Dharma Studios - Thai-rrific

Since the beginning of this project, I have been seriously searching for a Thai Massage therapist. And even more specifically, a Thai therapist who has 2200 hours in training. I did not know then, that it would would be such a difficult task.

After meeting a great therapist at our school, I was introduced to an absolutely beautiful oasis in Dharma Studios.  Over the past decade, I have always had a dream of opening my own clinic, and this was brought to life in the Dharma Studios space. Located just west of 14th street SW, and south of 17th ave, it was very impressive that I was that close to downtown and major roads.  Found in a beautiful and charming  redesigned turn-of-the-century home (don't quote me on the age of the home), this was a truly unique experience.

I entered the corner lot house, and was instantly taken back in time. A nice little entryway led to the main "living room" area, which had been cleverly converted into a seating area with a reception desk. Despite the light creaking on the original hardwood floor, the overall feel was ultimate comfort.

I was greeted by my therapist, Amber, and after filling out a short health questionnaire, I was led upstairs to the treatment room.  This room felt like it had been created to be a treatment room, as well as having the little details expected in older homes.  Because I was going to have a traditional Thai Massage, there was not a massage table in the room, instead, just a mat on the floor.

For those of you who have not had the amazing experience of a Thai Massage, you need to go out and try a session, and soon. The massage is usually between 1 hour and 90 minutes long, and is quite a thorough session. Some call it "Faciliated Yoga" and is also termed to be "Thai Yoga Massage". Both are great descriptions of the stretching that you receive, as well as the techniques that are used.  I have been practicing Thai Massage for the past 6 years,  although it has been a while since receiving one. Just like any other modality, the therapist really does bring their own style and touch to the session, which is what makes each experience so unique. This session was a bit deeper and more intense than the session that I provide, but was very relaxing.

I was initially a bit concerned that I was going to be a bit cold during the treatment, and then was quite relieved to lay on the mat and feel the heating pad sending warmth from the mat. Beautiful!!  The session was quite thorough, and I felt very comfortable with Amber, as she was very intuitive and was aware of tender spots and areas that needed more work.  She created a special aromatherapy blend which she introduced to me initially with a scalp massage, and then the scent was carried around my body throughout the entire session.

Most Thai Massages will include a very detailed work of the energy lines of the body, which can be quite sensitive, but are critical in balancing the body's energy. Similarly to Chinese/Japanese meridians, these energy lines can be blocked or stagnant, and Thai Massage is designed to help normalize the energy in the body.

I was very happy with my session with Amber at Dharma Studios, and hope to be able to refer many of my Thai Massage inquiries to this clinic (as well as returning for another session... hopefully in the near future).

Well worth the travel, and the beautiful downtown traffic of Calgary!!!

Dharma Studios

www.dharmastudios.ca
info@dharmastudios.ca
403.508.9921