Our Philosophy

Shiatsu, a Japanese name translating as Shi (Finger) and Tsu (Pressure), was only introduced to the world as a modality as recently as 1900, but its roots go back much farther in what is generically known as Oriental or Chinese medicine. Its founders wanted to give a framework to the amazing intuitive and instinctual powers of healing that were possessed by the blind. The blind healers’ abilities to manipulate and balance the Ki-energy in their patients were second to none. The ancient holistic art of Chinese medicine places its emphasis on constitutional and conditional diagnosis, lifestyle recommendations to suit each individual, and the use of tonic herbs to enhance organ function. Acupuncture and/or acupressure were also applied to balance the Chi, Ki or Lifeforce. The teaching of exercise modalities from Tai-Chi, Martial Arts, Yoga and Contemplation/Meditation techniques were also recommended for people to use on their own or in groups. And lastly, but most importantly, dietary considerations were key. All of this combined is becoming known today as preventive medicine and is being embraced by people who are taking back the power of their body/mind complexes.

Preventative and Integrative

In the ancient Asian model, preventative medicine was the healthcare system for which one paid, and if by chance one should get sick, (which the doctor would look at it as a failure on his part) the treatment would then have no cost, but might require the intervention of stronger potions or surgery and the resulting side-effects and periods of recovery. So it seems that Shiatsu was already integrative in its approach.

What do I bring to the table?

When I started learning the principles and application of Shiatsu, the one thing I consistently bumped into in my mind was the challenge of interpreting, not only for my patients, but in my own brain, a wholly different understanding of the world in terms of yin/yang theory and philosophy, transformations of energy, and socio-cultural uses of both language and interpretation of signs; i.e. Diagnosis. Our western Judeo-Christian culture uses the concept of polarity to describe differences, Good vs. Bad, God vs. Devil, Man vs. Woman, Dark vs. Light, and so on. I not only needed to learn these ancient – but new to me – concepts, but I had to de-program myself of 2,000 years’ of philosophical underpinnings from Aristotle to Freud on which our social, religious and cultural lives had come to rely.

Clients as Teachers

Fortunately, in my newly chosen career as a Shiatsu Therapist, some sage advice was at hand in the beginning: "Your clients are your teachers and do not even consider calling yourself good until you have given 10,000 treatments." I did post-grad trainings regularly and learned differing approaches along with new applications, and after 10 years or so estimated that I must have reached the magic marker; so now I was a good therapist. I was getting moderately successful results - especially in preventing illness.

A New Paradigm in Healing Emerges

Around 2001, new information arrived which would change the course of my practice: one known as the Bodytalk System and the other an understanding of Quantum Physics – the basis of which was the discovery that light is both particle and wave – after all, are we not Light Beings? This also helped to explain in modern terms our duality of form (particle) and consciousness (wave). Form being our anatomy and physiology, and consciousness being our emotions, thoughts, beliefs and so on. The ghost in the machine.

Where and how we store all these aspects of consciousness is the main body of work of neuroscience as well as philosophy. Here’s the rub, though: ancient Vedic texts, Chinese Medicine and Curanderos all over the planet already knew this. I already knew it in my bones, but was struggling to incorporate it in my Practice.

The BodyTalk System, developed by John and Esther Veltheim, was very instrumental in giving me the tools to work with the knowledge stored in my left brain along with the intuitive parallel-processing abilities of the right brain. Through a beautifully simple application of Kinesiology testing, I became able to access information from my patients and develop my treatment protocol according to their own innate need, rather than my agenda. Of one thing I am now sure: our emotional states, belief systems and attitudes affect our anatomy and physiology 100% and, according to the new science of epigenetics, can alter our DNA on a daily basis.

Learn more about epigenetics:

www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3411/02.html

www.brucelipton.com

www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/genes/issa.html

www.sciencemag.org/feature/plus/sfg/resources/res_epigenetics.dtl