The goal of most massages is to relax and let stress go away. In alternative medicine, shiatsu massage is used to align and balance the different meridians of the body, through specific pressure points. This practice of balancing the meridians makes it like acupuncture, but without needles. Shiatsu is actually older than acupuncture.
A shiatsu massage differs from other types of massage in several ways. This type of massage has its origin in Japan. shiatsu actually means “finger pressure” in Japanese. The meridians that the shiatsu massage therapist focuses on are the pathways that carry energy or “chi” to the body.
The massage is performed on the floor, with the client lying on a mat or futon cushion. It is made fully clothed. The therapist does not use oil or lotions, so it is not necessary to remove your clothes to receive a shiatsu massage.
Unlike a traditional massage, the shiatsu massage therapist will ask the client to begin the massage by lying on their back. They will then check the organs by pressing them individually into the abdomen. While pressing, they control the health and flexibility of the organs. The information they obtain from this analysis will tell them how to proceed with the massage.
Upon completion of this assessment, the client will lie face down, while shiatsu bodywork is performed on the back of the body. The massage will usually end on your back with a review of the organs. This will tell the therapist if progress has been made and indicate what to work on in the next session.
Although shiatsu means “finger pressure”, there are actually a variety of techniques that are used during a massage session. You may experience body rocking, limb rotation, and limb and muscle stretching.
So the shiatsu massage therapist is working to help you relax, yes. But, the main goal of massage is to work within the meridians of your body to achieve balance and healing. Before beginning a career in shiatsu massage, the therapist will consult and memorize a meridian chart, which shows which systems and organs of the body are affected by which meridians.
The main reason this massage is performed on the floor is that the shiatsu massage therapist will use your entire body during the massage. This is in contrast to the average masseuse, who uses a table and hand pressure to perform the massage. It is common for the therapist to use the elbows, feet, and whole body pressure to treat the client.
This traditional form of massage has been considered “medicine” for many years by different cultures. It is not covered by health insurance and has not been shown to have healing qualities by current definitions in modern medicine. So it has no scientific proof, but it has stood the test of time. Many people trust it today and will continue to use it to balance their chi.
