Shiatsu has its roots in ancient oriental massage, which employs theories and techniques from various oriental cultures and philosophies to promote a sense of wholeness and well-being. The Japanese word shiatsu means finger pressure: shi — “finger,” atsu — “pressure”. In shiatsu, the fingers, thumbs, elbows, knees, and hands are all used to stimulate or sedate the energy flowing through the body to promote health and healing.
Shiatsu encourages a positive state of mind; its theories and techniques are a backdrop to physical communication through touch. Like acupuncture and other oriental medical practices, shiatsu works with the body’s energy system. The oriental concept of energy can be loosely understood as “vitality” or “vital force”, which we cannot see, but one can sense or feel. For example, if someone walks into the room we immediately pick up on their energetic state, whether they look full of life and energy or the opposite. The term is used to describe this vital force is chi.
According to oriental medicine, our energy, or chi, moves along specific pathways (meridians) around the body. These meridians relate to our internal physical organs and our emotional, psychological, and physical state. The organs and functions in the body are divided into six pairs and all are linked by chi. In shiatsu, the connecting point of the organs and functions in the body is the meridian system. These meridians, and their energies are one of the major focuses of a Shiatsu session.
Shiatsu and Trust
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”. What we resist, persists. The more we push against the way things are, the more resistance is built up; the more support we get the more trust we build.
There are many examples in daily life of the body tensing up, with resulting physical discomfort. Different people have different areas that tend to hold tension when they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation. Tensions can be stored in different areas in the body for years, building up. The shiatsu practitioner seeks to discover and address these tensions and blockages.
What Conditions Can Shiatsu Help?
Shiatsu helps to maintain overall health and encourages people to listen more keenly to what the body is saying. With this increased awareness, it becomes 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 to remove these blockages.
Because shiatsu works on the energetic system, it can be useful in helping a wide range of disorders. Including the following:
- arthritic conditions
- backaches
- headaches/migraines
- insomnia
- intestinal disorders (constipation and diarrhea)
- menstrual problems (heavy periods and premenstrual syndrome)
- muscular tensions
- respiratory difficulties
- stress-related disorders
Shiatsu is a catalyst in a healing process. Healing is not something that just sometimes “happens”, neither is it granted by the irresponsible Shiatsu practitioner — it is a continuous movement toward harmony, balance and wholeness by the receiver.
What to Expect in a Shiatsu Session
Shiatsu is done through the clothes, and a session usually takes about one hour — is normally given on a thick mat on the floor. A combination of techniques including stretching, pressing, holding, and rotating are used to work on different areas of the body.
The whole body can be worked on in shiatsu — with increased awareness and sensitivity, the practitioner is drawn to the areas that need most attention. In obviously tense areas, the chi is dispersed; in areas lacking in chi, stimulating and holding techniques are used to encourage the flow of energy back to that area.
Sometimes a weak area needs to be held for two or three minutes before the energy starts to fill it. It may appear that nothing is happening, but on a subtle level changes are taking place. Sometimes it is possible to feel such changes immediately, and other times it is not until later that more energy is felt. The easiest area to feel and hear changes is in the abdomen when it starts to relax — a gurgling noise may be heard and a lot of movement is felt, which is the parasympathetic nervous system taking the dominant role.
Usually at the end of a session the client will feel relaxed and energized, with a sense of calm, or sometimes wanting a long sleep. Normally, there is a noticeable increase in flexibility and a decrease in muscular aches and pains. If the shiatsu receiver feels chilled, a blanket and a hot drink can help. The cooling down may be due to the increased circulation in the muscles. There may be a feeling of lethargy because of deep work and release of energy, feelings, and tension.
On leaving the treatment room the receiver should keep warm, and if possible rest for a short time.
