Additional Works
Tok Sen
“Tok” means to Tap and “sen” means energy, therefore Tok sen literally translated means to “tap energy”. Tok sen is a healing massage modality that originated in Northern Thailand using tools usually made from the wood of a tamarind or mango tree. The mallet like tool makes a “tok” sound as the practitioner taps a wedge or acupressure-like tool to the body. What makes Tok Sen a profound modality is that it combines the deep vibration produced by the wooden instruments with manual pressure and passive stretches, in order to transform the body, mind and energy and reinstate well-being. The benefits include:
improved blood circulation
release blocked energy in the Sen lines
relief of muscle tightness and pain
easing of nerve compression and pain related to neuropathies
detoxifies the tissues and fascia of the body
Gua sha
Gua sha is a healing technique of traditional East Asian medicine. Sometimes called ‘coining, spooning or scraping’, Gua sha is defined as instrument-assisted unidirectional press-stroking of a lubricated area of the body surface to intentionally create transitory therapeutic petechiae called ‘sha’ representing extravasation of blood in the subcutis.
Modern research shows Gua sha produces an anti-inflammatory and immune protective effect that persists for days following a single Gua sha treatment. This accounts for its effect on pain, stiffness, fever, chill, cough, wheeze, nausea and vomiting etc., and why Gua sha is effective in acute and chronic internal organ disorders.
Cupping therapy
Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist puts special cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction. People get it for many purposes, including to help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-being, and as a type of deep-tissue massage. Cups may be made of glass, bamboo, earthenware and silicone.
Cupping therapy might be trendy now, but it’s not new. It dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. One of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, the Ebers Papyrus, describes how the ancient Egyptians used cupping therapy in 1,550 B.C.
A more modern version of cupping uses a rubber pump instead of fire to create the vacuum inside the cup. Sometimes therapists use silicone cups, which they can move from place to place on your skin for a massage-like effect.
Cupping helps balance yin and yang, or the negative and positive, within the body. Restoring balance between these two extremes is thought to help with the body’s resistance to pathogens as well as its ability to increase blood flow and reduce pain.
Cupping increases blood circulation to the area where the cups are placed. This may relieve muscle tension, which can improve overall blood flow and promote cell repair. It may also help form new connective tissues and create new blood vessels in the tissue.
