| Shiatsu
is a contemporary therapy with its roots in Oriental traditional
medicine. It is sometimes described as Japanese physiotherapy. The
actual treatment approach and philosophy is similar to acupuncture
in its usage of the meridians (energy channels) and tsubo (pressure
points) as well as diagnostic methods, but without the use of needles.
Unlike most other forms of bodywork, in shiatsu the receiver remains
clothed for the treatment and no oil is used for the massage.
Shiatsu is a Japanese word made up of two written characters meaning
finger (shi) and pressure (atsu). The application of pressure is
the underlying principle of shiatsu. Shiatsu is often called accupressure,
although technically it is not correct. We can say Shiatsu is a
variant of accupressure, as it involves the stimulation of the
acupoints with pressure. However, this is not the only thing nor
the principal technique used in Shiatsu. In Shiatsu, the pressure
is sometimes applied over a wider area, not just over the acupoints;
sometimes, the pressure is applied precisely over the acupoints.
The practitioners use fingers and thumb for applying pressure precisely
at localized points. For applying pressure over a larger area,
they use palms, elbows, knees, and feet.
In addition to the pressure itself, shiatsu involves gentle stretch
and manipulation techniques. These may have been borrowed from
modern physiotherapy rather than from the ancient oriental massage.
But shiatsu differs from Western massage in technique as well as
in theory. While Swedish massage therapists use long, flowing hand
movements to knead muscles, shiatsu practitioners apply rhythmic
and gradual pressure to the meridians and tsubos. Sometimes, very
light 'holding' techniques may be used, usually with the palm,
almost like the laying on of hands as in spiritual healing. Stretching
exercises and other corrective techniques creates flexibility and
balance in the body, both physically and energetically.
Shiatsu works on the flow of energy
or qi that circulates through our bodies in specific energy channels
or meridians. Traditional Oriental Medicine suggests that we
all have a "life force" or "life
energy" which created our physical structure and regulates
physical, emotional, mental and spiritual stability. This life
force, called qi or chi in Chinese and ki in Japanese, maintains
a homeostatic balance in your body.
The flow of qi can be disturbed either
through external trauma, such as an injury, or internal trauma
such as depression or stress. This is when symptoms like aches
and pain start to occur and we start to experience a state of "disease".
In shiatsu the physical touch is used to assess the distribution
of qi throughout the body and to try to correct any imbalances
accordingly.
Touch is the essence of shiatsu. Touch is a wonderful means of
communicating our love and compassion for others in a very direct
way. Touch can be of very different quality, ranging from aggressive,
abusive and mechanical to more nurturing, caring and intuitive.
All living things responds to touch and shiatsu helps to fulfill
this need. The caring touch used in shiatsu will help to trigger
the self-healing process within.
Thus, modern shiatsu incorporates a mixture of different approaches
- ancient and modern. It includes pressing, hooking, sweeping,
shaking, rotating, grasping, vibrating, patting, plucking, lifting,
pinching, rolling, brushing, and in one variation called barefoot
shiatsu, it involves walking on the person's back. Legs, and feet.
These all share a common theme, namely touch. Shiatsu is thus a
'hands-on' therapy.
Shiatsu has become a respected alternative therapy in the western
countries and is offered in many hospital settings as a complementary
therapy for the treatment and prevention of many common ailments.
It is a very safe and effective treatment.
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