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Photo by JOHN HAEGER (Twitter.com/OneidaPhoto) Beth Sforza Yazell of Bloom Yoga and Wellness gives Chris Rossi a Thai Yoga Massage May 7 in her Oneida Studio.
By DYANN NASHTON
Contributing Writer

Photo by JOHN HAEGER (Twitter.com/OneidaPhoto) Beth Sforza Yazell of Bloom Yoga and Wellness gives Chris Rossi a Thai Yoga Massage May 7 in her Oneida Studio.
ONEIDA — The two concepts of yoga and Swedish massage are familiar to most people. But a new avenue to wellness — Thai Yoga Massage — combines the benefits of both.
Practitioner Beth Sforza Yazell said the goals of TYM are similar to other types of massage that soothe muscles, provide relaxation and promote health.
It incorporates many aspects of yoga with specific positions and assisted stretching, Yazell explained. But, TYM is much more passive than what most people envision in a yoga class and does not require yoga experience or even flexibility, she said.
CHECK IT OUT: Bloom Yoga & Wellness grand opening June 2.
Gail Whitman, of Oneida Castle, recently experienced her first Thai Yoga Massage. She said she was surprised by how much she enjoyed the massage and appreciated how Yazell prepared her by explaining the process first.
“It really stretched me out,” said Whitman, a runner who logs about 50 miles per week. She has traditional massages from time to time, especially when she has trouble with sciatica. A compressed nerve produces pain in her lower back, hip and leg. “Sometimes after a regular massage, I can’t run. But this didn’t hurt at all and I was surprised that I wasn’t even sore the next day.”
Another runner, Dedra Croll, of Vernon, said she enjoyed the ability to be a true participant in this kind of massage. In other types, the client lies passively on a table. “This is gentle but active. It helps you stretch but you’re never pushed beyond your point of comfort,” she said.
An important aspect of yoga is the breathing techniques that help focus and relax the mind. Croll said the incorporation of long, slow breathing by both Yazell and herself as a massage recipient went a long way to helping her relax while fully participating in the massage.
“I found it a very calming experience,” said Croll, who has already had two sessions of TYM. Continued…
Rhythms involved in the massage are soothing and can seem “almost dance-like,” Yazell said. Some of the rocking techniques she utilizes in both the massage and her yoga classes are “very reminiscent to the sensations experienced in the womb,” which goes a long way to bring a sense of peace. “It helps people peel back the layers of their life to a very pure, uncomplicated state,” she said.
While Swedish massage incorporates techniques such as effleurage, the long, relaxing strokes used to warm muscles, and petrissage, the rubbing and kneading of muscles, Yazell said TYM introduces several other elements. TYM is an outgrowth of Eastern medicine and Ayurveda, yoga’s sister science. It includes techniques which work on energy lines within the body much like in acupuncture or acupressure. The healing art is believed to have originated more than 4,000 years ago when this kind of massage was performed on Buddha by his personal physician.
Yazell is trained in the Lotus Palm method of TYM. According to the Lotus Palm website, this method seeks to integrate Eastern knowledge of mind, body and spirit with Western understanding of the body. A yoga practitioner and instructor of more than 30 years, Yazell is a registered nurse with a master’s degree in health services administration.
There are a number of obvious and subtle differences between TYM and traditional massage, Yazell said. Unlike traditional massage, recipients remain fully clothed. “There are many people who are not comfortable being undressed even if covered by a blanket during traditional massages,” she said.
There are also no oils or lotions used in the Thai Yoga Massage. Sometimes oils or lotions can get into the hair during the head and scalp portions of traditional massage, she said. Without the oils, TYM is an option for people who want to fit a treatment into their day without having to shower or restyle their hair afterwards.
Traditional massage is performed on a special massage table, but TYM is done on a large padded floor mat much like a futon mattress. Yazell offers TYM in a designated room at the new Bloom Yoga and Wellness at 604 Seneca St. near Oneida Healthcare Center.
For more information, call 363-5258 or visit the Bloom Yoga and Wellness website at:

