Years before I studied to become a shiatsu practitioner, a good friend of mine recommended that I try shiatsu as an alternative health modality.
I had spent years searching for holistic healing through acupuncturists, kinesiologists, crystal healers and massage therapists, all of which were wonderful, but the day I had shiatsu I was converted.
Back then I had no idea what was actually happening in the treatment, all I knew was that I would lay down and bliss out for the next 60 mins. Each treatment ended with my practitioner regaling me with lifestyle tips that seemed as though they were reading my mind, or my diary, advice that reminded me to do the things I knew were best for my health or new information that I always found intriguing.
After spending a few years at college studying and a few more years changing my life to embody my ethos I can easily put into words why its worth trying shiatsu.
1. To feel euphoric
If one thing really stands out about a shiatsu treatment, it is it’s amazing ability to make you feel deeply relaxed.
Shiatsu is a combination of various massage techniques combined with the breath.
A wonderful side effect of the attention upon breath is a deep sensation of relaxation which a treatment helps to create.
So if you’re looking to melt into a mind altering state of relaxed satisfaction, Shiatsu is the go.
2. Shiatsu is deep
You may come in for a specific reason, but your entire nervous system gets a work over.
Each and every part of you is connected through a series of networks, both physical and energetic.
Shiatsu is a healing modality that uses the theory of meridians and acu-points to help move Qi and Blood smoothly throughout the body. And if you’ve ever seen a meridian chart you’ll know that it connects one part of the body to another.
Discovering the root cause of dis-ease is the aim and shiatsu practitioners are trained to smooth out your energetic networks like a boss air traffic controller.
By treating the root cause, many other systems are being nurtured which leads to better digestion, sleep and clarity among many other wonderful benefits.
3. It’s personalised
Your treatment treats You.
Your experiences in life, what makes you tick, where your stress lies, your personal value system are the things that make you different from everyone else.
This is why each and every treatment is different and tailored to you.
Shiatsu practitioners care about your Life, your story.
They are trained to be aware of the sound of your voice, the colour of your skin, the sparkle in your eyes.
All of this together provides a road map for that incredibly complex network they are maneuvering.
Practitioners are not doctors, they are your navigators, sitting by your side helping you with the clearest path to your destination.
4. It’s a massage with more
The satisfaction of improving your overall health and getting a massage has to be one of the most rewarding experience you can have in one space.
Touch is an extraordinary tool when it comes to healing.
The ability to feel Qi at the acu-points is vital. Massaging soft enough to tonify the Qi and kneading in hard enough to release stagnation without causing pain.
5. It’s based on ancient knowledge
The foundation of shiatsu is built upon Chinese and Oriental medicine.
This knowledge has been around and practicing for thousands of years (imagine how many people have been cured, healed and fixed in that amount of time!)
Shiatsu was developed in Japan at the turn of the 20th century as an offshoot from anma massage. At the time anma was losing its healing concepts and one pioneer Tamai Tempaku, decided to scientifically distinguish shiatsu from other forms of massage.
Different forms of Shiatsu have appeared overtime as different practitioners found various methods that benefited the healing process.
We are lucky today to have access to all the years of learning before us.
Wouldn’t you want to benefit from all that wisdom?
The Solstice Space 