Shiatsu is a form of massage based on Eastern
healing practices and the knowledge of the meridian systems. Shiatsu
literally means finger (Shi) pressure (Atsu). Heavy general pressure and
specific motor points are applied in a sequential fashion to your body’s
energy meridians. This creates a flow and helps release energy
blockages. By working these points, areas of congestion can be moved and
areas of emptiness can be filled. Massage strokes, active and passive
movement, and stretching are also incorporated into the treatment. The
use of cutaneovisceral reflexes of the abdomen and back is also
characteristic of Shiatsu. This promotes a “cleaning out”;
therefore, drinking water after a treatment is always recommended to
help flush out toxins.
My Shiatsu is typically given on the floor; I have
a firm yoga mat that lends its support to both myself and my client.
Shiatsu is classically done through loose-fitting clothing, which
provides safety and comfort for the clients when they are worked,
stretched, and moved throughout the massage to support a flow through
the meridians. The massage starts with the client face down, and Shiatsu
begins on the back and works up into the shoulders, down to the
buttocks, and the backs of legs; then the client rolls over and the
massage covers the front of the legs up to the stomach. We work through
the stomach area to clear it into the chest, arms, neck, and head. It
can take up to 1.5 hours per session.
