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Sen Lines

Although at first glance there seems to be some similarity between the Thai and the Chinese systems, these meridians are quite different. The sen, like the Ayurvedic nadis, do not correlate, for example, with any organ systems the way that the Chinese meridians do. The Thai meridians all begin at the navel and end at the extremities of the body. Rather than correspond to a single organ, the Thai meridians may be used to treat any and all organ systems through which they pass along their course.

The Thai sen share many similarities with their Indian counterparts, the nadis, and some even share the same names. For example, the Sen Sumana, Sen Itha, and Sen Pingala of the Thai tradition relate to the Sushumna Nadi, Ida Nadi, and Pingala Nadi of the yoga tradition. The acupressure points used in Thai massage also are often parallel to the Indian marma points. Even so, these two traditions are not interchangeable.

The Thai texts mention red, black, and white sen, which correlate roughly with arteries, veins, and nerves. However, traditional Thailand does not have a developed science of anatomy, and these distinctions are not generally very clear. Anatomy seems to play a minimal role in mapping the sen. Sen lines for the most part follow the grooves in between muscles, running along the insertion points. However, the same lines also take sudden turns into the body and are often difficult to trace exactly. Since the sen lines are not anatomically verifiable, and because of differences between Northern and Southern Lineages, there are inconsistencies between schools across Thailand.

The result of this confusion is that Western books on Thai tradition often differ slightly in their description of the sen. Although these differences are usually relatively minor, sometimes they directly contradict one another. Looking at three different books will often lead to three different maps of these meridians. This is simply because many of these writers have studied at different schools. A further confusion has been the effort on the part of some writers to combine different Asian traditions.

Because there are some similarities, many Western writers and teachers of Thai massage have mixed Thai with Indian or Chinese traditions when explaining massage traditions. While this exercise is useful to show the common origins of these medical traditions, it is technically incorrect. In this book, correlations with yoga and/or Chinese medicine will be pointed out when this is helpful to the practitioner, but the Thai system is introduced on its merits, as it is taught today in Chiang Mai. The descriptions of the 10 basic sen used in this book are based on the Northern Lineage model, as taught by the Traditional Medicine Hospital of Chiang Mai.

Even if they do not agree exactly where the sen run, most Thai sources agree on names and symptoms associated with each sen. However, you may notice differences in spelling between the sen from one book to the next. This is due to the fact that the academic community has remained undecided about a definitive method of transliteration for the Thai language. This means that as common a word as "hello" has been written in many different ways, including for example, sawadi, sawatdee, and sawasdii. In transliterating Thai, the Thais themselves are the most lax of all, interchanging g with k, l with r, and d with t. So, don't be surprised if you see Kalatharee spelled as Galadhari, or if you see Itha as Eeda.

Under normal healthy circumstances, the body's energy flows uninhibited throughout the 72,000 sen and is distributed according to the body's needs and activities. Problems arise in the body when these sen lines are either blocked or broken, causing an energy imbalance. Blockages and breaks are caused by a variety of reasons including sprains, muscle strains, injuries and stress. Parts of the body which are serviced by the sen lines can become affected by these energy imbalances and cease to function optimally.

The goal of nuad boran is to correct these energy imbalances by working directly with the sen lines to restore their vigor and vitality. Massage on a regular basis promotes healthy and strong sen, which fosters improved health and mental well-being. When a blockage or break occurs, therapeutic massage concentrates on restoring the body's normal function through stimulation of the affected sen lines.

Acupressure Techniques

Thai acupressure, or "jap sen" is an integral part of the practice. The English word "acupressure" is used in modern parlance both as a name for a specific Chinese technique and as a more general term meaning simply pressure applied to particular points on the body. In this book, I always use the term acupressure in this more general sense. Thai acupressure, simply put, is the application of pressure (usually with the thumbs) to points that lie on a meridian in order to stimulate energy. Pressure on these points is used to energize the meridian as a whole, and is an indispensable part of the therapeutic Thai massage routine.

Sen Line Diagnosis

In Thailand, massage is a medical field and Thai massage therapists are trained in diagnostic arts. In the West, however, diagnosis is generally the realm of the professional physician, and massage therapists should tread lightly into this territory. In many areas, the word "diagnosis" itself is not permitted in the massage therapy setting.

Sen line diagnosis is a combination of experience, observation and intuition. It is a true art, and is often very difficult for a beginning therapist. Your powers of observation can guide you in delivery of an effective massage, but never attempt to diagnose serious conditions without sufficient training. Always interview your client concerning specific symptoms, and ask if a professional diagnosis has already been made.

Thai healers use a variety of tools for diagnosis--ranging from Chinese techniques such as tongue, iris, and pulse diagnosis to Ayurvedic methods such as the Four Elements. More often than not, however, the traditional Thai healer is guided not by a specific system of diagnosis, but by intuition and the ability to "read" energy in their clients. Many masters of nuad boran are able to sense where the client's body is imbalanced merely by scanning or palpating the body, by working the meridians, or simply by observation.

Most Thai therapists use some combination of different techniques, but their diagnosis inevitably leads them toward an understanding of the imbalances in the individual client, and they design massage routines to assist in bringing back balance.