Single Body Treatment - Shiatsu
Shiatsu,
is a specific form of healing touch, which offers us a way of
supporting our body at all times of our life. It is a complete
health care system which works with the body’s own resources. This
is both its strength and weakness.
Once
your whole body is scrubbed, which takes maybe ten or fifteen
minutes, you shower it all off without soap, leaving a nice coating
of oil. It's an invigorating treatment, and it's a good idea to get
your scrub before your massage if you're having both.
Shiatsu
stimulates the body’s vital energy (known as Qi or Ki). Shiatsu is
calm and relaxing in nature, yet dynamic in effect; the body begins
to re-adjust itself and healing takes place.
Shiatsu massage
demonstration:
Shiatsu in Pregnancy
Massage
was traditionally one of the main aspects of maternity care. Midwives
were often the local village healers and would give the mother
weekly, or even daily massage during pregnancy. It was one of the
main tools of support in labour and the immediate postnatal period
for mother and baby.
In
current times, pregnancy
care consists more and more of screening and diagnostic tests of
increasing cost and dubious effectiveness. Routine scanning, for
example, has been shown to be of no benefit to either mother or baby,
yet the number of scans continues to increase, supposedly due to the
fact that this is what women want. Letting your beauty therapist know
what it is you want from the treatment will ensure you're opting for
the right one.
There
is an increased acceptance of the benefits of home birth and a
questioning of the high, and increasing levels of Caesarean section
and other interventions.
It was through becoming pregnant
myself in 1989, that I first became excited by the possibilities of
using shiatsu and massage during the childbearing year. Now, 10 years
later, I continue to be amazed at the power of these therapies, to
transform the life of mother and child, and thence the immediate
family, and ultimately the whole of society. Compared to technology,
they are very cheap to implement, they enable a mother to have more
confidence in herself and they address her emotional and spiritual
needs as well as her physical ones.
Pregnancy
and birth is a time of magical new beginnings, and the way women
experience it, sets a pattern not only for their health for the rest
of their lives but also that of their children. If a woman is not
connected to her body and baby, she may experience a difficult
pregnancy, birth and perhaps suffer from postnatal depression and
have trouble bonding with her child. If a woman is connected to her
body, then the chances are she will experience this time as joyous
and life-enriching and be wiser and stronger for it. Even if she has
difficulties, or uses technology, she will still feel empowered,
rather than a victim. Shiatsu and massage are extremely powerful
tools to support this process.
One
of the things which characterises this period, is flexibility.
Pregnancy challenges the mother with its newness and its demands to
adapt. It also challenges us as therapists. I am continually learning
new skills and new ways of being with women. I include work with
breathing, positions, meditation and visualisation as part of the way
I use shiatsu and massage. I see limited benefit in releasing
physical tensions through shiatsu or massage, if the woman is not
guided to be more aware of her posture, and the way she uses her body
each day. Movement and breathing provide useful tools for a mother to
connect with her body, and baby and prepare herself and her baby for
birth. I teach the mother to do some massage or shiatsu for herself
in pregnancy and postnatally for the baby.
(Source:
Suzanne Yates, BA(Hons), PGCE(PCET), MRSS(T), DipHSEC, DipAPNT, CNHC
registered, AOBTA®(Honorary) Suzanne is the founder and main teacher
at Well Mother. She has been developing an holistic approach to
maternity since 1989).
Further interesting viewing:
Aromatic Body
Treatment
Dermalogica
Body Treatment
Check
out the single
body treatments:
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