What is Nuad'Bo Rarn?
Thai traditional massage is referred to Nuad Bo'Rarn in Thai. Nuad Bo'Rarn is a word combined from Nuad which means massage, and Bo'Rarn which means Traditional. From the combination of these two words, came the pleasant sounding Nuad Bo'Rarn. The Effects of this massage style have recently made the medical profession around the world take aware and recognize it as a medical technique. By controlling the state of the body by stimulating the energy lines running through the body, unbelievable results have been seen. The beginnings of traditional massage can be traced back to the era of Buddha, having more than 2500 years of history. The Effectiveness of Thai traditional massage has really made people start talking!

Unfortunately some people, as they are not aware of this massage technique, have the belief that Thai traditional massage is linked to the sleazy massage parlours around the town, and hearing this misunderstanding makes everyone in the Thai traditional massage profession, and those who
swear by it, very sad to hear.
Things are more advanced in Thailand, with Nuad Bo'Rarn being practised in the university affiliated hospitals in Thailand as a treatment for certain sicknesses. This therapy is approved by the Ministry of Health in Thailand.

The connection between Nuad Bo'Rarn and Buddhism
Thai traditional massage has been practised for many hundreds of years as a cure for illnesses and pains. The massage technique is highly influenced by traditional India and China, and has been passed down from mother to child, teacher to student for many many years. Thailand is regarded as a Buddhist country and the Thailand temple schools "Wats" were a center of communication for the surrounding community. At the same time as the Wat was used as a place where Buddhist teachings were taught, it was also a place where massage techniques were taught. Before western medicine was widely used in Thailand, people would consult the monks and be taught of the methods they should use to treat their family member who was ill. In this way, Nuad Bo'Rarn progressed through the years while maintaining its strong links to the Buddhist faith.

A prayer is said at the beginning of each massage session, which prays for health and happiness of the patient. This has surely been passed down through the years originating from the temple schools. Not only does the massage make the patient feel good, and makes them healthier, but also involves the patient in the Buddhist faith.

Nuad Bo'Rarn in the North and South
Massage is extremely popular in Thailand, with many massage salons and massage schools scattered all over the country. In Bangkok alone, there are over 2,000 massage salons within the city with the most popular course being the 1 session/2 hour massage.

The most famous massage area is Wat Pho, with a massage area inside the confines of the temple. The style is called Wat Pho, after the temple, and nowadays there are various methods stemming from this one style. The massage technique differs slightly from salon and person, and is still being developed to this day. The massage styles in Thailand can be split in two - one being the above Wat Pho method which is centered in the south, and the other method being the Chang Mai method which is centered in the north. As a very brief explanation to the differences, the method of pressing the pressure points is more popular in the south, and the method which stretches the muscles is more general in the north area.

The World Has Started to Take Notice
Over the last few years, people all over the world have started to take notice of Nuad Bo'Rarn, and the massage technique has spread with rapid speed. Nuad Bo'Rarn was developed based on the concept of providing stimulation to the energy lines flowing throughout the body.

These lines cannot be physically seen, and as a result has not been formally admitted by western medicology. However, due to recent studies, the benefits of Nuad Bo'Rarn are slowly becoming scientifically aware. The Nuad Bo'Rarn method stems from the similar methods in Chinese
and Japanese massage techniques, and is performed on the patient only after checking the health state, and choosing the necessary methods from a wide range of moves including many acrobatic poses.

Nuad Bo'Rarn is a technique that has been developed over the years together with Buddhism. The most important facet of this massage which all must remember, is to perform it with love and compassion.