Many forms of shiatsu have emerged since 1940, although its roots go back much further in time. In traditional shiatsu, energy lines or meridians that are associated with organs of the body are compressed with fingers and thumbs to promote healing.
Like acupuncture and acupressure, shiatsu involves stimulation of points along the meridian lines, but the pressure is sometimes applied over a wider area, with palms, forearms, elbows, knees, or feet rather than needles and in addition to precise finger and thumb pressure. Stretching along the meridian lines is also used to address the fourteen meridians in a general way.
Relax and position yourself comfortably on your hands and knees, with your knees hip width apart. After finding a really balanced position of ease, move forward and back, consciously playing with the transfer of weight and gradually adding some circular motion. Become very aware of moving from the abdominal center of gravity, or hara, using it to transfer weight from your center into your hands, holding for a few seconds each time the weight is on your hands, coming to the floor, and then onto your partner’s body, at right angles. This prepares you to provide optimal compressive qi manipulation.
Next, practice centered movement with one hand on your partner’s upper back and the other on his sacrum, rocking your weight forward and holding for a few seconds. Repeat the rocking compressions several times and check with your partner to make sure the pressure is comfortable. Remaining relaxed and using body weight rather than muscular strength is more relaxing for the receiver and less tiring for you.
Although the essence of shiatsu combines diagnosis and therapy, you may use an effective basic routine without an in-depth knowledge of the theories and diagnostic techniques if you are willing to focus and develop sensitivity to your partner’s energy. A general shiatsu sequence lasting seventy-five minutes or so may enhance wellness and assist recovery from illness by positively stimulating the immune system and natural healing abilities without diagnosing and treating a specific problem. No lubricants or scents are used in shiatsu, and music is employed only if it does not interfere with the coordination of breath and compressions.
1. PRESS POINTS ON THE FACE AND HEAD
With your partner lying supine on the mat, sit or kneel at his head and place your fingers on each side of the head. Use your thumbs to press from the midpoint between his eyebrows toward his hairline (about four to six compressions, about a fingertip distance apart), leaning gently into your thumbs on each exhalation (photo A). Then continue compressions to the crown of his head (the bladder meridian).
Place your index fingers on each side of the bridge of his nose and press toward the bridge (the eye brightener point). Then press with your fingers from the medial eyebrows across his brow to the point where his ear meets his face (photo B). This small indentation at the side of the face in front of the ear is useful for relieving headaches. Using your fingers press from the bridge of his nose along the bone below his eye (bladder meridian) toward his temples.
Starting with an index finger on either side of his nose crease, press just below his cheekbone on the liver and stomach meridians and out to his ear (photo C). Immediately below his pupil along this line is a stomach point called Facial Beauty which is very useful for relieving sinus pain and congestion. Pause here for a few breaths if that is an issue. End the thumbing at the lateral face indentation in front of his ear (noted earlier) that may relieve headaches with sustained (a few breaths) pressure.
Press one thumb or index finger in the area between your partner’s top lip and his nose (photo D) on the point called the Middle of a Person on the governing vessel meridian, which is thought to relieve pain, revive consciousness, and reduce fainting and dizziness.
Starting at the center of his chin, pinch along his jaw line laterally to the lateral angle of his jaw. When you arrive at the angle of his jaw, compress or provide friction at the masseter muscle, addressing the Jaw Chariot point on the stomach meridian, which may help with stress, jaw and tooth pain, and TMJ problems.
With one hand on your partner’s occiput, stretch his neck to the left and compress his right shoulder at the Shoulder Well, a point on the gallbladder meridian midway between the point of the shoulder and the neck, toward his feet (photo E). Hold for a few breaths and repeat on the other side.
Roll your fingers in a wave-like action up his neck, starting at the base and lifting your fingers against the back of the neck, and then pull them toward you and repeat, gradually working all the way to the occiput. Place your fingers parallel to his spine. Gently lift your partner’s head off the mat, tilting his chin slightly toward his chest, which stretches the bladder meridian in the posterior neck. Holding your fingers on the occipital ridge at the base of his skull, lean back and create length in his neck and bladder meridian. Rest the backs of your hands on the mat and make small circles just lateral to his spine, moving up and down his neck from the occipital ridge to his shoulders, following the bladder meridian.
Warning! Avoid Palming over Rigid Contact Lenses
Be sure you know whether your partner is wearing rigid contact lense and have him remove them or avoid contact in this hold. Place both palms over his eyes, resting gently, with your fingers toward the bridge of his nose. Hold for several breaths. This is very restful for the eyes and is especially important if you notice a lot of eye movement under the lids.
2. COMPRESS THE SHOULDERS, CHEST, AND ABDOMEN
Scoop your hands under your partner’s shoulders, palms up, and press your arms down on the mat, compressing upward with your fingers between his spine and shoulder blades. Perform circular friction along the medial borders of his shoulder blades (scapulas) to their upper angles.
Thumb deeply, one press per exhalation, from the top of his shoulders next to his neck, out to the flat bone near the lateral point of his shoulder, pausing on the Shoulder Well point, and out to the acromium process, the flat bone at the lateral point of the shoulder (photo F).
Return to his neck, which should be softer and more relaxed, making it possible to compress more deeply. Use either finger presses or circular friction to work from his shoulders to the occipital ridge (photo G), pausing about 1 inch (2.5 cm) before the ridge on the band of muscle just lateral to the spine; these points reduce irritability, fatigue, and nervousness. Curl your fingers at the base of the occiput and hold for a few breaths. The points on the muscle at the occipital ridge running just laterally to the spine are called the Gates of Consciousness and can relieve neck stiffness and pain, headaches, insomnia, and hypertension. Hold here for a few breaths and feel your partner sinking more deeply into a relaxed state.
Press Points along the Collarbone and Sternum
Remaining at your partner’s head, use finger pressure across his chest from just lateral to his sternum immediately below the collarbone and out to his shoulder (photo H). The first point you will press is called Elegant Mansion, which is thought to benefit the kidneys and lungs, and to relieve anxiety and hiccups. As you move laterally, you will press a stomach point and come to Letting Go, a lung point in the hollow below the lateral collarbone that is believed to strengthen the lungs and relieve asthma, irritability, and fatigue. Using both thumbs, return to the center of his chest and very gently press points all the way down his sternum, along the kidney meridian, potentially strengthening the urinary system (photo I).
Warning! Avoid Shiatsu under These Conditions
Do not give a shiatsu massage to a person who has the following condition:
• Has an infectious skin disease, rash, inflamed skin, or unhealed wounds
• Is within weeks post- surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation treatments
• Has weak, previously dislocated, recently fractured, or osteoporotic bones
• Has bruises, tumors, varicose veins, a tendency toward blood clots, or a hernia
Also, on a pregnant woman who has been cleared by her physician to receive shiatsu, avoid thumbing or applying any pointed pressure below the knees, on the tops of the shoulders, and on the web of the thumbs.
Kneel at your partner’s right side and thumb under the edge of his rib cage, moving from the middle out to the lateral ribs, exercising caution to ease in slowly with each exhalation as he may be ticklish along the ribcage (photo J). Following the lower ribcage you will stimulate points on the lung meridian, with respiratory benefits, and at the point of the ribs directly below the nipples you will press a point on the spleen meridian called Abdominal Sorrow, which may provide relief for abdominal cramping, nausea, and indigestion. Once you have reached the lateral edge of the ribcage, thumb back along the line to the center.
Palm the Hara
With continued caution due to the sensitivity of the abdominal area, place your palm on your partner’s left abdomen with the lateral edge of your hand next to his ribcage, fingers pointing toward his right hip. You will be addressing a large primary energy center, the hara, compressing all four corners of the abdomen and below the navel, moving in a clockwise direction. The hara contains large energy areas for essentially all of the body systems, so you may consider this a full-body energy-balancing technique.
Wait for his inhalation and on the next exhale, lean your weight slightly into your palm. Hold the pressure steady on each inhalation and sink in slightly on each exhalation, for three or four rounds of breath. Then move your hand to just below his left ribcage, fingers toward his right armpit, and repeat the palming compression you performed on the other side (photo K). The next position is with your hand along the front edge of the hip bone (ilium) with your fingers pointing toward his groin (photo L) and is then mirrored on the other side of his lower abdomen (photo M), allowing your palm to sink slightly with each exhalation. Place your palm just below his navel and repeat the process there (photo N).
Sink into the Chest
Holding your partner’s right hand in your own, lift it so that his lower arm is perpendicular with the mat and his upper arm is raised slightly off the mat. With your left palm, compress his upper chest muscle (pectoralis) with one or two hand positions, sinking in for a few breaths.
Warning! Back Off a Strong Pulse
If you feel a strong pulse in any position, reduce your pressure until you no longer feel the pulse.
3. PALM AND THUMB THE ARM AND HAND
Still in the same position, continue palming your partner’s upper arm (biceps) muscle, moving down to the elbow and returning all the way to his central chest. Repeat using a C hold to compress the meridians on each side of the biceps muscle.
Place your partner’s arm to the side on the mat. First palm from his elbow to his palm and back to his elbow. Thumb from his elbow down the radial (thumb) side of his arm, all the way to the tip of the thumb on the lung meridian, and return palming up to the elbow. Repeat the same process to the index finger and back (spleen meridian) and to the ring finger (liver meridian) and back. Taking each side of his hand in your hands, with his palm facing down, stretch his arm alternately with one hand and then the other and then fold the sides of his hand toward his palm and open the palm.
Place his hand and arm on the mat, palm down, and palm his arm all the way up to the shoulder and back with both hands (photo O); follow this by thumbing at the ring finger to the point of his shoulder on the triple-warmer meridian (photo P). You will be addressing points on the meridian that are thought to relieve wrist, elbow, and shoulder pain as well as tendonitis, allergies, and tension.
Move to your partner’s left side and repeat the sequence from palming the chest through the arm and hand.
4. FIND THE RANGE OF MOTION IN THE FOOT
While seated or kneeling at your partner’s feet, palm the soles of his feet, pressing them outward. Perform circular friction on the anterior ankles and dorsiflex (press the ball of the foot toward the head) and plantarflex (press the sole of the foot toward the mat) the ankle.
Squeeze both sides of your partner’s right foot in the same way you worked his hand in the preceding sequence, putting his ankle through all of its motions, holding his heel in your right hand and using your left to move the front of his foot, and then pulling first one side of his foot and then the other side toward you, grasping it strongly. Thumb the meridian lines on the top, or dorsal, surface of his foot in the same way the Thai sen lines in chapter 3 are thumbed. Some of the benefits of working the top of the foot include stimulating the liver point, called Bigger Rushing, for relief from hangovers and congestion and to invigorate as you thumb toward the ankle from the big toe. Above Tears—a point on the gall bladder meridian about three finger widths up the top of the foot toward the ankle from the intersection of the little toe and the fourth toe—reduces water retention and helps with sciatica and headaches. Repeat on your partner’s left foot.
Move to your partner’s left side and starting at the ankle, palm the left leg and thigh, leaning into compressions. Then use both hands in C holds to simultaneously compress the gall bladder meridian on the lateral side and the stomach meridian on the medial side. Using your thumbs on the lateral leg, lean in and thumb to his knee and back to his ankle, rocking into the points on the gallbladder meridian.
Remaining on the left side, palm from his knee to his groin and back; then repeat the pattern with C holds along his thigh and return, rocking forward with each compression (photo Q). Bring his knee out to the side, with his left foot near his right knee. Place a cushion under his knee if it does not rest on the mat. Use flat hands to palm along his inner thigh from his knee to his groin and back. Be careful, especially near the knee, as the medial thigh can be tender (photo R).
Rotate his knee upward, placing your left knee to keep his foot from sliding, and rock his knee away from you, palming his lateral thigh along the gall bladder meridian all the way up into the hip area. Lean in, not letting his thigh come fully back to upright when you release the compressions but gradually urging it farther away from you into a greater stretch. You may also thumb up and down the thigh in this position. This work opens the posterior hip and can relieve hip pain as well as increase mobility.
Pull the Heel and Leg
Extend your partner’s left leg and move to his foot, holding it at the ankle and heel, and lean back, giving traction to the whole leg and thigh for a few breaths. This is a nice reverse of the compressive weight our legs and feet carry. Place his leg back on the mat and repeat all of these actions on his right leg and thigh.
Depending on your partner’s size relative to your own and his flexibility, you may then lift his extended legs, stretching them upward as you do so to a position where the soles of his feet are toward the ceiling, and hold for a few breaths. This will stretch the length of the bladder meridian and begin to loosen tight hamstring muscles.
6. TRANSITION TO PRONE FOR BACK AND SHOULDERS
Have your partner turn to face down, using a face cradle or rolled towel to keep his neck in a neutral position. You can use a pillow under his chest if it makes him more comfortable. Kneel with one knee between his legs and your other foot flat on the mat next to his hip. Alternating hands or pressing with both hands at once, palm from his waistline to his shoulders, then back down to the sacrum. Then thumb along the ridge of muscle about 1 inch (2.5 cm) lateral to his spine from his waistline to his shoulders and back down, repeating the thumb about 3 inches (7.6 cm) lateral to his spine.
Palm and Thumb the Back and Buttock
Moving to your partner’s left side, kneel and rock into palming compressions on the right side of his back, alternating your hands from his waistline to his shoulder and back to his hip; then thumb along the same line, sinking in and then pressing away from the pronounced band of muscles close to his spine using both thumbs at once on each exhalation (photo S). Alternately, you may lean your elbows into the muscle and sink straight into it, working up to the shoulder and back.
Leaning forward with your shoulders over your hands, palm along your partner’s buttock, or gluteal muscles, and out to his hip. Kneel on your left knee and place your right foot on the mat just beyond his right hip. Thumb lines starting from the top of his sacrum out to his hip, each time starting lower on the sacrum. Palm the gluteal area again after you thumb lines in the same direction (out to the hip) and continue palming right above this crest of the hip, moving from just lateral to the spine and out to the edge of the waistline.
If you feel comfortable in this position, you can turn your arm parallel to his spine and press just lateral to his spine on the right side of his back. Move to his right side and repeat these two sequences.
Warning! Increase Pressure Gradually
The muscle here, called quadratus lumborum, is a big player in low back pain and may be tender, so only gradually increase the pressure with which you are leaning into it.
With your thumbs, press and hold the indentations all over your partner’s sacrum. These sacral points can relieve pelvis discomfort, whether from labor, menstruation, or sciatica, and may strengthen reproductive organs.
Move to Shoulder
Kneel or sit with your knees apart at your partner’s head. Lean in and thumb right above his shoulder blade, or scapula, from the shoulder joint to the base of the neck (photo T). Traditionally, this is done with one hand, with the other hand resting on the opposite shoulder, but you may choose to thumb both sides at once. Then thumb the middle of your partner’s scapula and lean the side of your hand(s) at the crease above the posterior armpit. All of these points are on the small intestine meridian and are effective for relief of tension and discomfort in the neck and shoulders.
From Triceps to Pinky
Move to your partner’s left side, moving his upper arm out to the side and away from his torso, and support his forearm with your right hand while you palm the back of his arm (triceps muscle) to his wrist and back up to his shoulder. As you palm his triceps, press in from the lower portion of his arm rather than straight down. This will generally address the small intestine and heart meridians. You may thumb the heart and pericardium meridians all the way down to the end of the little finger and middle finger. Repeat on the right side.
7. ROCK THE FEET AND BACK OF THE LEGS
Kneel between your partner’s legs and place your fists on the soles of his feet, rocking back and forth on them several times (photo U). Alternately, you may stand facing his head and gently walk along the medial arch from the front of his heels to the balls of his feet, alternating your weight from one foot to the other. All of these actions will stimulate kidney points on the foot, calming restlessness and possibly alleviating headaches and nosebleeds.
Use flat hands to palm the back of his leg and thigh, starting at his ankle. Palm up to his upper thigh and return to his ankles for the bladder meridian; then repeat the process with the C hold, simulating the kidney, gall bladder, and liver meridians. This provides such possible benefits as reducing knee and other joint pain and stiffness, as well as relieving edema, swelling, water retention, and constipation.
Return to kneeling at the right of your partner and thumb from his ankle, up the center of his leg and thigh, and returning to his ankle along the bladder meridian. You may find it useful to have your right knee next to his right thigh and your left foot on the mat lateral to his left knee.
Move to a kneeling position next to his right hip and place his anterior ankle on your shoulder. Palm the back of his thigh (hamstrings) from above his knee to the top of his thigh and back to his knee (photo V), first with a C hold and then with a flat palm, and finally thumb the bladder meridian on the same pathway. Palming and thumbing on the posterior thigh with the hamstrings relaxed can help release tightness that can contribute to low back pain.
Warning! Don’t Try This on Problematic Knees
If your partner has any knee problems, you may want to leave this next sequence out. Before returning your partner’s lower leg to the mat, use both hands on his foot to swing his knee from side to side. Then, when his knee is away from his torso, use your hand on the sole of his foot to bring his knee as close to perpendicular to his body as possible, with his right foot toward his left knee. First palm and then thumb from the lateral side of his foot, up his calf and thigh, to his hip, and then back to his ankle. You will be addressing the gall bladder meridian, including points on the foot and in front of the ankle bone that may help with shoulder and side pain, ankle sprains, and arthritic pain. At the lateral knee, a point called Sunny Side of the Mountain may reduce knee pain and relax the lower body muscles.
At the most lateral point of the hip, Jumping Circle may reduce hip pain and improve joint mobility as well as moderate frustration and irritation. Extend your partner’s leg as you return it to the mat and kneel at his left side, repeating the actions you have completed on the right side.
Still kneeling on the left side, with your right hand on the front of your partner’s right ankle, flex his knee so that his heel comes toward his buttocks. Your left hand will be pressing down on the sacrum and toward his feet to keep his hips from lifting and to lengthen his back. Hold for a few breaths and then return his right knee to the mat and repeat with his left leg, then with both legs simultaneously. This move stretches along the stomach, spleen, and liver meridians, toning and balancing them. Return your partner to a supine position.
Go to your partner’s feet. Holding his ankles, lift his legs about 1 foot (30.5 cm) off the mat and lean back to create some traction for his legs, hips, and lower back. Bring his legs up higher but not past ninety degrees, stretching the bladder meridian again. Push up using your legs rather than your back to assist in the stretch, particularly if you are smaller than your partner.
Take your partner’s legs farther over, if possible, and as his hips lift, support them with your legs just below your knees. If your partner has no cervical spine (neck) issues, you may place the soles of his feet together, asking him to allow his knees to relax out to the sides. Ideally, you should be able to look down through his arches and see his face. This stretch can relax the lower back and hips after they are warmed up from the rest of the session and will stretch along the kidney and bladder meridians. Bring his knees together and press them toward his chest. Hold and take a few breaths. Bring his feet to the mat and then slide his legs to extend them on the mat, supporting them under the knees all the way down.
Repeat some of the sequence you performed on your partner’s neck, as it may have tightened up some during the other sequences and particularly from lying face down. End with a closing hold on his shoulders or the heart while seated at his head, or move to his left side and place your left hand on his forehead and your right hand on his hara or heart. Take several breaths and then take your hands away very slowly.
