Stress relieving shiatsu

Shiatsu is a traditional Japanese technique involving finger pressure to put the chi, or life energy into harmony to increase your health and well-being. Shiatsu sessions are ideal to prevent the build up of stress in our daily lives.

+ Shi means “fingers” and atsu means “pressure”. Shiatsu means finger pressure in Japanese. Using the rhythmic pressing of acupressure points for short periods, the shiatsu technique is a treatment working on the meridians of the body to put our chi or life energy in balance. Energy can be either yin or yang and there are organs, which are either yin or yang. The chi or vital energy should flow harmoniously through the organs but when the flow is unbalanced it produces illnesses. The philosophy underlying shiatsu considers that if we eat a healthy diet, breathe correctly and maintain a strong and flexible body the chi flows freely, bringing good health. Shiatsu is a deeply relaxing experience, balancing the life energy. These following exercises are thought to bring you toward, harmony, balance and wholeness.

1. With your fingers below and your thumb on top, massage the shoulders as if you were kneading. Next, place the hands on the neck, with your thumb on the outside and the rest of your fingers under the neck. Gently, bring the head backward, stretching the neck. Repeat several times until you notice that the muscles relax. Finally, bring the head up and press firmly on the neck muscles.

2. Turn the head to one side, supporting it with your hand; with the fingertips of your other hand, rub the muscle tissue at the base of the scalp. Next, press on each spot at the base of the skull, from the ear until the spinal cord. Repeat on the other side.

3. Rub the scalp with your fingertips and then stroke the hair.

4. Turn the head to one side and give it support with your hand at the base of the skull, with your other hand supporting the shoulder. Ask the person to inhale and as exhaling stretch out the neck, gently and slowly, pushing the shoulder in the direction of their toes, without moving your other hand. Repeat two times on each side.