Press on With Shiatsu Healing

GET your chi to flow harmoniously with a therapeutic Shiatsu massage. MANVEET KAUR writes.

OUR increasing acceptance of alternative health treatments has generated much interest in the wonders of the “healing touch”. One of the lesser known of the “touch” therapies is Shiatsu.

According to shiatsu master Bryce Lee, 56, this traditional healing art from Japan makes use of firm pressure applied by the fingers to specific points in the body to balance the flow of the chi, or the vital energy.

Our chi circulates throughout our bodies in invisible channels known as meridians. Lee explains: “A harmonious flow maintains our well-being. When the chi is blocked, is overactive, or depleted, an imbalance is created and illness is the result.

“Our chi can be influenced by stimulating the points (tsubos, or acupoints) of its entry and exit in the body in those places where it is most concentrated.”

Shiatsu is rather different from a deep massage – no oils are used and disrobing is unnecessary. It is similar to acupuncture, that is, concentrating on the body’s pressure points but without employing needles.

“Pressure is applied with the thumbs, palms and even elbows. The treatment helps get rid of toxins such as carbon monoxide and lactic acid build-up. At the very least, it relieves pain and increases one’s range of motion,” he says.

A former physical education schoolteacher in Sandakan in Sabah, Lee left for Tokyo in the early 1980s to learn Shiatsu therapy. It involved a four- year course at the prestigious Japan Shiatsu College, and then three years of clinical training. He is proud to be the first foreigner to graduate from the college.

“Upon graduation, I had to sit for a national exam set by the Japanese Ministry of Health to obtain a practising licence,” he said.

While relatively new to Malaysia, shiatsu massage therapy is considered standard medical practice in Japan. “It’s commonly accepted medical treatment there,” says Lee, explaining that there are Shiatsu clinics everywhere.

The therapy is also prescriptive. Lee says that every person gets his or her own unique treatment, depending on what the individual needs are, for instance, the root of the pain may be determined to be tendonitis or something in the body may be structurally weak. “It’s deep tissue work,” says Lee of the Shiatsu touch. “You feel it, but it shouldn’t hurt.”

Lee treats a variety of ailments including migraine, insomnia, facial paralysis, scoliosis, diabetes, asthma, and many more.

“It’s also good for nervous disorders and helps to calm and balance,” he says. “Regular Shiatsu sessions will make a person less stressed and therefore more healthy.”

Lee also gives specific stretching exercises, suggests lifestyle changes and trains clients on how to massage their pressure points when at home.

* Bryce Lee can be contacted at Natural Harmony at 03-2094-1335.

Get shiatsu savvy

SHIATSU master Bryce Lee answers our questions on the Japanese healing therapy.

What is Shiatsu?

Shiatsu is a finger-pressure technique which utilises the traditional acupuncture points recognised in the Oriental healing arts. Similar to acupressure, Shiatsu concentrates on unblocking the flow of life energy and restoring balance in the meridians and organs in order to promote self-healing.

What is it good for?

Shiatsu promotes good health so anyone can benefit from this treatment but it is particularly helpful for stressrelated conditions such as headaches, migraines, anxiety, depression, insomnia and fatigue. It can also help with asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, catarrh, digestive disorders, painful menstruation, arthritis, back pain, sports injuries and circulatory problems.

What can you expect during a Shiatsu session?

Shiatsu practitioners begin a consultation shooting questions about the client’s medical history, lifestyle, emotions and responses to various foods.

Shiatsu can be administered on the floor, on a carpet, or on a futon. The patient can be in a variety of positions such as lying on the back, the stomach, the side, or even sitting up. The therapist will locate the relevant pressure points and execute stretching manoeuvres in any one of these positions. However, the choice of position should be one which is most comfortable to both therapist and client.

What to watch out for

Tell your therapist if you are pregnant, as certain tsubos should be avoided. Also inform your doctor if you have cancer, AIDS or chronic fatigue syndrome, high blood pressure, epilepsy, osteoporosis, thrombosis or varicose veins.

Alcohol, heavy meals, hot baths or showers and vigorous exercise immediately before or after treatment can negate benefits.

How much would it cost?

The first treatment and consultation costs RM100. Subsequent sessions are RM80, with each lasting about 45 minutes.