In shiatsu the fingers, thumbs, elbows, knees, hands and feet are all used to stimulate or sedate the energy flowing through the body to promote health and healing. Like acupuncture and other Asian medical practices, shiatsu works with the body’s energy system. The Asian concept of energy can be loosely understood as “vitality” or “vital force”, which we cannot see but can sense or feel (like feeling the energy when you walk into a room). According to Asian medicine, our energy, or ki, moves along specific pathways (meridians) around the body. The meridians relate to our internal physical organs and our emotional, psychological, and spiritual state. All these parts and functions of the body-mind are interrelated; no problem can be successfully treated in isolation. In shiatsu, the connecting point of the organs and functions in the body is the meridian system. MERIDIANS
The meridians are like a closed circuit of water channels, and the water flowing through the channels is equivalent to the ki. There can be many interruptions along the way – sticks, stones, and leaves silt up the channels, disrupting and blocking the flow. On the side of the block there is too much water (pain and discomfort) and on the other too little (weakness or apathy), differences becoming more apparent the longer the blockage remains. Inefficient flow of ki around the body results in tiredness, physical pain, depression, emotional upsets, stiffness, headaches and many other common problems. Various shiatsu techniques such as pressure point therapy, facilitated stretching and joint rotations are used to correct these imbalances. TRUST AND TOUCH
Much of the healing takes place through compassionate touch and listening, as well as the person allowing him/herself the time for treatment such as shiatsu. A large part of the effectiveness of shiatsu is the trust between the practitioner and the receiver. With trust the receiver can relax and, in this state of relaxation, the body no longer needs to “hold on”. Once this happens, the reason for holding on can come to the surface, and the receiver can choose to examine the underlying causes of physical and emotional discomfort. There are many examples in daily life of the body tensing up, with resulting physical discomfort. If you talk to a bank manager about an overdraft or witness an unhappy scene, your body will tell you this is not your favorite pastime! If the tension is felt in the shoulders, for instance, this is only a symptom of the cause – although they may be in agony, the shoulders themselves are not the problem. Tension can be stored in different areas of the body for years, building up. Eventually a chronic state develops, resulting in permanent discomfort and disease. The shiatsu practitioner seeks to discover these tensions and blockages; once the cause is acknowledged healing can begin. In the West, shiatsu is still mainly used for people who have been unwell, and cannot seem to improve though conventional therapy. However shiatsu is gradually becoming appreciated as a positive way to maintain good health and happiness. Frequently those who have experienced its benefits for a specific ailment use it regularly to enhance and maintain their well-being. One session is not as beneficial as three or four spaced out over three to six weeks. The number of sessions required for any one individual depends on his or her particular problem. If the energy is very deficient, a number of sessions are desirable in order to monitor the changes taking place. HOW CAN IT HELP? A shiatsu treatment will be of maximum benefit if an understanding of the cause of the condition supports it. Shiatsu encourages people to listen more keenly to what the body is saying, making it easier to see what is wholesome and what is destructive, giving us choices about which path to follow. The body has a great ability to self heal, but sometimes it needs assistance to remove the objects getting in the way of the healing process. Shiatsu is one technique that can help remove these blockages. Shiatsu can help with the following;
- arthritic conditions
- back/neck pain
- emotional difficulties
- headaches/migraines
- insomnia
- intestinal disorders (irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, constipation and diarrhea)
- menstrual problems (heavy periods and PMT)
- sinusitis
- stress-related disorders
Shiatsu is a catalyst in the healing process. Healing is not something that just sometimes ‘happens’ – it is a continuous movement toward harmony, balance and wholeness. WHAT HAPPENS DURING A SHIATSU TREATMENT? When a shiatsu is given, the skin surface is immediately stimulated, triggering a response in the nervous system, which sends a message to the brain. The autonomic nervous system is the subconscious part of the nervous system and coordinates all involuntary movements and functions of the body. It is divided into two parts: the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Our way of being and feeling changes considerably depending on the relative balance of these two systems. Many influences – both internal and external – can tip this balance and cause dominance in one or other of the parts of the autonomic nervous system, resulting in a feeling of being out of sorts. The sympathetic branch is concerned with the stress response and the preparation for fight or flight – when something stressful comes our way, the body tries to defend itself by either fighting or running away. Physical symptoms may include; increased heartbeat, cold and clammy as the blood leaves the skin to be used in the muscles, ‘butterflies’ or nausea, hair on skin standing up. All these responses prepare the body for action. Once the immediate danger is gone, the parasympathetic nerves become the more dominant. All the systems return to normal and there is a feeling of relief, letting go and relaxation. Historically the body had more stress on the physical/ structural system and less on the nervous system. Today, for a large amount of people, the scales have tipped the other way. Little physical movement with lots of busy thinking and worries. Much of the stress that we encounter today is not from an immediate and identifiable source – it’s in the background, constantly niggling away. With this persistent low-lying stress, the body is on the alert, the systems are always on the defensive, and a feeling of relaxation is difficult to experience. Through shiatsu, we can encourage the body and the mind to relax and let go of tension - to switch from sympathetic and parasympathetic dominance. WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT? Shiatsu treatment is done through the clothes and is given on a thick mat or futon on the floor. The whole body can be worked on in shiatsu. Using increased awareness and sensitivity, the practitioner is drawn to the areas that require most attention. In tense areas the ki is dispersed, while in areas lacking in ki, stimulating and holding techniques are used to encourage the flow of energy. Usually at the end of a session one will feel relaxed and energised, with a sense of calm, or sometimes wanting a long sleep. Normally there is a decrease in muscular aches and pains, and possibly a slight, temporary lowering of body temperature and feeling of lethargy due to the deep work and release of energy, feelings and emotions. On leaving the treatment room keep warm, drink some water, if possible have a bath and/or rest for a short time.
