Ancient China developed a very intricate system of both medicine and therapeutic body work. Because of the prohibition on human dissection, the study of anatomy did not take place among Eastern physicians. The Traditional Chinese Medicine based body work, as an assessment and treatment model based on living world and pulsation of the Earth, was mentioned in one of the oldest medical books, Yellow Emperor Classic (1000BC). Yellow Emperor Classic speaks about massage when describing suitable treatments of chill, fevers and excess of Chi.
Shen Nong, Chinese physician, sorted herbal medicine in two categories: one of "Four Spirits" and other of "Five Tastes". Shen thought that if drugs or any other medicines or therapy that made your body respond to either cold, hot, warm, or cool should go in the "Four Spirits" group.
Also, the Chinese believed that the heart can house a two dragon spirits: a black dragon and a white one. The black dragon Spirit represented a bad luck and evil force while white was a spirit of eternity and good luck. In order to know if you either have the white or black dragon spirit in you, a physician has to inspect your tongue.
Yellow tongue meant that fire from the dragon has risen in your stomach-black dragon
Purple colored tongue meant that your heart is pumping unhealthy blood-black dragon
a healthy red tongue signified a white dragon spirit.
The Chinese doctors also discovered a way to neutralize the spirit of a black dragon- it was The Heat. In most of the cases it involved an acupuncture needle with burning mugwort (moxa) cone on the top of it.
The heat from the burning mugwort/ moxa was carried through the needle and into the body. This was supposed to both relax the mind and excite the spirit. If there was the black dragon spirit in the body, the Chinese believed that the heat, in general, could make it go away.
Other heat therapies that involved massages, stones, herbs and baths were used in addition to above described, also called moxibustion.
Eventually, five major schools massage schools developed in China and some of them continued until today as parts of Acupressure, Shiatsu or Tui-Na treatments.
Shiatsu (developed form of Anma) literally means “a finger pressure”. This technique has been used widely in Japan for more than a thousand years, both for treatment of illnesses and for general health maintenance.
The practitioner uses palms, thumbs, elbows, even feet and knees to apply moderate to deep pressure all over the body. In fact, the practitioner uses the whole body when giving Shiatsu using a moving in balance and rhythm while unblocking and channeling the energy patterns. Stretches, manipulation and rotation of the joints can also be used to enhance the effect of the treatment. Sometimes certain areas are stretched in order to bring Meridians closer to the body surface. Deep breathing is encouraged because it releases tension and stimulate the flow of Qi. In TCM, disease is seen as a symptom of an underlying imbalance of energy in more or less the integrated whole. In treatment no separation is made between mental and physical symptoms. The body, mind and spirit are seen as aspects of the whole self.
Shiatsu is too complex to be explained in a few hours or a few days. It rather requires a diligent training in both TCM and body techniques.
Shizuto Masunaga, (1925-1981) founder of Zen Shiatsu, developed a touching diagnosis in Hara/Abdomen and in the back Region. As practitioners uses palpitations of the abdomen and back, they should also note a warmth (or lack of it) in different parts of Hara. It may be a starting point for the treatment, or it may be a reference point, re-assessed at the end.
Diagnostically, abdominal palpitation is the primary technique used. Abdominal diagnosis (in Japan: Hara diagnosis) is an ancient Chinese technique that had been largely abandoned in China, but became important in the practice of Kampo (the Japanese practice of Chinese medicine) around the beginning of the 18th century.
"The pressure of the hands causes the springs of life to flow."
Tokujiro Namikoshi
In Eastern Bodywork, Yin and Yang refer more to the direction of Chi (inward/outward movement). To describe quality, a degree of energy, and its intensity, Japanese terms Kyo and Jitsu seem to be more appropriate.
Kyo is referred to as deficient and depleted energy.
Jitsu is referred to the fullness or an excess of Chi. It appears as full and overactive, visible and easy to see.
We evaluate Kyo and Jitsu in two ways:
First though our senses and feelings which enables us to see and to say if someone’s Chi is weak, strong, flowing, heavy
and second, by touching and palpating the person’s body.
Combining the two, we can produce our impression of the person’s condition that will direct the course of the treatment. To determine Kyo and Jitsu, and the various sensations they create in the body, it is the basic assessment in interpreting the Chi. To see a list of article with research on Shiatsu therapy please visit Lev Yehuda's page as well as Tzvika Calisar article on Tao Shiatsu..
"Often the hands will solve a mystery that the intellect has struggled with in vain."
Carl Gustav Jung
Working on Stomach Meridian
Working on Spleen Meridian
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