Traditional Thai Yoga

The origins of ancient Siamese medicine are still today the object of research and debate. In the past the kingdom of Siam (in what is present-day Thailand) enjoyed long periods of splendor, and we must assume that independent therapeutic arts were developed during that fertile age. Furthermore, Thailand represents a natural borderline and meeting point between two great civilizations: India and China. Consequently the practice of Thai medicine received the benevolent influence of both Ayurvedic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional Thai medicine includes three main branches: traditional Thai massage (Nuad Bo Rarn), traditional Thai yoga (Ruesri Dat Ton), and Thai herbal medicine. Like traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine, traditional Thai medicine is a holistic system that heals by facilitating the free flow of energy throughout the body. All of the Thai healing practices seek to balance the flow of energy in the sen energy channels, a network of energy pathways in the body in which life energy circulates.

Many Westerners are most familiar with traditional Thai massage, in which a Thai massage practitioner helps the massage recipient into beneficial postures, stretches various parts of the body, and applies pressure to trigger points along the sen pathways. Ruesri Dat Ton—which translates literally as “the hermit’s autocure”—is different from Thai massage in that it is a solo yoga practice. Practitioners can perform the healing postures on their own without the assistance of a trained massage professional. Though some of the postures may seem challenging at first, and it is important to follow the directions precisely for the best results, the system is, overall, a simple one. With diligent practice, an individual can significantly improve his or her own health.

An ancient Thai temple drawing of the sen energy system, showing the energy pathways on the front and back of the body.

In fact, one of the main characteristics of Thai medicine is its simplicity. All its therapeutic instruments are made up of essential conceptual virtues. In fact, emphasis is placed on the ability to “feel,” to “perceive,” and, with practice, to “grow” toward these virtues in order to improve the result of the medicine. This is why it may be defined as “popular medicine”: because it may be used by anyone, regardless of his or her education. The practice of the various therapeutic instruments of Thai medicine, particularly massage and herbal medicine, is widespread among the Thai population, in which techniques and secrets are usually handed down from one generation to the next.

One characteristic of Thai medicine that, along with the healing techniques, has been handed down over the centuries is the Buddhist concept of metta. The most appropriate translation of this term is “loving-kindness.” In other words, the techniques of traditional Thai medicine are often taught and practiced in Thailand in a spirit of loving care, with the goal of providing comfort.

Tradition holds that Thai medicine derives from the teachings of Jivaka Kumarabhacca, who lived in approximately 500 BC and was not only a personal friend of Buddha but also the physician of the master’s community. Jivaka, also known as Khun Shivago or Shivago Komparpaì, was a rishi before joining Buddha’s community.

Jivaka Kumarabhacca

According to ancient sacred Hindu scriptures, in particular the Ramayana, the rishis were hermits who lived in the remote valleys of the Himalayas and practiced very particular internal exercises that enabled them to meditate for extremely long periods. The practice of such contemplation allowed them to develop a perceptive sensitivity of their bodies on a very high level. When the rishis interrupted this state of immobility, it was essential that they use some therapeutic techniques to restart their bodily functions within a relatively short time. Most of the active and passive ancient Asian disciplines that are used today probably derive from the exercises performed by these extraordinary people.

Jivaka’s therapeutic techniques arrived in Thailand thanks to a Buddhist community that, over the course of centuries, driven by historical events and hostility toward its religious beliefs, migrated from the Indian subcontinent. From India this community moved to Ceylon and then on to Cambodia, where it found hospitality with the Khmer civilization in the Angkor empire. In 1238 the Thai kingdom conquered Sukhothai and absorbed the Khmer culture. The Thais converted to Buddhism and developed their own language, which derived from Pali and Sanskrit, and they began to study the ancient scriptures of this culture. They evidently began to practice yoga and other disciplines handed down by Jikava’s teachings. These disciplines were practiced and evolved over the centuries, thanks mainly to the exercise and teachings of the monks inside the temple walls.

Garden at the temple of Wat Pho in Bangkok, showing some of the remaining statues of Jivaka performing traditional Thai yoga postures.

Following the 1787 Burmese conquest of Ayutthaya, which was then the capital of Thailand, many Thai medical texts were lost. At the beginning of nineteenth century King Rama III ordered the collection of all the remaining ancient medical texts throughout the Thai kingdom in order to catalog, compare, and preserve them. Some of these pieces are still preserved in the temple of Wat Pho in Bangkok. Among these is the representation of the sen energy system conceived by Jivaka, the oldest existing historical representation of the body’s energy systems.

The Wat Pho temple also contains what remains of the original 120 statues of Jivaka performing traditional Thai yoga techniques and eighty drawings of the actual statues. King Rama I began the construction of the statues, which were based on an examination of the texts, and they were completed by Rama III. The drawings, which were commissioned to famous artists of that time, were executed to preserve likenesses of the statues, which have inevitably suffered degradation. Each drawing is accompanied by a description, written in verse by a famous poet, of the performance and therapeutic benefit of the exercise it depicts.

An archival drawing of the statue shown on the right

A statue of Jivaka performing a posture to remedy stiff knees

As you can see, the history of Thai medicine has its origins in mythological times and characters. Nevertheless, even today, Thai medicine is practiced according to the principles and practices defined centuries ago. The effectiveness of the knowledge and the techniques leads one to feel that the scientific inheritance handed down from Jivaka is a true gift. This is why Jivaka is still a very popular and respected figure throughout the kingdom. The Thais call him the Father of Medicine or, more affectionately, Daddy Doctor.

An archival drawing of Jivaka performing a remedy for cramps in the hands and feet, accompanied by a lyrical description of the posture in the ancient Thai language

Thai yoga is based on the drawings and statues of Jikava practicing the exercises. These representations are based on iconographies and ancient texts that have since been lost. They are very important to the correct understanding of the exercises and are contemplated at length by those who wish to improve in the practice of this discipline. Each drawing holds a wealth of detail and useful information for comprehension of the techniques.

Descriptions of the exercises were composed in verse. This lyrical text makes great use of metaphor, which gives indirect information about the dynamics of the movements. For example, the description of the exercise shown above reads as follows:

Thai dance is a derivative of traditional Thai yoga exercises.

Thai yoga, the hermit’s art of healing, was once practiced mainly inside the temples of Buddhist monks. In recent times, though, it has spread throughout Thailand. One of the disciplines derived from the hermit’s exercises, Thai dance, has become very popular. According to some, even Muay Thai (Thai boxing) is derived from Thai yoga exercises.