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.