Shiatsu Introduction - week3 notes

This week we focused a little more on the stretches at the start of the class. They are called Makka-ho and are designed to open each of the meridian pairs. The details of the stretches have been sent but as they were written about 7 years ago I though I would just add my current perspective too.

I find that doing these stretches before giving Shiatsu opens my body to all the possible movemt of both my and the recipients body. They remind me how important the breath is (something we will be looking at this week).

Every time you do the stretches it is different. The body and mind are always different and how we feel (remember one of my basic principles is to remind ourselves how we feel when we are working) reflects in how easy or difficult each stretch feels.

As I explained the basic use of these stretches is to find the easiest and the hardest. We then do the easy stretch and for the difficult one we do the complementary movement.

I have found over the years that doing the Makka-ho on and off will not show as much change as doing them regularly. So I encourage you to do the stretches you all chose last week and then we can measure whether or not you feel different when we do the whole set. Long term change takes a long time and it is important we understand that if we ever recommend exercise. It is always the individuals choice and it doesn't suit everyone.

This course does not cover theory so I will not go into the theory that I have sent you but if it interests you please do let me know through the blog and I will respond.

As far as the Shiatsu goes we recapped the back routine that we have learnt. Everybody's Shiatsu looks good and your hands are sensitive and in the main relaxed. Remember to create enough space for yourself. You are looking to have a sort of bubble formed by your chest and abdomen, your arms and the receiver's body.

We have started learning a front routine. Starting with making contact with the hara - the soft area bounded by ribs, hips and pelvis. Connect firmly. Be there but do not be hard or invasive. Explore the soft area with curiosity. The difference in muscle tone, energetic response to your hands and where you are drawn to. Though we did this for quite a long time remember when giving Shiatsu this is the point of saying I am here and it doesn't take that long.

We tried various positions. Kneeling, half kneel (one foot on the floor), facing the head, facing across the body etc. Find your own. All you need to remember is:

1. Be comfortable
2. Have enough space energetically
3. Connect with two hands.
4. Be close enough to lean but still be in control of how much weight you give
5. Be far away enough to not crowd either yourself or the receiver

After connecting with the hara we worked down one leg. Since we are not exploring meridians in this course but focusing on quality of touch and a basic routine the actual position of where you work isn't as important as how you work. Having said that we looked at turning the leg slightly inward (point the toes toward the other foot) and working in the fleshy muscle area that is presented. As with the back routine work downward toward the ankle and when there pick up the ankle and rest it in your lap.

Holding the foot firmly to your body (don't grip tight but make it feel like a solid hug) use your movement to explore the movement of the ankle. Moving from your own hara (lower tummy) rotate your body and see what their foot feels like. Both directions and then lean toward their head and away from their head to give the ankle a stretch.

I will be working on some photographs to make it clearer but until then just explore what you can. I hope you are all enjoying the course - I know I am, you are all doing very well.

See you next week

Shiatsu Introduction - week2 notes

This week, apart from building the back routine, we looked at energy filling spaces, not by force but by allowing. "what has no substance, enters where there is no space". Soft hands are essential as is the non-desire for anything to happen.

This helps with quality of touch.

We have finished the routine for the back. As this is a five week course we haven't included everything that is possible but the routine is a good starting point for Shiatsu. The full routine is:

Settle yourself kneeling on the left hand side of the receiver (they are on your right).

Connect with their sacrum and use some gentle intention to connect with them.

Change position to be looking across their body with your left hand in the middle of their upper back and your right hand on the sacrum.

Moving weight on and off, moving your left hand when the weight is off so that you work down the nack to the sacrum

At the sacrum change so that the left is on the sacrum and the right hand works down the leg nearest you.

Move so the you are always comfortable and never over- reaching.

At the ankle move to hold both and then move to the other side of the body to work down the other leg.

At the ankles again, this time rest the front of the ankles in the palms of your hands and as they breath out lean back to give a nice gentle stretch.

From this position take a step up so that you are half-kneeling, on foot on the floor, with hands on the backs of the thighs.

Take another step to half-kneel the other side with hands in the middle of the upper back.

You should now be astride the body, on one knee, with one hand either side of the spine.

Lean in three times moving your hands down toward the lower back each time the weight is off.

Now take a step (however you can) so that you are above the head facing the feet, kneel with one knee each side of the head, hands resting on the shoulders. Lean

Retreating cat: With hands contacting body enough to slide, slide down to the hips and lean, then retreat back toward to shoulders like a cat kneading.

Return to starting position

Sorry no pictures this week but will perhaps add some later.

Keep a look out (you can bookmark the blog or follow it) for updates. I will add something about the stretches we are using to warm up.

See you all next week. Good luck with practise.

Rise & Shine in Ross on Wye

These ongoing sessions will help us energise body and mind using routines from several traditions.

Next class starts 22nd September '09

Classes are held at:

The Ryefield Centre

Grammar School Close

Ross on Wye

Herefordshire HR9

You may join these classes at any time. Cost is charged per 10 sessions £35.00

These classes offer you routines and exercises to create a practice of your own. The weekly class will be a powerful way for us to connect and explore energy work more deeply.

Each week will focus on one tradition. There will be variety to keep it interesting and eventually you will learn which exercises suit you best.

From Shiatsu we will use "Do-In" and "Makka-ho".

Do-In is a sequence of self-massage and tapping which wakes up the surface and muscular levels of our body. It raises energy which is important for our immune systems and generally makes us feel more awake.

Makka-ho is stretching. The stretches we use (some standing, some on the floor) aim to improve the internal flow of energy around the body. They may seem like Yoga but the focus is slightly different. We will look at postures used in every day movements, such as lifting a heavy object or resting in contemplation, and then use a stretch to make the movement easier.

From Aikido we will look at "Ki development" exercises. Ki is Japanese and Aikido (which means The way of Harmony) is a non-aggressive martial art which aims to harmonise with the energy of an opponent. We will not be looking at the martial art but at the exercises which help to create free flow of energy and improve our mental focus.

Tai Chi is well known and we will use its gentle movement to improve our balance and look closely at how we move.

Qi-Gong literally means energy work and we will learn The Eight Strands of the Brocade (Taoist) and Shibashi (Tai Chi qi gong).

Shiatsu Introduction - week1 notes

The focus of this week was to introduce several basic strands to giving Shiatsu. Each week will start with a similar warm-up:

• stepping forward and swinging the arms above the head while breathing in and then stepping back breathin out. Do this about 12 times (6 leading with each foot) every morning and see how much more energised you feel
• Stretching and squatting. It is important for ease of movement that the hips be as open as possible so it is worth perservering with this

The prime basis of Shiatsu is relaxed leaning where we consider a partnership between giver and receiver. Don't overwhelm and don't be overwhelmed. We practised leaning on eachother - both active - before moving to the Shiatsu position on the floor.

When moving the weight over the receiver's body remember to imagine a pencil dropping from a point just below the belly button and draw a line with the pencil. Note the pressure increasing in the hands and try to keep it even between the two.

We looked at extending Ki using the unbendable arm exercise. Try to use alive relaxation rather than dead relaxation. Keep the arms naturally straight (not locked) and the hands as soft as possible.

We used working on the back as our start routine. With both hands in contact when leaning and 1 hand in contact at all times when moving work down the spine towards the sacrum - one hand on the sacrum staying still and the other moving. Achieve movement by leaning the weight on and off the body. Then work down from the sacrum to the heel of the leg closest to you.

We looked at ease of movement. Try to move without the support of your hands so that when you have the support of the receiver it seems very easy, smooth and natural.

Remember the principles I try to work with:

1. Relax at all times - soft hands
2. Have no aims to change anything
3. Create an energetic intention to connect below the surface of the body and
4. Ask yourself how you feel

Please ask questions and give me feedback with the comments form.

See you next week.

Clients have said ...

I decided I would keep a list of little gems clients have said, normally on their next visit but sometimes at the end of a session. Most of my work is with people affected by cancer and so most of the comments below are from them. For many the Shiatsu acts as deep relaxation but in addition it also, in a very important way, gives clients tools that they can use. The simplicity of breath, learning to expand around a pain, rather than contract against it, learning to let the neck turn rather than turning it and others. I see myself as inviting clients to try out new ways of being. The more Shiatsu they have the more self-reliant they become. It is wonderful.

Thank you to all the clients that give me such positive feedback. I wish them all well.

I feel deeply relaxed yet I can feel all my blood and something else - energy - moving everywhere in my body. I feel so warm.

I have never been so relaxed

It is the only thing that has boosted my energy

I’ve never felt anything like it before – and I’ve tried a lot

I’d forgotten that I even had a pain

I feel much better than when I came in

I am a happier person because of Shiatsu – thank you

It felt like layers being peeled off and each one was something I wasn’t aware of

Even if I have only learnt about breath awareness it has been great, even when walking the dog it makes a difference

As soon as you touch me there is a deeper level of relaxation than I can find by myself

The touch is so important

I don’t know what you do but it is wonderful – I am glowing all over

I never thought I would be able to move my neck so much. It feels so much freer

I feel two inches taller and my neck feels amazing

I felt light and tranquil for days

My shoulder feels completely different and so do I

I went so far away, further than when I go to sleep, it was wonderful

Your touch is so respectful and safe - thank you

I feel as if I have been scattered to the eight winds, freed and then re-gathered and integrated

Rise & Shine at Hereford Haven - great success

We had a great morning learning the Do-In, Japanese self massage and played with meridian stretches. We learnt some breathing exercises and used a Ki development exercise to focus the mind and help us raise our spirits.

All the participants said they would like to do it regularly so watch this space for more classes in Hereford Haven.

Thank you to all who came.

There is an ongoing Rise & Shine class starting in September in Ross on Wye