Shiatsu, which means "finger pressure," is a traditional Japanese massage therapy that has evolved over the centuries. A deeply relaxing experience, shiatsu is intended to improve a wide variety of disorders and conditions. The massage therapist treats the entire body, noting any abnormalities and then focusing on specific areas that need more extensive attention.
Function
Shiatsu treats the body as one component, because everything is connected. Practitioners believe this is the most effective way to improve symptoms of, and even eliminate, various unwanted conditions. Shiatsu has shown effectiveness against asthma, back pain, headaches, joint pain, digestive issues, depression and other illnesses and disorders.
History
Massage, along with acupuncture and herbal therapy, has been practiced for centuries in China as traditional medicine. Shiatsu grew from this tradition, with Japan adopting much of the Chinese view of medicine by 600 A.D., including that of chi--or ki, in Japanese. Ki, as the circulating life energy of all things, was an integral aspect of shiatsu, with the finger pressure performing ki manipulation. Shiatsu flourished until the early 1900s, when the Japanese people began moving toward a more modern scientific and medical view. Shiatsu then lost favor, and was seen mainly as a stress reliever and pleasurable experience.
Time Frame
As a counterpoint to the gradual acceptance of modern procedures, some healing practitioners began once again emphasizing shiatsu as a treatment for illnesses and disorders. This became widely accepted mainly due to the work of a man named Tokujiro Namikoshi, who developed a system based on modern anatomy and physiology while incorporating finger-massage methods. In 1940, he created the Nippon Shiatsu Institute, which was devoted to combining ancient massage arts with modern medicine and dismissing the traditional Chinese-medicine aspects that were originally in shiatsu. In 1955, Japan established licensing for the practice of shiatsu.
Identification
The form of shiatsu that is based on traditional Chinese medicine still has many followers. Shizuto Masunaga, who had been a long-time student at Namikoshi's school, opened the Iokai Center of Shiatsu, teaching what became known as the Zen style of Shiatsu. This style focuses more on improving ki by clearing meridians, or energy pathways.
Significance
In 1956, Namikoshi successfully treated Marilyn Monroe with shiatsu when she became very ill while in Japan and did not respond to conventional medical treatment. This incident caused a rise in the popularity of shiatsu. The Nippon Shiatsu Institute still flourishes today; it is now named Japan's Shiatsu College.
Tags: finger pressure, illnesses disorders, Nippon Shiatsu, Nippon Shiatsu Institute, Shiatsu Institute