The Last Healer

Shiatsu Starter Package- 3 sessions at your home for £199

2012-01-29T15:23:00.001Z

Shiatsu Starter Package- 3 sessions £199.

I had reservations about putting this out afraid that it would look too much like a sales pitch.

Well guess what? You're right! It is a sales pitch.

It's a win-win proposition

You've never tried shiatsu and would like to know more.

You've tried it and want to do more.

So, you go in, have a session, and walk away, saying to yourself: 'What was that all about?

And why does my badabing still hurt?"

There’s a reason

Shiatsu can be very effective in a single standalone session it may not always be a one-shot cure.

Shiatsu addresses your symptoms directly and seeks to understand and resolve the underlying causes that lead to it.

This approach seeks to thoroughly resolve your problem.

You’ll get immediate relief in one visit, a complete solution may require a several sessions

Shiatsu works deeper

While taking onboard what you’ve said about what you want sorted, I try to see your overall health picture.

Your tense neck or sore shoulders may actually be part of a bigger picture.

While working on it, I may determine that there are other issues that require attention in order to get the result you want.

Treating these issues will lead to more permanent relief of your aches and pains not just give you short-term solutions.

Several sessions in a row because..

The effects of shiatsu are cumulative

Each session builds on the previous

Several sessions in quick succession -the best way to achieve what you want.

People respond differently to treatment- it’s important to learn what works best for you.

It can takes several sessions to be able to really relax and open up.

Building mutual trust is part of it, feeling really safe-educating the body's relaxation response is part of the process.

One of the wonderful aspects of Shiatsu is that the variety of techniques allows me to adapt it precisely for what your needs are– to do exactly what you need and want today!

The Offer

If you really want to give shiatsu a go and see if it works for you, 3 sessions over 2-3 weeks will give you real a sense of it.

To make it easy for you to explore the benefits and pleasure of Shiatsu Massage,

LondonShiatsu has introduced a specially discounted

Shiatsu Starter Package... 3 sessions at your home for £199

saving you £25.

Want to get started, or gift someone with the Starter Package?

email LondonShiatsu

Call 07799746429

Posted via email from London Shiatsu

Free Shiatsu in February

2012-01-27T14:55:00.001Z

http://londonshiatsu.com/3762/free-free-free-shiatsu-in-.com-for-londonshiats...

Posted via email from London Shiatsu

3 Shiatsu Sessions £100

2011-05-04T18:17:00.001+01:00

3 Shiatsu Sessions £100

Posted on Apr 29, 2011

3 shiatsu treatment sessions for £100!!!!
Make an appointment now

Stonehouse Studio Only

Prepay

You can take all 3 yourself,gift them, use them whenever you want for a year

Shiatsu Starter Package- 3 sessions £150.

I had reservations about putting this out afraid that it would look too much like a sales pitch.

Well guess what? You’re right! It is a sales pitch.

It’s a win-win proposition

You’ve never tried shiatsu and would like to know more.

You’ve tried it and want to do more.

So, you go in, have a session, and walk away, saying to yourself: ‘What was that all about?

And why does my badabing still hurt?”

There’s a reason

Shiatsu can be very effective in a single standalone session it may not always be a one-shot cure.

Shiatsu addresses your symptoms directly and seeks to understand and resolve the underlying causes that lead to it.

This approach seeks to thoroughly resolve your problem.

You’ll get immediate relief in one visit, a complete solution requires a several sessions

Shiatsu works deeper

While taking on-board what you’ve said about what you want sorted, I try to see your overall health picture.

Your tense neck or sore shoulders may actually be part of a bigger picture.

While working on it, I may determine that there are other issues that require attention in order to get the result you want.

Treating these issues will lead to more permanent relief of your aches and pains not just give you short-term solutions.

Several sessions in a row because..

The effects of shiatsu are cumulative

Each session builds on the previous as we create change in your body

Several sessions in quick succession -the best way to achieve what you want.

People respond differently to treatment- it’s important to learn what works best for you.

It can takes several sessions to be able to really relax and open up.

Building mutual trust is part of it, feeling really safe-educating the body’s relaxation response is part of the process.

One of the wonderful aspects of Shiatsu is that the variety of techniques allows me to adapt – to do exactly what you need and want today!

The Offer

If you really want to give shiatsu a go and see if it works for you, 3 sessions over 2-3 weeks will give you real a sense of it.

To make it easy for you to explore the benefits and pleasure of Shiatsu Massage,

LondonShiatsu has introduced a specially discounted Shiatsu Starter Package.

Have the sessions at our Stonehouse Studio just £100!

Want to get started, or gift someone with the Starter Package?

via londonshiatsu.com

Posted via email from London Shiatsu

shiatsu helps side effects- a report by Chris Atkinson

2010-10-24T14:39:00.001+01:00

Download now or preview on posterous

shiatsu helps side effects.pdf (64 KB)

Posted via email from London Shiatsu

2010-06-06T20:00:00.004+01:00

Great Healers- Amir Latif (Charles Lewis)

Ki shifting can be uncomfortable sometimes and we often quit right before a positive change is about to happen

2010-06-06T20:00:00.001+01:00

Yes change can sometimes be very unsettling and it's possible to freak out.

What you don't want to do is stop the process of healing.

We'll come back to this topic in detail

Posted via email from London Shiatsu

2010-04-10T02:08:00.000+01:00

That’s a real question-

Do you really want to know the answer?

LondonShiatsu

Posted via email from London Shiatsu

Free Reiki at London Shiatsu!!!

2010-04-08T01:03:00.001+01:00

Free Reiki at London Shiatsu!!!

Free Reiki session with every Shiatsu Massage in your home .

From today every time you have a shiatsu massage session with London Shiatsu –you’ll get a free Reiki Healing session !

Reiki is a Japanese energy therapy that induces a delightful meditative state of calm is the perfect complement and finisher to a good shiatsu session.

So good that London Shiatsu has decided we owe it to our clients and friends to offer it with every session.

Want to know more? Book a session today!

via londonshiatsu.com

Posted via web from London Shiatsu

2010-04-01T18:27:00.002+01:00

Auriculotherapy is a term used to describe the treatment of pain, muscular skeletal disorders, and a broad range of medical conditions by the application of massage, low energy laser or acupuncture needles to specific locations on the ear.

Auriculotherapy, and by extension, Auriculomedicine, was discovered and developed into a profoundly effective treatment protocol by Paul Nogier, a French doctor. In the early 1950's he was able to determine the somatotopic presentation of the inverted fetus in the ear, the anatomic regions of the fetus corresponding to specific zones of the ear. This led to a lifetime of continued research which took auricular therapy from the initial simple reflexive treatments to a powerful therapy that can both identify and treat specific body systems, parts or functions that are in disharmony.
Although there are historical references to ear acupuncture in China, it was not until Dr Nogier's discoveries that advances in ear acupuncture progressed in China. In respecting that, the Chinese acknowledged his contribution by describing him as the 'Father of modern Ear Acupuncture'.
But Auriculotherapy is much more than ear acupuncture. Traditional Chinese Medical training provides a powerful background, a theoretical basis for diagnosis and an approach to treatment, but it is not Auriculotherapy or Auriculomedicine.
Dr Nogier noticed that there was a distinct change in the amplitude and dimension of the pulse when certain points on the auricle were stimulated. This occurs consistently and is both repeatable and measurable by modern equipment. Dr Nogier called it the Vascular Autonomic Sign (VAS). Being able to detect the VAS on the radial pulse of (generally) the patients’ left hand enables the practitioner to precisely determine the location of a point, whether there is a pathology in the region of the body that relates to specific points, and whether certain substances (foods, medicines, herbs, etc.) are indicated. Accurate employment of the VAS in diagnosis and treatment is essential to Auriculotherapy and Auriculomedicine.
Auriculotherapy uses the ear to help determine whether the right and left hemispheres of the brain are functioning as a dynamic whole, whether there are specific neurological, musculo-skeletal or organ systems that are in imbalance, and whether there are any blockages to treatment, such as scar tissue or emotional disorders. It is diagnostic. Treatment is specific and points are precisely located by reference to the VAS. Accuracy is important.
Auriculotherapy can be used to treat the same range of health conditions as Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is safe, comfortable and highly effective. It is important to note that painful conditions often respond very quickly to Auriculotherapy.

Differences between Auriculotherapy and the Chinese system of Auricular Therapy

The earliest records of auricular treatment for health conditions date from China (Su Wen) and Egypt (Hippocrates 450BC). More recent historical documentation occurs in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, detailing ear cautery for the treatment of various complaints including sciatica and sexual dysfunctions. There certainly appears to have been a continuity of this knowledge within the therapeutic communities since ancient times and it appears clear that those treatments were functional treatments of specific conditions, empirical formulae. However there was no systematic approach to the use of the auricle as a micro-system to treat the whole body until the discoveries of the French physician, Paul Nogier.
In the early 1950’s Paul Nogier, a French physician noted that some patients attending his clinic had a small scar from a burn on part of their ear. On enquiring into this, he was told that a very small area of their ear had been cauterized by a certain Madam Barrin for the treatment of sciatic pain - a treatment that proved very rapid and effective.
This first observation put Dr Paul Nogier on the search for an explanation, a quest that led to the discovery and development of Auriculotherapy and Auriculomedicine. His first great insight was the recognition of the homunculus, “the man in the ear”, of the representation and anatomical correlation of the inverted fetus in the ear. Points on the body, for example the knee, corresponded precisely with the fetal representation of the knee in the auricle.
Dr Paul Nogier tells the story of this discovery in his book (now out of print) called “The Man in the Ear.” (Maionneuve 1985) He collaborated with a group of medical colleagues who, in a spirit of cooperation and discovery, shared their experiences. One of those colleagues, Dr Jacques Niboyet, convinced Nogier to introduce his discoveries to the Congress of the Mediterranean Society of Acupuncture in February of 1956. Attending that Congress was Dr Gérard Bachmann who published his research, translated into German, in a German Acupuncture journal in 1957. This journal had an international circulation and it was not long before Japanese acupuncturists became familiar with Nogier’s reflex system. The discovery of the system spread to China and led to intensive research by the Chinese medical authorities at a time of renewed interest in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The outcome of that research was very positive and resulted in the utilization of this therapy by the “Barefoot Doctors” of the Cultural Revolution. The Chinese published an Ear Chart remarkably similar to that of Dr. Nogiers in 1958.
Nogier acknowledged that the Chinese had been using ear points for acupuncture prior to his discovery, but these had been considered empirical points for particular treatments and were not associated with a somatotopic representation of the homunculus in the ear. This oversight appears to have inhibited an awareness that options lay open to recognize and treat other points in the ear following an anatomical relationship to the points already known at the time.
In recognition of Nogier’s discoveries and research on the auricle, the Chinese Government honored him by awarding him a formal title “Father of Modern Auricular Therapy.”The Chinese charts of the auricular points were published in 1958 and these have been the basis and reference point for teaching Auricular Therapy in China. The first to apply this form of auricular therapy were the Barefoot Doctors, young medical trainees who, during the Cultural Revolution, were sent out to provide basic traditional medical care for the masses.
In researching the points Chinese medical authorities treated thousands of patients and outlined a prescriptive approach for the treatment of many conditions. A TCM diagnosis was unnecessary. Points could be found, as Nogier had noted, by palpation; tender points indicated a dysfunction or pathology. Later, electrical point detectors were used to find points that exhibited different electrical resistance to the skin immediately adjacent to the point. This was also an indication of a pathological point.
This is where the Chinese approach to auricular therapy stands today. Points are either identified by visual reference to a chart and or a grid system, by palpation for tender points or by electrical detection.
Another interesting difference between the Chinese and Nogier approach is in the identification of different locations for similar points. At first this may seem strange and contradictory until an awareness of Nogiers later research is understood.

The Vascular Autonomic Signal and the Phases.

Two further highly significant discoveries by Nogier advanced the European practice of Auricular therapy towards an extremely sophisticated methodology. It also, almost as a by-product, added the ‘art’ back into medicine. This is the epitome of the good doctor, a scientist, researcher and artist. A healer. I digress.
Nogier was adept at reading the Chinese pulses and with this skill, a considerable measure of patience and his incredible powers of observation, he recognized a distinct change in the patient’s pulse as points were investigated and as substances were brought close to the skin. The pulse change was consistent and reproducible. This was in 1966. Nogier called the pulse the ACR (auricular cardiac reflex) but changed this to the Vascular Autonomic Sign (or signal), the VAS, when he realized that it was a generalized autonomic signal that appeared on all arteries in the body. The ability to detect the VAS allows the practitioner to accurately locate active points, identify dysfunctional points that are not painful to palpate, test for and locate areas of blockage to healing that are reflected in the auricle and to question and identify hemispheric laterality. The VAS is essential in identifying substances that provoke an allergic response or are toxic to the human organism.
Nogier found that on occasions the same point, would present in more than one place. He postulated that the point might change according to the progression of the disease from acute to chronic to degenerative. The outcome of this was validation of the phases or the representations of the homunculus according to the phase of the illness. The pathology may present in more than one phase, but possibly only one phase is tender to palpation. The VAS can be used to check for pathology in any of the phases and is an indicator of the progression of the pathology and of the importance of a comprehensive treatment to receive a satisfactory outcome.
The phases may well explain how a point appears at one place on a European chart and at another on a Chinese chart.
Another reason is that the Chinese have named some points according to their functional outcome e.g. Shenmen. These points may overlay anatomical zones of organs, glands or neurological structures that produce those functions.
The Nogier system recognizes the fluid dynamic of points that are found in zones rather than being fixed points. The projection, or neurological representation of a particular organ or anatomical entity is not a fixed point but is found within a zone. Its location within each phase and zone varies with the changes in pathology and/or physiology of the dysfunction. The precise point is found with the VAS. This is in contrast to the Chinese system that identifies fixed points in fixed locations in a single phase.
The original Nogier system of auricular therapy and its development into auricular medicine leaves all other systems wanting. Being able to ask of the organism a question that can be answered with that organism’s own response, the VAS; being aware of the progression of a pathology through the phases and being able to detect its location with the VAS, allows for a quantum leap in therapeutic effectiveness and validity. This is the legacy of Doctor Paul Nogier.
References:
Nogier P. and Nogier R. The Man in the Ear (Maionneuve, 1985)
Nogier. From Auriculotherapy to Auricular Medicine (Maionneuve, 1983)
LeBel Marc Lecture Notes Australia 1996
Bryan Frank M.D. and Nadir Soliman M.D. Auricular Therapy a Comprehensive text (author house 2005)
Strittmatter B. Identifying and Treating obstacles to healing (Thieme 2004)
Oleson T. Auriculotherapy Manual (Churchill Livingstone 2004)
Ackerman J The Biophysics of the VAS, The Phenomenon of Healing, The integration of the VAS techniques with Traditional Western Medical Techniques. (publications du Glem)
Symposium proceedings and workshop notes, various authors, 4th and 5th GLEM International Symposiums 2000 and 2006.
Dr Rouxeville, Yves translated extract “Cahiers de Biothérapie” June 2003
© Jim Chalmers

via auriculotherapy.info

Posted via web from London Shiatsu

Cordyceps Sinensis

2010-04-01T17:05:00.003+01:00

Cordyceps sinensis

Known in Chinese as Dong Chong Xia Cao (Winter Insect, Summer Grass), in nature Cordyceps grows parasitically on moth larvae. However, using proprietary production techniques, our Cordyceps is grown under controlled conditions on grain based substrates. Tests on the Cordyceps used in our own label product shows it to have higher levels of important adenosine analogs, including Cordycepin, than wild collected specimens.
Traditionally valued for its restorative properties, Cordyceps is considered to strengthen the lungs and sexual function, as well as exhibiting liver-protective and immuno-modulatory properties.

via purehealthonline.co.uk

Posted via web from London Shiatsu

Johrei - Spiritual Scientist

2010-04-01T02:04:00.001+01:00

I Am a Spiritual Scientist

An article by Meishu-sama

For someone like me who is involved in religion to call myself a scientist may seem strange, but if my article is read to the end, I am sure most everyone will understand my point. I always say that the level of contemporary science is very low and that it is not at the level that could properly be called “science.” Let me explain.

The current focus of science is on the discovery and clarification of the particle. That fact that science can delve into the mystery of the particle is due to the advances made in microscopy, and from those advances, the growth of understanding of minute particles has been amazing. Scientists have gone without cease from magnifying objects one thousand times, to ten thousand, and now to one million times in their exploration. It seems that nowadays nothing will stop them from continuing to push their search to the infinite. What scientists have begun to talk of as force or energy probably refers to the world of the infinite.

Of course, scientists learned about this world of the infinite, not from scientific experiments, but from work in theoretical science, reasoning based on hypothesis. Without this method, science would never have come as far as it has.

What scientists are calling the world of the infinite is what I have been calling the world of the spirit, and science has finally come to perceive the importance of spirit. Science has finally had to admit defeat by spirit, which it has denied for so long. Be that as it may, though, this thing called force or energy, also known as ki or ch’i, is the spirit, and if it can be understood, science will not only make a great leap to a higher level, it will also take a great step toward the ideal of being a field of learning that is in pursuit of the truth.

But when science recognizes spirit, the object of study of science will become spirit, and the kind of science that has been practiced so far with the material as its object of study will become known as early science and the science of the spirit will be known as advanced science. When advanced science makes its debut on the world stage, science will have made a change of one hundred and eighty degrees and union with religion will be inevitable. In more easily understood terms, if we draw a line through the center of the world of science, the science of the material would fall below the line and the science of the spirit would go above the line.

Looking at the science of the spirit as belonging to the upper level is a vertical way of looking at the situation, but seen from a horizontal viewpoint, the science of the material is the outside while the science of the spirit is inside. In other words, there is much cause for joy because the science of something will progress to the science of nothing.

One critical issue here is that it will not be of any use at all if the realm of spirit is merely recognized and understood. The essence must be grasped and put to the benefit of humanity. Unfortunately, there is no way for humanity to be helped with the science of something. The spirit must be taken care of with spirit.

I say that this critical issue can be overcome. Indeed, I have overcome it. I am actually doing it right now and showing amazing results. I am now dealing with spirit and resolving the problems of the spirit. This is the healing of disease that my followers and I are now carrying out.

To put it succinctly, the origin of all illness is in the impurities that have accumulated in the spirit of the sick person. Of course, the sick will recover if those impurities are removed. Healing takes place according the law of the spiritual preceding the physical. To remove these impurities, a particular kind of spiritual ray, which could be called a spiritual atomic bomb, is radiated, and this ray burns away the impurities. This method is called Johrei and it is an advanced scientific technique that will contribute not only to medical science, but to all the sciences, to religion; to every unsettled problem, it provides an answer. Thus I call it a super science.

Let me explain Johrei and the origin of disease from a different angle.

The established opinion of contemporary medical science is that the cause of all disease are germs. The discovery of germs marked the beginning of a new epoch, and medical science seemed to show great progress after this discovery. This progress, however, was only progress of the material, half progress. Killing germs does not get to the fundamental cause of disease. From my perspective, killing germs is akin to pouring water in a bamboo basket. Germs and bacteria are only the result of disease, not its cause.

Germs and bacteria grow up from larva and larva are what we know as virus. Science is now debating whether viruses are inorganic or organic, but this is beside the point. Viruses are neutral particles that change from inorganic to organic matter, so viruses do not belong to either category. The essential point about viruses is that at the point of origin as inorganic matter, they are in the world of spirit, and when this fact is understood, the need for a microscope disappears.

If you have followed my argument, you will understand that our present level of science is indeed quite low. It is only natural that it would be impossible to resolve issues dealing with the advanced level of human life with the methods of the low level of contemporary science. As proof of this claim, I offer the examples of difficult cases incurable with medical science that were cured easily with Johrei. Science of the spirit could be called the inner sanctum of material science.

Here I should clarify some essentials about the world of spirit.

The essence of the spiritual world is composed of the three energies of sun, moon, and earth, or what is known in science as oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen. I refer to them as the spirit of fire, the spirit of water, and the spirit of earth, and the universe is a union of these three elements. Of these three elements, the spirit of earth is material. The energy of the sun is the essence of the spirit and the energy of the moon is the essence of the air. A combination of the sun and the moon controls our atmosphere and fills up the space above our earth.

The spirit of fire, however, is the strongest of the three, but because it is so rare, it was not detected by material science. Science has understood physical fire and light, but its existence as an energy was unknown. Thus, only hydrogen and nitrogen were studied. Our contemporary culture is one of water and earth, which means our present civilization has one serious deficiency.

Our world must make one amazing giant change. As I mentioned before, our world is made up of the energy of the sun, moon, and earth, and it is the alternation of the sun and moon which gives us the distinction between day and night. This distinction is a phenomenon we see from the material point of view, but there is also a distinction between “day” and “night” in the world of spirit as well. Material science, of course, has no grasp of this distinction, but it is easily understood with the science of the spirit.

The amazing giant change I mentioned before is a vast transition that humanity has not even dreamed of previously and it is now beginning. It is a historic change that expands the limits of night and day, and an observation of time is necessary to understand this change.

Day and night alternate in the world of spirit in cycles of ten years, a hundred, a thousand, and ten thousand years. As the earth is composed of the three elements of fire, water, and earth, so in the universe is the number three most fundamental. Indeed it is a universal ironclad pattern, so the switch from night to day occurs every three years, thirty, three hundred, and every three thousand years. Of course, in the transference from spirit to matter, there are slight variations in speed depending on the size and composition of the material, but the basics definitely change.

Amazingly, the time for transition of the three thousandth year is here, and we are now at the dawn. I have written about this elsewhere, and the date of that change is clear: 15 June 1931. The world became day on that date. Even so, some change is still necessary in the world of spirit, but day will gradually reflect to the world of matter and come to be clearly perceived. I would like to go into this in more detail, but this would get us into matters of religion and faith. One thing, though, what I have written of here is absolutely dependable.

The change from night to day in the world of spirit means that the spirit of fire will increase, and although it will be gradual, that increase is being reflected on to the material world. The world, in which until now water preceded fire, will reverse so that fire precedes water. Scientists of matter can not see this change, but it is quite perceptible to those sensitive to the spirit.

What this change means is that all problems, unanswered issues, will be clarified and resolved. Our current low level of science will make a giant leap and create a new civilization.

Eikô, issue 255, 7 April 1954

via johrei.com

I was taught the Johrei method many years ago while on retreat in Southold Long Island. Can't say I understand the theory or philosophy here- I do know the technique works very well- especially for soothing stress and emotional turmoil. Very gentle yet penetrating. And it seems to benefit the state of the giver as much as the receiver.
Perhaps the best way to understand it is as a form of prayer in action.
Wanna know more? Wanna experience how Johrei feels? Get in touch and I'll show you.

Posted via web from London Shiatsu

2010-03-31T15:59:00.002+01:00

Shiatsu relaxes the physical body and calms the nervous system, and in this balanced state, internal repair resources can function effectively to restore your body and mind.

An Introduction to ChiRunning®A Natural Running Form

2010-03-30T00:20:00.001+01:00

An Introduction to ChiRunning®A Natural Running Form

By Justin on Mar 29, 2010 | In how to run | 2 feedbacks »

Guest post by David Stretanski of EnerChi Fitness

In the fall of 2005, I was injured, frustrated and confused. Nagging injuries had affected my running program for over two years and I was running with the fear of my next setback. Then a fellow runner suggested I get this book called "ChiRunning". With the help of a few ChiRunning principles, I have been running injury free ever since while enjoying greater distance and speed with limited recovery. ChiRunning has also allowed a steady migration to less and less shoe over time as I improve technique.

ChiRunning ("chee-running") is incredibly simple. It applies some basic principles for a dramatic increase in efficiency while reducing discomfort, aches/pains and injury.

The ChiRunning principles might be summarized in two key ideas:

Ask big strong parts of the body to do relatively small jobs; and limit asking a small part of the body to do a big job.

Cooperate with forces of nature; and even use them to our advantage whenever possible.

The result is postural alignment and motion that is based on the body's design, simple principles of nature, and the laws of physics. But is ChiRunning the only 'right' way to run? Certainly not, at least not in my opinion. So many want to dissect running down to absolute right and wrong. How each of us decides to run on any given moment depends on the person, the objective and the tolerance for risk.

Here is a short video entitled "ChiRunning Simplified! Efficient and Injury Fr-e-e Natural Running Technique" that summarizes the technique and provides an analogy to put the potential difference ChiRunning provides into perspective:

ChiRunning Form Summary

Postural Alignment with your shoulders over your hips over your ankles with a neutral head position. A level pelvis, using the lower abdominal muscle, stabilizes both your pelvis and your posture line.

Relaxed Midfoot (Fullfoot) Landing under your posture line.

Subtle Forward Lean from the ankles to engage the pull of gravity. Only a small angle of lean is necessary, much less than you might think.

Knee Bend to allow the heel to float up behind you. Note the knee stays relatively low as it bends. With this motion, the heel will make a circle as you move forward. The circle or wheel is behind you and not under you.

Arm Swing to the rear. This helps maintain your balance as you lean forward.

These are only the initial basic ChiRunning elements. There is more to each of these basic elements; and there are also a number of additional elements such as cadence, extending stride length to the rear, and hill technique adjustments to name just a few.

Foot Landing in ChiRunning, Additional Discussion

An important running technique element is the foot landing. It is the source of much discussion and debate. ChiRunning suggests you land and bear weight using the midfoot for the majority of your running. The midfoot could be described as 'fullfoot' since the interaction with the ground is balanced across the whole foot. This approach has a number of potential benefits:

Reduction of muscular effort in the lower legs and feet. This refers back to the first key idea above: limit high effort in relatively small parts of the body. In this case, the very strong structure of the lower leg and foot is primarily used for momentary support.

Reduction of tension in the feet. This can reduce repetitive stress/impact since the feet can be 'soft' when interacting with the (hard) ground.

Reduction of tension in the lower legs and ankles. This also refers back to the second key idea above: cooperate with the forces of nature. In this case, cooperating with the forward pull of gravity is more efficient when limiting any resistance to your forward fall. In my experience, any tension in the ankle 'hinge' or bearing weight on the forefoot impedes my forward fall.

But are there times for other foot landings? Sure, short intervals of outright speed or terrain challenges might adjust the foot landing. The statistics suggest that most running injuries occur at the knee and below. ChiRunning suggests that in the highly repetitive motion of running, reducing effort/stress/impact on the lower legs and feet can have a significant effect on this statistic.

And what do ChiRunners generally wear on their feet? Anything from a traditional running shoe to no shoe. ChiRunning can help adjust running technique no matter what you choose to wear on your feet. Over time, ChiRunners generally sense needing less and less shoe. This was my experience. I started off in stiff motion control shoes. Then I moved to a neutral cushioning shoe; and now feel comfortable running very long distances in minimalist flats such as the NB 790 trail shoe. Periodically I will run short distances in bare feet and often have clients run barefoot as a teaching aid. The goal this spring is to experiment with Vibram Five Fingers to further enhance my running experiences.

Finally, let me be clear, the technique elements described here are not the only way to run. We each have to decide for ourselves what principles we are going to proactively apply to our fitness programs; perhaps while weighing the short-term and long-term objectives against the associated risks to our consistent mobility and enjoyment.

About David Stretanski

David Stretanski is a ChiRunning(r)/ChiWalking(r) Certified Instructor and runs EnerChi Fitness, a New Jersey Metro Area based company which provides resources, informational seminars, and instructional programs on these safe and effective approaches to fitness. David, is pictured on the right, and Danny Dreyer, the Author/Founder of ChiRunning, on the left.

See http://www.eChiFitness.com for information about online, published and instructional resources. If you are in the Northeast USA and would like to learn more about ChiRunning in-person, also check out David's schedule or contact him to arrange an event, program or lesson in your area.

Thank you, David, for taking the time to introduce ChiRunning to the Vibram Five Fingers fan community!

ChiRunning®/ChiWalking® are registered trademarks of ChiLiving, Inc.

via birthdayshoes.com

Posted via web from London Shiatsu

Masunaga Meridian Chart

2010-03-29T16:56:00.001+01:00

This is the enhanced Shiatsu Meridian Chart of Sensei Shizuto Masunaga the father of Zen Shiatsu.
Note the cross-sections of the limbs.
For more read Zen Shiatsu
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Posted via email from London Shiatsu

Finding Science in Acupuncture

2010-03-25T18:17:00.001Z

via online.wsj.com

Posted via web from London Shiatsu

The Mirror Exercise - Dr.Francis X. Clifton

2010-03-03T02:04:00.001Z

The Mirror Exercise

Originally Posted in http://thelasthealer.wordpress.com May 5, 2009

This exercise is one of series taught to me years ago by Dr.Francis X.Clifton of NYC. (www.farancenter.org)

It can be very helpful to relieve anxiety or stress. It has an application for actors needing to get out of character when the day’s work is done and back to themselves.

I have republished Doctor Clifton’s original text verbatim

The following imaginal exercise if performed daily, will relieve emotional stress and strain within your life

Each exercise is begun by closing your eyes and breathing in and even and regular manner You’re breathing in through your nose and making long slow exhalations through your mouth. Imagine yourself breathing in Blue golden light and breathing out grey smoke you breathe in this blue golden light you know that you are breathing in all that is pure and breathing out all that is impure.

And as you do so you find yourself counting backwards from three to one with which exhalations upon reaching one you are ready to begin.

Mirror of Peace

The next exercise is called the Mirror peace Close your eyes, Start breathing in an even and regular manner. You are breathing in a blue-golden light and breathing out a grey smoke. You are breathing in all that is pure and breathing out all that is impure . And as you form this even and regular cycle of breathing the count backwards from three to one with each exhalation.

And now you find yourself in a room.

You are faced to the left and there on the wall you see a mirror.

And in the mirror there you see your face reflected in its anxiety.

You hear the sounds of your anxiety and fear.

You turn your back on the Mirror and walk across the room to the right. Whereupon You find a doorway.

You open the door and walk through it and you close the door behind you only to find yourself in another room.

You walk across to the right, open another door closes door behind you again finding yourself in another room you walk across to the right, through the doorway and a close the door behind.

It now becomes clear that there is a series of rooms moving to the your right and as you move from one room to another you find that the sounds of your anxiety and fear become more and more faint

Each room also has a Mirror and there’s you quickly glance at the mirror while moving from one room to another, you see your face becoming more relaxed as you walk to the right through each doorway closing the door behind you, only to find yourself in another, the sound is becoming more and more faint.

Eventually you arrive in the room month there in this room of total silence, know that you have reached the centre of yourself.

The place where all your strength emanates.

There in the total silence, See your face reflected in the mirror.

You see the face of strength&calmness&peace.

Look around this room ,become familiar with it.

If there is furniture recognise it, because this is a place you can return to anytime you like.

It’s your centered place. Your place of peace and quiet.

See your face reflected in the mirror, have this reflection move through your entire being and as it moves through your entire being you see your face smiling,

You see yourself filled with peace & courage.

And then you just breathe out ,

let the images disappear

and open your eyes

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the role of shiatsu in treatment of chemotherapy side effects

2010-02-25T16:22:00.003Z

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20489268-The-Role-of-Shiatsu-in-the-Treatment-of-the-Side-Effects.pdf (64 KB)

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Hara Diagnosis Chart-Masunaga Sensei

2010-02-15T00:21:00.001Z

From: mazzara [mailto:mazzara@mazzara.co.uk]
Sent: 15 February 2010 00:15
To: Posterous -London
Subject: Hara Diagnosis Chart-Masunaga Sensei

Check back soon for commentary

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Dr.Rajendra Sharma on Coriolus Supplementation for Leaky Gut Syndrome

2010-02-04T01:35:00.001Z

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Acupuncture affects brain's ability to regulate pain -The Times of India

2010-01-30T17:39:00.001Z

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Researchers have come up with evidence that acupuncture affects the brain's long-term ability to regulate pain.

Researchers at the University of Michigan (U-M) Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Centre showed acupuncture increased the binding availability of mu-opoid receptors (MOR) in regions of the brain that process and dampen pain signals - specifically the cingulate, insula, caudate, thalamus and amygdala.

Opiod painkillers, such as morphine, codeine and other medications, are thought to work by binding to these opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord.

"The increased binding availability of these receptors was associated with reductions in pain," said Richard E. Harris, researcher and assistant professor of anesthesiology at the U-M.

One implication of this research is that patients with chronic pain treated with acupuncture might be more responsive to opioid medications since the receptors seem to have more binding availability, Harris said.

These findings could spur a new direction in the field of acupuncture research following recent controversy over large studies showing that sham acupuncture is as effective as real acupuncture in reducing chronic pain.

"Interestingly both acupuncture and sham acupuncture groups had similar reductions in clinical pain," Harris said. "But the mechanisms leading to pain relief are distinctly different."

The study participants included 20 women who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition, for at least a year.

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The Art of Palpating the Abdomen for the Purpose of Prescribing Chinese herbal formulas-Kumiko

2010-01-07T19:28:00.001Z

Japanese abdominal diagnosis, known as fukushin 腹診 is an art form of medical practice that is virtually lost in modern practice of Chinese medicine. There are two major schools and types of abdominal diagnosis, Nanjing and Shanghan Lun schools, which separates into the Japanese schools of acupuncture and the schools of herbalism respectively. There are many modern books written on acupuncture style of abdominal diagnosis, which is also referred to as hara diagnosis, however books written on herbal prescription style of fukushin are difficult to find.

In the studies of Japanese style of herbal prescriptions, kampo, 漢方 which is mostly based on Han Dynasty formulas from the classical texts of the Shanghan Lun and the Jingui Yaolue, one can find many abdominal patterns and findings for almost every formula. It appears, though it is not certain, that Zhang Zhongjing used abdominal palpation as part of his diagnostic tools. And there are many Japanese scholars who have elaborated and perfected their practices of fukushin for the purpose of herbal prescriptions based on Zhang Zhongjing’s classical texts.

The concept and significance of the abdomen are different in Japan from what exists in Western cultures. It was not too long ago that Japanese people commonly said, “I am going to go see a doctor to get my abdomen examined.” In Japanese culture, the abdomen or hara is central. Alternatively, the nervous system and mind seem to be central in Western cultures. But, when we think about it, the Japanese idea makes a lot of sense. The abdomen is physically a central part of the body, containing many of the vital organs. Japanese people also believe that hara is the seat of the soul, where self-consciousness is anchored. On the other hand, from pathological sense, the abdomen is where people hold emotional stress, affecting their digestive problems as well as other physical discomforts. For this reason, in Japanese medicine, the hara becomes a pivotal part of the body during the examination, diagnosis, and treatment.

In fukushin, abdominal patterns are named after herbal formulas such as “Xiao Chaihu Tang pattern” or “sho” in Japanese, which already gives a diagnosis and a treatment plan. On the other hand, in the Nanjing school of abdominal diagnosis, abdominal patterns are named after theoretical diagnostic concepts such as “Liver qi overacting on Spleen”. The difference between Nanjing style of theoretical approach versus Shanghang Lun style of clinical approach is interesting in that it shifted the clinical practice of kampo in Japanese medical history. One of the most influential Japanese scholars, Todo Yoshimasu (1702-1773), emphasized mastering clinical skills rather than understanding theories. He claimed that “proof is always more convincing than logic,” accentuating the importance of the practice of palpation, and to treat what is obvious by carefully examining the abdomen. For this reason, Todo inspired many practitioners to practice palpation during the examination. However, Japanese scholars did not ignore fundamental theories of Chinese medicine completely, and fukushin is still very much based on theory as well.

In order to give an herbal formula based on abdominal diagnosis, one must understand the architecture of the formulas first. There are eight therapeutic methods in the study of herbal prescriptions, however, it is important to break up each method into further smaller groups, understanding the function of the pivotal herb or herbs in each formula. The key herb in a formula may not always be the emperor of the formula, though often times it is. For example, in the purging method, there can be different causes for accumulation in the middle burner hence requiring different approaches and treatment plans. While Dahuang (in Da Chengqi Tang) treats fullness caused by middle burner accumulation due to qi stagnation causing heat, Mangxiao (in Tiaowei Chengqi Tang) treats accumulation of the middle burner due to dryness of the intestines, and Taoren and Mudanpi (in Dahuang Mudanpi Tang) treat fullness by breaking up blood stasis, hence moving both qi and blood. As a consequence, these three formulas, which share a common category of method, will have different abdominal patterns and imply different treatment plans.

In closing, I want to emphasize that examining a person’s center is not only theoretically appropriate but also clinically helpful in the process of assessment, diagnosis and finally planning a treatment. Hence, Chinese medicine practitioners, are encouraged to cherish the art form of practicing this medicine by observing and touching each patient and interpreting such information as holographic representation of the body.

Kumiko

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Cupping Therapy

2010-01-07T19:27:00.003Z

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Reiki - a personal view some random thoughts

2010-01-05T18:40:00.003Z

In addition to shiatsu I practice reiki and several methods of healing.

From my early 20s I studied healing with a series of Sufi masters as well as learning a Japanese method called Johrei.

In 1987 I first learned how to practice reiki healing
seamless
reiki is a discrete in many ways it has nothing to do with me -or you.
It simply happens while you are there.
Reiki seems-almost -to do itself independently of the healer or the subject.

You never quite know what will happen- it can seem like nothing at all or it can seem earth shatteringly life changingly fabulous.

As far as I can tell- there's no predicting
Reiki can be laying on off hands or working just off the body.
what is felt may be very different from what happens.
You may feel warmth a sense of lightening even a sense of Light.
deep deep relaxation is general. That does seem to be a common denomimator.
and nothing past the enjoyment of the session.
Or you may 'feel' nothing special and
the end result may later be a measurable relief of symptoms or even cure.
There's something random and that's fine.
To activate the bodymind's relaxation response is already a big result for most of us.
deep trance-like healing states
Reiki seems to "happen" whatever- in that way it does appear to be ' neutral'

It doesn't seem to require

It doesn't insist

I like it but after 20 years it still bewilders

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The Essence of Shiatsu

2010-01-05T18:31:00.001Z

hands hara heart earth fire light

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2010-01-04T01:38:00.002Z

The Last Healer in person

Treating Addiction with Auricular Therapy

2009-12-11T21:31:00.001Z

Treating Addiction with Auricular Therapy- Michael Vahila

LondonShiatsu offers this type of Ear Acupuncture in London

The use of auricular therapy for treating drug withdrawal began in Hong Kong in 1972. Dr. Wen, a neurosurgeon, made a discovery “by accident”. He was doing surgery and administering auricular acupuncture anesthesia to a patient that happened to be a heroin addict in the midst of withdrawal symptoms. The patient had relief of his withdrawal symptoms following the procedure. Further studies were done to confirm that specific points on the ear could reduce cravings for opiates.
Research shows that acupuncture stimulates the production of endorphins, the body’s natural opiates. This would explain why treatments stimulating acupuncture points of the ear would reduce cravings. If the body is producing opiates, patients don’t need to seek them from the outside.
In 1973, Dr. Michael Smith was working out of the Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx, operating a standard drug detox program. Seeking to improve results, he experimented with different auricular treatments. His research with auricular treatment greatly enhanced patient results. Due to the success of adding auricular treatment to the existing program, he founded the National Acupuncture Detox Association (NADA). NADA teaches a 5 point protocol to specialists in the detox profession.
Other examples of the success of auricular therapy include Hooper Memorial Detox Center in Portland, Oregon. In 1987, they implemented auricular acupuncture in their 5 day alcohol detox program. Clients using the auricular therapy were 6 times less likely to return in 6 months than clients who did not have auricular therapy. Overall completion rate also increased from 60% to 92% with the addition of auricular therapy. (Lane, 1988)
On the other side of the country, a clinical program for substance abuse sponsored by the Jersey City Dept. of Health reported the following results using auricular therapy: 84% improvement in mood, 81% improvement in withdrawal symptoms, 93% reduction in cravings and 70% improvement in overall wellness.
So how can massage therapists and others use this information to help their patients? Remember: acupressure is another way to stimulate acupuncture points. Acupressure can be applied with the fingers by compressing the point between two fingers and kneading, or with a 1 mm tip probe for precise point massage. Massage for 10 to 30 seconds with firm, but tolerable, pressure. Also, acupressure pellets can be placed in the ear for continued stimulation and pressed by the patient for self-treatment. Pellets should be removed by the patient in 3 to 5 days.
By the way, don’t feel that you’re doing second rate treatment by using acupressure pellets instead of needles. Pellets are the most common form of auricular treatment in China.
Is this in a massage therapists scope of practice? Yes. As an acupuncturist and LMT, I see many people who still feel the need for more support than they get from their other treatments. Adding this protocol to your massage sessions could provide another dimension of relief for those dealing with addictions, whether it’s alcohol, cigarettes, food or drugs. Also, as massage therapists, we are not treating the addiction. We’re treating the patient to help relieve the stress and physical discomfort associated with the addiction.
Obviously, massage is one of the best treatments for stress reduction and to help people feel more grounded in their bodies. Adding this reflex treatment of the ear simply takes advantage of information gleaned from other sources and allows a massage therapist to enhance their results.
This auricular stimulation is intended to enhance, not replace, conventional medical treatment for addictions. The NADA protocol was added to existing programs that included, 12-step meetings, individual counseling, appropriate medications, etc.
The points Dr. Smith found most useful for substance abuse were: Shen Men, Kidney, Liver, Lung and Sympathetic Nerve. These points can be easily found on ear models labeled for auricular therapy. They help calm the mind while supporting the detoxification of the body.
While there are other protocols more specific to smoking, food, and other addictions, the NADA protocol is a good general treatment if a therapist has limited training in auricular therapy.
You can easily integrate this into your general massage sessions when massaging the ear. If you choose to do point massage and acupressure pellets, it’s wise to spend some time educating your patient regarding the more specific nature of this technique.

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LondonShiatsu offers this type of Ear Acupuncture in London

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Nine more benefits of Shiatsu?

2009-12-09T12:55:00.001Z

Aches and pains go away
Joint flexibilty increases
Immune System Enhancement -fewer colds
Recovery Time Improves
Sleep easier and deeper
Appetite tends to balance - you find yourself moving toward foods that are good for you- naturally,effortlessly
Digestion gets easier and so does absorption
Skin Complexion improves- you get a natural glow
Mood improves

Find out more LondonShiatsu.com

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Relationship of Acupuncture Points and Meridians

2009-12-07T01:32:00.001Z

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Zen Shiatsu

2009-12-05T23:33:00.001Z

Zen Shiatsu

The Legacy of Shizuto Masunaga

by Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon

Shiatsu refers generally to a Japanese pressure therapy used to relieve a variety of problems including back pain, neck and shoulder problems, stress, insomnia, digestive problems, and fatigue. It is based on traditional Chinese medicine techniques, particularly massage therapy that has been recommended since ancient tmes, with certain Japanese innovations. Shiatsu acquired its name with the publication of Tenpaku Tamai’s book Shiatsu Ho (Shiatsu Method) in 1919. As a technique separate from other manual therapies, such as Anma (which had been developed in Japan during the 17^th century), shiatsu was officially recognized by the Japanese government with a series of laws passed during the period 1955-1964. Its recognition and spread resulted mainly from the efforts of Tokujiro Namikoshi, the founder of modern shiatsu (sometimes called Namikoshi Shiatsu). Namikoshi was author of the book Do It Yourself-3 Minute Shiatsu, which became a best seller; he appeared on television to promote his technique, and used the catch phrase: “All you have to do is press.” At that time, finger-pressure was the primary technique of shiatsu.

Zen is one of the sects of Buddhism; it involves training the mind through meditation. The fundamental purpose of Zen is to achieve total enlightenment through the discovery of one’s basic nature. Its principles and approaches can be applied to numerous human endeavors. Many aspects of Japanese culture have been influenced by Zen, including archery, aikido, judo and other martial arts, gardening and architecture, tea ceremony, calligraphy, and haiku (Japanese poetry). In this case, it is applied to massage therapy.

Zen Shiatsu was established by a Shizuto Masunaga (1925-1981; see Figure 1), who was born into a family of Shiatsu practitioners. After studying psychology, he decided to pursue shiatsu as well. While reading the classic medical texts, he investigated the practical clinical aspects of shiatsu. Masunaga became a professor of psychology at Tokyo University and, at the same time, he taught psychology at the Japan Shiatsu School. During the late 1970s, one of his new students, Wataru Ohashi, brought Masunaga to the United States, where he provided some teachings in New York and San Francisco. Masunaga then wrote two books about his theoretical framework for Zen Shiatsu and its practical applications, includingZen Shiatsu: How to Harmonize Yin and Yang for Better Health (written with the help of Ohashi; see Figure 2), and Meridian Exercises, which described yoga-like exercises for self-help in maintaining internal balance and good circulation.

Zen Shiatsu is a form of bodywork administered by thumbs, fingers, palms and elbows, feet and knees. It depends for its success on a meditative activity of the practitioner, aimed especially at detecting the body responses to the treatment, which influences the subsequent treatment step by step. Pressure is applied to all parts of the body along specific pathways (meridians). These are essentially the same meridians that are used in traditional Chinese medicine for acupuncture, though modified and extended by Masunaga (so they are sometimes called Masunaga Meridians; see Figures 3-6). It is understood that this technique stimulates the natural healing powers of the body, wherefore symptoms of disease lessen and vitality is regained.

The professional Zen Shiatsu therapist is trained to feel the body’s condition, particularly the circulation, by his/her hands in order to find the imbalanced areas in the body. By skillfully stimulating the imbalanced meridians, the therapist attempts to restore the balanced flow. From the Western point of view, shiatsu works directly to calm the autonomic nervous system, which has the effect of calming nervous distress and increasing resistance to stress. By helping with blood and lymph circulation in the body, shiatsu helps to maintain and improve muscle tone and healthy internal organ functions. It is believed that shiatsu can also strengthen the immune system. Regular and consistent shiatsu treatments can become an important aspect of preventive health care as well as treatment for existing symptoms.

Zen Shiatsu is ideally performed while the recipient lies on a futon on the floor, allowing the practitioner access from all sides and the ability to apply pressure using body weight (as opposed to pushing just with finger pressure, as may be done with other shiatsu techniques; see Figure 7). The shiatsu recipient should be dressed comfortably with light clothing. No massage oils or lotions are used or needed because the practitioner does not slide along the body surface, but gives a series of presses along the pathways.

BASIC CONCEPTS

Consistent with the basic concepts of traditional Chinese medicine, Zen Shiatsu is grounded in the theory that health problems are attributed to, or at least involve:

imbalances in yin and yang;

disharmonies between the internal organs; and

blockages to the circulation of ki (in Chinese: qi; in English: chi) through the meridians.

The unique features of Zen Shiatsu, compared to traditional Chinese medicine techniques such as acupuncture or other shiatsu techniques, are these:

For diagnosis, abdominal palpation is the primary technique used. Abdominal diagnosis (in Japan: hara diagnosis) is an ancient Chinese technique that had been largely abandoned in China, but became important in the practice of Kampo (the Japanese practice of Chinese medicine) around the beginning of the 18^th century. Abdominal diagnosis is used in Japan for herbal medicine prescribing, acupuncture, and Zen Shiatsu. The diagnosis is primarily aimed at determining whether each meridian is relatively empty (Japanese: kyo, Chinese: xu) or relatively full (Japanese: jitsu; Chinese: shi). At the end of the treatment, the abdominal diagnosis is performed again to ascertain changes (improvements) that have occurred.

Pressure is applied at intervals along the meridians that were described by Masunaga. He presented 12 meridians, corresponding to the 12 basic organ-affiliated meridians of the Chinese system. The meridian pathways are similar to, but not the same as, the Chinese ones; the main difference being an extension of each meridian to range from legs to arms, passing through the associated diagnostic region of the abdomen.

The treatment involves brief contact with each point, in a somewhat rhythmic pattern as a portion of a meridian is traced. The contact is with fairly strong pressure that is applied using the movement of the practitioners body, fingers, elbows, and other parts of the body.

To attain the proper combination of pressure and movement along the meridian, the practitioner may move frequently around the recipient’s body and may even move the recipient (who is instructed to remain passive), such as lifting the head or arms. The actions may include turning or bending the recipient’s body parts with the purposes of gaining access to essential points, stretching the meridians, and using gravity or leverage to attain the needed pressure at certain points. The therapy does not focus on one part of the body, even if the health problem is localized; the whole body becomes involved.

The practitioner works within a meditative state, focusing on the responses of the recipient so as to properly direct the therapy, as opposed to focusing on selection of pressure points by a theoretical system. To develop this condition of heightened awareness and clear intention, the practitioner practices meditation regularly.

Because of its connection to traditional Chinese medicine, Zen Shiatsu serves as an excellent adjunct to acupuncture therapy as well as Chinese or Japanese herb prescribing, fitting well with the theoretical framework. Further, it serves as a complementary therapy for Western methods of manipulation, including chiropractic or standard massage (e.g., Swedish style), providing an entirely different stimulus to the body.

Although Masunaga’s Zen Shiatsu is considered essential reading for practitioners, the main textbook of Zen Shiatsu used today is Shiatsu Theory and Practice by Carola Beresford-Cooke (first published 1996; revised edition 2002). She has outlined five basic principles of Zen Shiatsu as follows:

Relax. The practitioner must be in a comfortable physical and mental condition to convey comfort to the recipient; the arms, hands, neck, and shoulders must be relaxed, not tensed, to give the proper treatment and to perceive the recipient responses.

Use penetration rather than pressure. It is understood that the body has spots (called “tsubo”) that can receive the pressing by the practitioner; the muscle gives way to the penetrating force to let it enter, rather than being pushed away by pressure. The result is an entirely different experience than mere finger-pressing, and requires that the practitioner have the correct body position in relation to the recipient and be mindful of the technique being used.

Perpendicular penetration without side-to-side motion. Unlike many massage techniques where movement across the surface is emphasized, Zen Shiatsu involves penetration at each point, perpendicular to the body surface. Although there are a few exceptions, the treatment does not involve rotation, back-and-forth, or wiggling movements of the hands, but simple direct inward-directed movement.

Two handed connectedness. The Zen Shiatsu practitioner maintains two hands on the recipient’s body; one hand may be still and holding a part of the body in position, while the other is active, penetrating points on the meridians. The practitioner is advised to give attention to the role of both hands, not just the more active one.

Meridian continuity. The focus of the therapy is to treat an entire meridian, not just individual points or regions. This is based on the theory that the imbalances to be addressed are based in the meridians, which require a free flow of ki throughout.

Figure 1. Shizuto Masunaga (1925-1981).
Figure 2. Masunaga’s primary text: Zen Shiatsu.

Figure 3. The Meridians Of Masunaga’s Zen Shiatsu.

Figure 4. Masunaga’s Meridians at the Head.

Figure 5. Hara diagnosis chart based on Mubunsai’s text of 1685.
Figure 6. A modern interpretation of a Hara diagnosis chart;
a key to the abdominal diagnosis chart on the right is available at:
http://www.yogawelt.com/haradiagnosis.html

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2009-11-30T17:58:00.002Z

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Great Healers Series

2009-11-30T17:43:00.001Z

Great Healers- Amir Latif (Charles Lewis)

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Shiatsu Review of Evidence

2009-11-22T15:18:00.001Z

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Shiatsu Systematic Evidence Review Complete.pdf (1500 KB)

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Shiatsu is- another definition

2009-11-16T12:46:00.001Z

This is a definition of shiatsu by Gina Loree Marks. She offers a more personal and experiential description.

Be sure to check her website link below

Grace in Gravity - Better Living Through Shiatsu

Shiatsu is...

...a Japanese word, literally translated to mean "finger pressure" (and pronounced "shee - ah - tsoo").

Shiatsu is a form of bodywork (or energy work, depending on how you look at it) that uses finger and thumb pressure (or knees, elbows, forearms, feet), as well as stretching, rocking and holding, to bring about a more balanced energy flow in the receiver's body.

Many people who receive shiatsu experience a deep and profound sense of relaxation, relief from common ailments such as stress, headaches, bodily aches and pain, repetitive strain injuries, digestive and respiratory issues, insomnia, high blood pressure and feelings of overwhelm.
More profound benefits can be a renewed sense of groundedness, centeredness, increased ability to deal with stress, and overall, a greater awareness of your own physical body. This is a good thing in that it can help to bring clear awareness to the connections between how you live and how you feel. With this awareness comes increased motivation and energy to make other healthy life choices.

I have also seen shiatsu to be a great form of support for pregnancy and labor, fibromyalgia, and childhood trauma.

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What is Shiatsu? European Shiatsu Federation

2009-11-14T23:51:00.001Z

What is Shiatsu?

Definition

Shiatsu is an autonomous natural healthcare system which originated in Japan, and is influenced by Chinese and more recently Western knowledge. It derives its theoretical and practical roots from the ancient traditions of Far Eastern philosophies and healing and the holistic understanding of life and health based upon them.

The aim of shiatsu is to stimulate and support the processes of natural self healing, well-being and personal growth, and to maintain health, through balancing the energetic system of a person. The method uses the application of pressure, and of energetic and physical touch to the body's energy channels and points to balance the circulation of the body's energy (Ki or Chi).

As a self-regulating health care and health promotion system it supports the development of a new holistic understanding of health in Europe.

Philosophical Background

Shiatsu derives its theoretical and practical roots from the ancient traditions of Far Eastern healing and philosophy. Today it is an autonomous treatment method which originated in Japan, and is influenced by Chinese and Western knowledge.

Aim

The aim of shiatsu is to promote the processes of self healing and personal growth through balancing the circulation of the body's energy: Ki or Chi.

The well being of a person as a unity of body, mind and spirit depends on the harmonic flow of this energy.

Principle

Shiatsu treatment is a form of communication through touch, based on techniques of energetic (ki) evaluation.

Form

The form of shiatsu treatment is the application of sustained pressure with thumbs, hands, elbows, knees and feet to meridians and tsubo and to other energetic and physical structures.

The form also includes rotations and stretches of limbs, joints and meridians. The posture and awareness of the practitioner are grounded in the abdomen (the Hara). Shiatsu is usually given on a soft mat on the floor.

Effect

Shiatsu enhances self awareness and sensitivity, and releases tension. It also supports and nourishes life-force.

Application

Applied by a practitioner with appropriate training, shiatsu promotes general well being and can be used as a preventative health care method.

It can also assist people through crisis, difficult life phases and processes of change. It can treat people presenting with a wide variety of physical conditions.

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The Effects and Experience of Shiatsu: A Cross-European Study

2009-11-13T19:32:00.001Z

The Effects and Experience of Shiatsu:
A Cross-European Study

Complementary health in Europe is practised in a context of political and legal uncertainty with a few notable exceptions. By and large, it is available outside the official health care systems, and only to those who can afford to pay and who have the opportunities to inform themselves. While millions of people use complementary and alternative medicine ( CAM ) practices, millions of others have no access.

CAM 's contribution to health and well being and its role alongside conventional medicine are poorly understood. The scope of application is variable and the differences between the many CAM practices are not well known. There is also significant prejudice to CAM . Practitioners have been prosecuted on legal grounds unconnected to their competence or client complaint. Published research is thin on the ground for many CAM practices, and most of what exists examines them as if they were a form of conventional medicine.

Shiatsu is one of the eight disciplines named in the Collins Report adopted by the European Parliament in 1997 (European Parliament 1997) which calls for steps to regulate complementary therapy practice and for more research. Initiatives have been taken by a few member states since, but none are complete. There still has not been a specific research line for CAM in the European Union's (EU) Framework Programmes (FP) 5 to 7. The current programme, FP7, may provide funding for ‘translating clinical outcomes into clinical practice, especially addressing patient safety and the better use of medicines (including some aspects of … complementary and alternative medicine).' (European Union 2006: 12)

Shiatsu has been practised professionally in Europe for 35 years. While common law allows it to be practised freely in the UK and Ireland , its practice in the rest of Europe, along with most other CAM methods, is tolerated, but without recognition as an independent discipline, or integration into state healthcare systems. This uncertainty has acted as a brake on the progress of shiatsu , its professional development, and its use by the public. In the official imagination, in so far as shiatsu exists there at all, it rests somewhere between the harmless, the useless or dangerous quackery.

In Japan , where shiatsu originated, it has been an officially recognised paramedical practice since 1952. In Europe , it is popular with the public but, until now, there has been no objective evidence for its safety, extensive data on who uses it and why, or an assessment of its benefits. The European Shiatsu Federation, in working to gain the legal ‘right to practice' shiatsu throughout Europe and to promote the highest standards of training and professional practice, saw the need for evidence independent of the profession's view.

The development of the study design took particular account of the fact that shiatsu practice occurs within the energetic relationship between the practitioner and the client, that it is intuitive in its nature, and that it is broad in its guiding philosophy and scope of application. The findings summarised below speak volumes about this ancient art. They validate an intuitive but practical system with contemporary and rational tools, bridging longstanding cultural gaps. Not surprisingly, the findings suggest the need for more research. These findings are now offered in service to the public, the profession, researchers, policy makers and health care providers.

PDFS of all the documents relating to the report can bedownloaded by clicking on the relevant links below:

FINAL REPORT

Andrew F Long

School of Healthcare, University of Leeds

December 2007

© University of Leeds

5FP Research Project Phase Two Final Report Dec '07.pdf

5FP Research Project Phase Two Practitioner Report Final Dec '07 1.pdf

5FP Research Project Phase Two Report Foreword & Executive Summary Final Dec '07.pdf

Project Contacts:

Seamus Connolly, Project Co-ordinator. 43, Liffey Crescent, Liffey Valley Park, Lucan, Co., Dublin, Ireland.
Tel/Fax: 00353 1 6109110.

E-mail: seamus_connolly@eircom.net

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Japanese ReikiTechniques

2009-11-13T12:36:00.001Z

Download now or preview on posterous

Japanese ReikiTechniques.pdf (240 KB)

Someone so kindly posted this for open use.

Please respect the conditions he
has placed on its use.

LondonShiatsu offers Reiki in London and NY

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Fantastic Acrobat -Covent Garden

2009-11-11T21:41:00.001Z

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Clinical effects of Auricular Acupuncture

2009-11-11T15:13:00.001Z

Auricular Acupuncture is Ear Acupuncture

Relaxation - immediate and universal in 99 % of cases.
Stress Reduction
Reduced cravings
Reduction of withdrawal symptoms
Clearer Mind and enhanced sense of purpose.
Better sleep
Improved appetite and energy

A primary application of auricular acupuncture is in addiction treatment.

The method works well for stress in everyone.

Ear acupuncture is simple, safe, painless, clinically proven and extremely effective

For More Information LondonShiatsu

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Cocaine in London

2009-11-10T18:32:00.001Z

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cocainefinal.pdf (1661 KB)

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Shiatsu Meridian Charts

2009-11-08T01:58:00.001Z

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Acupuncture Stimulates the Body to Heal Itself | Alban Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs Clinic, New York City

2009-11-07T14:51:00.001Z

Acupuncture Stimulates the Body to Heal Itself

This is the second in a series of articles explaining what is acupuncture and how it works.

Chinese medicine believes in the body’s power to heal itself. As clinicians, we remove the imbalances that are keeping you from being healthy.

Interestingly, modern acupuncture research is beginning to show how it actual does to stimulate the body’s own power to heal itself. The acupuncture needle does not inject any medicine, nor is it coated. It is simply reprogramming the body to be healthy again.

The research is still young and we don’t know everything. It is probably a complex series of events which occur in many systems across the body. But we do know that it works to regulate the nervous, endocrine, and the immune system. We also think that it works on a cellular level to influence intercellular communication and regeneration.

The brain and nervous system

Using a type of brain scanner called an fMRI, scientists have shown that acupuncture regulates pain centers in the brain.1 When there is chronic pain, the brain can get stuck in an unhealthy pattern of pain and illness. For example in back pain, your back can be healed, but the brain remembers the pain and still feels it. The acupuncture helps to reset this pattern as a way of reteaching the body to be healthy.

Although not fully understood, acupuncture also has been shown to affect the release of many neurotransmitters such as opoids, endorphins, and endocannaboids that regulate pain, emotion, and possibly help with addiction.

Hormonal level

It has also been suggested that acupuncture can help regulate hormones. This is because we know it works great for conditions like PCOS, hot flashes, diabetes and infertility. In one study, electroacupuncture was shown to increase estradiol and other hormones in rats who had their ovaries removed.2 This suggests that electroacupuncture stimulates the hypothalamus to release the hormones that help to treat infertility.

Cellular level

Healing also occurs at the place where the needle is inserted, on a cellular level. The surrounding connective tissue cells actually grabs hold of the needle and expands.3 Some scientists believe this begins the replication and repair of the cells around the needle.

This needles grasp by the cells also represents the beginning of the communication within the acupuncture channels and may signal that the channels are alternative communication system through the connective tissue.

Immune System

The immune system is tricky. Without it, we could not live. But often it can overreact and attack ourselves, causing autoimmune conditions like asthma, allergies, and eczema. Acupuncture may help to down regulate the overactive immune system as well as give a boost to those with poor immune systems.

In one study, electroacupuncture was shown to lower the number of inflammatory cells in asthmatic rats compared to placebo acupuncture. It also lowered the number of cytokines, which are proteins that signal the inflammatory reaction.4 In another rat study, electroacupuncture to the point ST 36 showed to decrease inflammation through release of opioids.5

This shows that acupuncture has both a analgesic effect and an anti-inflammatory effect. This is good news, because so many disorders with pain also have significant inflammation.

A Glimpse into the Research

This is a glimpse of what modern research is explaining about acupuncture. There is still a lot more to learn, but what we know is really exciting.

In the next post I will explain acupuncture theory of channels and meridians.

Read more about acupuncture and…

Resetting the Immune System: Allergies, Asthma, and Acupuncture

How Acupuncture Treats Pain

Images: Wikipedia, Wikipedia, Wikipedia

References

¹ Napadow, V. Kettner N., Liu J. Et. al. Hypothalamus and Amygdala Response to Acupuncture Stimuli in Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. Pain. 2007; (130): 254-266.

2. Zhao H, Tian Z, Feng Y, Chen B. Circulating estradiol and hypothalamic corticotrophin releasing hormone enhances along with time after ovariectomy in rats: Effects of electroacupuncture. Neuropeptides. 2005; (39): 433–438.

3. Langevin HM, Churchill DL, Wu J. Et. al. Evidence of Connective Tissue Involvement in Acupuncture. FASEB Journal. April 10, 2002. Published Online.

4. Carneiro ER, Et. Al. Effect of Electroacupuncture on Bronchial Asthma Induced by Ovalbumin in Rats. JACM. Volume 11, Number 1, 2005, pp. 127–134.

5. Kim HW, Et. Al.The Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Low- and High-Frequency Electroacupuncture Are Mediated by Peripheral Opioids in a Mouse Air Pouch Inflammation Model. JACM. Volume 12, Number 1, 2006, pp. 39–44.

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2009-11-06T17:23:00.001Z

In Depth:Moxibustion

By Rachel Nowakowski, L.Ac.
As you walk into the Clinic, you often notice the familiar smoky odor of moxa. New patients usually ask, "What's that strange smell?" Some people love it, others do not.
What is moxibustion and what is it used for?
Moxibustion is a method of heating specific acupuncture points on the body by burning an herb material close to the skin. This technique can be used alone or in combination with acupuncture. In fact, the Chinese character for acupuncture literally means "acupuncture-moxibustion." The basic purpose of moxibustion is to warm the meridians to promote circulation of qi and blood.
What is moxa made of?

The herb material used is mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris, Ai Ye) an invasive weed, which grows in many climates, including Western North Carolina. Mugwort has a long history of use in folk medicine. It is believed that the Romans planted mugwort by roadsides to make it available to travelers to put in their shoes to relieve aching feet and protect them from exhaustion.
Added to bath water, it is a soothing treatment for relief of muscle and joint aches - perhaps due to its ability to enhance the movement of qi and blood.
Mugwort gets its botanical name from the Greek moon goddess Artemis, a patron of women, and is a wonderful herb for gynecological conditions.
In Chinese Herbal medicine, it is categorized as an emmenagogue, an agent that stops bleeding.
Internally, it is used for heavy menstrual bleeding and uterine bleeding. It also increases blood circulation to the pelvic area to treat menstrual pain.
Taken internally, it can warm the uterus and is used for threatened miscarriage. Moxibustion has successfully been used to turn breech babies into a normal head-down position prior to childbirth by increasing fetal movements.

Why mugwort and not some other herb?

Some sources say that mugwort is used because of its acrid, spicy odor. This property makes it able to travel through all of the meridians, regulate qi and blood, and expel cold. In addition, its bitter nature helps to resolve dampness. One of mugwort's active components, borneol, is commonly used in topical therapies for its analgesic effects.
Other explanations for the use of mugwort, as opposed to some other herb material, is that it grows easily in many places, is inexpensive, holds its shape when rolled or pressed, and burns slowly.
An additional benefit of moxa is that the smoke may help to prevent transmission of diseases when used in acupuncture clinics. In hospitals in China, incense made of artemisia and other herbal ingredients has been used to inhibit viruses and to reduce the bacterial count in the air.

What is moxibustion used for?

To warm meridians and expel cold. Cold slows the flow of qi, resulting in stagnation and pain. Moxa is used for pain that is worse with exposure to cold or damp weather, as with some types of arthritis pain.
To promote the smooth flow of qi and blood. Used on the abdomen, moxa helps with digestive problems or menstrual pain due to stagnation. It can be used to promote circulation over areas of chronic pain or muscle tension.
To guide qi and blood upward or downward. Energies in the body must flow in the correct direction. Disruption of this movement results in disease. For example, moxibustion at the point Kidney 1 (on the sole of the foot) guides qi downward and is used to treat disorders caused by excess energy in the upper body, like headaches or dizziness.
To strengthen yang from collapse. Yang collapse refers to extreme exhaustion, shock and fainting. Moxa can be used to restore the yang and revive the patient.
To prevent diseases and maintain health. Moxibustion can be used as a tonification treatment to help strengthen the organs and immune system.

What are the different techniques of moxa?
In the Clinic, we mostly use indirect types of moxa: needle moxa, stick moxa and moxa bowls. With all moxa, the patient feels a mild to moderate heat sensation on the area being treated.

Needle moxa: a rolled piece of moxa is placed on the end of an inserted needle and ignited.
Stick moxa: a moxa stick (about the shape and size of a cigar) is lit and held close to the skin.
Moxa bowls: pieces of moxa are inserted into a small disk that is placed on the skin.

Moxa can also be used with other substances to give different effects. For example, a piece of moxa can be placed on top of a slice of fresh ginger for severe cases of digestive weakness. Moxa can be placed on top of salt applied over the belly button to treat hernia pain or prolonged diarrhea.
Another type of moxa is direct moxa. In direct moxibustion, a small cone of moxa is placed directly on an acupuncture point and burned, but is extinguished or removed before it burns the skin. The patient experiences a heating sensation that penetrates deep into the skin, but should not experience any pain, blistering or scarring.
Traditionally, direct moxa involved scarring moxibustion. The moxa would be placed on a point and left on the point until it burns out completely. This would lead to localized blisters and scarring after healing. The prolonged healing process is thought to increase qi and blood flow to the point, making the treatment stronger. This type of moxa therapy is not done at the Clinic.
Any type heat applied to the body can increase the flow of qi and blood. Heat lamps, heating pads or warming liniments can give a similar effect to moxibustion. But the heat combined with the powerful healing properties of mugwort gives moxibustion a proven advantage.

References:
Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing: Foreign Language Press, 1987.
Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., 'Moxibustion: Practical Considerations for Modern Use of an Ancient Technique'

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kata shiatsu intro

2009-11-06T16:48:00.001Z

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Mushrooms against Cancer

2009-11-05T14:05:00.001Z

Mushroom Against Cancer

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What is Sciatica?

2009-11-03T19:48:00.001Z

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is nerve pain down the back of one or both legs caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve in the back. The pressure is usually caused by a prolapsed ('slipped') disc in the back. However, it can also be produced by pressure on the nerve as it passes through the buttocks and can be caused by sitting with keys, coins, etc in your back pocket, or on a hard surface. The spine is made up of a vertical column of bones called vertebrae that are separated by a disc consisting of a soft gelatinous centre surrounded by a tough outer ring of fibrous tissue. These discs act as a shock absorber between the vertebrae, protecting the bone from impact that would otherwise occur during any physical movement.

The sciatic nerve is a large nerve, formed from nerve roots that originate from the spinal cord. These nerve roots pass out between the disc spaces and join up to form the sciatic nerve. It passes from the spine into the buttock, then into the back of the thigh and leg. The sciatic nerve controls sensation and the nerve impulses for power to part of the legs and feet. In sciatica, prolapsed or 'slipped' discs tend to bulge and press on the intervertebral nerve(s). This pressure irritates the nerve, causing referred pain.

What Are the Symptoms of Sciatica?

Hot pain in the buttock

Aching in the buttock, back of the thigh (hamstring) and calf

Pain in the ankle and foot

Pins and needles relating to one or more branch of the sciatic nerve

Loss of feeling in the leg and/or foot

Increased pain when lifting, straining or coughing

Loss of power to the muscles of the leg and foot

Most cases of sciatica resolve, on their own, within two to three months. Sciatica can also be caused by osteoarthritis where a narrowing of the nerve tunnel between can result. Therefore, anyone who suffers from disk degeneration, as a consequence of ageing, tend to be troubled the most by sciatica.

Recent studies suggest that there is no long-term benefit in the treatment of sciatica through bed rest and lying on a firm/hard surface, as it does not speed recovery when compared with the sufferer remaining as active (within reason) as they can.

In fact there is evidence that too much rest may delay the recovery.

Allopathic Treatment Options

Medication including painkillers and anti-inflammatories

Epidural injections where medication injected directly into the spine

Traction

Surgery

Rest

Over-the-counter painkillers

Ice packs

Proper posture

Resting the back by not bending, flexing or lifting heavy weights

Warm baths

Sleeping on a mattress that is neither too soft, nor too hard

Gentle exercises to strengthen and support the lower back

Complementary Treatment Options

Shiatsu therapy has a high success rate in the treatment of sciatica, producing a quicker increase in mobility and reduction of pain.

Shiatsu combined with auricular acupuncture and traditional cupping can provide even quicker resolution.

LondonShiatsu has many years of experience successfully treating sciatica.For more information LondonShiatsu

Sciatica that doesn't resolve itself after a few days needs prompt professional attention.

via pro-holistic.co.uk

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Shiatsu/Acupressure For Low Back Pain More Effective than Physio- study suggests

2009-11-03T13:31:00.001Z

Acupressure For Low Back Pain

Acupressure may be more effective in reducing low back pain than physical therapy, according to a recent study.

Low back pain is a common health condition. In prior studies, acupressure has been shown to be effective in alleviating various types of pain, but its ability to treat low back pain has not been fully evaluated.

Researchers in Taiwan recruited 129 patients with chronic low back pain from an orthopedic clinic.

All patients completed a standard disability questionnaire before being randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups.

An acupressure group of 64 patients received six sessions of acupressure and a group of 65 patients received standard physical therapy.

Results were analyzed after treatment and again after six months.

Participants in the acupressure group reported a significant reduction in low back pain after treatment compared to those in the physical therapy group.

Low back pain improvement lasted for six months.

Study findings indicate that acupressure can be more effective in alleviating low back pain than physical therapy in terms of pain scores, functional status and disability.

Acupressure is a healing therapy which applies pressure with the fingers and other parts of the body to stimulate the body’s natural curative abilities.

When acupressure trigger points are pressed, they promote circulation of blood and Ki-the body’s life force energy to aid healing.

Acupuncture and acupressure use the same pressure points and meridians,but whereas acupuncture utilizes needles, acupressure uses pressure and integrates massage therapy techniques.

Acupressure is a style of Japanese Shiatsu massage therapy, providing a system for balancing the body’s energy or qi. Pressure is applied to specific acupoints using hand, elbow, knee, and foot techniques.
Common health conditions treatable with Shiatsu massage therapy include: Musculoskeletal problems, sprains, strains, back pain, neck and shoulder pain, headaches, respiratory problems, stress, and asthma, among others.

via amcollege.edu

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Cordyceps sinensis (Cordyceps)

2009-11-02T12:57:00.001Z

Cordyceps sinensis (Cordyceps)

Cordyceps is an excellent tonic mushroom, boosting energy levels, lung function, kidney function, immunity and sexual performance.

It has a profoundly energising effect on different aspects of the body, at lease some of which may be accounted for by its ability to stimulate in vivo corticosterone production, and is the mushroom of choice for supporting energy levels and ability to respond effectively to stress

via mushroomnutrition.com

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Shiatsu Meridian Chart

2009-11-02T00:06:00.001Z

From: London Shiatsu [mailto:healer@londonshiatsu.com]
Sent: 01 November 2009 23:27
To: Posterous -London
Subject:

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Nine more benefits of Shiatsu?

2009-10-27T17:52:00.001Z

Aches and pains go away
Joint flexibilty increases
Immune System Enhancement -fewer colds
Recovery Time Improves
Sleep easier and deeper
Appetite tends to balance - you find yourself moving toward foods that are good for you- naturally,effortlessly
Digestion gets easier and so does absorption
Skin Complexion improves- you get a natural glow
Mood improves

Find out more LondonShiatsu.com

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2009-10-27T11:35:00.002Z

Feel fantastic in the body you've got.

Londonshiatsu.com

Long Term Benefits Found In Shiatsu Therapy

2009-10-25T18:56:00.001Z

Long Term Benefits Found In Shiatsu Therapy

Friday, September 25th, 2009 | Author: punkie

Research into the potential of complimentary and alternative medicine has revealed that Shiatsu is an important modality for reaching long term health. The study explored the potential of Shiatsu in promoting well being and critical health literacy.

Shiatsu is an ancient traditional Chinese healing method. Shiatsu means ‘finger pressure’. Pressure and stretching are key components in Shiatsu therapy. Shiatsu was developed by the Chinese around 530 BCE. In the sixth century, a Buddhist monk, Gan Jin Osho brought the imperial medicine of China which included Oriental Bodywork, Tao-yin and Anma to Japan.

These Therapies reached a peak in Japan during the Edo Period (1601-1867) when a ruling was made requiring every physician to master Oriental bodywork before they were allowed to diagnose or use any method in its practice.

The technique evolved in Japan, Southern Asia and Korea where it was extensively practiced.

In 1919, Tamai Tempaku, (later to be regarded as the founder of the Shiatsu School of Bodywork) published his second book titled ‘Shiatsu Ho’ (finger pressure therapy). Tempaku was known for his exhaustive study of European anatomy, physiology, massage and oriental bodywork therapies.

In 1925 “The Shiatsu Therapists Association” was formed in Japan. During the post World War II reorganization and allied occupation of Japan, Harikyu Shiatsu, as Japanese medicine is termed was outlawed by General McArthur. It was reinstated however because of the enormous outcry from the Japanese people. In the mid 1950’s, Shiatsu was recognised as a legitimate form of therapy by the Japanese government.

During the history of Shiatsu, it has evolved into many different methods while still retaining the original intent of the modality. One example of this evolutionary path is seen in the path it has taken to western cultures. In 1980, Harold Dull of California developed a method of Shiatsu called Zen Shiatsu during which the therapy is applied to the recipient in a warm pool of water.

During a standard Shiatsu treatment the certified therapist will assess where chi (qi) flows in a healthy way and where it may be blocked. Shiatsu teaches that disease is the result of blocked or un-balanced energy. Once any areas of blockage have been diagnosed the therapist will then begin the treatment taking notice of specific pressure points determining whether these points may be tender or stiff.

These pressure points run along the 14 meridians that span the length of the body. Once diagnosed the therapist will gently but firmly apply pressure to these points, each corresponding to a specific region of the body.

Two meridians are Central, drawing Chi through the torso: The Governor, which runs along the back of the body and The Conception which runs along the front of the body. The other 12 meridians occur in mirrored pairs along the symmetric halves of the body.

In the past, complimentary and alternative medicine has not received substantial attention within health promotion and CAM (complimentary and alternative medicine) literature. During this 6 month observational pragmatic study, data was drawn in 3 European countries, Austria, Spain and the UK. Each recipient of Shiatsu Therapy received a questionnaire inquiring on 4 main areas of the study.

Advice Received

Changes made 6 months after

Clients ‘hopes’ from receiving Shiatsu Therapy

Features of the Client/Practitioner Relationship

75% of the recipients received advice on exercise, diet, posture, points to work on at home and other self care techniques. The 6 month follow-up, nearly 85% reported making changes to their lifestyle as a result of the Shiatsu Treatment.

The most notable benefits recorded from this study were:

Better Rest

Improved Relaxation

Increased Exercise

Positive Diet Change

Reduced Time at Work

Increased Mind/Body Awareness

Higher Levels of Confidence and Resolve

The final conclusion from this study,

“Supporting individuals to take control of their self-care requires advice-giving within a supportive treatment context and practitioner relationship, with clients who are open to change and committed to maintaining their health. CAM modalities may have an important role to play in this endeavor”.

An important role for us as Therapists is to remember that we hold inside us information that can and will improve the lives of those who seek all of the health benefits of our field.

“Choose each day to be blissful and complete, a whole person well cared for by you”

Reference Study:

BMC Complement Altern Med. 2009; 9: 19.

Published online 2009 June 18. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-9-19.

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Shiatsu Treatment for side effects of chemotherapy

2009-10-20T11:41:00.001+01:00

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Tao Shiatsu

2009-10-16T03:15:00.001+01:00

null

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2009-10-16T03:13:00.001+01:00

Tao Shiatsu Ebook
null

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Cupping in Chinese Medicine

2009-10-16T01:47:00.001+01:00

Cupping China

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More on Cupping

2009-10-16T01:46:00.001+01:00

Chinese Medicine Cupping

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Cocaine Addiction in the City of London

2009-10-13T01:03:00.001+01:00

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cocainefinal.pdf (1674 KB)

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Introducing the Hara

2009-10-11T01:01:00.001+01:00

please welcome Rob Blackburn and enjoy his article on the Hara as used in Shiatsu diagnosis and treatment. It may help to get another angle on the abdomen in Asian medicine, a great companion to Kumiko’s fine article on the subject.

Quickly, by way of a personal update: School has, indeed, become very intense and I’m still adjusting – but we’ll be back to “regular” content soon. Regardless, I’m sure you all agree that these guest posts are of top quality – thanks so much to all of my guest authors. Please feel free to leave comments, the authors will hopefully be monitoring their posts and replying.

Eric

—-

Introducing the Hara

Before going too deeply into Hara Diagnosis and Treatment (or Ampuku) it is important to clearly define what we mean by “Hara”. Hara is a Japanese word that broadly refers to the area below the ribs and the sternum all the way to just above the pubic bone.

In Shiatsu, I think it is safe to say that Hara Diagnosis is a cornerstone of any treatment. In my school, and as far as I know most schools of Zen Shiatsu we are taught three different maps for Hara Diagnosis. The first and most commonly used is the Zen Shiatsu map. The second is the less specific, Five Element Map, and the last is a very broad map based around Ren points. I shall concentrate mostly on the Zen Shiatsu Map here with some reference to the Five Element Map, as it is what I am most familiar with in practice.

The Zen Shiatsu Map was developed by a man called Shizuto Masunaga (1925- 1981) who is largely responsible, along with his student Wataru Ohashi, for popularizing Shiatsu in the Western world. It is clear that Masunaga had very solid basis in the classics but as far as I can tell the Zen Shiatsu Map was largely his own creation along with 12 Extra meridians that he intuited during his career. The Zen Shiatsu Map Divides up the Hara into Organ Specific areas for the 12 Major Meridians The Zen map above is from my own notes.

The five Element map, on the other hand, more broadly divides the Hara up into the Respective Element areas, the middle three of which correlate with the Zen Map.

Palpating and Diagnosing the Hara

The method for palpating the abdomen can follow a specific routine. First, generally ‘baby walking’ or ‘palming’ the whole Hara using steady whole hand pressure to get a good idea if the general qualities of the Hara (hard or soft, tense or relaxed, along with quality of the breath) and so too an overview of the person being treated. Then the practitioner can be more specific, using one, or both of the maps.

The Zen Shiatsu Map can even be palpated in a particular order to make learning it easier and to ensure all areas are covered with equal pressure. The Hara is usually palpated with the fingers of the hand held together whilst moving in a smooth rhythmic fashion.

The idea is to feel for areas of Kyo or Jitsu (broadly equivalent to Excess and Deficiency in Chinese Medicine and worthy of a post all to themselves). This is where the Zen of the Diagnosis really comes in. The practitioner must ‘listen’ intently through their hands to any energetic qualities that may arise or become apparent, all the while being careful not the confuse physiological land marks with things of energetic significance (food in the intestines for example.) The practitioner must also be remain slightly uninvolved in order that whatever is to become apparent does so and is not disturbed by the practitioners movements. I liken this to dipping your hand in a still, dark pool to feel the currents without disturbing the surface and being distracted by the ripples.

The act of diagnosing in this way throws up an interesting problem, which is this; as soon as the practitioner interacts with the client in this way they are treating them. Hence the oft repeated saying “diagnosis is treatment, treatment is diagnosis.” But, this can lead to confusion as the more the Practitioner palpates the more likely they are to change what they are perceiving. The skill is to get a clear overview of the two Channels that will form the basis of the treatment, the most “Kyo” (or empty) channel and the most “Jitsu” (or full) Channel without going to far into treatment and risking muddying the waters. Obviously these are often novice pitfalls and the master would not even in some cases need to make physical contact with the patient in order to make a diagnosis.

The Hara is a powerful diagnostic tool and much like the tongue it tells an honest picture of the patients energetic make-up. The skill is to be sure of what you are looking at! For example, the area around and below the ribs can be tight and full feeling due to Liver Ki Stagnation, which often makes this area tight. This could be mistaken for a Heart jitsu diagnosis, as the Fire diagnostic area is situated just below the Xiphoid Process and extending down towards the Umbilicus. Similarly, it could mislead as the Stomach Bo (Mu) Point is in a similar area and could feel jitsu as a result. The key to resolving these problems is to ensure that even a comprehensive and telling Diagnostic tool such as the Hara is not taken in isolation but is compared with other Pillars of Diagnosis for a rounded picture.

Treating the Hara

Treating the Hara can be profoundly satisfying and yield on the spot results. You can provide treatment directly to areas affected by different patterns.
As mentioned previously, Liver Ki Stagnation can affect the epigastrium and respond very well to dynamic Ampuku techniques especially when the Stagnation effects the digestion and breathing.

In fact many digestive issues can be eased with Ampuku, yet the seemingly obvious act of massaging the abdomen seems quite an alien concept here in the West! Maybe this is because the Abdomen is such a sensitive Yin area of the body and is literally and often figuratively the core of a person’s being.
Finally, another great yet simple treatment that can be administered through the Hara is simply laying a hand on the lower Hara in the water diagnostic area, below the umbilicus around Ren 5 and 6. By following the recipients breath with the hand the Practitioner can effect a calming effect on the mind which can be like a guided meditation, or if the breath is followed more deeply with pressure being applied gradually with the hand, can have a tonifying effect on the Kidney.

This is where Shiatsu really comes into its own. The practitioner can directly “remind” a body of a mental state and direct breath to the abdomen just through placing the hand on the Hara in a mindful way. This technique simultaneously activates the Triple Heater Bo (Mu) Point and the Sea of Qi point whilst reminding the recipient of their Dantien. In this way it is possible to give the person a sense of gravity and centeredness.

I could write a lot more about this fascinating subject. As it stands, I intended to go into my own experience but I ended up writing a brief overview of the subject instead! I am still a student so feel free to comment and correct me where you see fit.

Rob

Posted via web from London Shiatsu

Shizuto Masunaga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2009-10-10T22:26:00.001+01:00

Shizuto Masunaga

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Shizuto Masunaga (Japanese: 増永静人, 1925-1981) was a Japanese Shiatsu practitioner and author of books on Shiatsu.

He was born in 1925 in Kure, Hiroshima Japan and graduated in Psychology from Kyoto University. In 1959, he graduated from the Japan Shiatsu College and went on to teach Psychology at the college. He is the author of Shiatsu which became Zen Shiatsu when translated into English and published in North America and Europe in 1977. He also wrote several other Shiatsu books. He died at the age of 57 in 1981.

[edit] References

http://www.oomicure.com/masunaga.html

via en.wikipedia.org

Posted via web from London Shiatsu

Long Term Benefits Found In Shiatsu Therapy | Punkie Spelts' Massage Therapy Blog

2009-10-10T15:36:00.001+01:00

Long Term Benefits Found In Shiatsu Therapy

Friday, September 25th, 2009 | Author: punkie

Research into the potential of complimentary and alternative medicine has revealed that Shiatsu is an important modality for reaching long term health. The study explored the potential of Shiatsu in promoting well being and critical health literacy.

Shiatsu is an ancient traditional Chinese healing method. Shiatsu means ‘finger pressure’. Pressure and stretching are key components in Shiatsu therapy. Shiatsu was developed by the Chinese around 530 BCE. In the sixth century, a Buddhist monk, Gan Jin Osho brought the imperial medicine of China which included Oriental Bodywork, Tao-yin and Anma to Japan.

These Therapies reached a peak in Japan during the Edo Period (1601-1867) when a ruling was made requiring every physician to master Oriental bodywork before they were allowed to diagnose or use any method in its practice.

The technique evolved in Japan, Southern Asia and Korea where it was extensively practiced.

In 1919, Tamai Tempaku, (later to be regarded as the founder of the Shiatsu School of Bodywork) published his second book titled ‘Shiatsu Ho’ (finger pressure therapy). Tempaku was known for his exhaustive study of European anatomy, physiology, massage and oriental bodywork therapies.

In 1925 “The Shiatsu Therapists Association” was formed in Japan. During the post World War II reorganization and allied occupation of Japan, Harikyu Shiatsu, as Japanese medicine is termed was outlawed by General McArthur. It was reinstated however because of the enormous outcry from the Japanese people. In the mid 1950’s, Shiatsu was recognised as a legitimate form of therapy by the Japanese government.

During the history of Shiatsu, it has evolved into many different methods while still retaining the original intent of the modality. One example of this evolutionary path is seen in the path it has taken to western cultures. In 1980, Harold Dull of California developed a method of Shiatsu called Zen Shiatsu during which the therapy is applied to the recipient in a warm pool of water.

During a standard Shiatsu treatment the certified therapist will assess where chi (qi) flows in a healthy way and where it may be blocked. Shiatsu teaches that disease is the result of blocked or un-balanced energy. Once any areas of blockage have been diagnosed the therapist will then begin the treatment taking notice of specific pressure points determining whether these points may be tender or stiff.

These pressure points run along the 14 meridians that span the length of the body. Once diagnosed the therapist will gently but firmly apply pressure to these points, each corresponding to a specific region of the body.

Two meridians are Central, drawing Chi through the torso: The Governor, which runs along the back of the body and The Conception which runs along the front of the body. The other 12 meridians occur in mirrored pairs along the symmetric halves of the body.

In the past, complimentary and alternative medicine has not received substantial attention within health promotion and CAM (complimentary and alternative medicine) literature. During this 6 month observational pragmatic study, data was drawn in 3 European countries, Austria, Spain and the UK. Each recipient of Shiatsu Therapy received a questionnaire inquiring on 4 main areas of the study.

Advice Received

Changes made 6 months after

Clients ‘hopes’ from receiving Shiatsu Therapy

Features of the Client/Practitioner Relationship

75% of the recipients received advice on exercise, diet, posture, points to work on at home and other self care techniques. The 6 month follow-up, nearly 85% reported making changes to their lifestyle as a result of the Shiatsu Treatment.

The most notable benefits recorded from this study were:

Better Rest

Improved Relaxation

Increased Exercise

Positive Diet Change

Reduced Time at Work

Increased Mind/Body Awareness

Higher Levels of Confidence and Resolve

The final conclusion from this study,

“Supporting individuals to take control of their self-care requires advice-giving within a supportive treatment context and practitioner relationship, with clients who are open to change and committed to maintaining their health. CAM modalities may have an important role to play in this endeavor”.

An important role for us as Therapists is to remember that we hold inside us information that can and will improve the lives of those who seek all of the health benefits of our field.

“Choose each day to be blissful and complete, a whole person well cared for by you”

Reference Study:

BMC Complement Altern Med. 2009; 9: 19.

Published online 2009 June 18. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-9-19.

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via punkiespelts.com

Posted via web from London Shiatsu

Ear acupuncture is the latest celebrity fad but does it work? | Mail Online

2009-06-07T20:45:00.001+01:00

Forget cupping or crystal healing, auricular acupuncture is the most fashionable therapy in town and any celebrity worth their salt is wearing the tell-tale ear pin showing they're having treatment.Kate Moss is said to be using it to combat cocaine addiction, Cherie Blair turns to it to relieve stress and most recently Chelsea FC boss Roman Abramovich was pictured with a needle in his ear, reportedly to help him lose weight. But does it really work?Nick Dalton-Brewer practices auricular and general acupuncture at London's renowned Hale Clinic, and is convinced that it works."It may be the latest celebrity fad," he says, "but auricular acupuncture has, in fact, been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine, and is hugely helpful in treating all manner of problems, from addictions to insomnia, joint pain and fertility.There are as many as 200 acupuncture points on the outer ear, each point named generally after areas of our anatomy - liver, heart, mouth and so on."The outer ear acts like a switchboard to the brain and each point triggers electrical impulses, from the ear, via the brain, to the area of the body being treated."After a lengthy consultation to build up a comprehensive picture of their general health, lifestyle and associated problems, patients are treated with needles - up to ten per ear - which are left in for between ten and 45 minutes."They can then be left with 'ear seeds' (as seen in pictures of Kate Moss and Cherie Blair), to stimulate the acupressure points and allow them to enjoy the effects of acupuncture after they leave the clinic."The seeds can be anything hard, from mustard seeds to gold-plated press studs or coiled pins, held against the ear with surgical tape."In more severe cases, needles can be left in place - as with Abramovich - but this is invasive and there can be problems with infection if they're not kept clean. The patient can rub these studs or seeds when they feel a re-emergence of their symptoms."Many conventional medical professionals may be nonplussed by this type of acupuncture, dismissing it as merely mind over matter. But what happened when we challenged three celebrities to try it out?Carol McGiffin, 46, co-presents Loose Women on ITV, and a Sunday morning radio show on LBC. She is single and lives in London.I'm A huge sceptic where complementary medicine is concerned. People are always running off to have wacky therapies because they need to stop smoking or give up sugar, but I've always been a great believer in the fact that if you really want to do something, you'll do it.I'm not a great advocate of using something as a crutch to help you - unless it's a glass of wine!Having said that, sometimes you really need to make a leap of faith. So despite my better judgment, I decided to give auricular acupuncture a shot to see if it could do anything about the dreadful headaches I've been experiencing for the past few years.I know they are associated with drinking, because they tend to turn up on the Monday after a heavy weekend of socialising, but unlike the usual hangover headache, which might last the morning, these can last until Thursday, which is very debilitating.I don't consider myself a really heavy drinker - I don't drink at all during the week - but I do indulge in regular weekend drinking; Friday night in a pub and then boozy dinners on Saturday nights and a pub lunch on Sunday. I'd probably be all right if I carried on drinking all week, but as it is I suffer a mini cold-turkey session every week.I wasn't particularly anxious to start the treatment, however, because the last time I had a pin stuck in me was in needlework class at school. The first thing the acupuncturist asked was: "What can I do for you?" To which I replied rather flippantly: "I don't know, what can you do for me?"But then I figured if we were going to get anywhere, I should probably drop the attitude and at least give him a chance, so I told him about the headaches. I said I'd quite like to feel less groggy in the mornings and he said he could work with that, and explained the headaches were a result of me overworking my liver.My immediate thought was that this would be obvious to anyone with the most rudimentary grasp of the workings of the human body, but I have to say I was impressed by his thoroughness when taking my patient history.I wish regular doctors would spend half the time he spent finding out about my lifestyle. He then stuck three giant pins in my right ear, including in the 'liver point' - which is supposed to help repair liver damage - and something called the 'sympathetic point', which he said promotes the body's release of endorphins to help with pain relief.When he'd finished, he taped three small metal balls into my outer ears. As I left the clinic, I suddenly realised I no longer had the headache I'd gone in with. I don't know if this was psychosomatic, but who cares? What a relief.That night, a friend came round for dinner. I had my hair tied up after a visit to the gym and she spent half the night staring at me with a repulsed expression before asking when I'd last had a wash.It turned out the balls had fallen out - probably in the sauna - and the heat had melted the tape glue, so I was left with clumps of yellowish matter which apparently looked just like earwax. Not a good look - even on Kate Moss.All in all, it was a positive experience. My headache didn't return for the rest of the week, although I'll have to continue having treatment if I want to see longterm benefits. At the very least it made me realise I do need to address my drinking if I'm having such a dramatic effect on my liver.Ross Burden, 37, is resident chef on BBC2 series Ready Steady Cook. He is single and lives in London.I used to be a model, so looking good was a job requirement, but since my career change, keeping in shape has become increasingly hard work. When you're in the kitchen all day, the last thing you feel like doing is cooking, so you end up eating out and you start having to take more care of yourself.Look at Gordon Ramsay - he runs marathons to prevent the paunch. I, on the other hand, have been rather slack at getting to the gym of late.As the saying goes: 'No pecs, no sex' - so when I saw the pictures of Roman Abramovich and read that he was using the treatment to try to shift the pounds, I thought I'd give it a go.I have a background in science - I did a degree in zoology - so although I've always been really sceptical about many therapies like homeopathy, which I think is a load of bunkum, I can see the logic in acupuncture as it taps into the 'electricity' running round the human body. I had it done a few years ago to alleviate my eczema and it really helped.I tripped off to the clinic, feeling vaguely excited about the boundless energy and the motivation to go to the gym I was going to find.I was a little perturbed, therefore, when the acupuncturist said he couldn't actually make me want to get on the treadmill.He did say, however, that auricular acupuncture can help suppress appetite, although this is usually used to treat the severely obese. So I lay down and let him do his worst.He loomed towards me with several huge pins - each of which, from where I was lying, seemed about the size of a javelin - and proceeded to stick them in and around my ear. He said there was a point called 'the mouth' under the crease at the top of my ear that would do the trick.It was bizarre, because as they went in I could almost feel them hitting the spot and felt twinges in my stomach. It was strangely relaxing and I felt myself drifting off and dreaming about an impending trip where I'll get to taste the wines of new producers, with some delicious cheese and bread to accompany it. No, no - this wasn't good at all.Before I knew it, the session was over and Nick explained he was going to insert some studs into my ear. This was the part I'd been most anxious about, because in the photos of Abramovich his ear looked red and sore.But Nick explained that these pressed pins were like ear studs without the piercing part. They were held in place with tape.When leaving the clinic I felt self-conscious and wondered if anyone would notice the pins, but I was also feeling a bit peckish, so gave one a rub - obviously I was too vigorous as it fell out and rolled into the gutter. No matter, I still had a couple left.Disappointingly, however, these fell out in the shower the next day - I'm not sure how Kate et al manage, maybe they just wash in the sink.I have to say I haven't really noticed any change in my appetite and I definitely haven't woken up aching to go to the gym. However, I did enjoy the session and would definitely book a course for more serious ailments because I have no doubt it can work.If it's good for stress I might try it when Jean-Christophe Novelli, Aldo Zilli, Paul Rankin and I reform to sing as The Chefs from Celebrity X-Factor on Children In Need later in the year.It's such a nerve-racking experience; I'll take any help I can get.AMANDA LAMB, 33, presents A Place In The Sun on Channel 4. She is single and lives in Middlesex.My mum is trained in the reiki technique - a Japanese hands-on healing process - so I grew up with alternative therapy and don't find it in the least strange or bizarre to see photos of Kate Moss or Cherie Blair with acupuncture pins in their ears.I've previously tried reflexology - a complementary therapy which works on your feet - and acupuncture helped me give up smoking, but I wasn't sure whether it could help for something as difficult to pin-point and all-encompassing as stress.Still, I was desperate to give it a go, as the past six months have been one of the most difficult periods of my life.I've moved house, which is always a nightmare because it involves so much packing and sorting, and when I finally got into my new home - the point at which most people would breathe a huge sigh of relief and sit down with a cup of tea - I had to leave everything in chaos and fly off abroad to film the latest series of A Place in the Sun.Several months down the line, most of my things are still in boxes because I've been away so much.So, when Femail offered me the chance to try this treatment, I jumped at the opportunity.I arrived late for my appointment at the clinic due to a delayed train and as usual my mobile phone was ringing off the hook with work-related calls, so I was even more flustered than normal.But from the start Nick put me at ease.After talking to me about my symptoms, he asked to see my tongue and said he could tell that my stomach and spleen were shot to bits, because my tongue was swollen and quivering.This was troubling news, but Nick explained it was easily rectifiable - these symptoms simply meant my internal system was overworked. I'd told him I used to smoke and he suggested the cigarettes had been my way of relieving stress.The problem is that once I stopped, I began to get really stressed, and it made my stomach ache.He also felt my pulse and said he could tell I have a sluggish digestive system - perhaps not surprising given that I haven't had a home-cooked meal in months - because the quality of my pulse wasn't good. Apparently it felt 'empty and slippery' rather than strong and solid. I know it sounds rather weird, but I suppose he knows what he's talking about.I lay down and he inserted five or six needles in my right ear. I must admit I was dreading it, particularly as I had my ear pierced at the top when I was younger and it was hideously painful.So I was amazed when it hardly hurt at all. All I could feel was a slight sting as the needles went in. Obviously, I couldn't see what he was doing, but he explained that he was targeting something called the 'shenmen' or heart point of my ear, which supposedly calms the mind.The needles were left in for 15 minutes and Nick talked me through what he was doing and approached a couple of times to twiddle them.Then he took them out and said, to feel long-term benefit, I'd have to come back several times over the next few months.When I left, I was still feeling stressed, as I had to get across town in rush hour and then pack for a trip, so I wondered if the entire thing had been a waste of time, particularly as I couldn't have the ear seeds left in because they'd show on screen.However, after I got to Gatwick airport to fly off for filming the day after the recent terrorist scare to find the whole place in chaos and my flight horrendously delayed, I suddenly realised how calm I felt.Usually I would have been extremely stressed - bouncing around, looking at my watch and asking hundreds of questions about when we might expect to fly.But instead I just thought: 'I'll get there eventually.' That was a complete turnaround for me, and that feeling has stayed with me since.I've also noticed that my stomach, which previously felt sore and bloated, has settled. That must be the physical side of the stress relief.I'm a total convert and I'll definitely be booking a course when I get back.An hour with Nick Dalton-Brewer costs from £50. For an appointment, call the Hale Clinic on 0845 009 4171.

Ear acupuncture is the latest celebrity fad but does it work? | Mail Online

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The Mirror Exercise

2009-05-05T15:59:00.000+01:00

Technorati Tags: imagery,visualisations,imaginal exercises,Francis X.Clifton

Technorati Tags: healing,imaginal exercises,shiatsu,visualisations,imagery,actors

This exercise is one of series taught to me years ago by Dr.Francis X.Clifton of NYC. (www.farancenter.org)

It can be very helpful to relieve anxiety or stress. It has an application for actors needing to get out of character when the day's work is done and back to themselves.

I have republished Doctor Clifton's original text verbatim

The following imaginal exercise if performed daily, will relieve emotional stress and strain within your life

Each exercise is begun by closing your eyes and breathing in and even and regular manner You're breathing in through your nose and making long slow exhalations through your mouth. Imagine yourself breathing in Blue golden light and breathing out grey smoke you breathe in this blue golden light you know that you are breathing in all that is pure and breathing out all that is impure.

And as you do so you find yourself counting backwards from three to one with which exhalations upon reaching one you are ready to begin.

Mirror of Peace

The next exercise is called the Mirror peace Close your eyes, Start breathing in an even and regular manner. You are breathing in a blue-golden light and breathing out a grey smoke. You are breathing in all that is pure and breathing out all that is impure . And as you form this even and regular cycle of breathing the count backwards from three to one with each exhalation.

And now you find yourself in a room. You are faced to the left and there on the wall you see a mirror. And in the mirror there you see your face reflected in its anxiety. You hear the sounds of your anxiety and fear. You turn your back on the Mirror and walk across the room to the right. Whereupon You find a doorway. And you open the door and walk through it and you close the door behind you only to find yourself in another room. You walk across to the right, open another door closes door behind you again finding yourself in another room you walk across to the right, through the doorway and a close the door behind. It now becomes clear that there is a series of rooms moving to the your right and as you move from one room to another you find that the sounds of your anxiety and fear become more and more faint Each room also has a Mirror and there's you quickly glance at the mirror while moving from one room to another, you see your face becoming more relaxed as you walk to the right through each doorway closing the door behind you, only to find yourself in another, the sound is becoming more and more faint.

Eventually you arrive in the room month there in this room of total silence, know that you have reached the centre of yourself. The place where all your strength emanates. There in the total silence, See your face reflected in the mirror.

You see the face of strength&calmness&peace.

Look around this room ,become familiar with it.

If there is furniture recognise it, because this is a place you can return to anytime you like.

It's your centered place. Your place of peace and quiet.

See your face reflected in the mirror, have this reflection move through your entire being and as it moves through your entire being you see your face smiling,

You see yourself filled with peace & courage.

And then you just breathe out ,

let the images disappear

and open your eyes

Figure 3. The Meridians Of Masunaga’s Zen Shiatsu.
Figure 4. Masunaga’s Meridians at the Head.
Figure 5. Hara diagnosis chart based on Mubunsai’s text of 1685.	Figure 6. A modern interpretation of a Hara diagnosis chart; a key to the abdominal diagnosis chart on the right is available at: http://www.yogawelt.com/haradiagnosis.html