What is Shiatsu?
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Shiatsu is a profoundly effective bodywork rooted in Chinese Medicine and traditional Japanese manual therapies and brought to the West, becoming increasingly popular since the 1970’s right after getting officially recognized by the Japanese government with a series of laws passed during the period 1955-1964.
Shiatsu works in the same way as acupuncture, but uses nurturing touch instead of needles to move and support energy in the body. It can help many physical and emotional conditions (e.g. back pain and digestive issues) as well as promoting relaxation and alleviating or preventing the build up of stress.
In Chinese medicine, vital energy called Qi (Ki in Japanese) flows through the body via a network of subtle energy channels or meridians. These meridians connect our vital organs with other areas and functions of our body.
Physical and emotional symptoms can occur when the natural flow of Qi in these meridians becomes blocked, depleted or out of balance. This can be caused by factors such as emotional stress, diet, over work or injury.
The Shiatsu Practitioner uses relaxed body weight, to apply pressure along these meridians and their precise acupressure points in order to stimulate the body’s own (natural) healing response.
Modern science is beginning to understand the effectiveness of such treatments, showing how, for example rapid intercommunication occurs through the bodies connective tissues.
Who Studies Shiatsu?
A complete cross-section of people, with a common interest in health and consciousness, study with us.
Our courses are designed to take those of you with no previous knowledge of the healing arts up to Practitioner level through graded levels of study.
Those of you who are already established in other areas of health care will find our courses highly complementary to your existing skills, mainly because we strongly emphasise the principles of: efficient use of the body, the use of support and connection rather than force, continuity and fluency of technique and empathy.
Many people are drawn to the programme simply because it offers a means of inner awakening and self-transformation through the development of vitality, along with a profound sense of greater connection with others and with the environment.
Shiatsu offers an enjoyable and satisfying experience in itself, without necessarily taking it to professional level.
The Foundation Course is designed not only to form Stage One of your practitioner training, but also to enable you to effectively relieve stress and minor ailments amongst your friends.
For those of you who wish to deepen your skills and gain further experience in detecting disharmony within yourselves and others, and effectively help achieve optimum health, we recommend continuing to gain your Shiatsu Acupressure Certification – the platform from which to (gain insurance and) start treating (others) using shiatsu.
Graduates of the full Practitioner Course are equipped with the necessary experience and confidence required to fully diagnose and treat members of the public.
Studying shiatsu encourages the development of a finely-tuned intuition with an understanding of Oriental diagnosis, posture and breathing.
Shiatsu will allow your mind, body and spirit to come into better balance so that you can look, feel and be healthier as well as help others and develop a career if you wish.