Shiatsu (指圧 'finger pressure') is a form of manual therapy developed in Japan, whose historical roots are in the Chinese massage Tuina and the early modern Japanese forms of Anma. Under the pressure of the introduction and consolidation of western health care, various forms of manual treatment were combined under the name Shiatsu in the early 20th century to gain the status of an independent form of therapy and thus a place in the new healthcare system.
The definition in Shiatsu no riron to jitsugi, Theory and Practice of Shiatsu, published in 1957 by the Japanese Ministry of Health's Office of Medical Affairs, is still in force. According to it, the shiatsu method (Shiatsu-hō) is a "measure in which one exerts pressure on certain areas of the body surface with the finger and palm of the hand in order to correct irregularities in the organism, to maintain or promote good health to contribute to the cure of specific diseases ".
Literally, shiatsu means "finger pressure," but therapists usually work less with muscle power in fingers and arms than with their body weight. In the opinion of representative later representatives of this therapy, the therapist seeks during the treatment to establish an "energetic relationship" (energy here in the sense of Qi) to the patient. This in turn contributes to the success of his treatment through mindfulness, sensitivity and openness.
According to the philosophy of people performing Shiatsu massage, all physical ailments of a person, his psychological problems are caused by improper flow of Chi energy in the body.
This type of energy is specific to each of us, so it is important to restore it to a perfect balance, achieve harmony and full control over your thoughts, a state of inner peace. To achieve this, you must unlock energy channels, or meridians, through which it travels through our body. In traditional Chinese medicine, as well as in the Shiatsu philosophy, the mental and physical condition of man consists of 5 elements. The proper functioning of each of them restores balance to the entire body. These elements are:
- water (means the state of man before birth, but also dying); organs from under this element are: bladder and kidneys; water is responsible for our strong will;
- wood (time of greatest human activity, youth); organs from under this element are: gallbladder and liver; in the mental sphere, wood means patience and perseverance;
- fire (time of intensive work); organs from under this element are: heart and small intestine; in the sphere of the psyche, fire is responsible for intelligence and creativity;
- land (time of maturity); organs from under this element are: stomach, pancreas and spleen; in the psychic sphere, the earth means internal balance and responsibility;
- metal (time taken to use experience gained); organs from under this element are: large intestine and lungs; in the sphere of the psyche, metal means the ability to make sound and thoughtful decision.
Shiatsu massage is to help the body in the proper functioning of all organs and also to stimulate the body to fight the factors that cause disease. Therefore, it is recommended to perform it on people who are already struggling with ailments and prophylactically. Shiatsu relieves pain, it is recommended especially for headaches (including migraines) and backache in people with torn tendons. What's more, this technique reduces muscle tension in the shoulders, neck and neck. It is worth using it in the case of rheumatism and to regenerate the body after suffering injuries. Regulates the functioning of the nervous, circulatory, cardiovascular and endocrine systems
