Over years ago India and China placed emphasis on massage using hands for therapeutic purposes. It is based on ancient Chinese medical practices such as acupuncture and tuina Chinese traditional massage. This natural therapy can help relieve tension and harmonize bodily functions. During a treatment session, the therapist may use palms, thumbs, elbows or knees to apply comfortable, sustained pressure to the body. Oils are not used and lose comfortable clothing is worn during the treatment.
In oriental healing therapies, the body and mind are treated as a whole rather than two separate entities. True health is harmony between the individual mind, body, and soul and their environment.
A healthy person has zest to enjoy life, sleeps well, wakes up refreshed, and has a good appetite as well as natural resistance to illness. Health suffers when there is a lack of harmonious balance.
You may experience stiffness, soreness; life may feel like a struggle. Related: Osteopathic Manual Therapy. Qi is the vital energy of life and we are in good health as long as it is flowing smoothly and is bountiful. During a shiatsu treatment, the therapist applies pressure to the areas where the Qi is insufficient, or its flow is distorted or stagnated.
When the right amount of holding pressure is applied the flow returns to normal, and the excess or blocked energy is dispersed. In western terms, shiatsu calms the overactive sympathetic nervous system and promotes the healing, restful state of the parasympathetic nervous system.
