Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Thai Massage classes at Cosmic Energy Massage

I have added to my already busy schedule while in Ko Phangan and started classes on thai massage at Cosmic Energy Massage. I enrolled in a 30 hr program where I am able to work basically 1 on 1 with the head teacher, Mr. Roeng. Mr. Roeng, i'm not sure of his first name, owns three massage business on the island with his wife and primarily occupies himself with managing and teaching during the day. While driving down the main road near my guesthouse I noticed his business and an advertisement for thai massage classes. I suppose I had a good vibe off of his business and himself personally, or just really wanted to start taking classes on the form of massage prevelant to Thailand, but I signed up without even receiving a thai massage personally from Mr. Roeng. However, during the first day in class with himself and another woman, Audra, a medical doctor from California and also taking yoga classes from Agama Yoga, I found out that he is a very skilled practitioner and I look forward to learning much from him.



Mr. Roeng, 37, is a graduate of the famous Wat Po massage school in Bangkok in addition to learning from many other teachers in Thai massage and Thai healing arts. Just feeling his strength while working on me and seeing the muscles popping off of his thumbs you sense he is well practiced. He says he has been practicing thai massage for over 10 yrs. So far the best part about learning with him and his wife, also a thai massage teacher, is the 1 on 1 attention received. They said classes at Wat Po typically involve large numbers of people and frequently the teachers talk on a microphone. So far in 3 days I have either worked on Audra or his wife, often with him a step away to teach and provide feedback. We have a instruction manual with sequences of up to 90 steps, good for a 2 hr thai massage session.

I look forward to gaining a solid foundation of Thai massage training while at Cosmic Energy. From there I will expand my teachings while traveling to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Here there are a number of renowned teachers and schools I look forward to checking out. I may also take a workshop at the Horizon Muay Thai Boxing Camp at Haad Tien Bay in Ko Phangan. Horizon Camp occassionally offers Thai massages workshops focused on working on athletes, specifically Thai kickboxers.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

God, or should I say Buddha, how exciting your life is, Enjoyed the pics! You look great!

Teri