Tok Sen

Now if you’ve ever been to Thailand and had the opportunity to visit Chiang Mai in the North you may have felt a certain vibe on the street, a buzz…no not quite that more of a tap tap tap.

It’s the sound of the ancient Thai massage Tok Sen still practiced today after 500 years. It was originally prescribed by wives to the husbands after a hard days work in the fields. They would place the husband on the hard table and tap along the body with wooden sticks to ease their aching pains.

There is still very little known today about this body-work technique. There are no books or videos to use as a guide and it has to be taught orally. I was lucky enough to experience the treatment first hand in Thailand and fell in love with the practice as well as the history behind it. So much, that I decided to bring it back to Santa Rosa with me.

The Instruments

The Tok Sen is actually made from wood from a tamarind tree that has been struck by lightning. This is thought to remove the negative energy that we trap in our bodies. We use different sizes and shapes of hammer depending on body section.

The Mind

The rhythm of the taps is found to be quite hypnotizing. During a treatment you will find yourself following the tapping sound which will lead you to a meditative state. This will help you loosen your physical body even more making the massage more effective.

The Body

Traditionally the massage is given fully clothed and tiger balm is used to massage into the skin. The Same energy lines / Sen Lines as general Thai massage are used to follow with the hammer. This creates a resonance that passes through the muscles and into the rest of the body. This resonance helps to dislodge long held and stubborn tension. By helping to release and relax the body a sense of well being and ease is felt, as a more natural flow of energy is re-established.

Benefits
•Provides pain relief
•Improves blood circulation
•Removes energy blockages
•Helps with sore tendons, pinched nerves and numbness