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Zen-Shiatsu
History (Abridged version)
If we were to go back, far back into history (that is much
longer than you born...long time!), we will come to a time when many of the now, known
cultures, and perhaps some no-longer-in-existence cultures were all one and there were not
so many distinctions. We will find that the basic philosophy was the same. We will
find the "Science of Life" which in Sanskrit is called "Ayurveda". Different words
are used in different cultures depending on the language of course, still amounting to the
same meaning.
An illustration of how you can find common roots in many cultures. Take
the word "Tara" in Sanskrit means "star" also means
"the way" especially since people used the stars to chart courses
for their journeys. People depended on the stars to lead them and during the
course of time revered them and personified them some cultures refer to them
as goddesses and some as gods, because of that reverence. Then there came
many different kind of taras in India certainly and mostly in Tibetan Buddhism
showing them 'the way' of whatever they need directions for, for example the
God or Goddess of learning. An individual could pray to whichever Tara he or
she wanted. As time passed many Taras were born. We cannot go into a
detail study of this here, but one can look at the word 'Tara' and see how the the
word "Torah" of the Judaic system referring to the "the
Way" is related and over on the other side (China) the word
"Tao" which also carried the burden of the same word meaning
"The Way" and for those who do divination methods using the
"Tarot" cards...the caption is "follow the way" .
In much the same way Ayurvedic, meaning "the science of life" has its
roots in many cultures, is prevalent everywhere whether accepted or not. I am
sure that there are many words having the meaning "Science of Life".
As the rigors of life continues, the body breaks down through stress,
social and environmental factors, personal endeavors and wrong actions based
on wrong understanding, certainly there are other family matters, and people
become ill or sick. For the people who lived in the valleys, whenever they would become ill or sick, they would use the herbs and food that were grown
in the valleys to heal themselves. So too, for the people who lived in the
mountains, when they got sick used the herbs and foods that were local to the
mountain to get well. The
alternative solution would be to travel very long distances for medicines, was existent I am
sure, but that was not practical or even viable.
The result was as we can see immediately in this example that we ended up with the
"valley medicine" and with "mountain medicine" out of the same basic
understanding of the human being... hmmm!! It is then, not so difficult to understand why
there are so many different nuances in the medical system, as time progressed. But it
really does not matter what we call it really..."A rose is rose by any other name it
is still a rose".
Medicine was deeply rooted in the philosophy and practices of the region, which
included the diseases of the mind and how it affected the human beings...there seems to be
no account of psychology as we know it today. But Psychosomatic diseases that occurred
were often cured more easily by the local doctors with their 'magic potions'
and elixirs, which modern western trained medical doctors still cannot
cure.
Problems that are generated from within cannot be cured from
outside.
As cultures developed their own identities,
each group kept with them their practices. Each one of course would claim that they were
the first, and there is really nothing wrong with that! Which parent does not call each of
their children aside and tell them personally, that you are my favorite and my chosen one.
This makes the child very happy and is very healthy for the child's self-esteem. So too,
each group thinks that they are the first and perhaps that controversy will continue...
But not important here.
Centuries ago, Buddhist monks practiced Tai-Ji (Tai Chi) and Qi Gong- meditative
movement revealing and cultivating the vital life force. They believed this force, Qi
(pronounced “Ch’I”, in China, “Ki” in Japan and known as
“Prana” in India), was inseparable from life itself. They revealed that this
life force animated the causal body, the subtle body and the physical body. Not only body
, but also the energetic force of the entire universe. Oriental and Eastern Medicine is a
philosophy of preserving health (as in Ayurvedic medicine), and is based first and
foremost on an understanding of the ultimate power of this life force. In contrast to much
of Western medicine, Oriental Medicine is preventative, strengthening the immune system to
ward of disease.
Philosophically speaking this universal energy Ki is
manifested in a dual form both as Yin: cold, dark and “interior,” and Yang-warm,
light, and “exterior”, (in the Yogic system "Ha" and "Tha"
respectively "cold" and "hot" hence Hatha Yoga). In fact, Ki is
present in all the opposites, they are actually interwoven and inseparable. The Awareness
of one is only possible because of the other. The balance between them is dynamic like the
motion of night and day or like exhalation in inhalation; as one subsides the other gains
strength. Then the cycle repeats itself. All the internal organs of the body are subject
to this oscillation of the universe.
The world view holds further that Ki, manifesting as yin/yang, makes up the universe in
the form of the elements. Although the ancient masters and seers categorized then into
five elements based on ordinary human interaction, they being: wood, fire, earth, metal,
and water (in the Ayurvedic system the “sister” perhaps of Chinese medicine, the
five elements are: fire, water, earth, air, ether).
Traditional Chinese Medicine |
Ayurvedic Medicine |
| Fire |
Fire |
| Earth |
Earth |
| Water |
Water |
| Metal |
Air |
| Wood |
Ether/Space |
These five elements also represents our bodily constitution as human beings, making us
one with the universe. Ki flows into our bodies, up from the earth in its yin form and
down from the heaven in its yang form. This Ki flow through channels or energy currents in
our bodies. According to ancient texts there are 72,000 channels of which
there are 108 major ones and further 36 major channels and further there are 14 major
ones known as "meridians" which can be manipulated externally to induce a
healing effect. Of these are the 12 classical meridians that has become famous through
acupuncture. A beyond these 12 are 6 very power one then 3 and finally the 1
most powerful energy current that flows in the central spinal column. These meridians do not directly correspond to any anatomical component
recognized by Anglo/American medicine.
Man is a field of energy currents flowing along definite
channels.
To understand the flow of Ki compare the meridians to a
series of relay stations through which this current has to pass. As it passes
through these stations there is an electromagnetic field set up. Which sets up
a dynamic condition , that allows
the energy current to flow through to the other station. Wherever there is and
electromagnetic field there is going to be
impedances (blockages or slowing down of the flow)
depending on where the current is flowing stronger at any one moment in
time.
Sitting at a traffic light. Ever
wondered why all the lights are not green?! Ever sit in frustration and wonder
how much longer I have to wait? Ever start talking to the light and asking the
light to turn green so that you can go?
This is a common occurrence.
Sitting at a major intersection where there is rows of traffic waiting for the
lights to turn to green so that they have the go ahead to drive on. There are
a series of timers that allow some lights to stay green for a period of time
while all the other are showing red, meaning wait. Why wait? Because there is
already important process, flow that is taking place and to jump this process
there is going to be major chaos.
Even though one might be sitting
there are a traffic light waiting for the light to change to green in order to
proceed, activities have not stopped. Traffic behind is continuing to flow
until they come to a stop behind. And while waiting the individual is planning
to other activities in the mind as to what they have to do when they get to
their destination, or which way to go to get to their destination faster with
less traffic to deal with. Whatever the activities but activities do not stop,
just slows down a bit.
In much the same way the energy flowing through the
meridians and passes through the organs system, flows stronger in one organs
system every two hours, then moves on to the next station in the sequence.
Throughout the day 24 hours passing though 12 systems.
Ideally this energy flow through the 12 systems should
like the traffic lights flow from point to point but is the is a blockage
(light get stuck on red) at any one organ system then suffering occurs.
Example: the stomach is not going to be digesting all the
time, there is a time when the stomach activities is much stronger and
digestion takes place better. So to constantly eat would be to have food pile
up in the stomach until the stomach activity becomes strong again. If the
large intestines are going to be strong for prolonged periods of time…use
you imagination.
Compare the meridians to veins and arteries and the blood
flow through them. "Where energy goes Blood flows". If our blood does not flow
properly, we have high or low blood pressure. If it does not reach our toes, there is some
blockages along the way and they feel dead. If our blood clots, we can have serious
problems. Similarly, unbalanced or stagnant Ki can cause many diseases and ailments. In
fact, Oriental Medicine is based on the principle that every illness, ailments, and
discomforts in the body can be explained in terms of an imbalance of Ki.
Each meridian is related to one of the “five elements”. For example, the heart
meridian is related to the element fire, the kidney and bladder to water. Along the
meridians are “gateways” or pressure points, special places where
restrictions can occur. The therapist helps to free these restrictions and allow a free
flow and restore balance.
Out of the belief system of Eastern and Oriental medicine arose many healing methods,
all directed to the balancing of Ki: Acupuncture, Tuina, Anma, Moxibustion, and special
practices such as, Qi Gong, Tai Chi Chuan, are among the primary methods used along
with herbal remedies for centuries in Oriental Healing Massage.
As time progressed, Japanese monks began studying Buddhism in China (Buddhism
of course has its roots in India as an off-shoot of Hinduism). They observed the
healing methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine and took them back to Japan. There, the
practice of medicine consisted primarily of diagnosis and treatment with massage-type
methods. This information is of course arguable but this is what I was told
while studying the systems. There are four main types of diagnostics that lead the practitioner to an
understanding of the Ki flow from Spiritual to the Physical, they are:
·
Looking i.e. examination especially of the eyes,
tongue, lips, nose and ears (the Five Senses) . Examination with special reference to
color (the Five Colors) and careful observation of the patient's hearing and disposition
(the Five Emotion).
·
Listening e.g. to the heart, the breathing and
particularly the voice (the Five Vocal Expressions). listening also include being to able
to pick up information using the sense of smell (five different odors).
·
Asking. i.e. finding
out by interrogation the history of the disorder and other factors such as sleep, dreams,
bowel habits, work habits, life contentment, etc.
·
Palpating, especially of points on the abdomen,
thorax and on the Channels (Bo and Yu alarm points). Included here is the quality of
the energy in the meridians.
The Japanese adopted the Traditional Chinese Medicine, and enhanced it with new
combinations eventually achieving the form now called “Shiatsu”. With time
Shiatsu became uniquely Japanese
In contrast to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shiatsu combines the principles with
practices similar to those of acupuncture but performed without needles. In later years,
political pressures diminished the spiritual dimension of the art. Then, in the
1950’s and 1960’s Shizuto Masunaga, a Japanese psychologist and student of Zen,
re-incorporated psychological and intended to include the spiritual dimensions to
shiatsu, once again transcending purely physical applications. However his work was left
incomplete, on account of his untimely death at the age of 51.
During his work and research, Masunaga sensitivity of touch increased and he found that
the energy of all the twelve meridians were experienced in both the arms and the legs as
well and this puzzled him and motivated him to travel to China where he came up short of
answers. Then he traveled further to India where he found old charts showing the 12
meridians in the arms and legs. It is my understanding that he learnt methods of
working with the "Nara" in Sanskrit, which seem, in essence to have the same
meaning as the Japanese word "Hara" referring to the "vital
center" .
He came to understand as one account has it, that Traditional Chinese Medicine had
simplified/reduced the emphasis to six meridians in the arms and six in the legs for
reasons that at that time in the country more emphasis was paid to helping people with
physical problems. He continued to use the meridian systems that he found. It became known as the Masunaga extension meridians. This account seems to be rationally
accurate, because or since each cell has all the information about the human system/s
coupled with the fact that the method of pulse diagnosis is used to assess the entire
meridian system. On top of this, if one were to overlay the holographic view that
microcosm represents macrocosm, then one can access the information from anywhere in the
body. Further, since the body is only a projection of the mind...by
understanding the body we have "map" of knowing what is happening in
the mind. Zen-shiatsu bring into view the spiritual/mental aspects.
Zen Shiatsu
The word “Dhyana” which is a Sanskrit word loosely used for meditation became
“Dhyan” in the Hindi language and as the practice and philosophy moved to Tibet
via the Buddhist and Buddhism, the word became “Jhana” or “Jhan”. The
last ‘a’ is a half sound and is sometimes not pronounced. The word
“Jhan” became “Chan” in China and then "San" in
Korea and eventually “Zen” in Japan.
So that Zen is meditation is translated loosely. Combining this meditative aspect with
Shiatsu the term “Zen-Shiatsu” was coined.
Masunaga’s untimely death left the zen part of zen-shiatsu without
standardization and at the mercy of many who does not practice meditation or who does not
know meditation but still use the term zen-shiatsu, this includes some of my own shiatsu
instructors. What I have done is to bring in, the esteemed tradition of Yoga meditation
which I have been practicing since a child into and completing Zen-Shiatsu, perhaps!.
Since or because when I studied with Masunaga’s he helped me to
understand what his intentions were and the very essence of what he was thinking
in his attempt to systematize his thoughts in what is not called Zen Shiatsu.
In the early 1970s, a few Japanese practitioners, including Masunaga’s chief
“disciple” Wataru Ohashi (the founder of "Ohashiatsu"), traveled
to
the United States, where he began to teach Shiatsu to Westerners. Psychological and
spiritual awareness have been extended and deepened by these early teachers, and shiatsu
became an increasingly popular practice, both in the United States and Europe.
Shiatsu is a Japanese word: “Shi” meaning
“finger”, and “atsu” meaning “pressure”. But Zen-shiatsu is
more that acupressure. It is a combination of many different techniques, including
pressing, hooking, sweeping, shaking, rotating, grasping, vibrating, patting, plucking,
lifting, pinching, rolling, brushing, holding, stretching and tractioning which extends
into the fascial system. In one school developed by Suzuki Yamamoto, barefoot
shiatsu, it includes walking on the person’s back, legs, and feet.
These techniques that have been popularized are for the most part physical techniques.
With an awareness of psychological and spiritual implications Zen-Shiatsu has become,
indeed, a kind of dance between the giver and receiver. A unique rapport develops between
the practitioner and client (giver and receiver), because Zen-shiatsu relies on the simple
but powerful experience of touch to awaken the individual’s own healing powers. This
“touch communication” between the giver and receiver is fundamental to all
healing methods and demands the utmost reverence.
No needles, oils, creams, machines, or other mechanical devices,
are needed for the experience of a complete Zen-shiatsu session. The practitioner
uses gentleness, fluidity, and rhythmical motion to work with the imbalances in the
receiver’s Ki. Progressively over a number of sessions, the client can learn how to
assist in the balance of his or her own Ki. People are educated and encouraged as far as exercises and stretches, dietary awareness, rest and meditation techniques
that would be beneficial to them, since healing is an individual thing ultimately. This
entire approach is about Self-transformation, Self-awareness, and Self-education.
Some Zen-shiatsu practitioners use a
massage table; others use the floor in order to apply a wider variety of techniques, if
the floor is used, the person lies on a futon, an exercise mat, or a mattress especially
made for shiatsu. The practitioner then works by kneeling, sitting, crawling, and standing
near the receiver. The receiver remains fully clothed for a shiatsu session the clothes
must be loose, comfortable clothing. The body and/or feet may be covered with a sheet of
blanket. The room is maintained at a comfortable temperature, and soft background music
can help to bring the person to a relaxed state of mind and body. However I prefer to use
the purer tones of chimes which is less distracting to the mind and is more energizing
than electronic sounds.
Ki flows through the meridian pathways in all parts of the body. There are more than
three hundred points along the way. Acupuncture requires the insertion of a single needle
for each acu-point selected. In shiatsu the application of these meridian pathways by he
practitioner’s fingers, knees, or elbows covers several of these critical points
simultaneously. In Zen-shiatsu even though the tsubos (acu-points) are important more
emphasis is paid on the quality of the energy flowing in the meridians and how to enhance
that quality.
Continual evaluation based of the paradigms of Eastern and Oriental medicine is part of
the treatment. It is a supportive; reciprocal, interdependent, and cooperative between
giver and receiver. The healing energy and awareness build in this synergy for both
practitioner and client. As Wataru Ohashi describes “The giver is a receiver and the
receiver is a giver.” Throughout this , the use of the practitioner’s two
hands—mother hand and son hand—allows continuous motion.. the client experiences
no pain, but rather a comfortable feeling of partnership in the awakening of powerful
self-healing forces. A deeper sense of self-awareness evolves and healing occurs.
The intention throughout the session is to be
present and to be in sync with the person’s life process, their whole being, their
rhythm in life, and to be respectful of this. It becomes an honor to touch and dialogue
silently with the body. One's entire body becomes a proprioceptive tool, feeling the energy in
the body, where places are tight, having excessive energy or, in contrast, empty, hollow
areas where the body is lacking energy. I can feel the changes in the energy
patterns as the body is healing and it never ceases to be fascinating as each person is so
different and heals differently. And through the meditative aspect I am able to tune into
the person’s spiritual strengths, and holding till the release comes or the balance
is established. When an opening comes it touches the physical, emotional, and spiritual
sensitivity of the person. The natural healing flow is restored. When this happens, it is
a celebration in giving and sharing.
Zen-Shiatsu truly becomes preventive health care. However, each person is primarily
responsible for his or her own health and well-being and through Zen-Shiatsu one comes to
know the body and oneself in such a way that they are able to fully take charge of their
own health. This contrasts with the Western belief that the medical practitioner is
principally responsible for our health and well-being.
In Western medicine the approach is linear; a problem is the result of something specific
and there is a specific cure for it. In Eastern medicine the philosophy is that we are the
accumulation of many “multi-woven stories” and no one thing causes a problem and
the approach to fixing it is non-linear.
What these stories are and how to change them overall, in order to achieve health is
better harnessed through Somato Emotional Release (SER)
and Meditation. In Western medicine an awareness of the
unique significance of touch—the essential form of communication between two human
beings in the fight to subdue pain and disharmony—has almost disappeared; certainly
it has become minimal. Ironically, in all times and all cultures, the importance of
touch—just touch itself—has been acknowledge as a primary means to mitigate
pain. In the hurried rounds of the Western clinics and hospital where, physician running
around checking charts dictated perhaps by the insurance companies, touch has disappeared.
Most of my recent training in Shiatsu came through the Ohashi Institute in New York City where I
studied and received my Advance Ohashiatsu and Post Graduate work. The most
important input into my knowledge of Zen-shiatsu came from one-to-one training
with Sensei Shizuto Masunaga who was the first to systematized Zen-Shiatsu.
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