Shiatsu

WHAT IS SHIATSU?

The word Shiatsu means “finger pressure”, and is a natural holistic health system combining traditional Japanese massage and diagnosis. The basis of Shiatsu is the movement of energy (Ki).  The quality of Ki moving in the body determines how we feel, how we cope, and how we perform. It is a vital therapy that can ensure the integrated health of your body, mind and spirit, looking at and treating the person as a whole.

HOW IT WORKS

The meridians or energy channels that Shiatsu works to rebalance, have been scientifically proven to exist using nuclear medicine.

TREATING THE UNDERLYING CAUSE

The reason Shiatsu can bring about long-term changes in your condition, is that the diagnostic system reveals the underlying causes and corrects them, rather that just treating the symptoms. Working in harmony with your breath, pressure is carefully applied using thumbs, palms, elbows, forearms or feet, along meridians or energy channels, to open up the flow of Ki through your body. Vertical pressure supplements ki deficiency and drains the excess ki, thus rebalancing the natural movement of ki and promoting good health. Your body awareness increases and the natural regenerative powers are restored.

WHAT TO EXPECT

On your first visit, a full history is taken regarding the background of your general health and your complaint. The diagnosis is made during the shiatsu session, and appropriate points and meridians are then worked on, depending what your needs are. This could be the back or front of the body, the stomach area (hara), arms, legs, neck, feet, or head. You lie fully clothed on a futon while the pressure is adjusted to suit you, the receiver. It may be fairly light or quite strong, but there is no force used to apply pressure.  The giver uses his or her body weight.

Some areas or points will feel more tender at first, but these will improve with each session.  It should feel like a “pleasurable pain”, i.e. the kind of pressure that makes you say “aaahh”!  It feels good.  You will generally experience deep relaxation and pain relief, although the rebalancing continues on after the session, and may feel much better after 24 hours.

A general guideline for the number of treatments is 4 sessions per year of having the complaint.  So, chronic long-term problems may benefit more from ongoing regular work, with acute conditions needing maybe only one or two sessions.

As a preventative, shiatsu is of great benefit one session per month or less.

CONDITIONS BENEFITTING FROM SHIATSU

• Back, neck, hip and shoulder pain
• Headache, migraine
• Asthma
• Sciatica
• Stress/tension
• Insomnia
• Chronic fatigue
• Digestive problems
• Depression, grief
• High blood pressure
• Occupation Overuse Syndrome
• Pregnancy / Fertility / Menstrual/ Hormonal problems

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

‘I have debilitating problems needing ongoing bodywork, and receive enormous benefit from regular Shiatsu sessions with Waveney.

Waveney is wise, kind and sensitive, highly skilled and experienced as a shiatsu practitioner and is above all a gifted physical healer. She tailors the session to meet my particular needs on any given day, and creates a warm and nurturing environment which always lifts me up.  She is a very special person and I recommend her highly”  Lynda Burnett

“Jennifer” (name has been changed) had a kidney removed as a young girl and as a result a rib in her lower right side was taken out.  This caused major imbalance and scoliosis in her back giving her a lot of pain throughout her life.  She finds that having 2-weekly shiatsu sessions reduces the pain and prevents a slowly crippling progression of her condition. She has gone on to have two children which she feels was greatly helped by the regular shiatsu.

Carmen came for her monthly pre-menstrual mood swings. After her first session she found her next cycle was free of mood swings, and continues to have weekly shiatsu to keep them under control.  It has helped her eating binges too and now she has fruit juices every morning instead.

“Since I have been coming for 12 months now, I have noticed my neck mobility has improved by a number of degrees. My right leg that used to turn out a lot  has been in alignment now for quite a while which relieves the stress on my hip. Having weekly sessions has helped the scoliosis in my back and reduced the pain and tension I was having”  Julian

“Thanks heaps Waveney. I could walk up the hill and steps to Massey without a pain in my lower back.! Ta Sue “

“Waveney – I feel like bliss honestly.  My arms feel like they are floating – I cant stop smiling – thank you so much.” Amanda

Margaret came when she was experiencing overwhelming loss and grief in her life. She felt the shiatsu helped her to heal, and eased the physical pain of grieving. For a long period she had shiatsu weekly until her sorrows eased up and now attends monthly to keep her body and spirit in balance.