| The Wonder of Shiatsu by Janet Lang Smith I recently had a Shiatsu treatment for the first time, and it was wonderful. So wonderful, in fact, that I'd love to tell you all about it -- only I can't quite find the words to describe it! I've had regular massages, structural bodywork, and electromagnetic field balancing, but Shiatsu is completely different from anything I've experienced -- and it comes close to defying description! My Shiatsu therapist was Laura Midkiff, a certified Oriental Body Therapist who has a practice in the office of Emery Chiropractic in North Kansas City. She is also on the faculty of the Midwest Institute of Bodywork and Somatic Therapy, where she teaches a course called Traditional Chinese Medicine and is developing a Shiatsu certification program. Laura is a nationally certified graduate of the Desert Institute of Healing Arts in Tucson, Ariz., with 660 hours specializing in eastern medicine and Shiatsu techniques. She has been in practice since 1999, and before opening her practice and joining the Midwest Institute of Bodywork and Somatic Therapy this year, she performed Shiatsu at a medical office in Tucson that integrated both eastern and western medical practices. Treatment begins Before my Shiatsu treatment began, Laura suggested I wear loose, comfortable clothing (sweats are perfect!), and had me lie on a double futon that is placed on top of two massage tables pushed together. It was incredibly comfortable, and I felt relaxed even before she started! Laura started our session by asking if I had any specific physical or emotional issues that she might address during the session. I told her about pain in my shoulder and lower back. But unlike other types of massage that might focus an entire session on those areas of pain, Laura explained that no matter where I was experiencing problems, she would still work on my entire body. "Shiatsu is a combination of physical therapy and acupressure," Laura told me. "Acupoints are stimulated during Shiatsu through the application of gentle, yet deep, pressure." According to Laura, Shiatsu is based on the theory that the body has 14 major meridians: the lungs, large intestine, stomach, spleen/pancreas, heart, small intestine, bladder, kidney, gall bladder, conception vessel and governing vessel. Subtle energy, or Chi, flows through all of the meridians. And because these meridians govern our organs and metabolism, energy must be open and flowing through each. "Shiatsu treats the entire system, and balances the body from head to toe," Laura said. "This type of bodywork brings balance to the body, so the body can heal itself." Throughout the session, Laura worked on my hands, feet, arms, legs, head, neck, shoulders, back, chest face and abdomen. The benefits of Shiatsu, Laura explained, are pain relief, reduced recovery time after an illness or injury, deep relaxation, and increased circulation and energy. Stretching the muscles is a significant part of Shiatsu. "I assist my patients in stretching to relax the muscles, ease tension, and release holding patterns that are associated with pain and discomfort," Laura said. "It works best if the patient stays as relaxed and limp as possible, allowing me to do the stretching for them." Several days after receiving my Shiatsu treatment, I observed as Laura performed Shiatsu on another patient. Her explanations and observations during the one-hour session were fascinating! For example, Laura looked at the woman's complexion and tongue, and said she had "a little heat in the heart area." Laura then explained the eastern medicine sees the body differently. "Diagnoses are made that indicate there is heat, cold, or wind in the body. Aches and pains that move, for example, indicate the presence of wind." Laura talked quite a bit about the preventive aspect of Shiatsu. "Chinese medicine is all about prevention; keeping the body strong to resist pathogens that come our way," she said. I watched as Laura stimulated the organs and massaged the abdomen in a clockwise motion to "stimulate digestion." As she put pressure on the back of the arm -- or triple warmer meridian -- Laura said she was boosting the immune system. And she stimulated all of the nerves down the spinal column, saying that "blocks in the body stifle nerve impulses." It was also very interesting to hear Laura talk about places in her patient's body that were "empty" or "full." For example, the woman's small intestine and spleen were "empty." "Through training," she said, "I can identify meridians that are empty or full. An empty meridian needs additional circulation. Shiatsu releases blocks in the body by treating a nearby empty space. The energy released from the full area fills the empty space and balance in the body is restored." It is difficult to explain everything that takes place during an hour-long Shiatsu session -- there's so much, in fact, that it looks like Laura's job could be quite exhausting. "While training to do Shiatsu," Laura said, "we learn to become centered in the abdominal area and to stay grounded. I am not using my own Chi -- I am using heavenly and earthly Chi that passes both through me and through my patient. And Chi that is drawn from the universe is unlimited. It is important to be physically fit -- but you don't rely on your own strength to do Shiatsu." Laura said she has had tremendous success treating those with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. She has helped athletes with injuries, and those with chronic disorders that found no relief with any other form of treatment. Laura tells about a patient who had a frozen shoulder for four years. She had found no relief with traditional forms of medicine during that time -- but after her third Shiatsu session, had regained 100 percent mobility. "She released suppressed memories of an accident she had been in when she was younger," Laura said, "and that, combined with specific accupoint pressure, freed up the frozen shoulder." In addition to her thriving practice, Laura said she is excited about the Shiatsu program she is developing for the Midwest Institute of Bodywork and Somatic Therapy. "This program will change your life," she says. "It will take four trimesters to complete, with four classes per trimester, all offered on nights and weekends." A career as a Shiatsu practitioner would be perfect for someone interested in alternative medicine and Eastern medicine, and who has a caring, empathetic approach to healing. "Shiatsu practitioners are trained to have an attitude of reverence for all points of the body," Laura said. "The body, mind and spirit -- the totality of the person -- is what we look at. It is a beautiful and highly compassionate way to care for another person." Janet Lang Smith lives in Kansas City and writes frequently on health-related topics. Her book, Ten Things to Help You Survive and Heal While Grieving, was published in 2002 by Forest of Peace Publishing in Leavenworth, Kan. Janet writes a column, "WellLink," which appears every other Wednesday in the Eastern Jackson County Examiner. She owns a public relations firm, Expansion Communications, and directs an organization that provides free dental care to children in need. Copyright © 2004 Janet Lang Smith |
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Jan 2004 |
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