Shiatsu   shi = finger  atsu = pressure

One of the fathers of shiatsu, Tokujiro Namikoshi, said: "Shiatsu is like the embrace of the mother to the child".

Shiatsu is a manual treatment whose theoretical-practical roots derive from the ancient philosophical traditions of the Far East.

Shiatsu aims to awaken or harmonize the energetic functions and the deep vital resources of the individual and makes use of precise techniques and principles.

The universally recognized and peculiar modality of this treatment is the perpendicular, constant and rhythmically modulated pressure, exerted with the weight of the body and using the vital center (hara, in Japanese or tan den, in Chinese) of the operator, on zones, points and energy meridians.

Thumbs are mainly used to exert pressure, but according to needs and styles, you can use other parts of the body such as the palms of the hands, elbows, knees and feet. Shiatsu treatment is done, normally on a futon (Japanese tradition mat) and both subjects are dressed .

Shiatsu in two.

Uke and Tori are two people who relate, through Shiatsu, to try to understand together what creates the energetic imbalance of Uke, in order to bring Uke's energy back to a harmonious circulation.
Shiatsu is speaking and listening. To speak with mouth, with gestures, with eye, with the posture, with  breath, with energy. Listening with the ears, with heart, with the mind,with intuition, with energy.

Shiatsu is a return to a dimension in which the individual is at the center, where the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual sphere meet to confront and relate to each other.

During a treatment the communication between Uke and Tori takes place on many levels, many of which they are "elusive".

The relationship established between Uke and Tori start on Tatami and never ends. Uke carries within himself what he has received during the treatment and reworks it (also unconsciously), it cultivates within itself and this makes it different, it allows to pay attention to what concerns it in a way more aware.

Shizuto Masunaga used to say "There is life inside the meridian".

Shiatsu is a simple, effective and affordable answer to the social question of well-being. This translates into the relaxation of tensions, the sensation of warmth and lightness, the lucidity of the mind, the improvement of mood, the greater energy and desire to do, in one sentence: full expression of personal vital resources.

Shiatsu and Maternity

"SHIATSU is the ideal discipline to see to the woman during the deep physical and emotional change adaptations that occur during pregnancy and postpartum. The Shiatsu treatment, generating a deep relaxation and stimulating the strengthening of one's vital capacity, helps to enter into an intimate relationship with the child, stimulates harmony and improves the form to face the experience of childbirth, post-partum recovery and the process of feeding time".
David Hirsch

"Shiatsu relieves the typical problems linked to pregnancy such as back pain, insomnia, nausea, leg cramps, nervous and muscular tension, constipation, fatigue, headache; thus allows the expectant mother to arrive at the birth with well toned muscles, allowing her to 'push' with maximum strength (in particular it is of great help when the fetus is in a breech position). In addition, shiatsu relieves the typical disorders of the first months of life, such as intestinal colic and respiratory difficulties ".
Susanne Yates