DEVELOPING YOUR TECHNIQUE

When you have practised the treatment sequence in Part One a number of times, you will find that you can follow it using only the illustrations. Once you are very familiar with the whole sequence, and are effectively incorporating the guiding principles of Shiatsu into your way of working, without thinking too much about them, you should find that the people you give Shiatsu to are receiving definite benefit from it. If so, then you are ready to develop your technique further.

There are four basic ways in which you can take your technique to a more advanced level: by developing your own internal energy awareness with breathing and visualization exercises; by improving your sensitivity to Ki flow in the body of the recipient; through studying the way Ki operates in the body, such as learning the paths of the channels, and the Chinese Five Element system; and by adapting the techniques that you have learnt to different individuals, and to treat specific health conditions.

You will probably find it best to take the material a little at a time, becoming familiar with it and weaving newly-developed skills into regular practice, rather than trying to take it all in at once. Once you are familiar with the more advanced techniques you may wish to pursue a more specialized branch of Shiatsu technique; this is best done by attending classes. Guidance on finding and choosing classes is given at the end of the section.

More advanced work can include adaptation or modification of the basic treatment to suit individual requirements or circumstances.