Osteopathy as a profession started in united states in 1874 by Andrew Taylor Still. Osteopathy views human being as a whole, according to it’s 4 basic tenets :

1. The human being is a dynamic functional unit, whose state of health is influenced by the body, mind and the living context; 

 2. The body possesses self-regulatory mechanisms and is naturally selfhealing; 

3. Structure and function are interrelated at all levels of the human body

4. Rational treatment is based on these principles.

Osteopathic treatment can consist of many different techniques of physical manipulation.

Typically osteopathic treatments are used for:
– Joint pains
– Back pain
– Chronical pain
– Movement limitations
– Headaches

As  I am registered Osteopath by Finnish National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, I follow these principles of osteopathic treatment in my work. I’m working mainly with soft techniques, addressing stress, nervous system and life force (cranio-sacral), viscera (inner organs) and fascia (connective tissue).

Within the current state of the world it seems specially relevant to work with the nervous system and alleviate the symptoms of stress, like sleeping problems, headache’s, jaw and neck tension, digestive problems.

All of our life is movement. Even when we don’t (or can’t) move, our heart pumps and our breath flows.

Big part of our physical functioning is how do we feel in ourselves. How do we sense our movement, how does our movement feel?
Most of the time we do not pay attention to these sensations, but when pain starts to trouble us, our attention goes to it. In order to avoid pain or stress it is useful to pay attention how we do our everyday movements. And find ways how we can alter our sensation and quality of those movements by using different images or language.

With somatic coaching we try to find different qualities and ways to do the movements, in order to make load or stress in some part of our body less, or to get rid of the pain that we have when doing to movement. Obviously it is important to first exclude possible reason for the pain that would need a medical attention, but often chronically pain does not have clear acute reasons for the pain. In these situations, changing how do we move, can change our experience and sensation of the pain or uncomfortability.

The traditional healing massage of Thailand (commonly known as Thai massage or Thai Yoga Massage) originated in India, allegedly during the Buddha’s lifetime over 2500 years ago. This form of massage involves manipulation using stretching techniques and gentle pressure along the trigger points, meridians or energy lines of the body.

Thai massage can last for up to two hours (whole body) and clients are advised to wear loose, comfortable clothes.

Thai massage helps to relieve tension within the body and can be effectively used for pain relief. It improves the function of the lymph glands and blood circulation and balances the nervous system.

Personally I find lot of similarities in the principles between Thai Yoga Massage and Contact Improvisation, mainly the use of alignment and gravity. That’s one of the reason I studied TYM and find it helpful and interesting practice.