As most of you know, I came to Thailand on the advice of a teacher/healer/all around cool dude ~ by the name of Chris Ray. After one Thai Massage session with Chris this past summer, my body felt stronger and more balanced than ever before. No joke. Chris had spent several years studying in Thailand with a master teacher named Pichest Boonthumme and recommended I head to the hills and spend some time with him. Well I found him.
I had some fears as I headed down the road to his house. During my fist week in Chiang Mai I had heard so many different things about him. People said he is 'so advanced' and 'a real teacher's teacher." Some people even tried to persuade me not to study with him as I did not have the experience necessary. I kept thinking back to my experience with Chris and just forced myself to cross the threshold to Pichest's studio. I don't think any amount of preparation could have prepared me anyway.
My first hour was spent preparing an offering of Lotus flowers, candles, incense and fruit (I just followed the lead of students that obviously had been there before). We continued through many innvocations and chants for protection and guidance. Any fears I had disintegrated immediately as Pichest began talking.
'Just do do do, no good. We want to learn, want to know, want want want. Too much want make heavy backpack...heavy emotion. Cannot feel, cannot sense. Too much do do do, cannot sense, cannot feel.' He went on to talk about (in so many words) that it is necessary to gain sensation and receptivity so we can know what the receiver needs. That giving massage is not about going through the sequencing just to get to the end...it is about finding the blocks and moving them out of the body. I knew I was in the right place.
After taking one swipe of his hand across my hamstring he exclaimed again and again, "Terrible! Ohhh terrible! You do massage ...they feel better... you feel worse. To tight! Do massage feel worse. No good. Ohhh terrible" So there you have it, he would not let me practice on anyone because my body was too tight. So for the next two days I was lying on my stomach while students took turns sitting on my hamstrings in an effort to open them up. I tell you, my body has never felt so open.
On the third day I finally got to practice. Often we are working in pairs, taking turns practicing different techniques and refining stance, hand positions, etc. As we work Pichest makes his way around the room pointing out what people are doing right or wrong while exlaining method, philosophy and spirituality. He is crass and blunt, but there is a warmth and gentleness to his being beyond compare.
The last day of the week we did an ancient practice that few teachers in thailand still use. The practitioner (the giver) dips their foot in a bowl of oil (combined with herbs and alcohol)and sweeps the foot over hot coals to heat up the oil. The receiver than enjoys a hot oil massage. The photos will help explain. but it was something I won't soon forget.
We were also joined that day by Jonas Westring (who some of you may know from the states, or elswhere in the world). He demonstrated some 'flying' techniques and spent the day hanging out and talking massage/yoga. He is a great teacher.
One of the most ironic and profound of situations has come up in studying with Pichest. I have agreed (on Pichest's advice) to halt all physical yoga practice. He explained (again in so many words) that I need to open the tight and blocked areas first, then I can safely practice yoga. 'No yoga two months!' he said over and over again. Perfect. The yoga teacher that is not allowed to practice yoga. I couldn't help but do a couple forward bends went I got home from class as my body has really never experienced this level of openess.
Hope you are all well, more soon...
Kevin
