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Shaitsu 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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Shiatsu originated in China at least 2000 years ago, when
the earliest accounts gave the causes of ailments and the remedies that
could be effected through a change of diet and way of life. The use of
massage and acupuncture was also recommended. Thus acupuncture, massage
and herbal medicine evolved side by side to treat the range of diseases
encountered. The traditional massage of ancient China was known as 'anma'
and found its way to Japan to be adopted and adapted by the Japanese,
who also called it 'anma'. The therapy that is known today as shiatsu
has gradually evolved with time from anma under influences from both East
and West.
Amma (anma in Japanese) has been used for centuries to deal with many
common ailments, aches and pains as well as treating more serious "diseases".
New influences from traditional Eastern medicine and Western science have
gradually shaped it into what is today called shiatsu. There are several
main styles of shiatsu found in the West: barefoot shiatsu, macrobiotic
shiatsu, Namikoshi style, Ohashiatsu, Shiatsu-Do and Zen shiatsu. These
are all valid and effective therapies using the basic shiatsu principles
but with differing emphasis placed on techniques or philosophy. In Japan
there are more than 87,000 registered shiatsu practitioners. This fact
alone goes some way towards demonstrating its effectiveness in the prevention
and treatment of disease.
It is only very recently that it has gained recognition and popularity,
with people becoming aware of its existence and benefits.
Although East and West have different viewpoints on health and life, these
can complement one another. The Eastern belief is of a primary flow of
energy throughout the body, which runs along certain channels known as
meridians. It is also believed that this energy exists throughout the
universe and that all living creatures are dependent upon it as much as
on physical nourishment. The energy is known by three similar names, ki,
chi and prana in Japan, China and India respectively. As in acupuncture,
there are certain pressure points on the meridians that relate to certain
organs, and these points are known as tsubos.
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