Treatment and Prevention

Like other alternative therapies and natural healing, Shiatsu body massage is concerned with preventative measures. Shiatsu keeps the body in balance, flexible and healthy.

In the oriental view, an imbalance of Ki develops before the symptoms of illness occur. Regular Shiatsu body massage treatment can help to pinpoint any patterns of imbalance in the body’s Ki structure by ironing out those disturbances before they become entrenched.

For people suffering from health problems, combining Shiatsu body massage therapy, can be of great benefit, both as a discipline in its own right and in concert with other complementary and orthodox treatments.

Experience Shiatsu practitioner may explain the imbalance in terms of oriental theory to help the patient understand his or her condition.

Some practitioners suggest lifestyle and dietary changes to aid healing.

In between treatment sessions, stretching exercises and points to press may form part of a patent’s ‘homework’ to sustain the effect of the treatment.

Many people find that having a Shiatsu body massage session once a month, is a useful part of their general health maintenance programme, rather like having a dental check-up or medical appointment.

People also comment, “I didn’t know that part was sore until you pressed it” or they find that unexpressed emotions can be discharged in the “safe space” of the massage treatment room. The physical and psychological release obtained during Shiatsu body massage therapy can make life more comfortable and in some cases can make it bearable.

Standard meridian abbreviations

ST: Stomach
BL: Bladder
LU: Lung
LI: Large Intestine
SI: Small Intestine
KD: Kidney
BL: Bladder
LIV: Liver
GB: Gall Bladder
SP: Spleen
HT: Heart
TH: Triple HeaterHG: Heart Governor

Awareness

When you practise shiatsu massage with hara awareness, you are developing your internal resources and this will affect other aspects of your life.

Using the hara also encompasses your psychological and emotional wellbeing.
When you focus on your inner centre, it also helps to harmonize mind, body, and spirit.
It can help build a sense of self-confidence.

You are also enhancing your capacity to transmit healing energy to others.

Location

The hara is located in the abdomen area around a central point about three finger-widths below the navel known as the tanden.

Hara is also the centre of its “life force”, as well as the pivotal point of the body in terms of weight distribution,

In shiatsu body massage, you always aim to utilize energy from the hara to apply pressure, not the muscular strength of the limb you are using.

Pressure or movement directed from this centre is backed up by the weight and vitality of the body and less exertion is required.

Tanden and hara

Using weight and gravity in Shiatsu Massage

Your tanden is located three finger-widths below your navel.
Your hara, in Japanese, or centre of gravity, surrounds your tanden.

The essence of shiatu massage is the use of pressure without force. The key to appreciating the difference is an understanding of the role of your hara or centre of gravity .

Do-in Exercises

Practice these exercises daily to maintain suppleness, strength, and optimum sensitivity in your hands and feet. They can be practised at any time, but you should take care to work on the left and right sides equally. Even if you do not perform shiatsu every day, you will feel the benefit of these exercises in every manual task you undertake. Start by shaking out your hands to loosen any unconscious tension.

1 Hold your big toe and rotate it around its knuckle while exerting a gentle pull. Do this in both directions and repeat for each toe on both feet.

2 Pull each toe backwards so that you feel a gentle stretch in the underside of the foot. Hold the stretch for a few moments, breathing steadily.


3 Use a loosely clenched fist to tap firmly all over the sole of each foot. Enjoy the energizing, tingling feeling in your feet when you stop tapping.


Moving ki from wrist to fingertip:
4 Grip one hand just below the wrist with the other. On an out breath, squeeze and pull downwards from the wrist to the fingertips. Repeat several times on each hand.

Wrist-flexing
5 Place your palms together in front of your chest. Press your hands inwards and downwards until you feel a stretch in the heel of your hand. Then turn our hands so the fingers are pointing downward and press inward and upwards until you feel the stretch.

Widening the finger span
6 Insert the closed fist of one hand into the space between each of your fingers on the other hand, pressing in until you feel a stretch. Do this for both hands.

(Excepts from Secrets of Shiatsu by Cathy Meeus)

Special exercise

A special exercise called “do-in exercises” can help to improve the flexibility and strength of the massage therapists’ hands and feet. You can feel an improvement in the blood flow through your fingers, hands, toes and feet. Remember to work on the right and left sides equally.