Shiatsu Bodywork Academy

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Shiatsu Bodywork Academy

Shiatsu Bodywork Academy offers courses in Shiatsu - the Art of Japanese Bodywork. Intro to Diploma.

08/10/2025

“Beautiful. Nourishing. Informative. Professional. Practical. Wonderful food. Overall inspired…”
Reading words like these reminds us why we hold these retreats. They’re not just weekends of learning techniques—they’re spaces where people reconnect with themselves on a deeper level.
Shiatsu is more than a bodywork practice. It’s a way of seeing, feeling, and understanding how the body and mind are intricately connected. When you slow down, tune in, and bring awareness to your own body, something shifts—you start to notice patterns, strength, softness, and the wisdom that’s already there.
For many, this becomes a moment of stepping into their own power. It’s the realisation that healing doesn’t come from outside, but from within—guided, supported, and awakened through touch, movement, and presence.
And yes, the food is wonderful too—because nourishment happens on every level here.
Thank you, Anakayla!

07/10/2025

In today’s world, “wellness” has become a trend, often packaged as quick fixes or surface-level practices. But Shiatsu is more than just another wellness add-on – it’s a profound therapeutic art rooted in centuries of tradition. When Shiatsu is lumped in with generic wellness trends, its depth and transformative power risk being overlooked. True bodywork engages both practitioner and receiver in a process that supports genuine change and balance. Perhaps it’s time to ask: should we reclaim Shiatsu from the wellness industry and honour it for what it truly is – a discipline of healing, presence, and connection?

05/10/2025

🍃Mental Health Awareness Week🍃
Nurturing Mind & Heart through Love, Acceptance & Support – Inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine.

🍃The Heart-Mind Connection🍃
In TCM, the Heart houses the Shen (mind/spirit).
Emotional balance comes from feeling safe, heard, and connected.
Love and acceptance are like medicine for the Shen.

🍃Yin & Yang of Emotional Wellbeing🍃
Yin offers rest, reflection, and compassion.
Yang gives motivation, action, and confidence.
Mental health thrives when these energies are in harmony – neither rushing nor withdrawing too much.

🍃The Power of Support🍃
In TCM, connection strengthens Qi.
A kind word, gentle touch, or listening ear replenishes our life force, helping emotions flow instead of stagnate.

🍃Practices to Nourish the Shen🍃️
– Gentle movement like Qi Gong or walking in nature
– Warm, nourishing foods
– Mindful breathing
– Spending time with loving, supportive people

🍃Mental health is a whole-body experience🍃
With love, acceptance, and support, we create the conditions for the Heart to shine and the mind to rest.
Join us in cultivating balance & connection – Shiatsu Bodywork Academy

05/10/2025

You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn’t do anything to the object of its displeasure. So use that anger. You write it. You paint it. You dance it. You march it. You vote it. You do everything about it. You talk it. Never stop talking it.
- Maya Angelou

This Maya Angelou quote is a powerful reminder that anger in itself isn’t wrong — it’s a natural human response to injustice, pain, or wrongdoing.
What she warns against is bitterness, because bitterness is stagnant; it keeps us stuck in resentment and slowly harms us, not the person or situation we’re angry about. Bitterness drains energy, closes the heart, and clouds the mind.
Anger, however, can be fuel — if you channel it into action, creativity, and constructive change. You can write your truth, paint your vision, dance your feelings, join movements, vote for change, speak up, and keep the conversation alive. In doing so, your anger becomes a catalyst for healing, art, and transformation — not something that quietly eats away at you.
It’s a call to transform hurt into purpose. To not stay silent. To never let the fire die, but to use it to light the way forward.

03/10/2025

Imagine yoga where you don’t have to move a muscle. Shiatsu is deeply restorative bodywork – it’s like yoga being done for you. All you need to do is lie down, breathe, and receive.

Most of us are familiar with yoga as a practice of moving our bodies through stretches, postures, and breath awareness. It can be strengthening, calming, and balancing. But what if there was a way to experience many of the same benefits of yoga—without moving a muscle?

This is where Shiatsu comes in. Often described as “yoga being done to you,” Shiatsu is a form of Japanese bodywork rooted in the same principles that underpin acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. Instead of needles, practitioners use comfortable pressure from their palms, thumbs, elbows, and knees, along with stretches and gentle rotations. The effect is a flowing sequence of movements that feels both grounding and deeply restorative.

For the receiver, Shiatsu is effortless. You simply lie down, fully clothed, on a supportive mat. There’s no need to perform or participate in any active way. The practitioner moves and positions your body, applying pressure in rhythm with your breath, supporting your joints, and easing your muscles into relaxation.

The benefits are profound:

Deep release of physical tension.
A nervous system reset, shifting from stress to calm.
Increased flexibility and circulation.
A sense of being realigned and rebalanced.

Many people describe a Shiatsu session as if their body has “remembered” how to move with more ease. It’s both a treatment and a teaching—the body learns what freedom feels like, without you having to strain or push to get there.

So, if you love yoga but sometimes feel too tired, too tense, or too busy to get on the mat, Shiatsu can be a powerful alternative. It offers the same nourishing stretches and mindful presence, but with no effort required on your part. All you need to do is lie down, breathe, and receive.

02/10/2025

Our next three retreats are here to guide you through the seasons:
Spring – Summer – Late Summer.
Each retreat offers a chance to align with nature, nurture your body, and explore the wisdom of the elements through Shiatsu. Join us for one—or journey with us through the cycle of the seasons.

01/10/2025

“The food is definitely a highlight.”
At our Shiatsu Retreats, meals are so much more than fuel. Every dish is 100% plant-based, mostly organic, with gluten-free options available. But what truly makes it special is the way it’s prepared—cooked with love, with the people at the retreat in mind.
It’s about sensing what will nourish, what will comfort, and what will delight. That’s where the magic happens—food becomes alchemy. And yes, you can taste it.

30/09/2025

“Holistic” is everywhere these days—but has the word lost its meaning? True holistic healing is not just about adding a few lifestyle tips; it’s about recognising the interconnectedness of body, mind, and spirit. Shiatsu embodies this principle, working with energy, touch, and presence to restore balance on every level. Unlike surface uses of the word, Shiatsu offers a genuine holistic experience, addressing not only symptoms but also their root causes. Perhaps it’s time to reclaim “holistic” and honour practices, like Shiatsu, that stay true to its depth rather than reducing it to a marketing term.

28/09/2025

The Heart in Traditional Chinese Medicine – More than just a pump.

The Heart as the Emperor
In TCM, the Heart is the ‘Emperor’ of the body.
It governs blood circulation and houses the Shen – our mind, spirit, and consciousness.

The Heart & Shen
A peaceful Heart leads to a calm mind, restful sleep, and emotional balance.
When the Heart is disturbed, we may experience anxiety, insomnia, or restlessness.

Nourishing the Heart
– Eat warm, red-toned foods like hawthorn or goji berries
– Practice calming breathwork or meditation
– Rest well and keep a steady daily rhythm
– Seek meaningful connection with others

Heart Element – Fire
The Heart belongs to the Fire element in the Five Element system.
It thrives in warmth, joy, and laughter – and is harmed by excess heat, stress, or isolation.

On World Heart Day, remember:
A healthy Heart in TCM is one that beats with vitality, peace, and joy – nourishing both body and spirit.
Learn more about holistic Heart care with Shiatsu Bodywork Academy

28/09/2025

“Joy harms the heart” by the 2000-year old Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine.

In the Yellow Emperor’s Classic, the Heart is described as the Emperor—the seat of the Shen (mind-spirit), governing blood, circulation, and consciousness. Interestingly, it warns that too much joy can harm the Heart. This isn’t about simple happiness but about excess stimulation: overexcitement, constant pursuit of pleasure, or lack of inner stillness. Such imbalance can scatter the Shen, disrupt sleep, drain vitality, and in time weaken the Heart.
World Heart Day focuses on cardiovascular health in today’s terms—preventing strain through balanced lifestyle, nutrition, stress management, and movement. When placed side by side, both perspectives emphasize balance:
In TCM: harmony of emotions preserves the Heart.
In modern medicine: moderation in lifestyle choices preserves the heart.
So, this ancient teaching resonates now as a reminder: real heart health is not only physical but also emotional and spiritual. On World Heart Day, we can honour our hearts by seeking joy in balance—cultivating calm, rest, connection, and steady rhythms in life.
✨ Ancient or modern, the message is the same: protect the heart by living in harmony.

26/09/2025

Spring is the season of growth, movement, and renewal. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it belongs to the Wood element and the Liver and Gallbladder meridians. One powerful point connected with this energy is GB 20 (Fengchi), translated as “Wind Pool.”
GB 20 is found at the base of the skull, in the hollows on either side where the neck muscles meet. It is a key point for clearing “wind” – the external factor often responsible for headaches, stiff necks, and seasonal colds. By opening this gateway, GB 20 helps the body release tension and restore the smooth flow of qi.
In Shiatsu practice, working with GB 20 can ease eye strain, calm dizziness, and support clearer thinking. It also has a powerful effect on stress and irritability – emotions often stirred up in Spring when Liver qi may become stuck.
Spring invites us to lift our gaze, expand our vision, and embrace new possibilities. GB 20 reflects this seasonal shift: it opens the head, clears the senses, and supports a sense of freedom and movement. Gentle pressure or mindful touch here can help you align with the upward, outward energy of Spring.

25/09/2025

Are you ready to take your Shiatsu journey further?
Our Certificate and Diploma programs provide the foundations and depth you need to become a confident Shiatsu practitioner. You’ll not only gain hands-on skills, but also develop a deep understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine, seasonal wisdom, and the art of supporting others through touch.
Whether you dream of practicing professionally or want to enrich your own life with this knowledge, our programs offer a clear, supportive pathway.
If you feel the call to explore Shiatsu more deeply, we’d love to talk with you. Reach out directly to discuss your journey—we’re here to answer questions and guide you through your next steps.

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Old Valley Road
Okaihau
0475

Website

http://shiatsubodyworkacademy.nz/, https://shiatsubodyworkacademy.nz/contact/newsletter/, https://shiatsubodyworkacademy

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