First off, here's a quick
explanation of Shiatsu - Shiatsu is Japanese
for “finger pressure” - it is a therapy with it's roots in Traditional Chinese
Medicine. It is a non-invasive physical therapy aimed at relaxing the body’s
nervous system from a sympathetic to a parasympathetic state. Pressure is applied
with the thumbs, palms, elbows and knees and held at specific acupuncture
points along the meridians.
So what can you as a patient expect? Here's what happened during my treatment:
The room is set up similar to a massage therapy room - a massage table is used, the lights are low to create a peaceful environment and there is soothing music playing in the background.
After the paperwork in which your medical concerns are described have been taken, the therapy begins. The interesting thing about Shiatsu is that you do NOT need to disrobe. The therapy is performed right through the clothing.
I started in a seated position and Grace started to work on my shoulders and back. She used her thumbs and forearms to press into hundreds of points, moving efficiently over all the muscles. After 5 minutes I went into a side-lying position and she continued to work along my spine, then hips and legs. She also stretched my arms into a few different positions and pulled them gently which felt great. I turned to the other side and the same motions were repeated. I then laid on my stomach and she worked along my entire back, shoulder and back of legs and feet. It felt incredible. Her thumbs are surprisingly strong - I thought she was using her elbows but she said that doing Shiatsu for over a decade has built her strength in her hands.
Her thumbs press down and move to the next point usually each second, it's quick but very relaxing. VERY relaxing. With each press I felt the tension melting away and the trigger points disappearing. I was thinking about how great a runner would feel having Grace work on their legs, as she treated my tight calves and hamstrings!
I then turned onto my back and Grace worked on my shoulders again but this time UNDER my back - Grace explained to me that she targets the same muscles but in all different positions because muscles are 3-dimensional and each position allows her to work on different aspects of that muscle.
She then worked on my scalp which was my FAVORITE!! Who knew so much tension was held there, but the pressing and kneading released so much tightness and felt wonderful. We finished with some work over the belly (I had complained of some chronic digestive issues). That was a different experience than anything I'd ever had.
The whole treatment was one hour in length and felt simply amazing. Grace uses Shiatsu to treat a variety of conditions (migraines, hormone imbalances, stress, mobility issues, digestive issues etc) but also helps people maintain great health. For those of you that could benefit from acupuncture but are scared of needles, you can get many of the same benefits from Shiatsu! I HIGHLY recommend you try it, and you may be surprised to learn that it may be covered under your health benefits!
Next, I may be seeing Grace for a Reiki treatment or some cupping (those services are also currently being offered)! We are thrilled to have Grace part of our team and to be able to offer Shiatsu therapy in Barrie!
Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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1 comment:
Remember the movie Avatar?
Where all those blue people were connected by an
“energy”?
They were able to communicate with plants and
animals?
Well, that is not just a fantasy.
It turns out that kind of “energy” is real.
Deepak Chopra wrote about a study, where scientists
saw monkeys dipping potatoes in saltwater before
eating it.
Then they saw the rest of the tribe doing it.
Pretty logical so far right?
But get this: Monkeys in different parts of the WORLD
started dipping potatoes in salt water.
There was no way they could have communicated
with each other.
The only explanation was that they communicated
through an invisible, “intelligent energy.”
The Japanese call this energy “Ki”.
It stands for “Life Force”
In fact, a man named Mikao Usui developed a
SYSTEM of healing called Reiki.
And this system of healing uses this intelligent energy
to heal people.
It is one of the most ancient, profound and
POWERFUL healing arts in the world.
Reiki masters can HEAL just by touching someone
with their hands.
They can also heal people REMOTELY using their
intention.
It’s amazing.
It USED to take YEARS and THOUSANDS of dollars
to become a Reiki master.
But this guy named Owen Coleman discovered how
to attain these healing powers rapidly.
Even in as little as 48 hours.
According to him he already had this power, but
don’t realize it. And that’s we don’t have to spend too
much time learning it.
We just need to recognize it and release it.
[Check out his presentation on Reiki here.]
Alright, till next time.
Yours Truly,
Chandalie Perera
P.S. - Owen is offering a special training that
won't be around forever.
He's planning on releasing his training methods on
a large scale.
But for now, it is invitation only.
So, if I were you, I'd take advantage of that as well.
Look forward to hearing from you!
[Click here]
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