it has been developed, what its setting has been, and what its main actors have been. How well we have indicated on other occasions, the thousands of temples in Thailand are places of worship that often serve as accommodation, school and sanctuary, all at the same time. The Buddhist monks of the Thai lands have been in seclusion since even before the formation of the exotic kingdom of Siam, making the sight of the monks outside the temple almost impossible. This hermeticism that brings the goal of reaching maximum enlightenment, also prevented in many ways that the knowledge that was held within these went abroad. Someone who was not ordained as a monk would hardly have access to some ancient sciences and knowledge, among which was Thai massage.
The monks, quite soon, stopped giving healthcare solely and exclusively to other monks to help people with various ailments and illnesses inside and outside the temple. This change of perspective in their knowledge helped to make these techniques known and with the development of some temples, schools of traditional Thai medicine and Ayurveda began to be created within some of them, such as the Wat Pho temple. This knowledge began to be reflected in different writings, murals and statues and knowledge then ceased to be transmitted by word of mouth from generation to generation.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries the kingdom of Siam was almost completely invaded by the Burmese and the destruction of temples and figures Thai traditions caused the loss to a large extent of the records of knowledge that these monks had guarded during centuries of history and research. However, King Rama III ordered the recovery as far as possible of the descriptive texts that were attempted to be destroyed in the invasion of temples such as Wat Pho. Furthermore, King Rama III is well known in Thailand for having helped rebuild much of the national artistic and religious heritage, as he was a very devout Buddhist man.
These are the places where the Nuad Boran has been preserved (almost) intact
Detail of the amazing and monumental Buddha head of the temple of What Pho
Wat Pho, also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, has always been the epicenter of the most authentic Thai massages. It was erected in the 17th century and as we have said before, it served as a refuge for the numerous statues that survived the Burmese siege in the 18th century. Wat Pho is a temple dedicated to the “Bodhi Tree”, the tree under which Siddharta Gautama reached full enlightenment. The belief of this temple indicates that you can achieve complete happiness if you honor the reclining Buddha statue with a flower garland, nine incense sticks, two candles and eleven gold leaves. However, Wat Pho since 1955 acts as the first school of Thai massage and traditional Thai medicine approved by the Ministry of Education. It is one of the most important places in the world to learn about this beautiful knowledge.
We must also mention the temple of Wat Nong Yah Nang, in the province of Uthai Thani, it is famous for the combination of Thai massage and herbal medical sauna with properties medicinal. One of the best combinations to achieve maximum relaxation.
Today education in Nuad Thai does not take place solely and exclusively in temples and there are numerous academies that impart this knowledge without the religious component that surrounds it. Chulalongkorn University, the oldest higher educational institution in Thailand, is one of the centers that offer these specialized courses. Do you dare to learn from the best?
At Thai Spa Massage we care that our professional masseuses are trained in the best places in Thailand to honor this discipline that we adore so much. If you want to enjoy the most authentic Thai massages and transport yourself to the ancient kingdom of Siam with our aromas without leaving Barcelona, don’t hesitate to visit us.
