Refind your body and mind with Karine

Phanganist's friend Karine is back on the island and her love for people has inspired her to share her skills of ayurvedic massage with us all.

We speak to Karine to find out more before visiting her to experience this wonderful talent...

What is you Koh Phangan story?
I arrived three years ago, came for a holiday and stayed. I had never been before, just heard a bit about the island but I had lived in India before then.

Can you tell us what type of massage you do?
The word Ayurvedique is a sanskrit, your are reborn with this massage, you refind your body and mind.

The body and mind are connected, this massage is more spiritual not just in the physical sense. When I find pain in the body sometimes it is connected with your mind, your mind has too much information and you can’t get this information out with just your mouth. With this massage you release the mind and the body.

Each massage is totally different for each pupil, each problem inside and outside. It is good for me to practice this massage as the people all have a different energy, also my energy can be different but I try to keep a good energy.

Where did you learn your massage?
In India twelve years ago in Goa. It was at the Ayurvedic clinic with a teacher there, the name is a form of medicine from India but the first care in the medicine is the massage. The name is Abhyanga massage.

What initially got you interested?
I wanted to learn massage because firstly I like people, I like to do something good for the people and through the massage I can do this.

It’s a privileged moment with someone, I share my energy with the person and it is like a meditation when I practice massage. I need to be totally implic with the massage.
How do people feel after and what sorts of ailments has it helped?
It depends on the person, the energy in the moment but every time people feel more release. After this massage as it is a very deep tissue massage, sometimes you can touch the point of emotion, sometimes they can get out something very wrong in their mind, they can cry, they are releasing these things.

Everybody can give feedback after the massage, I like to take time to speak with the people, or not, it depends on the person. We take a tea and you take your time, it really is a moment for self. You have to take time for the massage, for one hour no, it is important to take time.

You also teach yoga fitness, how is this different from other yoga?
I have a base of hatha yoga that I learnt in India and I continued my study in France.

When I arrived here I practiced hatha yoga flow but I saw also that my customers wanted something different.

I met a friend in France and she taught me the yoga fitness. For me I like both because the combination is very interesting, you have the mentality and feelings of yoga with conciousience and then when you do exercise and assansas, you can stretch your body with the yoga postures.

I put in fitness so you can work the abs and do push ups, stretch with yoga and build muscles with fitness.

It depends on the people in front of me, I can do something just for them in the moment, you can put up the energy and go more strong.

For me I prefer private lessons with only four or five people, I don’t like much more, it means I can check everybody. Especially if something is wrong and you feel pain, this is not the goal.
What do you do in your free time?
I like to practice sports, I have a bicycle which is new for me but perfect for the body and mind.

I like to spend time with friends as my friends are my true family.

I like to go to  Angkana bungalow, Tranquilo, Baobab Restaurant, the Three Sixty Bar and many other places in Koh Phangan.

Where and when do you teach?
In Angkana bungalow for groups on Tuesday at 4pm and Friday at 9.30am and 4pm for Hatha. For yoga fitness it’s 3pm and you need to book these with me and after I like to give private lessons, I give a lot of private lessons so you can private message me or phone to book this.
What do you hope for yourself over the next couple of years?
I think I have found my way, and I want to continue to be happy like that, with my job, my friends and my house.

I am forty but I feel totally connected to myself.

And leave us with your life philosophy...
Take pleasure in everything that I do.

Karine is the kind of lady that you immediately feel comfortable with, a cool and collected energy exudes from this beautiful woman so you will feel at ease right away. 

The massage begins with singing bowls, the vibrations send you off into a space plateu where you can free your mind from any stress which helps the process from the start.

From there Karine will massge your whole body and find any individual points that need work and try to fix them.

For the most part of the experince it feels as if Karine is above you, not by your side, she moves around as if being invisible and she certainly puts all of her energy into this.

At the end, the singing bowls are again used which is a wonderful ending and to be honest leaves you wanting more but you feel fixed!

You feel lighter and even more energetic, like Karine has said though, you take your time, have a tea and a chat afterwards then leave with a smile inside and out.

Thank you Karine and we wish you all the best!

Contact Karine on Facebook or on 0876228586