THE SHIATSU TREATMENT Typically Shiatsu incorporates the application of pressure with rocking, kneading and stretching. The practitioner uses thumbs, fingers, hands, feet, elbows, knees, and forearms. STRUCTURAL ALIGNMENT The Taoists say that the bones are the crystals of the body. They considered bones the storage area for energy. Good bone density means good kidney energy. Kidney energy is the overall vitality of the body. Bones are the densest, deepest, parts of the body upon which all other levels rest. The spine, skull and hips provide the structure for the bodies information system. Any misalignment of these bones inhibits the body's ability to communicate and correct itself. The energy of traumatic events, whether physical or emotional can be held at this deepest layer causing structural imbalances interfering with the flow of information. Also, the force of gravity which is chanelled through proper alignment, puts pressure on any misalignment. This causes pain, and the body responds by creating compensating misalignments. Essentially, this spreads the pain around the system to lessen the impact on one area. The body, through the proprioceptive system continually monitors misalignments and maintains compensation. The energy utilized in this function is how past events deplete our life force, leaving us feeling depressed and fatigued. Structural alignment techniques are passive corrections designed to create space in areas of articulation that are locked down, holding the energy of past trauma in place. This space allows the held energy to release, and the bones to move into proper alignment. It also includes the strenghthening of muscle groups that have become flaccid due to the misalignment. With proper alignment, the receiver feels lighter in the body, an ease of movement and increased energy. Exercises are then recommended to aid in maintaining correct body posture. FASCIA RELEASE Since meridian pathways cannot be seen in the physical plane, the premise of modern shiatsu theory is that the fascia is the conducting tissue of meridian energy. Fascia is a continuous web of connective tissue throughout the body. Being one continous connected organ, if there is constriction, anywhere in the body, it will affect not only the site itself, but create distortion in other areas. This would be analogous to grabbing and pulling on one corner of a sheet of a bed and noticing how it affects the entire surface. This pulling and twisting impedes the flow of Chi in the body. This may be felt initially as pain in one area, but if not released will begin to affect other areas of the body as well as the bodies systems in those areas such as the lymph system, or related organs. My style of Fascia Release is very gentle. Using light traction and intention, I ask the body if it would like to let go, and follow the movement of the fascia as it unwinds what is being held. The body usually responds by moving in reverse direction to the way the original trauma caused it to constrict. When felt through the five senses, this movement can very subtle, but I have learned to access the proprio-ceptive nervous system, the mechanism that monitors and compensates for distortion. Using this sense magnifies the feeling of movement as my body is experiencing the correction as would be felt by the proprioceptive nerves. For example, imagine how the movement of a limb would be experienced by a cell. Fascia worked is most effective when the receiver has entered a deeper level of relaxation and receptivity. There may be some memories, or images bubbling up into consciousness, some tremoring, shaking, or emotional release as one drops into even deeper levels of relaxation and receptivity. These states allow the body to make the corrections needed to rebalance and heal itself.