As I've been teaching a Shiatsu class at the local massage school where I work, it's naturally been on my mind a lot lately. Shiatsu (which literally translates to "finger pressure") is a holistic method of health care dating back thousands of years. It involves pressure and strokes applied to Oriental acupoints to balance the body's energy or chi, which promotes self-healing. It's a blend of traditional Chinese medicine and massotherapy (or massage therapy) that was brought to Japan from China in the year 552 A.D.
The basis for this massage lies in Traditional Chinese Medicine and meridians, or energy pathways, that link up and nourish the body's vital organs. Energy flow, just like blood flow, can become restricted, causing imbalances both physically and mentally. Shiatsu helps to rejuvenate this energy flow by massaging along the meridians and spending extra time on areas that feel tight, hot, or irritated as this indicates an energy blockage. It is traditionally done on a mat on the floor, with the client fully clothed. It can be very relaxing due to the constant rhythm of the practitioner's movements.
Being such an ancient modality, naturally many different styles of Shiatsu have been developed. Some examples include Zen Shiatsu, which incorporates stretches and movement, Watsu, which is done in a pool to create a weightless sensation, and Ashiatsu, which is done with the feet as the practitioner supports themselves with overhead bars (see below picture) and many more styles.
