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Benefits & Origins of Shiatsu
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Who Can Benefit from Shiatsu?
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Men, women and children can all benefit from Shiatsu.
It can relieve problems with arthritis / muscle pain & stiffness, back, neck and shoulder pain, circulation, constipation / diarrhea / digestive problems, depression, fatigue, fibromyalgia, headache, hypertension, insomnia, infertility, impotence, lupus, menstruation, migraine, palpitations, pregnancy, respiration / sinuses, sciatica, stress, sweating disorders, TMJ syndrome, weakness of the limbs and more. Shiatsu
is also a great style of massage for general stress relief and relaxation. It promotes general well-being: physically,
spiritually & emotionally.
Lotus Way Shiatsu Clinic offers
two locations: in Westmont just minutes by car from the communities of Downers Grove, Clarendon
Hills, Hinsdale, Oak Brook, Darien and more; and in Evanston within easy reach of Wilmette, Glenview,
Lincolnwood, Skokie, Morton Grove and northside Chicago .
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Take Advantage of a very Special Discount for New Clients / First Visit ••
Call 630-887-7278 for an Appointment
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 Shiatsu is a Japanese natural healing art deeply rooted in the philosophy and practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Shiatsu combines the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine with practices similar to those of acupuncture but is performed
without needles. This could include techniques like pressing, shaking, rotating, stretching, grasping, rolling, brushing etc.
Zen Shiatsu, the style practiced by Lotus Way Shiatsu Clinic, is unlike conventional
massage therapy in that the bodywork is administered by thumbs, fingers, palms, elbows, feet and knees. Pressure is applied
to all parts of the body along the same specific pathways (meridians) used in traditional Chinese medicine for acupuncture.
Zen Shiatsu is ideally performed while the recipient lies on a futon on the floor, allowing the practitioner access from all
sides and the ability to apply pressure using body weight. Typical features of a Zen Shiatsu session
are: For assessment, abdominal palpation is the primary
technique used. Known as hara diagnosis, the assessment is primarily aimed at determining whether each meridian is relatively
empty (Japanese: kyo, Chinese: xu) or relatively full (Japanese: jitsu; Chinese: shi). Pressure is applied at intervals along the meridians. The meridian pathways are similar to the Chinese
ones. The treatment involves contact in a somewhat
rhythmic pattern as a portion of a meridian is traced using the practitioner's fingers, palms, elbows, and knees. The therapist may move frequently around the recipient's
body and may move the recipient by lifting the head or arms, turning or bending the recipient's body, stretching
the arms, legs & torso to enhance the flow of ki in the meridians. The practitioner uses gravity & leverage to attain a
comfortable level of pressure at certain points. The
therapist works within a meditative state, focusing on the responses of the recipient so as to properly direct the therapy.
This level of focus & concentration is made possible with regular meditation by the practitioner.
Use of penetration instead of simple pressure makes Zen Shiatsu a very different
experience from just finger-pressing. Unlike many massage techniques where movement across the surface is emphasized,
Zen Shiatsu involves penetration perpendicular to the body surface. For the most part, there is no back-and-forth, or wiggling
movements of the hands. The Zen Shiatsu practitioner maintains two hands on the recipient's body; one hand acts as mother
and the other as messenger. This is comforting and reassuring to the receiver and allows the giver to be completely connected
with the energetics of the session.
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