by Robert Wolfe
Shiatsu is a Japanese system of physical therapy based on
the application of pressure to acupuncture points. The term “shiatsu” literally
means “finger pressure,” but the art also makes use of the palms, the elbows and
knees, and even the feet to manipulate the appropriate points, which are known
as tsubo.
In theory, administration of shiatsu promotes balance of the energy
field of the human body and enhances overall health by regulating the flow of ki
along the acupuncture meridians. While development of the knowledge and skill
needed to practice shiatsu as a comprehensive regimen is beyond the means of
most of us, there is a greatly simplified form of shiatsu that is easy to learn,
safe to apply, and which feels incredibly good after a hard workout.
To perform the 60-second shiatsu, direct your partner to lie on her back, in a
relaxed manner, on the floor.
Standing by your partner’s head, grasp her wrists and
lift, arching her back until she starts to slide toward
you. Lower her gently to the floor and shake her arms
for a moment.
Kneel by your partner’s head. Using the middle finger of
each hand, reach under your partner’s head at the
junction of the skull and spine. Limiting contact to
just your middle fingers, lift until your partner’s head
is clear of the floor. Slowly spread your hands to allow
her head to slip gently between your fingers and come to
rest on the floor.
Using the pads of your thumb and middle finger, tap
lightly 10 times on the surface of your partner’s
eyelids.
Direct your partner to roll onto her front, with her
feet resting on the insteps. Using the outside edge of
your foot, press until your partner “taps out.” Press at
the 1) junction of the buttocks and thigh, 2) mid-point
of the thigh, 3) lower thigh, 4) upper calf, 5)
mid-calf, and 6) lower calf. Keep your toes curled up to
harden the outside edge of your foot. Use your left foot
to apply pressure to your partner’s left leg, and your
right foot to press on his right leg. Do not press
directly on the knee joint, or on the Achilles tendon.
Place the sole of your right foot on the arch of your
partner’s left foot and press. Repeat with your left
foot to her right foot.
