Inner and outer joy: Nuang- An authentic Master of Conscious Touching

Text from Red Alternativa (Madrid – Spain) – May – June 2003

Anasha and I have been visiting Thailand regularly now since 1987. I have always loved the history and meditative roots of Thai Yoga Massage. It was originally founded by a friend and doctor of Gautama the Buddha, 2500 years ago, as a way of maintaining optimum health and learning meditation.

Traditional Thai Massage has many things in common with ARUN. It is based on touching, stretching, rocking, and opening inner "energy lines" of the Body (called "Sen " in Thai). These "pathways" flow all through your body, connecting each part 3-dimensionally from head to toe, surface to depth.
The attitude and understanding is coming from Indian Yoga. Over the years, we must have received 100 sessions in Thailand- many very good, some mediocre. But we never felt we met an authentic Master of the art. This past March, it finally happened. "Nuang" is 77 years old and is quite a unique character! He first learned Thai Massage in a Temple when he was 12 years old. (In those days, when people were hurt or in pain they went to the Temple for treatment from the monksthey were trusted much more than doctors or hospitals).

He loves to drink whiskey at night, he smokes Thai beedies between sessions, and he loves to laugh! His body is incredibly proportionate, supple, agile, and coordinated.
He's always ready to smile. When he touches you, you can feel and trust that his hands are "seeing, thinking, feeling", and know the Body. Watching him, you are watching "a dancer"...

Thai Massage, when done well, and from the space of "No-Mind" is like a touching dance and play of energy.
This does not mean it does not have great value- on the contrary. Thai Massage is helpful in almost all bodymind problems.

This is what Anasha had to say about Nuang: "For 2 hours , 4 times a day, (costs 7 Euros!) he pours his total energy through the touch. His lightness, depth, sense of humor, generosity is amazing. I felt his pure heart, really interested in whoever he is touching "in the moment". The day after sessions, I felt light, centered, and rooted to the earth. Osho would say he is a real "zorba the Buddha". When we told him about ARUN, he was very happy, and had tears in his eyes. I was very touched by his innocent depth and simplicity."