The Potential of Nourishing Herbs

Deepening Your Thai Massage – an East-West approach to Thai Bodywork is a book written by Tirza Bottema, founder of Thai Dee and teacher of Thai massage for more than three decades.
The book is an invitation to deepen your practice by bridging the wisdom of Eastern traditions with insights from Western knowledge through nine steps. It brings together traditional Thai healing principles, hands-on massage practice, and contemporary understanding of the body.

What makes this book unique is the way the knowledge is offered

It invites you not only to read, but also to look, feel, listen and play.
Insights are approached from multiple angles — through short texts and poems, clear theory, beautiful photographs and complementary videos.
This layered approach allows understanding to grow naturally, helping you embody the work and deepen your massage practice from the inside out.

This journey unfolds in nine steps, organised into three interconnected pillars:
• Body
• Mind
• Energy

Each pillar consists of three steps that support and reinforce one another, creating a holistic framework for touch, awareness and therapeutic presence.

This blog offers a first glimpse into Step 1: The Potential of Nourishing Herbs.

Herbs as a Foundation of Thai Healing

In Thailand, herbs are not an “addition” to healthcare — they are a foundation.
They are woven into daily life, cuisine, self-care and traditional medicine, and are closely connected to Thai massage.

Herbal medicine, herbal compresses, herbal steam baths, and the use of healing plants in food all serve the same purpose:
to nourish the body, support digestion, calm the nervous system and restore balance.

In Thai healing traditions, herbs are seen as allies — gently guiding the body back to its natural rhythm rather than forcing change.

For massage therapists, working with herbs deepens the treatment on multiple levels:
• physically, through warmth, circulation and tissue nourishment
• therapeutically, through the healing properties of the herbs — supporting digestion, easing stagnation, reducing inflammation and gently guiding the body back toward balance
• energetically, by supporting flow, softness and a sense of grounding

From Daily Life to the Massage Mat

One of the beautiful aspects of Thai herbal wisdom is its simplicity.
Healing does not start on the massage mat — it starts in daily habits.
A warm cup of herbal tea, for example, can already calm the digestive system, soften the abdomen and support the Earth element.

In Step 1 of the book, you explore how herbs can be integrated both inside and outside the treatment room.
You will find practical tips for using herbs during massage sessions, as well as simple suggestions for self-care and home use — empowering you to support clients beyond the table and to share this knowledge in an accessible way.

Herbal Tea for Digestive Balance

This gentle herbal tea, described in Step 1 of the book, is traditionally used to support digestion, warmth and inner balance.

Ingredients
• Fresh ginger (thinly sliced)
• Lemongrass (lightly crushed)
• Kaffir lime leaf (torn)
• A pinch of turmeric
• Optional: a little palm sugar or honey

Preparation
Bring all ingredients to a gentle boil, then let simmer for 10–15 minutes.
Strain, serve warm, and drink slowly.

This tea helps stimulate digestion, reduce stagnation, warm the body and calm the belly — a beautiful preparation before massage or a grounding ritual at the end of the day.

Curious to explore more? 
You can find the book at Deepening your Thai massage – an East-West approach to Thai Bodywork through major online bookstores worldwide. 
In the Netherlands you can buy the book at Bol.com, while international readers can also find the book via platforms such as Amazon.