Baan Hom Samunphrai A Small Herbal Health

Baan Hom Samunphrai offers training courses in Thai Traditional Massage and related herbal therapies at all levels in both Thai and English. Whether you're a complete beginner or an advanced practitioner, our teaching is very hands-on and personal, the teacher often instructing the student to work on her own body so that the exact pressure, position and sequence of the hands, elbows, knees etc. can be adjusted to perfection. Maw Hom also encourages the individual to discover his or her own strengths and strategies, as every healer is individually built and uniquely endowed. Age matters too, as do cultural habits--some 'Nuad Boran' positions are physically impossible for many westerners, for example, but that doesn't mean they can't be adapted to western talents. Indeed, if you're one of those who fear you may not be able to do it, come to us for support and encouragement. Equally, if you're a professional with years of experience come to us for renewal, tuning and, so important to all in-depth body-work, inspiration that really touches the earth!

Maw Hom teaches many aspects of Thai Traditional Medicine. Left to right. 1.) She teaches professional therapists who are preparing to take the new Thai Ministry of Public Health exams at a local Buddhist temple-clinic ; 2.) young westerners who are learning to prepare and use herbal compresses; 3.) and healers from all over the world who want to know more about old herbal medicines and how to use them effectively in a modern context.

Courses are arranged in 5 day, 10 day or far longer periods if you have the time at your disposal, and restricted to a maximum of 8 students. The day begins at 7am with one hour of 'Rasidaton,' an ancient yoga-like warm-up based on the essential Thai Massage movements, followed by 6 hours of classes from 9am-12 and 1pm-4pm. Students usually live with us at the Centre in our full room & board accommodations but, if you are already established in Chiang Mai, you can join one of our courses as a 'non-live-in' student as well.

The rates vary considerably depending on whether you join a regular or one-on-one class. Maw Hom welcomes Private Students, for example, but the charge is naturally higher not only because the student gets the teacher all to himself or herself, but requires a model all day too. Another option is to work 'two-on-one,' two professional friends in a class of their own or, as is often the case, a Private Couple. Considering the intensity and detail, the charge per student is not much more than a Regular Class!

Maw Hom schedules at least two Regular Classes every month in which all the students are guaranteed our minimum rate regardless of how many students enroll. Click here to see our CALENDAR & EVENTS page for what's coming up in the next few months. If you've got a date in the future that you know would suit you, please let us know and we will advertise it on our website as a scheduled Regular Class. We will then guarantee you our minimum rate even if you turn out to be the only student.

The day begins at 7am with the students chanting a Pali invocation asking for help and protection from the Buddha and his personal doctor, Maw Chiwok--the latter sits garlanded with jasmine just below the Buddha on the shrine in our training space. This invocation is followed by one hour of Rasidaton, a Thai Yoga developed by another disciple of the Buddha, the forest hermit, Rusi--he usually sits next to Maw Chiwok in Thai medical shrines. Breakfast then follows at 8.

Beginners often ask how much they can achieve in a particular course, whether 5 days or 10 days or more, and Maw Hom always answers in the same way--it depends on you. She does not follow a prescribed syllabus but tailors each and every lesson to your own needs--your age, your background, your physical type and, of course, your experience. She is also very strict about practice, and will never let you go on until you have shown her you have already mastered what has been taught, so you are unlikely to flounder or get discouraged. Students who have already done other courses are rarely disappointed, and true professionals, even those with years and years of experience in Thai Traditional Massage, come away with a new sense of confidence and purpose.

The series of photos below were taken on the last day of a 10 day course in Thai Traditional Massage. Maw Hom is regularly assisted by her brother, Vichian (in white), and 2 sister-in-laws, Bang (in black) and Nit (floral pattern)--even when there are only 2 or 3 students in the class. In the top right photo the student's hands are being adjusted both by Maw Hom behind him and by his model, Nit, i.e. two teachers are working with a single student at the same time. This degree of personal attention is rare as most massage schools have 15 or 20 students in a class with a single teacher--the only person who you touch, what is more who touches you, is just another struggling student!

TRAINING COURSE RATES

Baan Hom Samunphrai Live-in Training Courses cost Bt 2000 to Bt 2200 ($61.00 to $67.00) per day depending on the type of accommodation selected. Whatever fee is paid covers full room and board (3 meals) and 7 hours of yoga, training and supervised practice each day. A unique ingredient is Maw Hom's new 64 page Baan Hom Samunphrai Nuad Boran and Rasidaton Practitioner's Notebook with its 319 photos and diagrams. Students in training are also welcome to use the centre's facilities free of charge, including the pool, the two steam baths, and our bicycles, and free transportation to Chiang Mai is provided once a day. Finally, two full-length Training DVDs of Maw Hom demonstrating both Nuad Boran and Rasidaton are available to her students at 300 baht ($9.00) each--invaluable support when you're trying to remember the finer points all alone back at home!

NEW LIVE-IN TRAINING COURSE RATES per person per day NEW

Double or Single Room

Bt 2000 ($61.00)

per person per day

	Private House (couple)	Bt 2100 ($64.00)	per person per day
	Private House (single person)	Bt 2200 ($67.00)	per day

Dollar rates are calculated at 33 baht = $1.00.

Maw Hom welcomes students who have special interests and/or prefer to work one-on-one. The daily rate for a PRIVATE STUDENT is Bt 4200 ($127.00) per day and includes a Private House -- which a partner can share for just 800 baht ($24.00) more per day including free steam baths. For TWO STUDENTS (or, as is often the case, a PRIVATE COUPLE), the cost is Bt 2400 ($73.00) per person per day in their own Private House with full room and board, the use of all our facilities and, of course, the full attention of our whole staff.

For professionals, working alone with Maw Hom can be a whole new lease on life, and rarely a season goes by without someone booking with her one-on-one from 1 to 10 days, or more. Maw Hom also has a number of individual students who aren't Thai Massage specialists at all but come to her for other reasons: a Dutch architect who wanted to validate his kundalini yoga experiences, a Reiki healer who wanted to touch the energy lines in a different way, a researcher writing a book on Nuad Boran who wanted specific demonstrations of the more subtle aspects of the method while at the same time talking about them in detail, a successful painter who at 56 wanted to explore another art.

Any student can be accompanied by a non-training partner, friend, or child, who will be charged at the ordinary accommodation rate for meals and housing, and as a perk will get free steam baths too. Other activities for camp-followers can easily be arranged, including being models in class!

NEW NON LIVE-IN TRAINING COURSE RATES per person per day NEW

We also offer Training Courses in both Thai and English for those who already have accommodation in Chiang Mai. Fees include teaching materials, 6 hours of instruction & practice per day, and a healthy Thai lunch. Daily transportation is included free of charge for Private and Two-on-One students, and for 3 or more Regular students. All the Center's facilities including the Pool and Steam Baths are also available at no extra charge for all students enrolled in training courses.

Non-Live-in Training Course	Regular Students	Bt 1100 ($33.00) per person per day
5 or 10 days		[transportation included for 3 or more]
Non-Live-in Training Course	Private Couple	Bt 1600 ($48.00) per person per day
5 or 10 days		[transportation included]

	Non-Live-in Training Course	Private Student	Bt 3200 ($97.00) per day
	5 or 10 days		[transportation included]

Dollar rates are calculated at 33 baht = $1.00.

The Baan Hom Samunphrai car picks up non-live-in students in Chiang Mai at either 6.30 am or 8.30am (not both!) --each day begins with yoga at 7am and the class follows at 9am. The class ends at 4pm with an hour off for lunch. Non-live-in students are welcome to stay on after class to practice or to have steam baths at no extra charge. Our driver takes non-live-in students home as well, but only once each afternoon.

For less than 3 Regular students we charge a total of 150 baht for a morning pick-up or for an evening return. (Some non-live-in students prefer to rent a bicycle or a motorcycle.)

Those non-live-in students who wish to join the Rasidaton (Thai Yoga) warm-up must arrive by 7 am. Breakfast at 8am (fresh coffee, tea, natural yoghurt, muesli, whole grain toast, fruit, etc.) can be had by non-live-in students for the special price of 100 baht each (breakfast is usually 150 baht!).

CLICK HERE to see a CALENDAR of our Courses and Events.

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