Benefits of shiatsu

Overview

Shiatsu sessions bring about deep relaxation and can be experienced as profoundly calming and peaceful. Receiving Shiatsu helps develop our awareness of our body and mental/emotional states. This in turn helps us understand what our needs are more clearly and then make better choices to support our health.

On a physical level Shiatsu can help with:

  • easing physical pains in the back, neck, head, shoulders or joints
  • increasing suppleness in stiff muscles or joints
  • improving breathing whether there are difficulties or not
  • calming digestive disorders, resolving constipation
  • menstrual problems
  • conditions arising during pregnancy or post-natally

On mental level Shiatsu can help with:

  • increasing awareness of mental states
  • decreasing stress
  • uncluttering the mind
  • increasing the clarity of the mind

On emotional level Shiatsu can help with:

  • decreasing anxiety
  • decreasing fear
  • processing grief or anger
  • finding more positivity and joy
  • generally calming any emotions that arise

Shiatsu for relaxation

The feedback I have from clients is that Shiatsu is the only thing that relaxes them as much as sleep; even though they are not asleep, they are aware of what is happening. Some say: that they not only physically relax, but their mind stops going round in circles and they feel emotionally at peace.
Those who do yoga often compare it to how they feel after a yoga class. Those who practice meditation have said that Shiatsu takes them to the same depth as when they meditate, it is for them a meditation on the body.

Shiatsu and musculo-skeletal conditions

Shiatsu incorporates mobilisation of the joints and stretching, both these techniques can help release tension in the muscles and joints. This in turn improves circulation of blood and lymph, thus supporting the body’s own healing abilities.

Posture is a key element of Shiatsu and the practitioner will support the correct musculo-skeletal alignment during a Shiatsu session. Awareness of posture is something the receiver will develop with time and therefore hold more consciously themselves.

Shiatsu: the mind and our emotions

Often mental and emotional issues are addressed through ‘talking therapies’ such as counselling or psychotherapy. Shiatsu is not a replacement for these, however it can offer a different approach by working on the mind and emotions through the body. The body expresses our mental or emotional discomfort; be it through tension in a specific part of our body or through a particular posture, which expresses how we are. Shiatsu can be a non-verbal approach to healing our mind and emotional responses to the world.

Supporting a Healthy menstrual cycle and Fertility with Shiatsu

There are many symptoms that women experience before, during or after their periods which can be eased with regular monthly Shiatsu sessions. Shiatsu supports greater body awareness thus helping women address their changing needs within a cycle. Fertility is greatly strengthened with a healthy cycle.