By Deana Rook
I had a FABULOUS time in Denver, Colorado learning yet another modality to bring to Edmond, Oklahoma as a Certified Ashi Thai Practitioner. Thai massage is well practiced in Edmond, with it’s relaxing, rhythmic stretches and compression, but it’s not done Ashi style, until now.
The biggest difference between Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy and Ashi Thai, is that Ashiatsu is performed with cream and oil on bare skin to allow the feet to glide over muscles in smooth effleurage strokes. Ashi Thai is performed with the client in comfortable clothing with relaxing, rhythmic compression and stretching with the limbs handled mostly with the therapist’s feet and legs. Seems like “handled” is not quite the right term, but “feetled” isn’t the right term, either. Perhaps we should make it one.
Smaller differences are how the joints are moved are with a technique called “Anma” in the Ashi world, a gentle rolling combined with moving compression that just has to be experienced. Anma can be used over clothing, or with cream and oil, and provides a great way to effectively mix the two modalities together for a customized session based on what the client’s body and spirit needs that day.
Combined with soft lighting, trickling water, flickering candle light, and soft, soothing music, each modality is a wonderful way to relieve stress, tension, discomfort and even pain. It is my absolute pleasure to offer this unique, intriguing, fun way to those in need of this therapy, which is just about everyone.
If you would like to find out how this technique may help you, please fill out the form on the contact page, or call or text (phone is always off to give each client my undivided attention and focus). I will get back with you as soon as possible with an honest answer to your questions.
I look forward to hearing from you.
~Deana
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