Before I reconnected with John I did not even know that Shiatsu Therapy was. I can only imagine that there are many people that are in the same boat as I was. I was socialized to follow doctors orders and to believe that there was no other way to look at health care. I came from the Philippines where the tendency was to follow the medical trends from the west just to show that we were a modern country. There is nothing wrong with that as long as traditions are not forgotten. This is what happened with "Shiatsu" a Japanese word meaning finger pressure.
"Touch" is the very basic in human needs. A pat on the back, a high five makes us feel good and connected. It is very important in infant development. It is an exchange of energy.
It may be confusing at first that I talk about Chinese Medicine because, Shiatsu is Japanese but I will explain why. The origins of Chinese Medicine goes as far back as 8000 years old from the Han Dynasty, in China where archaeologist found stone needles used for acupuncture. Neolithic ice mummies with tattooed acupuncture needle marks were also found. Needless to say, it has been around a long time. Many countries adopted the Chinese view of medicine and hence the origin of Shiatsu from Traditional Chinese Medicine. John's style of Shiatsu works with the same points as acupuncture points. It was through experimentation that acupuncture points came to be mapped out.
It may be confusing at first that I talk about Chinese Medicine because, Shiatsu is Japanese but I will explain why. The origins of Chinese Medicine goes as far back as 8000 years old from the Han Dynasty, in China where archaeologist found stone needles used for acupuncture. Neolithic ice mummies with tattooed acupuncture needle marks were also found. Needless to say, it has been around a long time. Many countries adopted the Chinese view of medicine and hence the origin of Shiatsu from Traditional Chinese Medicine. John's style of Shiatsu works with the same points as acupuncture points. It was through experimentation that acupuncture points came to be mapped out.
The points make up pathways called meridians, which corresponds to the different systems in our body. In a healthy body, life force energy flows without blockages. When blockages occur, this shows up as pain on a certain body part or as disease if left untreated. The Chinese word for energy is "Chi" and "Ki" in Japanese. The concept of "Ki" became central in Japanese culture dating back to 6th Century so much so that it is demonstrated in the Japanese language. "How are you?" translates as "How is your Ki (or energy)?"
The story of how Shiatsu remained in the minds of some is a "touching" story. In those days, there were no doctors in the villages so families healed each other. A little boy of 7 years old wanted to comfort his mom who had symptoms of what we know now to be rheumatism. This was in 1912. He noticed that when he used his thumbs, palms, fingers on certain points in her body that her pain seemed to be relieved as opposed to just rubbing her. Moreover, he noticed that certain points were more effective than others. Call it the work of love or science his mom got better and lived to be 88 years old. This little boy was Tokujiro Namikoshi, who went on to study what he had discovered as a child and established an anatomical and physiological theory in shiatsu. He established a school and clinic where he trained students in Shiatsu Therapy. Many of his students went on to create their own style with research and study.
Much like the martial arts, Shiatsu has different styles. The one that John learned from Ted Thomas' school, Sourcepoint Shiatsu, offered by Langara College in Vancouver is Zen Shiatsu. Zen Shiatsu is the style that Shizuto Masunaga developed which incorporates western psychology and Chinese Medicine. It recognizes the presence of meridians and energy.
Another student, of both Namikoshi and Masunaga, had great influence in John's style of Shiatsu, is Tetsuro Saito. Because John and I had the privilege of learning from Sensei Saito, I will talk about him more in another blog post.
Shiatsu and its origins have been around for a long time. It is hard to believe that it is known as an alternative healing therapy. I believe it should be at least recognized as a complimentary therapy. In this day and age of surgeries and prescriptions, isn't comforting to know that a natural, holistic approach to healing is still thriving and remains a choice when it comes to our family's health and wellness.
