First week of school

What a week! Between learning new material (and lots of it), getting orientated and giving and receiving thai massages every day I'm exhausted! I have so much to tell you all about but come home every night from school and just want to sleep. I spent most of my weekend doing just that. Everything is going well, I'm making new friends and already in the first week I have learned a 2 hour routine with a ridiculous number of positions, energy lines and pressure points to remember. Thankfully we are spending the next few weeks going over it again and again until we have it memorized. My brain is having a hard time sorting out all the different hand, body and stretching positions and the order they all go in. Lots of great massage techniques that are brand new to me - I can't wait to use them on my clients back at home! I had my first exam on friday and will find out how I did tomorrow, crossing fingers that I passed.

I wanted to share with you all a little of how I start every day. Before we begin class we give a prayer to Buddha, All teachers, Dr. Jivaka Komaraphat (friend and physician to the Buddha) as well as King Rama V (who revived Thai massage in the country). Afterwards we do yoga exercises and meditate for 3 minutes.

(From my textbook "Thai Massage the Thai Way by Jan Chaithavouthi & Kanchanoo Muangsiri)

"As is the custom in most Buddhist societies, Thai Buddhists believe in paying homage to their teachers by performing rituals and saying prayers prior to performing an important task such as Thai massage, Thai dance, Thai boxing, and other ancient practices. With regard to Thai massage, Thai students must honour their teachers from the moment they start learning the art. A student must pay respect to the teacher and humbly request he/she be accepted as a student. Afterwards, they participate in the annual ceremony to honour all teachers. "

Prayer to the Buddha
with hands joined together in "Pranam" position, recite in Pali: 


NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO ARAHATO SAMMASAMBUDDHASSA (recite 3 times) 
Meaning: Homage to the Blessed One, the Noble One, the Perfectly Enlightened One.
ARAHAM SAMMASAMBUDDHO BHAGAVA BUDDHAM BHAGAVANTAM ABHIVADEMI 
Meaning: The Lord, the Perfectly Enlightened and Blessed One, I render homage to Buddha, the Blessed One.  Bow 
SVAKKHATO BHAGAVATA DHAMMO DHAMMAM NAMASSAMI 
Meaning: The teaching so completely explained by Him, I humbly bow before the Dhamma. Bow 
SUPATIPANNO BHAGAVATO SAVAKASANGHO SANGHAM NAMAMI 
Meaning: The Blessed One's Disciples, who have practiced, I humbly bow before the Sangha. Bow 


Prayer to All Teachers: 
Pa-je-ra Ja-ri-ya Hone-Ti
Kunutara Nu-sa Sa-Kaan
Panya Wuthi Gare Te-Te
Tin-no-wa-te Na-ma Mi Hang

Translation: May we pay respect and honour to all our teachers who give us knowledge. May we be blessed with intelligence, wisdom, success, longevity, ethics, honour and pride to the benefit of ourselves and our country.

Prayer to Doctor Jivaka Komaraphat: 
Om Na Mo Jivako Maraphat-jo Poo-cha-ya (Recite 3 times) 
Translation: To Dr. Jiwaka Komaraphat we pay respect and honour you.

I can't find my sheet with the prayer to King Rama V, I must have left it at school. I'm enjoying saying these prayers, some even have a beautiful musical quality to them. Of course, if you cannot pray for religious reasons you can sit in silence and meditate instead.