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