Definition, background and aims of Shiatsu

Shiatsu is an autonomous and natural system of energetic and physical touch to support and bring on human health, wellbeing and personal development.

Shiatsu has its roots in Japan. The holistic understanding of life and health in Shiatsu is based on ancient far-eastern philosophies and integrates western concepts of health-promotion according to the principles of the World Health Organisation (Ottawa Charta, Salutogenesis, Resilience and others).

Shiatsu is applied to a person by using Shiatsu-specific techniques with perpendicular leaning pressure through fingers, palms, elbows and knees.

The aims of Shiatsu are:

• to maintain and promote health
• to stimulate the self-regulatory system of the organism
• to support the natural and free flow of the vital energy
• to balance the energetic system of a person as a wholeness (body and mind)
• to increase self-awareness and to support the development of the self-responsibility to take care for one’s health.