Shiatsu is a form of bodywork performed with thumbs, fingers, palms, elbows, feet and knees. Pressure is applied to all areas of the body along specific pathways called Meridian-line which is used in Traditional Oriental Medicine for acupuncture. It is understood that this technique stimulates the natural healing power of the body.
The focus of Shiatsu massage is to treat an entire meridian which is just like a highway of the qi-energy on the surface of the body. This is based on the theory that the imbalances to be addressed are based in the meridians, which require a free flow of qi-energy throughout. Thus Shiatsu can become an important aspect of preventive health care as well as treatment for existing symptoms.
Perpendicular penetration without side-to-side motion, unlike many massage techniques where movement across the surface is emphasized, Shiatsu uses penetration at each point, perpendicular to the body surface, to active the spot (“tsubo”) on the meridians.
It is known that the body has acu-pressure points called “tsubo” that can receive the pressing by the practitioner, the muscle gives way to the penetrating force to let it enter, rather than being pushed away by pressure. The result is an entirely different experience than mere finger-pressing. The practitioner is required to have the correct body position in relation to the recipient and be mindful of the technique being used.
