Developed in Japan, Shiatsu is a style of bodywork that uses finger pressure on specific points on the body, rocking movements, stretching and joint rotations to restore the healthy flow of energy ( chi in Chinese, ki in Japanese) to the body . Shiatsu is holistic, targeting the whole body rather than focusing on one area where symptoms are most obvious.
Shiatsu’s name comes from two Japanese words: shi (finger) and atsu (pressure), but a professional can also apply pressure using other parts of the hand, the elbows, and the knees. You wear loose clothing for Shiatsu, which is usually performed on a mat on the floor. No oil is used in this treatment.
History and principles of shiatsu
Shiatsu was formally named in the early 20th century, but it has roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The theory behind shiatsu, like acupuncture, is that the body has invisible energy pathways, or meridians, along which the body’s energy flows.
When you are healthy, energy flows freely along the meridians, supplying vital energy to all parts of the body. But when the body has been weakened by a poor diet, caffeine, drugs, alcohol, and emotional stress, the ki no longer flows smoothly. It can be deficient in some areas and excessive in others.
The shiatsu practitioner knows these energy pathways, as well as the points (called tsuobos in Japanese) that lie along the meridians. They are essentially areas of high conductivity and can be affected by a number of modalities: finger pressure in shiatsu; needles in acupuncture; heat in moxibustion.
Get the energy flowing again
By applying pressure to these tsuobos , the shiatsu practitioner identifies blockages and imbalances and causes the energy to flow smoothly once more. If energy or ki is deficient, the practitioner introduces energy into that area with his touch. If the point is hard and painful to the touch, there is excess ki that the practitioner needs to drain. As with any treatment, you control the amount of pressure you want. If the point is too tender, you can speak up and tell the therapist. A shiatsu session generally lasts between 45 minutes and an hour.
To make it a little more complicated for the western mind is that each energy pathway is related to an organ (kidneys, lungs, liver, heart, stomach, etc.), as well as an emotion or mental state (fear, sadness, anger) . It’s interesting, but you don’t have to worry about this. If there is tenderness in the liver meridian, it does not mean that you have liver disease. It simply means that the energy in your liver is out of balance.
The traditional Eastern model of health and wellness is very different from the Western model and is more about restoring health and balance to the body before something goes wrong. It’s also about preserving your ki , which weakens as you age.
