Alright, today we're diving into materials about Thai massage — not in general, but focusing on a specific story: the Shivagakomarpaj lineage and the Old Medicine Hospital in Chiang Mai.
We’ve got some texts showing how it evolved, and there’s also talk about Wat Po in Bangkok.
Yeah, Wat Po is a classic.
But it seems like the heart of the matter lies in the north. We want to understand where this northern style came from and why this lineage is so important.
Let’s see what the sources reveal.
Sure.
So, Wat Po in Bangkok — history, medical inscriptions, a treasure trove of knowledge.
But sources say that many people, especially Westerners looking for deeper learning, go somewhere else.
To Chiang Mai.
Exactly.
Since the 1990s, the city has become a true hub for massage schools.
Yeah, Chiang Mai experienced a real boom back then.
And as you’d expect, massage schools popped up like mushrooms.
Which didn’t always mean high quality.
Exactly. Sources suggest there was a lot of fast growth tied to medical tourism.
But among all of them, one institution stood out for decades as the most respected and influential.
The Old Medicine Hospital.
Thai Massage School Shivagakomarpaj.
That’s the one.
And it was led by one man.
Ajahn Sintorn Chaichakan.
From what I read, he had impressive credentials.
He studied at Wat Po.
And graduated top of his class in 1958.
That’s incredible.
Before returning north in 1962, he helped launch the massage training program at Wat Po — at the king’s request.
And that’s key.
Because when he came back to Chiang Mai, he didn’t just copy what was in Bangkok.
He adapted it.
So it wasn’t a one-to-one transplant.
Nope.
Sources mention two main changes.
First, he slowed the massage down — made it more meditative, to suit the relaxed northern lifestyle.
He believed it should match the laid-back vibe of people in Chiang Mai.
Interesting. And the second change?
He added local herbal knowledge — herbs, compresses.
Which, according to the texts, Wat Po lacked.
So he consciously modified a well-known tradition.
Yes — and that conscious adaptation seems to be a key insight.
Exactly.
He didn’t just preserve tradition; he evolved it with intent and respect for the local context.
And what about the school itself? If he started in 1962…
The Old Medicine Hospital was formally founded later — in 1973.
It began very modestly — small funding, 10 beds.
That’s all?
Yep.
But in the '90s, it exploded in popularity.
Hundreds of foreign students trained in Thai massage there each year.
And dozens of Thai students trained in traditional medicine.
So it wasn’t just for foreigners.
Not at all.
It became a model institution.
A cornerstone of Thailand’s accreditation system.
Got it.
So its impact was bigger than just student numbers?
Definitely.
That brings us to the heart of it.
Many graduates of the school went on to start their own.
Spreading the same techniques.
Exactly — the adapted northern style.
Over time, all those connected to this tradition became known as one lineage.
The Shivagakomarpaj Lineage.
Exactly.
The term “lineage” keeps coming up.
Yes.
It’s highlighted as a fundamental concept.
Not just a name.
But a mark of authenticity.
A seal of quality and belonging.
To a living tradition with a history.
Something deeply important to practitioners.
And it has a personal dimension too.
Sources mention a strong connection
to the teacher, and the ancestral line of practice.
Even after death.
Yes — even after the master passes.
Ajahn Sintorn, for example, is still honored in the wai khru ceremonies.
He died in 2005.
Wai khru is a traditional ritual of paying respect to teachers.
For people outside Thailand — Western practitioners — this lineage provides a vital way to
stay connected to their roots.
To feel part of something real.
Exactly.
Even when evaluating a book, knowing the author’s lineage helps assess its credibility.
So the Old Medicine Hospital’s story
isn’t just about one school’s success.
It’s an example of how tradition can evolve and adapt.
How one person can shape an entire movement.
And how a lineage becomes a thread connecting past and present.
A guarantee of continuity.
Beautifully said.
Tradition isn’t something frozen in a museum.
It can be alive.
Exactly.
It can absorb new local elements and still preserve its essence.
Thanks to the power of teacher-student connection.
Right.
Living, dynamic.
And it continues through conscious transmission.
Which leaves us with one big question.
Right?
In a time when so many traditional practices are becoming global and commercialized…
Unfortunately, that’s often the case.
So what is it that allows some lineages
like Ajahn Sintorn’s to preserve their depth and authenticity?
To keep passing it down across cultures and generations?
Where does true authenticity really lie?
Especially today, when
we have so much access to information — but maybe not to its roots.
That’s a very important question.
What really defines authenticity today?
Worth reflecting on.