What is Zen Shiatsu?

Zen Shiatsu, literally meaning “meditative finger pressure” in Japanese, is a massage modality based on principles and ideas derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine.  It is believed that Shizuto Masunaga was the first person to integrate elements of shiatsu, Western psychology, and Chinese medicine in the early 1970’s.

Working with a client’s breath, a Zen Shiatsu practitioner uses a variety of techniques such as softening, vibration, finger friction, percussion and point work to trace along the “meridians” or energy pathways described in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The practitioner seeks to realign these pathways and remove any obstacles or barriers that might prevent Qi (pronounced “chi”) from being able to flow freely.

Meridians correspond to various organs in the body and subsequently to the emotions and underlying characteristics those organs are said to manifest in our health. As an example, the Gall Bladder meridian is said to control feelings of frustration or angst and imbalances in this meridian are often believed to cause tension headaches and neck pain. Zen Shiatsu point work performed along this meridian can improve the flow of Qi and restore balance to the body, thereby relieving the headache and associated frustrations and tension.