Subtle, Yet Power Shiatsu
By Jackie Christensen, BS, HHP, NC, MH
Faculty Member of GCNM
Shiatsu is a form of bodywork, which uses hand pressure and manipulative techniques to eliminate energy imbalances within organ systems and maintain health. Shiatsu is a Japanese word "shi" means finger and "atsu" means pressure. The practice of shiatsu is characterized by its great simplicity and to an untrained observer it may appear as though very little is happening. During a shiatsu session the practitioner stimulates various pressure points on the body with his or her hands or thumb. They may also include applying pressure with the elbows or a simple rotation of a limb. While it appears as though little is happening on a physical level there is a lot happening internally to the body's energy. The traditional Japanese word “ki” is used to describe the body’s vital energy. In Oriental medicine, harmony of ki within the human body is essential to health. As the shiatsu practitioner stimulates points on the body it opens energy pathways and moves stagnant ki. When Ki become sluggish it can manifest into a physical imbalance so by stimulating ki it prevents physical symptoms. Research has shown that shiatsu is helpful in relieving back pain and muscle tension, as well as improving sleep patterns.
Early practitioners of Shiatsu had the creativity and integrity to develop their own styles. Some styles concentrate on acupressure points, others emphasize on the five-element approach or another aspect of traditional Chinese medicine. Acupressure Shiatsu focuses specifically upon acupuncture points. Five Element Style Shiatsu relies mainly upon the Five Element theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, especially in relation to the emotions, and incorporates some macrobiotic principles. Macrobiotic Shiatsu incorporates the acupuncture meridians. Nippon Style Shiatsu places great emphasis on Western physiology, but with the addition of Chinese medical theory and the classical energy channels. Zen Shiatsu uses tonification and sedation principals, an extended energy channel system, and a condensed synthesis of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western physiology and psychology. Oha Shiatsu incorporates aspects of Zen Shiatsu, and the use of classical acupoints and channels. The styles of shiatsu may vary but ultimately the effectiveness depends upon the attitude, proficiency and attunement of the practitioner.
Tokojiro Namikoshi developed the Namaikoshi Shiatsu style and has helped establish shiatsu as an international therapy. Tokujiro Namikoshi was born on November 3, 1905 on the Japanese Island of Shikoku. When Namikoshi was 7 years old he and his family moved to the northern Island of Hokkaido, which had a much cooler climate. Once there, Namikoshi's mother began suffering from what is known today as rheumatoid arthritis. To alleviate the growing pain Namikoshi began stroking and pressing the painful parts of her body. This reduced his mother's pain and allowed his hands to develop a sensitivity to the condition of her body. Soon the young therapist realized the greatest healing benefit was achieved when he pressed the body 80% of the time and rubbed it 20%. In time he cured his mother's condition. This experience intrigued Namikoshi to study the human body and eventually he systemized his thumb pressure into the Namikoshi shiatsu method. In 1925 he opened the Shiatsu Institute of Therapy on Hokkaido. In 1953 Master Tokujiro Namikoshi Sensei and his son introduced shiatsu to North America when he taught the healing art at the Palmer Chiropractic School in Iowa. Now shiatsu has become internationally accepted as an effective natural healing art form throughout the world, including Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Book Review
The Smart Guide To Marketing Your Holistic Health Practice
By Greg Pitstick & Bill Brown
Greg Pitstick and Bill Brown have written a very different guide to marketing than any I have found to date. It is written based on vast personal experience and using humor and wit to convey their strategies on marketing holistic practices. Greg’s original experience came from working in a pharmacy in the small town he grew up in, carefully studying the habits of the owner of the pharmacy, which he considered to be the most successful business in town. From his early experience he learned his first three essential lessons:
1. “You can only achieve what you believe. If you listen to the negative voices in your life you will never achieve the greatness…“
2. “Stand on the shoulders of others. Look at what successful people are doing and copy it.“
3. “Don’t be afraid to change. You have to actually implement the best ideas or it will be impossible to unleash their power in your life.“
He honed his marketing skills working for Accenture, one of the world’s largest consulting firms, with clients such as Proctor & Gamble, Ocean Spray, AT & T, Hallmark and Corning, on a global basis. For sixteen years he worked at discovering new ways of doing business and helping companies to operate successfully. He led one of the first social networking projects, building a system to connect thousands of experts around the world. Through studying human behavior he learned the psychological principles of social networking that were key to successfully bringing together the experts who would use the system to network with each other.
In 2004 he decided to make a life change, leaving the corporate world behind and starting several businesses of his own. As he observed the world of business changing rapidly with the growth of the internet and the potential of social networking he discovered the networking secrets of other successful business owners and began consulting for small businesses with his partner Bill Brown, a consulting and business coaching expert. They called their consulting business LGM3 (Let’s Go Make More Money).
In 2009 they worked with the Healing Touch Professional Association and their members who practiced several different holistic healing modalities. This experience brought them into the world of holistic and integrative health care. This book grew out of the relationships they formed with holistic practitioners. The book is a useful and appropriate business guide for practitioners of Aromatherapy, Acupuncture, Biofeedback, Craniosacral Therapy, Chiropractic Manipulation, Healing Touch, Herbology, Homeopathic Medicine, Massage, Naturopathic Medicine, Movement Therapies, Qi Gong, Reiki, Reflexology and Yoga, essentially anyone who practices one of the holistic healing arts, complementary/alternative modalities.
The book offers helpful information on harnessing the power of the internet and social networking to inform people of your services in holistic healing and helping others to live healthier, fuller lives, and how to attract more customers to your business and build a sustainable practice. It also shows you how to invest less money in marketing, have the personal freedom to practice your profession without the stress of excess worrying about attracting income to your business.
I very much like that the authors focus is on enabling us to help more people with our holistic modalities as well as supporting ourselves in doing what we love and are trained to do in holistic health care. Not only is the book's information very easy and fast to get through and assimilate, but the authors have prepared a book that will become an essential and practical manual for practitioners who want to devote their time to their practice, and not working endlessly at marketing their business.
Chapters include the principles of social networking, following the four psychological pillars of social networking, a blueprint for social networking success, determining who your customers are and what they really want. You will also discover how to establish what is in your “tool box”, how to build relationships, get great results with what they call “short burst” action plans, checkpoints, and refocusing on getting the result you want.
If you want to be successful in your holistic practice and still have time for a personal life this book is a great investment.
The authors suggest you can start by getting set up on Facebook, and then set up a simple Blog Website. They invite you to try their free social networking training.
Here’s the URL if you are interested: http://www.SmartGuideToMarketing.com/
You can also follow Greg at Twitter@gpitstick and Linkedin.com/in/GregPitstick
You can also follow Bill at Twitter@MrBillBrown or LinkedIn.com/in/MrBillBrown
Reviewed By Moira Khouri NC, MH, HHP, CCP
Faculty Member of GCNM
Exercise of the Month:
Abdominal Bracing
During any exercise, whether it contains bending, jumping, kicking, punching, twisting, running, etc., one requires core stability to protect oneself from injuries, particularly to the spine. An abdominal brace occurs when the abdominal muscles and deep muscles of the lower back contract at the same time.
To introduce the concept of abdominal bracing, please stiffen the elbow by contracting the biceps and triceps at the same. No movement should occur in the elbow. When you contract the muscles around the joint without any movement, it is called an isometric contraction. Now we can apply that same concept to torso.
The goal of abdominal bracing is to stiffen the abdominal wall with a slight isometric co-contraction of all the muscles surrounding the torso. When one contracts these muscles, there should be no movement in the spine or pelvis.
VERY IMPORTANT
- The abdominal wall should not be sucked in or pushed out.
- Breathe continuously.
Search online for values in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
