Shiatsu Massage

In the western world, the massage technique known as shiatsu has come to be known by many names. Some of these names are barefoot shiatsu, namikoshi shiatsu, oha shiatsu, shiatsu-do, macrobiotic shiatsu and Zen shiatsu. However, most of the forms shiatsu has taken in the western world only use the basic principles that make up what the original shiatsu is, and are at times radically different.

Shiatsu is a Japanese massage technique that literally means "finger pressure": the word "shi" means "finger" while "atsu" means pressure. It is a massage technique that has been existence for over 2,000 years, and is actually a derivative of the ancient Chinese massaging and healing method of acupressure.

Just like acupressure – and acupuncture – it is believed in the practice of shiatsu that the body consists of 14 meridians, which each meridian corresponding to a major organ of the body. These 14 meridians serve as a channel through which energy or chi flows. An unhindered and balanced flow of chi in the body translates to good health.



Because chi must flow freely and in balance through the body, it is also believed in shiatsu that when chi is blocked, the body experiences illness. Illness also happens when chi is depleted in certain points in the body while flowing in excess in others.

In shiatsu massage, the aim is to remove the obstacles that block the flow of energy through the meridians of the body. It also seeks to restore the balance in this flow of energy. The removal of these obstacles and the restoration of balance in the body are done by pressing the fingers – and at times the elbows, knees and feet – on the acupoints, also known as pressure points, along the meridians of the body. The shiatsu therapist also manipulates the areas adjacent to these pressure points to further stimulate the body’s capacity for healing and to enhance the feeling of wellness.

Conventional western medicine does not have any proof that the meridians through which chi flows actually exist in the body, and so shiatsu and similar healing techniques are treated as complementary medicine. However, just like the other massages and healing techniques derived from acupressure, it is proven that pressing the acupoints in shiatsu helps in stimulating the release of endorphins and energizes the immune system, coaxing the body to fight against disease. Shiatsu can be used to address various health issues, from muscular pain to digestive pain and even emotional pain.

Shiatsu massage can be intense, and so it is not uncommon for patients to find themselves laughing or crying, wanting to shout out or be still, or display other emotions during the treatment. This is taken to be a sign that the energy flow within the body is being restored to the way it should be.

After a session of shiatsu massage, a client should feel a deep sense of calmness, relaxation and contentment. However, he or she should also expect to feel symptoms of cold and flu after the first couple of sessions; it is a side effect of shiatsu that is also taken to be a sign that the body is well on its way into mending.

Swedish Massage

Most of us experience stress in varying levels on a day-to-day basis. Stress is not good for the health because it makes our muscles tense and bunch up, causing pain. Also, it makes the organs of our body function under duress. That is never good.

Massage is meant to alleviate pain and enhance the body's health.
Swedish massage is considered to be among the most basic methods of massage and is among the first styles of massage that new masseurs get to study. Developed by Henrik Ling in Sweden in the 1700s, Swedish massage is particularly to allow the body to absorb more oxygen, thereby rejuvenating the body. Swedish massage is also geared towards detoxification by increasing the speed by which the cells of the body eliminate their waste materials.
But more than these, Swedish massage brings to the receiver an immense feeling of satisfaction and relaxation.

There are six techniques used in administering Swedish massage. These techniques are the following:

1. Effleurage. Effleurage is the technique most people associate with massage in general and Swedish massage in particular. In doing effleurage, the masseuse makes use of long and sweeping strokes that cover more than just one area of the body. Though it makes the client feel like his muscles are being broken down, the purpose of effleurage is actually to connect one part of the body to the others.

2. Friction. Heat makes the muscles relax and friction is used to make the area to be treated warm up. A masseuse would make use of the friction technique by rubbing the palms of her hands vigorously on the surface of the client’s skin. She can also do this by rubbing her palms together and then laying them on the skin of the client.

3. Petrissage. Petrissage is the act of kneading and squeezing the muscles of the body. Petrissage does not target or focus on any particular part of the body, but the process of kneading the body’s muscles allows for deeper and more penetrating effects of massage.

4. Tapottement. Tapottement are strokes that aim to energize the area of the body that the masseuse is treating. This is done by chopping the area with the sides of the hands. It can also be done by hitting the area being treated rhythmically with cupped or fisted hands. Tapottement is aimed towards energizing the area being treated, yet at the same time making it loosened and relaxed.

5. Traction. Traction involves pulling at the arms and legs of the client, and sometimes also the head. The act of pulling stretches the muscles of the client. Traction is always done as part of the last portion of the massage routine because pulling needs to have the muscles relaxed; otherwise, it would hurt.

6. Vibration. The vibration technique is used by the masseuse to shake up the area of the client’s body that she is treating. This is done by moving the heel of the hand, or sometimes the side of the hand, or even the fingertips, forward and backward across the skin to loosen the muscles of that particular area.

Foot Massage

The feet are the most abused and yet the most neglected parts of our bodies. Our feet support our weight when we are standing, which can be too much if one is overweight or has been standing still for a long time. Whenever we walk or run, the first to feel the shock of the contact between the ground and our bodies are our feet. We keep our feet confined in shoes and socks or stockings for most of the day. The ladies are prone to stressing out their feet more because of the ridiculous necessity of wearing high heels. No wonder our feet hurt so much at the end of the day!

This is why a good foot massage at the end of the day can be an exhilarating experience. Practitioners of reflexology and alternative medicine claim that the nerve endings on the foot correspond to a specific organ of the body, and so massaging certain areas of the foot is like massaging that particular organ to which it is linked. Whatever claims these practitioners of reflexology may have, the simple fact is that foot massage is so terrific that many who get them on a regular basis are ready to state that it is almost as good as getting a full body massage.

Touch Therapy

Touch is a very important part of human contact. It helps us feel connected and loved by those around us.
Massage uses touch through rubbing or kneading of parts of the body to aid circulation, relax the muscles, or provide sensual stimulation.

Massage is one of the oldest, simplest forms of therapy.
The basic goal of massage therapy is to help the body heal itself and to increase health and well-being.

There are many health benefits to receiving massage therapy on a regular basis:


Relieves stress
Encourages relaxation
Improves circulation
Improves posture
Lowers blood pressure
Helps manage pain
Relaxes muscles
Improves flexibility
Improves breathing
Relieves tension headaches
Strengthens immune system
Decreases depression
A good massage is an exhilarating experience.