Northern style Thai Massage is performed on a mat on the floor with the client wearing loose-fitting clothing. This traditional protocol was adapted from the royal lineage of Northern Thai medicine, dating back nearly 5,000 years. It is a combination of slow, rhythmic acupressure along the Sen, or energy lines, of the body as well as passive stretching of all major muscle groups. The effect is a deeply restorative and calming experience that lulls the receiver into a theta state of relaxation as it softens the connective tissue of the whole body. This treatment increases healthy circulation of blood and lymph throughout the body as well as improving flexibility, in a nurturing environment rooted in the concept of Metta, or loving kindness, which is the basis of all Thai medicine.