The Essence of Shiatsu E-Book

Mike Mandl

• Herausgeber: BACOPA Verlag
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 446

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Shiatsu is relatively young compared to other traditional healing systems: less than 100 years old, Shiatsu has developed rapidly and spread just as quickly. From a conglomerate of different roots, a trunk with many branches and even more blossoms has emerged in a short period of time. But what is the essence of Shiatsu? What principles is it based on? What is the role of Ki? What is the role of the meridians? How central is the hara? And what distinguishes a good practitioner?  This book project is dedicated to searching for answers: leading global Shiatsu experts with decades of experience have their say. Their perspectives on fundamental questions about Shiatsu will contribute to a deeper understanding of the essential aspects of our art.

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Published by Bacopa Verlag

ISBN: 9783991141310 (ePub, Eur 29,99)

ISBN: 9783991141242 (Print, Eur 34,80)

www.bacopa.at

Liability

All information in this book is based on careful evaluation of the authors' research and experience. Neither the authors nor the publisher can guarantee the effectiveness of the therapies and remedies described in this book.

All rights reserved, in particular those of reprinting, translation, lecture, radio and television broadcast, and film adaptation, as well as any kind of photomechanical reproduction, telephone transmission, storage in data processing systems, and use in computer programs, even in excerpts. Use in the context of courses, lectures, and publications is permitted and encouraged, provided the source (authors, title) is cited.

Any further use, reproduction, translation, microfilming, and storage and processing in electronic systems requires the written permission of the authors.

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Mili Badic | www.milibadic.com

© 2025 Mike Mandl

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword

Ivan Bel

Focus on the essentials, get rid of the unnecessary

Kazunori Sasaki Sensei

In the depths of existence

Alice Whieldon

Recognising what really is

Philippe Vandenabeele

Guiding the intention of the heart through the hands

Yuichi Kawada

Authority over your own health

Chris McAlister

In the service of trans­formation

Tomas Nelissen

In harmony with our inner truth

Tzvika Calisar

From the bottom of my heart

Wilfried Rappenecker

Commu­nication for freedom and new paths

Joyce Vlaarkamp

The unity of giving and taking

Mihael Mamychshvili

In deep connection

Mike Mandl

The marriage of Yin and Yang

Michel Odoul

The cries of the body are messages from the soul

Viorel Mihai

The historical background of Shiatsu

Foreword

THE ESSENCE OF SHIATUS

The masters view

Compared to other traditional healing arts, Shiatsu is relatively young – not much more than 100 years old. Shiatsu has developed rapidly and spread just as quickly, firstly in Japan, then all over the world. From an assortment of different roots, a tree has grown up quickly, with many branches and even more blossoms. During this development process a range of other manual treatment techniques, therapeutic approaches and models – from various philosophical sources – have influenced the evolution of Shiatsu and shaped those blossoms in sometimes very different ways. In addition, contemporary trends, individual interpretations and the focused development of specific aspects of this beautiful art of touch have come together. In conclusion: we live in a colourful Shiatsu world, and we enjoy great Shiatsu diversity.

But what connects all these different Shiatsu styles? Is there even a clearly definable ‘essence’ of Shiatsu? What are the basic principles on which it is built? How does it work? What is the role of Ki? What about the role of the meridians? How central is the Hara? What characterises a good practitioner?

This book is dedicated to the search for answers, offering the opportunity for some international Shiatsu experts, with decades of experience, to have their say. These are people behind pioneering achievements and innovations, as well as masters of the most diverse Shiatsu styles and schools. Their perspectives on fundamental Shiatsu questions are intended to help us gain a deeper understanding of the essential aspects of our art. We hope to initiate a fruitful and challenging discourse, aiming to provide inspiration and to broaden horizons.

It is of particular importance to me to show that there is no ‘one correct Shiatsu’ style or form – it is not about right or wrong, better or worse. Diverse approaches, interpretations and opinions are precisely what characterises Shiatsu as a whole. Even though, or perhaps because, I – as director of the International Academy for Hara Shiatsu – stand for a particular style and philosophy of Shiatsu, I was still able to learn, and to take something for my practice, from every single contribution in this book.

This may have been a single sentence that helped me to consolidate and deepen an existing insight. It may have been a new perspective from which I had not yet viewed Shiatsu or a certain aspect of it. It may have been a controversial opinion that encouraged me to reflect and question. Or it may have been a fresh new take on routines that had already become too much a matter of course.

Being able to learn from others is a great gift. Being able to do so for life is an even greater gift. Shiatsu offers us these opportunities. And this book should also be seen as an offer – for learning, questioning and deepening. It is a gift from some of the leading representatives of Shiatsu to you. It is an inventory of the wealth of experience that they have gathered and acquired over the years. It preserves this treasure and aims to be a book that you can refer to again and again on your individual Shiatsu journey: to discover new things, rediscover familiar things or deepen what you already know. It is an invitation to enter a dialogue with these masters of the art of touch.

Because if there is one essence to Shiatsu, then surely it is communication – the communication between two people. And a book is also a form of communication – between reader and writer. Therefore, I will be very happy if this book contributes to the topic of communication in the Shiatsu world in general – between practitioners, teachers, styles and schools. Because – however differently the blossoms of our Shiatsu tree may appear – it is clear that we all love and appreciate this special form of bodywork and want to contribute to the wellbeing of all living beings (including ourselves).

The more we exchange ideas, the more we create better connections and more understanding for the diversity of Shiatsu. We can all contribute to strengthening the trunk and roots of the Shiatsu tree so that it can continue to grow and flourish beautifully.

Thank you for purchasing this book. I will be very happy if reading it is as inspiring for you as creating it was for me!

Mike Mandl

ABOUT THE SELECTION OF CONTRIBUTORS

Yes – why is this person in the book and that other person isn’t? As the editor, the responsibility for this selection fell to me and of course I am well aware that pleasing everyone is an impossible art. Whatever selection of contributors is made, no one will be 100% in agreement with it – everyone will have different criteria and preferences.

I tried to incorporate as much objectivity as possible in the selection of co-authors, and I decided to proceed on the basis of a few neutral parameters – leaving my personal opinion out of it as much as possible…

Some of these parameters were:

∙ Potential contributors should have had at least 20 years of Shiatsu experience and have made a significant contribution to the international Shiatsu scene.

∙ They should have both practical and teaching experience.

∙ They should be representative of a particular Shiatsu style, to reflect the diversity as comprehensively as possible.

∙ In addition, a certain geographical spread had to be considered, as well as a mixture of traditional and modern.

∙ Finally, I aimed for a balance of Yin and Yang.

Based on these parameters, I drew up a list and wrote to the relevant representatives of our guild.

However, just because all the parameters were in place, it didn’t automatically mean that the people I wrote to had the time, inclination or space to work on a project like this – that was just the way it was.

What I personally find a shame is the imbalance of Yin and Yang – there are considerably more contributions from men than from women – whereas the plan was to have a good balance.

Unfortunately, too few female masters were willing to participate. At some point, however, I realised that I had to take responsibility for the actual realisation of the book, and to make the ‘motivation to participate’ a decisive parameter as well.

Now, after all the difficulties we have overcome (I have learned that putting together an anthology is no easy task!) I am happy with the result. And I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone who has generously given of their time and patience to putting their spirit in written form, and to giving something back to the Shiatsu scene in this way.

ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK

Each contributor was asked the same questions:

∙ What is the essence of Shiatsu?

∙ Which basic principles are crucial in Shiatsu?

∙ What is Ki and what role does it play in Shiatsu?

∙ What is the role of meridians in Shiatsu?

∙ What is the role of the Hara in Shiatsu?

∙ Does Shiatsu need diagnosis?

∙ What characterises a good practitioner?

The authors were free to choose how they addressed these questions, which naturally resulted in contributions of varying lengths. These were arranged with the aim of ensuring a good reading flow and an inspiring variety; no preference of any kind was intended. The authors were also free to choose the way they used gender: double naming, alternating use of the male and female forms etc. Here again the key focus was on creating a smooth flow for the reader.

The same applies to the Asian terms for energy. Whether Qi, Ki or Chi, depending on personal background and frame of reference, all variants occur.

But now – enough of introductory words – let’s dive into the essence of Shiatsu!

Ivan Bel

Focus on the essentials, get rid of the unnecessary

Ivan is an international Shiatsu teacher of French origin, founder of Ryōhō Shiatsu and the NGO ‘Missions Shiatsu Humanitaire’, which is committed to the worldwide development of Shiatsu. He has founded Shiatsu schools in Belgium, Malawi and Bosnia. In addition, Ivan teaches in many schools throughout Europe, covering a range of specialist areas in Shiatsu, which he complements and deepens with his profound knowledge of Traditional Chinese medicine and the experience gained from 40 years of practising martial arts.

One of his great passions is the study of the historical development of Shiatsu, which he pursues and documents in the ‘History of Shiatsu’ group he initiated. His blog www.ryohoshiatsu.com is translated into six different languages and reaches over 10,000 readers per month. Ivan is also the author of the book ‘L’Esprit du Shiatsu’, which has become a standard work for many Shiatsu students and practitioners in French, Italian and English.

More about Ivan bel ▸www.ryohoshiatsu.com

Ryōhō-Shiatsu on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ivanbelShiatsu

Ryōhō-Shiatsu on Instagram: www.instagram.com/ryoho.Shiatsu

Ryōhō-Shiatsu on YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJpejY84nxPbkH0EUtDJSQ

Missions Shiatsu Humanitaire: www.msh-Shiatsu.org

History of Shiatsu Group: www.facebook.com/groups/historyofShiatsu

ʻThe most important thing is to bring together two people who will walk a path together for a whileʼ

What is THE ESSENCE OF SHIATSU?

This is probably the most complicated question here, because it immediately sends us back to other questions, and we risk talking in a vacuum. So, let’s ask ourselves: what ‘essence of Shiatsu’ are we talking about? Is it technical, conceptual, historical, religious, or is it about what this art brings to those who receive a session? When we try to describe Shiatsu, it is important to know where we stand, otherwise we may blur the clear message essential for an explanation of what Shiatsu is.

Let’s start with the roots of Shiatsu, its historical essence. Without going back too far, and concentrating just on Shiatsu, its appearance is beginning to be increasingly known thanks to the research carried out by the ‘History of Shiatsu’ online group, of which I am the founder.

Before 1928, the word Shiatsu (指圧) was never printed and therefore simply did not exist. That year a certain Kazuma Fukunaga (福永数間) who was an Anmashi (按摩師, specialist in Anma), published ‘Chikara ōyō ryōhō’ (力応用 療法, Power Therapy) printed at the author’s own expense. It includes an appendix entitled ‘Shiatsuhō’ (指圧法, Shiatsu Method), which represents the very first appearance of the term ‘Shiatsu’. This book has now disappeared and only one copy remains, held in the Japanese parliamentary library.

In 1925, a catalogue of popular health techniques – known as the ‘Red Book’ (赤い本, Akaihon), because of the colour of its cover – was first published. It continues to this day, with almost 2,000 updated editions, and in 1929 its editor, Takichi Tsukuda, (築田多吉著) opened a new section entitled ‘Shiatsu’. So, the name of this technique slowly began to spread amongst the public, and was of particular interest to the Anmashi, who were looking for ways to boost their reputation.

In light of the burgeoning success of the term, gradually replacing the appellation Ampuku-hō (圧迫法, pressure technique – derived from Anma massage), a new book entitled ‘Shiatsu ryōhō’ (指圧療法, Shiatsu Therapy) was published by Kaisen Tanokura (田野倉快泉) in 1931. He introduced an element of Western science, principally anatomy, as the basis of Shiatsu. Not to be outdone, this idea was taken up by Fukunaga, who changed his penname to Tenpeki Tamai (玉井天碧). In 1939, he published ‘Shiatsu hō’ (指圧法, Shiatsu method), which met with some success. In the introduction to this book, Tenpeki Tamai states that he has been practising Shiatsu for 20 years. If we accept this statement, it means that Shiatsu was truly ‘born’ around 1919, and in 2019 some countries celebrated the centenary of the birth of Shiatsu. In any case, after his second book, the term Shiatsu became accepted as the name of a new form of manual and therapeutic technique. This is the essence of the term ‘Shiatsu’, which can be simply translated as ‘finger pressure’.

Now, what is the conceptual essence of Shiatsu? The answer is more complex than you might think, as there are many concepts underlying the technique. Throughout its history over the centuries, Japan has developed many popular healing methods. In the beginning, health was restored by chasing away the evil spirits that disturbed the balance of the body and psyche, a task that was devolved to the Jugonshi (呪禁師, specialists in bewitchment). Here we see the shamanic roots of Oriental medicine, and this subject was studied for a long time in the early schools of Japanese medicine, alongside the introduction of acupuncture, moxibustion, massage, dietetics, and physical exercise. Over time, this idea of dealing with good or evil spirits disappeared and the focus shifted to natural cycles: the changing seasons, opposing and complementary forces, the different stages of human life, and the influence of environment, occupation, food and emotions on the state of health.

This is medicine based on the observation of symptoms, seeking to understand their causes and effects. From these observations, ancient medicines and Shiatsu today, I have been able to list seven major concepts:(1)

1. The microcosm reflects the macrocosm. The infinitely large is reflected in the infinitely small.

2. The environment affects the individual. A person living in the mountains will not be the same as a sailor who spends his time on the water.

3. Everything is in movement; nothing is ever the same thing twice. The only constant is the fact that everything is always changing, a principle that is common to both Buddhism and Taoism.

4. The movement is cyclic but, as nothing is ever the same, there is constant evolution. This gives rise to a spiral movement, like our sun moving around the centre of our galaxy. Today we know that the blood in our veins, the water in our sinks, the sap in our trees, and all other fluids circulate in spiral movements.

5. Disease does not arise spontaneously, only accidents do. An illness is always the result of a more or less lengthy process that has a root, a cause. It is this underlying cause that needs to be treated as much as the symptoms.

6. The body generally heals itself. If not, it needs a helping hand (Shiatsu) or some active ingredients to boost its self-healing powers (e.g. plant molecules). The practitioner is not the healer. He or she is simply an external aid who stimulates this natural principle.

7. Finally, the best medicine is often the simplest. Indeed, it may come as a surprise that the simple act of applying finger pressure to a body will enable it to find its way back to good health. All you have to do is try it out and you’ll realise just how effective it is.

Tokujirō Namikoshi (浪越 徳治郎, 1905–2000), who played a major role in the development and recognition of Shiatsu in Japan, sums it all up with his famous slogan: 指圧の心は母ごころ圧せば命の泉湧く (ワッハッハ) ‘Shiatsu no kokoro haha no gokoro, oseba inochi no izumi waku (hahaha)’ (translation: ‘The heart of Shiatsu is like the heart of a mother; if we push we make the springs of life gush forth, hahaha’). In this sentence we find several fundamental concepts: that Shiatsu is practised with empathy and love; that the practitioner does not heal but activates the forces of self-healing; and that joy arises from/accompanies this process. In the last chapter of his 1939 book, Tenpeki Tamai said that to be a good practitioner you had to recite the Heart Sutra every day, to improve yourself as a therapist and to develop a sense of compassion.

We can now try to define the essence of the technique itself. There are at least a hundred different styles of Shiatsu. Although the approach or conception of the treatment varies from one style to another, there are certain common principles, specifically finger pressure. This is ‘perpendicular, continuous and stable’ pressure, and these terms are also ratified in the Japanese Ministry of Health’s definition of Shiatsu. This means that whatever part of the body is being touched, the pressure will always be applied perpendicularly to the anatomical surface of the body and directed towards its centre. For example, on the head, where each pressure is perpendicular to the surface then its direction will be towards the centre of the skull. The term ‘continuous pressure’ means that the pressure is applied in a continuous progression, without jerks, and it can be maintained for varying lengths of time, depending on the desired effect. Incidentally, all styles of Shiatsu agree that pressure is applied in three stages:

1. Placing your finger in contact with the person. This is the pressure point (壷 tsubo) contact phase.

2. Appling pressure until the tissues resist, without using muscular force, but by moving the body’s centre of gravity.

3. Releasing the pressure by withdrawing the body weight.

Lastly, the notion of ‘stable pressure’ means that the pressure does not slide on the surface as it does in massage. The finger or fingers are held in a fixed position, which is not as easy as you might think, but then again that’s what the Shiatsu technique is all about. The reason for this is understandable as Shiatsu is practised through clothes rather than against the skin. Clothes slide easily, so it’s logical that the pressure should be stable. There are, of course, other reasons behind this choice, particularly that of allowing the tissues to feel the pressure without being disturbed, which consequently allows the nervous system to relax.

Can we talk further about the conceptual essence of Shiatsu? Clearly, yes. Shiatsu is first and foremost a manual therapy, which implies that we don’t use wooden, metal or stone tools, as in Guāshā (刮痧) for example. It is the work of one body with another. Moreover, the hand and fingers are very widely used to perform the essential part of the Shiatsu technique, even if its historical roots of Anma (按 摩) resurface here and therein the use of the elbow, knee or forearm in certain styles. The psycho-emotional dimension is also very present in Shiatsu. Firstly, because it involves a relationship between two people that can last over time. Secondly, because it is a therapeutic relationship in which the person receiving the treatment can put down their burdens, their troubles, and their physical pain, and find an attentive ear in the practitioner to talk about their psychological suffering. The Shiatsushi (指圧師 literally means ‘Shiatsu expert’) is not trained to be a psychotherapist, but it must be said that they are generally pretty good at listening. Empathic listening is an integral part of Shiatsu, whether we like it or not, because each person will talk about themselves and the challenges they are going through in life. As the body is not, until proven otherwise, separate from the mind and emotions, it is the whole individual that is affected, not just the muscles or joints.

At the end of the day, if we put together the history, the laws of natural health, the technique and a few concepts, will we be able to grasp the essence of Shiatsu? I honestly don’t think so, because its essence is not equal to the sum of these different facets. Above all, it’s an encounter and a process that takes place on several levels. Firstly, it is the meeting of two human beings, one who is trained in the technique but knows nothing about what is going on for the receiver, and the other who is not trained in the technique but who clearly feels that something is not right in their body-mind. From this it’s clear that to understand each other Shiatsu is above all a meeting. If we talk a little at the beginning of a session, we can say that it is an encounter which will quickly become silent in order to leave space to the body (in psychology we would speak of ‘unconscious expression’) to feel and exchange, all without inducing speech, and therefore without any possible projection on the part of the therapist. The recipient’s path is his or her own, and in the end the Shiatsushi is only there as a temporary crutch and guide who silently shows the way, without influencing or imposing their point of view. The encounter is also that of the Jūsha (受者, the receiver) who will go forward to find him/herself. So, it’s a path that starts with a suffering human being, passes through another human being called a therapist, and then returns to the first, who will be able to unravel what needs to be unravelled. So, it’s not just a practitioner who does all the work, but a practitioner who helps the receiver to find him/herself, and to find a solution for their problem. How is this achieved? By using the resources in their mind, spirit, emotions and body.

Let there be no misunderstanding – this in no way detracts from the ability, competence and responsibility of the practitioner. It’s thanks to the practitioner that everything starts. If the person who presents for treatment is suffering, it is precisely because they cannot find a solution to treat and heal themselves. It is therefore the practitioner who helps and intervenes. Let’s take the example of someone who breaks their leg. The body will eventually knit the bones back together, but not necessarily in the best possible way. The doctor, or even the surgeon, will realign the pieces, make a splint or a plaster cast which will allow the bones to heal in their natural alignment. Though Shiatsu does not involve bandaging or plastering, this does not mean that it is not essential to re-establish the energies and the nervous system, to relieve muscular tension, to remobilise joints, to digest emotions and to deal with trauma. It’s at this point that the therapist must realise that he or she is both the one who intervenes on behalf of the other person’s body and the one who stimulates nature to regain its rights.

The essence of Shiatsu is therefore, in my view, this moment of journeying together, this silent dialogue, where the giver helps the receiver to find the means of self-healing, and the receiver teaches the giver indispensable lessons in developing their practice. Sometimes this meeting can be long, sometimes very emotional, sometimes not at all. But it doesn’t matter. The important thing is to bring together two human beings who are sharing one path for a time.

WHICH BASIC PRINCIPLES ARE CRUCIAL IN SHIATSU?

Before talking about principles, first we must understand what they are. A principle is a conceptual element which is at the origin, which is the first cause. It’s a fundamental proposition on which the organisation of something rests and/or which governs its functioning. There are two consequences to this:

1. Shiatsu technique is based on underlying principles which support and guide it.

2. These principles approach such fundamental notions that often we find the universal in them.

In Shiatsu, we find technical principles, such as the way to apply pressure, the rhythm, the depth, the right moment to stop applying pressure, listening to the hands, the postures of the body, its use in movement, the notion of centring, stability, perpendicular penetration, working with both hands. We can also think of the enormous importance of breathing, feeling and the avoidance of using strength (not forcing the muscles but transferring your relaxed bodyweight) etc. – this list is not exhaustive.

Once the practitioner has integrated these technical principles, there are then conceptual principles such as empathy, inner strength, global vision, vigilance and attention, distance, the role of the heart, meeting, separation, and continuity of work, among many others. This is the whole subject of the aforementioned book ‘The Spirit of Shiatsu: Principles, Concepts and Philosophy’. You might think that studying, working or even reading about this is a waste of time but, in reality, these are the very foundations of the technique. Let’s take an easy example: most Shiatsu schools distinguish themselves from one another by the rhythm they give to their pressure.

Martial Shiatsu schools, such as Kōhō Shiatsu, can work quite fast, a pressure of a second. The Namikoshi school has chosen an average rhythm of 3 seconds. The Iokai school can be much slower still. So, this is a technical aspect, and all their students learn this rhythm and know only one. But if you study the principle of rhythm, you soon realise that there are many different types and that each one has advantages that the others don’t have. A fast rhythm tones you up, a medium rhythm relaxes you, and a slow rhythm plunges you into your own depths. Consequently, the study of the ‘rhythm principle’ offers more possibilities and gives the practitioner more freedom to perform a technical aspect in different ways and to understand the different practical benefits. Thanks to this study, the practitioner will be able to adapt the rhythm of his treatment according to the desired effect. It also opens a new door, which is the absence of rhythm, or when the movement stops. This opens up a whole new dimension for both receiver and giver.

Let’s take another random example: observation. Observing a person doesn’t begin when the four phases of Oriental diagnosis begin. It begins with the ringing of the doorbell, the way the person stands behind the door, their handshake, the tone of their voice, the way they walk, breathe, sit, explain their problems, their unconscious gestures, the clothes they wear, their quality and whether or not they are well cared for, the smells they give off, their body noises, the wrinkles in their face, the positions of the different parts of their body… Nothing is insignificant. On the contrary, everything is significant.

If you want to help someone, you need to observe them calmly and attentively, down to the smallest detail. This will give you a wealth of information that will help you throughout the sessions to understand and guide the person. However, this does not mean that you should form a mental image and categorise the person. The worst thing you can do is create boxes in which to put people. The information gleaned from observation either confirms or refutes an intuition, a symptom or a development. So, the more information we gather from observation, the more clearly we can navigate and make choices during Shiatsu sessions.

Now let’s think about how to approach a session. Beginners often do the same thing from one session to the next. Often, they will diligently apply a kata learned at their school. This is not a problem, but after a while it can be both boring and alienating. In reality, a kata is offered to students above all as a pedagogical tool, which enables them to learn a more or less long sequence and to train their bodies in the practice of Shiatsu. But a kata contains a whole alphabet that you must learn to break down in order to use it properly. An experienced practitioner can always use a kata as a basis, but they will adapt it according to the problem encountered. So, if the kata starts with the person on their stomach, but this is of no interest for the treatment, the practitioner will put the person on their back. It’s just common sense.

With the help of these few examples, we can better understand why it is said that ‘principles liberate while technique locks you in’. Indeed, how many times have we heard that the only good way to do Shiatsu is this way or that way? This attitude locks the practitioner (and the teacher too) into certainties which lead to tense postures and, ultimately, to conflicts between schools of Shiatsu. The best way to resolve this situation is not to become too nice / open to everyone, or to isolate yourself, but simply to show and demonstrate the principles underlying the technique. In this way, you offer practitioners more freedom in their practice, and you send out a vital message: students should not practise their teacher’s Shiatsu but the one that most resonates with them – the one in which they can express their own personality, their own humanity.

So, to answer the initial question, yes there are basic principles, and there are many of them. These principles may concern the technical aspects, but not only that. Take, for example, the principle of Ki musubi (気結び) or ‘tying a knot/binding with Ki’. This is one of the steps involved in using Ki. This notion comes from Shintoism, which shows that nature and humans are connected. This principle is important for learning to realise this link, because it precedes the following steps, which seek to make Ki flow (気の流れ Ki nagare), merge Ki (気合わせ Ki awase) and separate Ki (気外しKi Hazushi). You can see that this is more than just a technical feature, and yet these are important principles to study.

what is ki and what role does it play in Shiatsu?

This is a vast subject, and it’s also the subject of much misunderstanding, particularly between the medical and the energetic healing worlds, but also between the different branches of Shiatsu. And yet it’s absolutely simple. However, you still need to be able to explain it simply.

In the Far East, the philosophical thinking that has shaped their world is dynamic, based on movement and flow. If you think about it for two seconds, you realise that Yin-Yang is a permanent movement. The same goes for the Earth-Human-Sky triptych, the 4 seasons, the 5 movements, the 6 levels, etc. By extension, the idea is that ‘something’ is circulating at all levels of the cosmos, the earth, the environment, relations between individuals and within the human body. Logically, health is the healthy state of circulation of this ‘something’, and illness is the result of stagnation, excess or lack of this same ‘something’. Seeing that everything is in motion, the ancient Chinese called it Qi. This word has been clumsily translated as ‘energy’, which means everything and nothing at the same time. Maybe a more accurate word would be ‘vibration’.

In the West, philosophical thinking inherited from the Greeks has also shaped our world, but in a very different way. For them, all phenomena and matter could be explained and demonstrated if they were studied long enough and with the right tools. The first philosophers were also geometers, mathematicians, astrologers and later physicists. Science – in the broadest sense of the term – is the fruit of this philosophy. Since everything needs to be observed closely, in the field of health, bodies were dissected as soon as possible (with a long pause during the Middle Ages) in order to understand how they were organised. This led, for example, to the invention of Caesarean sections in Roman antiquity. On the other hand, observing a dead body says nothing about its vitality or the processes at work, such as the movement of the blood, the heart, digestion and so on. Over the centuries, what emerged was a fixed vision of the body, broken down into systems, with the physician becoming a specialist in one of these systems, or even in just one of the organs. The Chinese also carried out dissections, but on living death row inmates. Obviously, this is a form of torture, and it was so intolerable that they chose to stop quite early in their history. But from their point of view, it was important to see the movements of life: the heart beating, the lungs breathing, the blood circulating. The important thing in the Chinese vision is, once again, movement – and its visible or palpable vitality.

The result is that today there is a seemingly incompatible lack of understanding between Western and Eastern medicine. Yet they are almost the same thing, and the concept of energy is easily accessible to everyone. Science has identified several types of energy, all of which are present in the human body.

∙ Heat or thermal energy: our bodies are at an average temperature of 37°C, so we generate a lot of heat every day.

∙ Kinetic energy: we move around a lot every day, and our bodies are made up of many muscles.

∙ Chemical energy: we break down food molecules three times a day to feed our cells. What’s more, every time we create or break down a hormone, we are creating chemistry.

∙ Electrical energy: our brain and nervous system operate on electrical impulses. We’re relatively well wired internally to work quickly – from brain to toes.

∙ Atomic energy: to the extent that all matter is made up of atoms, so is the human body. On the other hand, billions and billions of atoms rotate and therefore create vibrations. Vibration is a wave. Waves are energy.

∙ Potential energy: when you park your car on a sloping road, you put on the handbrake. It could potentially move but it doesn’t. For the human body, this handbrake is called sleep. We put the body on pause and the next day the batteries are recharged, and we have the potential to tackle the next day in top form. Meditation also does this, as one hour of this practice regenerates us and removes the desire to sleep.

∙ Psychic energy: emotions are great engines for progress. Who hasn’t run to the love of their life without feeling tired? Beliefs and faith are also powerful driving forces. If we say that ‘faith moves mountains’, it’s because nothing is impossible for those who believe. Missionaries of all times and on all continents are living proof of this.

For the ancient Chinese, all this is contained in the concept of Qi (氣 or Ki in Japanese), meaning that there is no separation between all these phenomena. It’s a whole, a package. Incidentally, this word is found in the dictionary under the translation ‘gas, air, vacuum’ and, in the context that interests us, by the word ‘breath’. If a Chinese person sees someone who is all red and sweating, they will say that he has a lot of Qi. If a child is very restless and constantly needs to move, they would again say that he has a lot of Qi. If a person is full of ideas, imagination, and inventiveness, they too will have a lot of Qi. If he sleeps well and starts his day in top form, that’s still a lot of Qi. If he digests well and has perfect, regular bowel movements, it’s a sign of excellent Qi. In short, whatever happens, it all comes back to Qi, which is the global explanation of the body and its phenomena.

For Westerners, science makes it possible to segment and analyse each type of energy but in the end we’re talking about the same thing. All Westerners who have been to school have had science lessons. They are therefore perfectly equipped to understand what Qi is, provided they understand that for the ancient Chinese it was an indivisible whole. It is everything. Of course, all this can be made more complex, especially by studying Taoist texts but in reality it is very simple, and understanding it depends only on the words we use.

Let’s take this opportunity to talk a little about the etymology of the Chinese character. The character for Qi originally represented the sun and fire as the origins of the phenomenon that creates steam. Then the sun disappeared, and the fire was replaced by the rice which, as it cooks, releases steam and pushes back the lid of the container (pot, pan, etc.). This can be seen and is generally explained using the old character 氣. But this evolution has led to a major semantic change. I often explain to students that this character is missing two crucial aspects: the presence of water and fire. It is the combination of the two that creates energy, and this is how Oriental medicine explains the role of the two Kidneys: one for Yang, or Fire, and the other for Yin, or Water. But for Asians, there’s no need to specify this in the character, because everyone knows that 米, rice, is cooked with water and fire. Hence the presence of the cooked rice character (not the one standing in the fields) in the Qi character.

What’s more, it also indicates that energy is created from food, a shift in meaning that points to the origin of the creation of Qi. In the beginning, it was the universe, the sun, which aligns with classical Chinese medicine, and which comes directly from shamanism. The traditional form brings this creation down to the level of human biology through the digestion of food, rice being the main cereal in the diet. But there was more to come. After the arrival of the Communists, China simplified its writing to make it easier for the people to learn. So the rice character was removed, resulting in a third version of the character as follows 气. Here too we get a very interesting semantic evolution since the vapor, the Qi, is created from nothing or, more exactly, from the Void. This is a very surprising modern character, because the golden rule of Chinese writing is that all words must fit into a rectangle and be balanced and stable. Here, however, we see that this character is no longer balanced but stands on one leg. In other words, if it can no longer stand, it will fall and create movement. In short, the Void creates movement which creates Qi. So, this character is not just a simplification that seems absurd, but refers to a fundamental Taoist notion, that of the Void being the origin of everything.

In Shiatsu, this notion of Qi/Ki is fundamental to understanding what is going on in a living body. Life is the result of a huge number of interactions, and therefore movements. All anatomical-physiological systems are about this. The respiratory system involves mechanical movement, gas exchange, hormones, electrical impulses and so on. The same goes for the cardiac, nervous, muscular, bone and digestive systems… the list goes on. In the Eastern view, it is Qi that makes everything move, evolve, transform and circulate.

If there is an imbalance in this circulation, we will find either stagnation (停滞 in Japanese Teitai), excess (実 Jitsu) or a lack of energy (虚 Kyo). We also talk about correct, harmonious, balanced energy (正氣 Seiki) both internally and externally, climatic factors (such as Wind or Heat) or perverse, unbalanced, non-harmonious energy (邪氣 Jaki) both internally and externally (Wind attacks, Heat dries out…).

The body produces many signals to indicate situations of imbalance, long before these become sensitive (pain) or visible as symptoms (e.g. redness). A Shiatsushi will therefore be able to treat an imbalance before it triggers an illness. No illness arises spontaneously, otherwise it would be called an accident. Diseases are processes that arise and then develop. By their own admission, hospitals generally detect cancers at stage 3 or 4. Energetic practitioners seldom talk about diseases, there’s a good reason for this: they are able to intervene before the disease appears, before it is given a name, what the hospital world refers to as stage 1 or 2. So they don’t know whether it’s this or that disease, they’re incapable of knowing that. On the other hand, they can restore the body’s homeostasis, i.e. bringing the Qi back into balance. This doesn’t mean that they can’t rebalance energy at more advanced stages when illness has already invaded the body, but in such cases, their work will complement Western medicine. In terms of prevention, however, they can act effectively on their own. That’s why Shiatsu has a major role to play in preventing illness and maintaining good health.

But let’s remain humble and remember the Chinese saying that ‘good health does not augur well’, because nothing is eternal and everything is in motion.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF MERIDIANS IN SHIATSU?

There are several answers to this question. Meridians are a legacy of ancient Chinese medicine – and ‘channels’ is a more correct translation of the Japanese word Keiraku or the Chinese word Jīngluò (经络). There are 72 meridians(2) and in Shiatsu we generally study the 12 main Meridians and the 8 Extraordinary Vessels. However, this is not true for all styles of Shiatsu, since some choose to do without them and others to study all or almost all of them. This brings us back once again to history, and to the three main Japanese branches which form the basis of today’s Shiatsu.

The first is the classical branch, also known as ‘martial Shiatsu’. Experience with kyusho (or vital points) as well as kuatsu (resuscitation techniques) has long shown the effectiveness of violently disrupting energy – with the aim of generating pain, knocking out or killing a person – but also of using these to resuscitate a person. When the martial arts schools (principally Hakkō ryū Jujutsu and Jigen ryū Jujutsu) incorporated Anma and subsequently Shiatsu, they naturally retained the tradition of using the meridians to aid recovery, to free the martial artist from pain, and even for resuscitation when necessary. But they also embraced the use of bandages and splints, an understanding of anatomy and the ideas of osteopathy to address damage to martial artists from brutal training. We could say that this is the traditional branch of Shiatsu, in the sense that it preserves the knowledge of classical Chinese medicine, also known as Kampo medicine in Japan.

The second branch is the so-called modern branch, also known as ‘anatomical Shiatsu’. In order to practice in a Japan under American occupation, it became necessary to use the same kind of language as the occupiers. To this end, Shiatsu schools had to get rid of anything to do with energetics that seemed too old, obscure, or hard for a Western mind to understand (even if they still taught the meridians). The emphasis then was on anatomy, physiology and pathology, in addition to the technique of finger pressure. As a result, these schools (Namikoshi, etc.) were able to gain official recognition from the Japanese Ministry of Health, and are the only ones authorised to award a state diploma. This process of dissociation from tradition was already at work in Tenpeki Tamai’s first book, where he coined the word ‘Shiatsu’.

The traditional and modern branches both began in the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s – under the influence of Okuyama sensei on the one hand and Namikoshi sensei on the other. The third branch developed a few decades later, between the late ‘60s and the ‘70s. It can be described as neo-traditional, since it heralded the full return of the meridians to the practice, with the addition of meridian extensions. Launched by Shizuto Masunaga’s (yet unfinished) research, it spread rapidly throughout the Western world until it became the major style. But as everything is in motion and evolves, Masunaga’s vision that there were other ways of working the meridians gave rise to other creations.

This was the case with the approaches of Ted Saito in Canada, Ohashi in the USA, Endo in Japan, etc., each adding new ideas to the edifice. Then Westerners followed their masters, and today we are witnessing ever more creations and innovations in the vision and use of meridians. This shows both the vitality of Shiatsu and the use of the meridians. At the same time, there is a real risk of profoundly distorting Shiatsu – of taking it so far from its roots that it will be difficult to continue calling it that.

Here we can see the importance of knowing the history of Shiatsu. A study of Namikoshi’s kata charts shows that the tsubos chosen are mostly located along the meridian lines. So, at the end of the day, we can say that all branches of Shiatsu are based on the principle (more-or-less-emphasised) of the meridians. So, wherever you look in the world of Shiatsu, meridians are omnipresent.

As I said earlier, it’s relatively easy to explain to the scientific world what Ki is. However, things get more complicated when you try to explain that this same Ki flows through channels and in certain directions. Here again, it’s not enough just to talk about it, you must be able to demonstrate it visually, because scientists are all descendants of St Thomas who said: ‘I believe only what I see’. This is why, during public demonstrations of Ryōhō Shiatsu (particularly at medical universities), we attach great importance to visually showing the immediate impact of the meridians and points on the physical body and asking participants to do the exercises to see for themselves. It only takes a few seconds to understand the reality of the meridians, without anyone having been able to prove them scientifically. So, for the moment, we’re faced with the enigma of something that has an immediate effect but that nobody understands scientifically. Personally, I think it’s only a matter of time before we find a way of demonstrating their existence. We know how to measure all sorts of waves and electrical circulation, including on and in the body, we know about the piezoelectricity generated by the movement of fascia, and we should be able to explain the paths of energy, at least partially, using tools that have yet to be invented. But on the day we can do that, we’ll realise that this is a limited view of the phenomenon, because nothing can describe life in all its complexity. As Laozi said: ‘The Tao that can be spoken of is no longer the eternal Tao’.

Whatever the case, whether we consciously use our knowledge of the meridians or not, the practitioner is in contact with a ‘flow’ that circulates in the body, especially when we take the time to slow down and listen to the sensations coming up from our fingers and hands. Or rather in contact with ‘flows’, because, depending on where you place your hands or thumbs, the intensity, variability and depth will vary. This is how you gradually come to understand the nature of the meridians. Try simply placing your thumbs on the Liver meridian and staying there for a good 5 minutes, say on the inner thigh. Then repeat the operation, but on the outer thigh, on the Gall Bladder meridian. It quickly becomes clear that the sensations perceived are not at all the same. Ideally, this test should be done with a healthy liver and gall bladder. Ki disturbances (e.g. Stagnation, Emptiness, Excess) are also very clear, but they completely change what we perceive.

At first, when you start to follow the meridians, you’re not sure why you’re drawn to this or that point. Then, with a little practice, you realise that, for example, a point is hard, tense or painful. One point in a whole series – but why this particular point? Does it have an impact on the whole pathway – and on the organ connected to it? Beginners often cannot answer this question. On the other hand, when the point is unblocked, the receiver will show us how they feel, generally indicating an improvement, relaxation, internal sounds of loosening, better distribution of heat in the body, less physical and psychological tension, and so on. All these signals are evidence that a beginner can only observe and say: it works. When I was a student, I didn’t really understand what I was doing, but I definitely recognised that it produced results. It was only with time, practice and a more in-depth study of the points and meridians – the energy qualities and their circulation – that I began to understand better what was going on.

Does this mean that meridian treatment is itself a panacea? That all depends on what you’re trying to achieve. If you need to reposition a vertebra, that’s likely to take a long time using just the points. Anatomical knowledge, muscle relaxation, stretching and mobilisation will be much more effective in achieving this goal. This is more anatomy-oriented work. But if you want the vertebra to stabilise longer-term and not revert to the ‘wrong’ position, then using the meridians will be more interesting. Conversely, in the case of depression, it’s not enough just to look after the physical body, or the treatment will likely take a very long time. This person does not really need e.g. muscle relaxation. However, rebalancing the Ki in the meridians will have far more relevant effects, in the medium or even short-term. So clearly you need to know what you’re doing, and there’s no panacea.

One of the strengths of using the meridians is the ability to read the human body in a different way. The dense network formed by the 72 meridians provides a particularly useful and precise grid for explaining the symptoms that arise in our receivers. If they have been struggling for a long time with symptoms that conventional medicine does not understand, then the meridians often easily provide different and very useful explanations for the sufferer. ‘Why do I always get a cold sore in the corner of my mouth?’ The path of the Large Intestine gives us the beginnings of an answer, and we can associate this sore spot with that organ. ‘Why do I have dry skin at the inner corner of my eyes with inflammation of the lacrimal glands?’ The Bladder pathway comes to the rescue. Chronic pain in the shoulder blade? The pain is probably located in the Small Intestine meridian or its Luo, and so on. This viewpoint may seem unusual to patients, but it is readily accepted once we explain the relationships between the organs, the meridians and their symptoms. The strength of the meridian system lies in the fact that it is part of a perfectly logical and very complete system known as Oriental medicine (Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese). When a system – of theoretical explanations, biological interactions, and results – forms a coherent whole, that same system becomes perfectly functional. Of course, it evolves in a different world from that of Western medicine – but it works. Those who don’t understand it or who speak ill of it (from fields such as ayurveda, shamanism, anthroposophical medicine or whatever) are generally those who haven’t studied it as a whole or even tried it.

The other advantage of the meridians is that they influence the Ki, the vibratory quality of the body. Everything in the living world has a more or less complex wave that circulates at higher or lower frequencies. In the case of animals and humans, it is more complex because each part of the body functions at a different rhythm: the brain, for example, works much faster than the mechanical body. The same applies to the organs: for example, the liver is much slower than the stomach, particularly when it comes to cell renewal. Each part of the body thus has its own rhythm of functioning, its own energy frequency. This complexity can lead to a myriad of disturbances which may end up creating imbalance. We’re talking about interference from the mind, the spirit, the emotions, industrial food, stressful lifestyles, inappropriate activities, loss of meaning in life, external aggression of all kinds, pollution, trauma, physical accidents, and the list goes on…