Shiatsu is instantly recognizable as a style of massage, but the nuance of the art is not always understood. It uses a non-invasive, holistic approach to health. Shiatsu is a philosophy and a healing style with key principles at the core and specific techniques meant to improve overall well-being.
What Is Shiatsu Massage?
Founded and well-established in Japan, shiatsu massage is a highly effective therapeutic technique steadily growing in Western culture. Shiatsu is derived from Chinese medicine and combines acupressure and energy to promote self-awareness and deep relaxation, restoring balance and healing from within.
Shiatsu Principles and Theories
Like other types of massage, shiatsu incorporates osteopathy, lymphatic drainage, and physiotherapy, but with one main differentiator: ki (pronounced “chee”), or the body’s natural energy flow, believed to travel through channels–or meridians–in the body. Shiatsu practitioners attribute health conditions and diseases to blockages and imbalances in the ki and apply pressure on specific body meridian lines to manipulate this energy flow and restore harmony in the body.
A critical aspect of shiatsu deeply ingrained in traditional Chinese and Japanese healing traditions is the Five Element Theory. The five elements–wood, fire, earth, metal, and water–represent different aspects of the human experience, such as emotions, organs, and seasons. Shiatsu practitioners consider a patient’s elemental type when designing a treatment plan. They can tailor the treatment to address underlying issues by identifying the dominant or imbalanced element.
Shiatsu Massage Techniques
Shiatsu massage techniques involve applying firm pressure on specific body points, stretching, tapping, and kneading. Shiatsu practitioners use their fingers, thumbs, palms, and elbows to apply pressure on the meridians or energy channels rhythmically and systematically. Shiatsu massage techniques improve blood and lymph circulation, release tension and stiffness, and promote relaxation and balance. The pressure applied on the meridians helps to stimulate the body’s natural healing mechanisms, reduce pain and discomfort, and enhance overall well-being.
A Brief History of Shiatsu Massage
Shiatsu massage has a long and fascinating history. The word “shiatsu” comes from two Japanese words, “shi” meaning finger, and “atsu” meaning pressure. Based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, shiatsu massage teaches that energy channels, known as meridians, make up the human body. Shiatsu massage works by applying pressure to specific points on the body, known as acupressure points, or acupoints, or shiatsu points, which helps balance the energy flow through these meridians.
During the 6th century, Buddhist monks introduced various healing arts to Japan, where shiatsu later evolved and flourished. Shiatsu massage became popular in Japan in the early 20th century and was recognized as an official form of therapy by the Japanese government in 1964. Since then, shiatsu massage has become popular worldwide and is a common practice among massage therapists, acupuncturists, and other healthcare professionals in many countries.
Bringing Shiatsu Principles to Japanese Massage Chairs
Japanese massage chairs date back several decades. The first massage chairs were developed in the 1950s to replicate shiatsu massage techniques. These early chairs were rudimentary and relied on simple mechanical movements to simulate the sensation of a massage. Over time, advancements in technology and design have transformed Japanese massage chairs into the sophisticated devices we know today.
Massage chairs–however advanced–cannot possess the wisdom and judgment of a shiatsu sensei. They can, however, offer faithful interpretations of shiatsu massage, with many of its therapeutic and wellness benefits, within the convenience of your own home, so long as they have sufficiently advanced scanning technology to accurately identify acupoints and–most difficult to achieve–are choreographed with the nuanced motions, speed, and pressure of a shiatsu master’s hands.