What is Shiatsu?




Shiatsu is a healing system that allows the patient to get in touch with their own healing abilities. It is a balance – an interactive relationship – between shiatsu practitioner and patient, in which the healing power of both build upon each other to clear and balance the vital life force energy – known as Qi. Shiatsu is a Japanese healing art deeply rooted in the philosophy and practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Incorporating the therapeutic massage of Japan, and more recently embracing its original focus of meditation and self healing.

The word Shiatsu literally means “finger pressure” (‘Shi’ means ‘finger’ and ‘atsu’ means ‘pressure’). Shiatsu is more than pressure. It utilizes a combination of pressure and assisted-stretching massage techniques. It is a combination of many different techniques, including pressing, hooking, sweeping, shaking, rotating, grasping, vibrating, patting, plucking, lifting, pinching, rolling, brushing, and, in one school developed by Suzuki Yamamoto, barefoot shiatsu, it includes walking on the person’s back, legs, and feet.

Shiatsu can be done with the patient lying on a mat on the floor – or on a table. The patient remains fully clothed wearing loose fitting clothing. In our integrative clinic in Boulder, the atmosphere in the area is calm and soothing. You will experience our shiatsu practitioners placing their hands at various points of the body stimulating more than 300 acupressure points.