What is shiatsu?
Shiatsu is a manual therapy coming from the medical tradition in the Far East. It is also a practice of health, recognized officially as medicine in Japan. Founded on the same principles as those of acupuncture, shiatsu allows caring for the body and the mind by equilibrating the energy flow throughout the body. Used correctly, shiatsu is efficient as well for emotional as for physical problems.
The mechanisms
The essence of shiatsu is to attain a regulated energy circulation within specific trajectories called meridians. When the body is in perfect health, the flow of energy circulates without interruption in an equilibrated way, according to particular cycles and rhythms. In the meantime it happens that this energy flow is blocked, which can bring about difficulties, pains and even sickness. The aim of shiatsu is to unblock these stagnations or to prevent them.
The treatment is done by hand and finger and pressures and by gentle mobilizations. They can be of different intensity depending on the needs of the person, and can span from a very light touch to deep and penetrating pressure. In any case it is a comfortable, very relaxing pressure, which should not give a painful sensation. The first effect of these are to increase the flow of energy, by alleviating accumulated tensions, liberating in this way the receiver from tiredness provoked by the blockages of energy and stimulating the natural power of self-healing.
