Published
in the Thai Healing Alliance International newsletter.
Volume 3, 2006.
by Eric Spivack, LMP/Dipl.Ac, RTT
Got Lom?
In Volume
II of the Living
Traditions newsletter, I wrote about the similarities and differences
between Thai Yoga Massage and Acupuncture, both of which are energetic
systems helpful in treating various conditions. I also wrote about how
some Thai sen lines compared
with Chinese meridians.
In this article, I delve a
little deeper into the Chinese theories of Qi and Yin/Yang and see how they compare
with the Thai concept of lom,
which means wind or breath. Qi
(Chinese), lom (Thai),
prana (East Indian), ki (Japanese), and breath are different words
with the same meaning: They all refer to “life force”, the energy that
gives us life.
If you’ve ever had the opportunity to be in the presence
of a cadaver, I’m sure you noticed that the physical remains are the
shell that once housed the person’s qi,
lom, or spirit.
The Thai word sin means ‘to end, finish or stop‘.
Interestingly, when one combines sin
and lom, the meaning becomes
“to stop breathing” or “to pass away”. Without that vital energy, we
are dead or sin lom.
An important concept in acupuncture and
Chinese medicine is that of yin
and yang, which are
complementary and opposite forms of energy. In order for one to exist,
so must the other. For example, we cannot know the feeling of joy
unless we have experienced sadness, and vice versa.
In general, yin qualities
include things which are cool, dark, damp, quiet, and female. Yin also represents the anterior
and medial surfaces of the body. On the other hand, yang represents yin’s complementary opposite: hot,
light, dry, loud, active and male, as well as, the posterior and
lateral
surfaces of the body. All living creatures
possess both yin and yang characteristics.
When a client seeks treatment
for pain relief, we think of them as experiencing an imbalance of their
yin and yang
energies. These energies may be deficient or in excess in particular
areas of their body.
Similarly, in Thai medicine we think of a person’s pain or
discomfort resulting from of an imbalance of the four different Thai
elements: lom/wind (breath
and circulation); naam/water
(blood and bodily
fluids); din/earth (solids
such as bone, muscle, tendons and ligaments); and fai/fire (digestion and
metabolism). Since acupunture and Thai Yoga Massage are based on energy
systems, they both treat energetic imbalances to restore harmony/
By palming and stretching our clients, we help release
energetic blockages, enhance their breathing, and increase their lom, or
life force. As a result, our clients (and we ourselves) feel better
after a session. The energies are more balanced, and pain is diminished.
Eric Spivack teaches Thai Yoga
massage and has an integrative massage and acupuncture practice in
Seattle, WA.
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