Thai Massage Sangha Festival: A Reflection on Wùo Taï and Thai Yoga
Hey everyone,
I had the honor and pleasure of attending the second edition of the Thai Massage Sangha Festival at the beautiful Cortijo Caseria del Mercado near Granada. This time, I wasn't teaching any classes. Instead, I assisted my mentors and the creators of Wùo Taï, Roland and Nathalie Combes, by translating their workshops into English and offering sessions of this new "danced osteopathy."
The festival had a variety of classes related to the world of Thai massage, which is where I happily come from. It got me thinking about how important it is to clarify that Wùo Taï and Thai Massage or Thai Yoga are entirely different practices. Aside from the fact that both are performed with the patient fully clothed and without oils or creams, they have little else in common.
Origins
Thai Massage has debated origins, tracing back to Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, which makes sense given Thailand's geographical location. The term "Thai Yoga" was coined by German practitioner Harald Brust, also known as Asokananda, in the late 20th century. He was the first foreigner to write a book on Thai massage, connecting it to yoga, hence the name.
Wùo Taï was created by Roland Combes, a French osteopath with extensive clinical experience. Seeking more comfort and beauty in osteopathy, he brought the patient onto a futon and began working with his entire body, creating elliptical movements inspired by the shape of DNA and the various planes of space addressed by human anatomy. Roland claims Wùo Taï was born from his patients, who gave him the opportunity to create this dance. In 2000, he met his wife Nathalie, who helped him establish the school and organize courses. Together, they've spent over 20 years sharing their passion worldwide.
Principles
Thai Massage is based on the concept of energy lines, similar to Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. In this case, they're called Sen Lines. The purpose of Thai massage is to maintain a healthy flow of energy through these channels and can treat the whole body by opening energy, physical or emotional blockages. Techniques include palming, acupressure points, deep stretches, and more dynamic movements.
Today, there's a wide variety of styles and schools of "Thai massage," blending traditional methods with concepts from yoga, Chinese medicine, osteopathy, and shiatsu. Examples include:
Elemental Thai Massage (based on elements like water, wind, earth, metal, wood, etc.)
Osteo Thai by French osteopath Arnaud L’Hermite
Dynamic Thai Massage inspired by Thai master Chayut, developed into a school by David Lutt
Zen Thai Shiatsu by Gwyn Williams in Oceania.
Breema-Influenced Thai in the USA, expanded by Khaline, Takis, and Itzhak Helman
Wùo Taï has three core principles: a fixed point, mutual engagement between patient and therapist creating reciprocal tension in anatomical structures, and random, pattern-free dance. This creates a therapeutic space where the patient's mind enters a dreamlike state, bringing forth memories, messages, and images, thus opening the door to homeostasis.
Philosophy/Spirituality
Thai Massage is closely related to Buddhism and is often considered a spiritual practice. It’s a space to practice the Four Brahma Viharas: Metta (loving-kindness), Karuna (compassion), Mudita (sympathetic joy), and Uppeksha (equanimity), both on and off the futon.
Wùo Taï is inspired by Taoist philosophy and the I Ching. Originally, Wùo Taï had 64 movements corresponding to the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching.
Join the Conversation
I encourage all Wùo Taï and Thai Yoga practitioners to share more differences, as well as commonalities, between these schools to enhance our collective and individual well-being.
If you have any questions, thoughts, or experiences to share, please reach out.
I’d love to hear from you and continue this dialogue.
Warmly,
eVa 💚
The funniest team ever.