It was the first time I felt a job can be fun!

Read what Teacher Training graduate Marike Sala says…

We asked the opinion of one of our teachers Marike Sala, who followed the Thai Yoga Massage Teacher Training and is now teaching at ITM Thai Hand Amsterdam.

The effects are amazing

‘The Thai yoga massage is a combination between the giver and the receiver. It is a kind of meditation in movement for both. And the effects for both the client and the masseur are amazing,’ says Marike just before the start of a massage class she is teaching.

You feel energized and relaxed at the same time

‘I tried different kind of massages, because I am quite a worrier. So I use the massage in a way to go back into my body. When I received the Thai yoga massage for the first time I could really feel how deep the massage felt in my muscles. I felt energized after the massage. That is the combination that is so interesting, because you feel energized but also feeling really relaxed after the massage.’

I thought wow I like to share this feeling

‘I really thought wow I like to share this feeling with others. I like to give the same feeling to others. And to learn to give this massage as well.” She says in between laying the massage matts in a row in front of the mirror in the massage school to prepare her lesson for today.
‘I followed level 1 and level 2 of Nuad Bo Rarn Thai yoga massage and I started to give treatments myself. It was an amazing feeling because people that I massaged are discovering new forms of massage and they are really grateful about the results.’

For the first time I felt a job can be fun!

‘I think it was the first time for me that I thought: ‘Wow, a job can be fun! A job can give me some positive energy.’ That was really special to me. She smiles, turns on some relaxing massage music and lights the candles in the room, and sits down on a matt wearing traditional massage pants and a t-shirt, to continue her story…

‘When I first took a course I was really excited. Because the way the massage is taught at the school is really interesting. The teachers are really experienced and so passionate about what they are doing. And the way they teach is really the Thai way. It is about watching. It is about feeling and doing it yourself. It is an amazing way of learning. Because you are much more concentrated on what you are feeling, not so much only in the head.’ She smiles and her eyes are twinkling while she passionately talks more.

I thought I cannot do this

‘When I first was in the massage classes, I was always looking at the teacher and I was thinking: ‘Wow I would also like to be the teacher!’, but I was thinking, I might not be the kind of person that likes to speak in big groups to be the center of attention so I thought I am not sure if it is something for me.’

But look where I am now

‘The teachers at the school encouraged me to start and I was well coached. And now… yes well there I am, I am now here in the middle, doing the class.’ Marike points to her students that have been entering the class during our conversation and off she goes teaching Life Balance Massage for Health Classes.