Shiatsu Heals Your Stress The Japanese Way
Used as a stress reliever, Shiatsi is a type of Japanese massage. Having recurring sessions can help prevent stress in everyday life. In Shiatsi, the practitioner uses many different body parts including knees, elbows, thumbs and feet in order to place pressure on different sections of the body to find irregularites and also to fix ailments.
Though the Japonese word Shiatsu can be translated literally as " finger pressure", practitioners use palms, thumbs, knees, feet and elbows to apply pressure. Originating from Chineses medicine,this well known Japanese massaging technique combines modern disciplines such as psychology and physiotherapy.
Shiatsu is quite different from other well known disciplines in the way it is practiced although it has its origin quite similar to them. It is basically a combination of diagnosis and therapy. In fact the illness can be treated in some cases without carrying out any prior diagnosis. But in modern medicine careful diagnosis precedes the course of treatment for a specific problem. Same is the process followed by some traditional Chinese medicine like acupressure.
In this therapy, practitioners promote the healing process by stimulating the immune system and natural healing power that is already possessed by human body. It needs active involvement from both giver and receiver, in what would become a non-rational and meditative process, whereby the internal energy of the receiver is contacted to stimulate the stress relief and natural healing process.
Research shows that Shiatsu promises to be a stress busting and natural healing method, with many case histories demonstrating it's effectiveness. Another important fact is that this kind of therapy needs skilled practitioners who have undergone a prescribed educational program and have the license to practice. Lot of countries around the world have noticed its benefits and have started the standardization and licensing process to promote this healing method.
A holistic approach to treatment can improve all bodily systems. The body possesses it's own wisdom in healing, and Shiatsu can help access that wisom, allowing the body to care for itself most effectively. It can reduce stress and increase vitality and well-being through natural means. It's whole system approach adresses issues in an integrative manner allowing each body system to best support and heal the others.
Shiatsu is a form of Japaniese Massage based in ancient Chinese medicine, as well as modern developments. Though it has its basis there, it differs from its origins in a number of ways. It is a combination of diagnosis and therapy, and in this regard shares some similarities with Chinese acupressure. The technique uses the body's own defense mechanisms, stimulates the immune system, and restores circulation. It is a holistic technique, so it approaches the whole body and seeks to improve all of it, reduce stress, and promote general wellbeing, and has been proven effective in research.
Published June 26th, 2007
