It was around this time five years ago I took the first steps into what would become one of the most transformative chapters of my life (I’m 40).
On a cold autumn day in south London in 2016, my Shiatsu journey began in a building near Brixton tube station that as to became a happy focal point of my life.
I had accidentally discovered Shiatsu just a few weeks prior. Queuing for a yoga class at the end of my road in Brixton, I spotted a poster explaining Shiatsu. A week later I was lying on a futon receiving Shiatsu from very experienced Practitioner. Karen Livesey.
Two sessions later, I was hooked. I knew I needed to know more.
Fast forward five years and SJA Holistics has “gone global”! I brought SJA Holistics to Goa in February 2020 and set up in a gorgeous boutique resort, giving Shiatsu and Reiki to stressed out tourists on one of the most beautiful beaches in Goa.
This summer I took SJA Holistics to Dharamsala in north India, setting up in a tranquil area of Dharamkot.
After five years of training in and sharing Shiatsu, I’ve now accrued some intriguing insights and experiences about Shiatsu and its healing potential.
Here’s my top five biggest discoveries to date in my unexpectedly incredible Shiatsu journey!
- Expect the unexpected.
Stimulating Ki (energy) to move can lead to some profound shifts in our health which often extend into our life. These shifts may be described as a weight being lifted off, or a sense of lightness. Clients comment “I didn’t realise there was something there that needed to shift”!
One client who visited regularly over several months through a period of burn-out wanted to address her energy levels. We worked to calm her ‘Heart Fire’ and this also helped to re-balance her energy levels. Her unexpected Shiatsu ‘bonus’ was a deeper connection to herself on an emotional level.
2. It’s not only about hands-on Shiatsu.
Restrictions to travel and close contact during Covid-19 prevented hands-on treatment. With so many people anxious about meeting in person, Distance Healing with Shiatsu was an ideal option. I have been contacting people via their etheric field to ignite the energetic changes that ease discomfort. To receive this treatment, you can relax in the comfort of your home.
Also reaching people at a distance are my online Guided Self-Shiatsu sessions. Leading people through using Shiatsu touch, meridian stretches and Qigong has brought clients into a direct experience of their Ki (energy) and taught new skills that can be repeated in your own time.
- A deeper sense of “self” leading to a more conscious experience of life.
My initial experiences of Ki movement during the first Shiatsu I ever received stimulated a completely new awareness of “me”!
As a Practitioner, I love seeing my clients feel the same intriguing, difficult to articulate experiences of their own Ki.
- The treatment begins before you get on the futon.
Shiatsu provides a way to understand the client and recognise discomfort before they have even visited, or before laying hands on. This means I am already forming your diagnosis before you have even arrived!
Listening, asking and looking gives Shiatsu Practitiners insights to your imbalance and more clues are revealed during a phone conversation or when you first enter the treatment room. The pitch and speed of one’s voice, the colour of one’s clothes and the colour of your skin all provide clues that inform the treatment.
- The healing potential of the Shiatsu space.
Working on all four levels – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – means Shiatsu presents a significant healing opportunity. Since we are inextricably connected within, as well as to the whole of life, working to alleviate pain in one area often leads to significant shifts in other areas too.
The treatment room becomes a space in which to exist in your ‘whole’ and a Shiatsu Practitioner is uniquely placed to meet you at every level. We can witness and support your healing journey.
As much as the Shiatsu itself, it is a Shiatsu Practitioner’s ability to listen with empathy and understanding that can set up the ‘Ki-field’ allowing positive change to occur.
“Empathy is about meeting someone where they are, letting them know that you see them, that you’re there with them, that you understand them and that what they’re feeling is valid.” (Source)
To improve your health or to maintain your wellness, BOOK a Shiatsu session for you (or another). There are two options:
- Distance healing with Shiatsu session
- Hands-on Shiatsu session if we can connect in person
