Shiatsu is a form of mind-body medicine. It's aim is to facilitate
the creation of health by activating the mind-body's natural health maintenance
systems and balancing the energy in the functional meridian system. Shiatsu primarily
uses a combination of body pressure, stretching and spinal manipulation to achieve
this. Some practitioners may include some traditional Chinese medical techniques
such as moxabustion, cupping and acupuncture in their treatments. Some may include
more esoteric processes such as special pulse treatments.
Health is balance
In the state of health, energy flow in the meridians is balanced. When the mind-body's
functional energy system becomes imbalanced this is reflected in an unbalanced
flow of energy in the meridians. When one or more aspects of the functioning system
"under function" other aspects typically compensate by "over functioning".
Shiatsu usually focuses on raising the functioning of the "under functioning"
aspects rather than lowering the functioning of the over functioning aspects.
This is the same as strengthening the weaknesses rather than weakening the strengths.
What to expect in a Shiatsu treatment
Shiatsu practitioners vary in their approach to dealing with clients. Some may
simply do one-off treatments whereas others take a longer term view. This may
include prescribing any of the following: dietary and lifestyle changes, herbal
medicines, corrective yoga therapy, breathing exercises, aroma therapy, flower
essences, homoeopathy, mantras and meditation. This depends on factors such as
the practitioners training and experience and the clients needs.
Shiatsu is traditionally performed on a mat on the floor. The client is clothed
or covered so that skin to skin contact between the client and practitioner is
minimised. Direct skin to skin contact is more likely to stimulate the body's
sympathetic nervous system - the process necessary for the fight or flight response.
Shiatsu aims to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system whose function is
system recuperation.
The treatment starts with diagnosis - which itself is treatment. The state of
the mind-body's functional energy system is diagnosed by feeling the energy in
the abdominal area - this area is called the hara by the Japanese. An experienced
practitioner can accurately predict the client's mental, emotional and physical
states from this diagnosis and can identify the types of food and drink that the
patient is consuming to feed and maintain this state.
Depending on their orientation and training, the practitioner may combine other
methods of diagnosis to confirm and strengthen the reading from the hara. These
include diagnosis of the pulses, tongue, face, feet, the sound of the voice, questioning
and direct perception.
Treatments vary from between an hour to an hour and a half.
Shiatsu - Massage or Medicine ?
Shiatsu is often confused with feel good massage because the practitioner works
on the clients body using touch as the primary medium ands because it makes people
feel good. Because of this it can be classified as a form of massage. Many massage
practitioners who have studied remedial massage have done short courses in Shiatsu
as part of their overall training. In addition many short basic "shiatsu"
courses are offered by various natural health and community based colleges. But
confusing this type of Shiatsu with medically based Shiatsu is similar to confusing
someone who has done a medical aid course with a qualified medical doctor.
Shiatsu is premised on a number of principals:
1. The mind-body is an energetic system. The mind and body are part of the greater
energetic system which comprises the whole Universe and all its contents. The
mind-body is a microcosm of the greater macrocosm.
2. Health is the natural state of balance of the mind-body system. The intelligence
of the Universe that created itself and everything in it has automatic processes
that maintain the mind-body system in internal balance and in balance with the
environment.
3. Every individual is born with a unique nature or constitution. This nature
determines our mind-body type and dictates how we will respond to given conditions.
4. Health is maintained by living in harmony and balance with our own unique nature
and mother Nature. Disease is a product of either living out of harmony with our
own nature or Nature, congenital defects, traumatic injury or supernatural forces.
5. Living in harmony with Nature and our own nature requires we adopt a lifestyle
and diet which is harmony with this. Both of these "natures" operate
in cycles that are constantly changing. Daily, monthly, annual and life cycles
all impact on the mind-body system and we need to adapt to these as they change.
6. A key to living in harmony with our own nature and the Nature of the Universe
is becoming aware of these two natures. This is aboutunderstanding who we really
are, a process of experientially understanding how the Universe expresses
it's nature in us and how the Universe works. This awareness of our true Self
leads to a greater understanding of others and allows us to truly express our
real Selves.
7. The mind-body system operates on three predominant levels. The structural body
level which deals with matter. The level of the mind which deals with thoughts
and ideas and a level in between these called the functional level - responsible
for transmitting thoughts into matter and vice versa. In Shiatsu this functional
level is inhabited by pathways of energy known as meridians. In Ayurveda it is
inhabited by the three doshas and nadis and is called the pranic body.
These different levels are energy expressed at different degrees of density. The
structural body level is the most dense form of energy - the bones, muscles, fluids
and organs which support the body. We can see and touch this form of energy -
it is what we call "solid". The functioning level is a more diffuse
form of energy. The meridians support this functional energy system.
Functioning creates structure in much the same way as lifting weights in the gym
(functioning) makes the muscles (structure) bigger. Structure in turn supports
function in the same way as a healthy large intestine (structure) eliminates waste
materials (function) effectively from the body.
The mind is the most diffuse form of energy. Thoughts and ideas have no "solid"
structure but they are real. Ideas create function which in turn changes structure.
For example, the idea of eating (thought) can cause the mouth to salivate (function)
which in turn causes blood sugar levels to fall (structure) in anticipation of
receiving more food (food ultimately turns into blood sugar). Structural stability
is a key to stability of function and the mind. A weak lower back (weak structure)
leads to stress, worry, anxiety and difficulties in falling asleep ( all symptoms
of an overactive and unstable mind)
The mind is the most unstable and fastest moving form of energy - you can literally
have hundreds of different thoughts every hour. Structure is the most stable form
of energy and is the slowest to change. Functioning falls in between. Because
the mind is the most unstable system and it directly changes the other two, it
is the major cause of energetic imbalances. This is one of the reasons why meditation
- which stills the mind - is considered the pre-eminent form of medicine. Meditation
is also the key ingredient to increasing our self awareness - our knowledge of
who we really are and how the Universe works. This awareness then extends into
our body to provide balanced physical health.
8. Health is created and maintained by the individual by living in harmony with
the real self and the Universe. Health practitioners therefore do not heal people,
they can only facilitate the process of increasing self awareness and living in
harmony.
9. Shiatsu is a means of facilitating this natural healing process. It works predominantly
at the functional energy level by contacting the clients own functional energy
system through the meridians. Touch is the process by which the client becomes
aware of themselves. This is why Shiatsu focuses on the parts which aren't working
properly - these are the parts that the client is unaware of. In this way Shiatsu
helps the client become aware of more of themselves.
10. Some Shiatsu practitioners may include various techniques to facilitate healing
at the functional level and at the other levels. Techniques such as moxabustion,
cupping and acupuncture may be used to assist at the functional level. Diet, herbal
medicine and corrective yoga exercises may be prescribed to assist the structural
level although these also have an impact on the mind. Meditation, mantra, aroma
therapy, homoeopathy, flower essences and breathing exercises may be prescribed
for the mind.