About the School
We have been running courses in Cork, Ireland since 1995 as an affiliated branch of the European Shiatsu School (ESS) founded in 1985 in the UK.
Over the years the school has developed a solid reputation for teaching the skills required for success as a professional shiatsu practitioner.
The ESS was founded by internationally renowned Shiatsu teacher, Chris Jarmey, and offers study facilities in England, Ireland and Spain.
We offer an unique approach to our students, comprising an in-depth understanding of Chinese Medicine combined with the Zen Shiatsu innovations introduced by Shizuto Masunaga as the theoretical body informing the Shiatsu practice.
Our teaching puts a strong emphasis on the experiential learning aspect, bringing Zen and Chinese medicine alive in the body for each student. Our aim is to help you perfect your skills to give clinically effective shiatsu on which you can build your own successful practice.
OUR UNIQUE APPROACH
Experiential Learning
We are passionate about teaching the theories of Zen and Chinese Medicine in a way that will makes sense to you through your own direct experience and will apply concretely to your shiatsu bodywork.
Every class typically starts with some form of experiential movement where we explore how different parts of our bodies relate to various meridians and their physical functions as well as emotional and mental aspects of our lives. Yoga, Tai Chi and Qigong also play an important role within this.
Through discussion we can begin to relate these experiences to the theories of Chinese medicine, bringing them to life in a tangible way for our students that is beyond pure intellect (and readily applicable to life and ourselves).
A profound understanding of
Chinese medicine & Zen model
We concentrate not only on Yin/Yang and 5 elements theories but also on the concept of disease through Zen and TCM. You will learn how to diagnose and treat using this ancient and profound understanding of the body.
At ESS Cork we believe that by studying the classical concepts of Chinese medicine in-depth and by applying these in a concrete way to our bodywork, we will best equip ourselves to understand all of these approaches.
We will also have a wealth of resources at our fingertips enriched by the Zen form of bodywork that depends for its success on a meditative activity of the practitioner, who mindfully encourages the state of homeostasis in the body by skillfully stimulating the acupoints and meridians.
The fundamental purpose of Zen is to achieve total enlightenment through the discovery of one’s basic nature. Its principles and approaches can be applied to numerous human endeavours. In this case, it is applied to physical therapy. This can help in turn to make our shiatsu more effective in the clinic.
Finally should you want to go on to study Acupuncture or Chinese Herbal Medicine, having studied at ESS, you should be able to reduce your studies by up to 1 to 2 years
Clinically-effective Shiatsu
A large proportion of our curriculum is dedicated to applied learning. This takes the form of hands on, clinical experience during our student clinic days as well as focusing on the skills necessary to deal with commonly presenting problems, such as pain (frozen shoulder; migraines; menstruation pain etc.), digestive disorders, anxiety and insomnia etc.
At ESS whilst we acknowledge the profound importance of working with the subtlest aspects of our disease, we also see that this is not the whole picture. We need techniques that can work with the acute manifestations of disease as well as deeper energetic work.
We therefore teach a wide range of Shiatsu skills and techniques from the more strong and physical to the subtler, holding and connecting energies. We believe that both are invaluable in treating the whole person. There is no Yin without Yang.
Our teachers draw from a rich clinic experience and are continuously exploring what works in practice. We hope to inspire you and pass on this rich knowledge.