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Donny Kim
(graduates of the
Canadian College of Shiatsu Therapy)
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Oh! Shiatsu, my friend
1. Learn Shiatsu at CCST and leaving school
Everything,
what I learned of school curriculum is very impressive.
First of all, the most important thing which I think is Shiatsu
foundation, Derivative shiatsu and
practical clinic experience. Of course first and foremost is to know
what Shiatsu’ spirit is. I’ve learned shiatsu
history, how
it has characterized, the way how therapist can give best effective
therapy,
and many practical case study of pathological condition.
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To learn anatomy and
physiology is necessary thing because we can
find that alternative medicine is basis on medical terms. And recently
at most
medical science, it is combined with each others a lot. It
talked to me what the structure and functions of human body are.
I
think Kampo medicine, Pathology, Kinesiology, Nutrition, and so on,
those studies are also important as well as shiatsu to make
shiatsu therapy perfection. I mean, when the every
accessories
make good harmonization, at that time main cloth can be shiny.
And
additionally students who learn Shiatsu better to know Japanese
traditional culture which leads them to Japan
shiatsu world. I
think we would feel how come Shiatsu has been developed at Japan
with their efforts a lot. However, it doesn’t mean all
Japanese students become
a good shiatsu
practitioner. In my opinion, the way to be a good shiatsu person in any
country is for
sure to know
the real Shiatsu idea and further more trying to understand the core
Shiatsu spirit. Of
course, it doesn’t mean that I’ve got reached to
there already.
Finally, I would confess that the practicum was the
most important guideline of learning Shiatsu and to get reached to the
basic
level of new Shiatsu practitioner.
About this point, I wonder that every students or
practitioners can agree with me in same eye sights, therefore, I just
want to
say how I felt about.
In my case, it was the fierce struggle with the
disorder and disease our patients have and also was the unending fight
with
myself.
I believe that we can’t cure patients without
sympathizing between therapist and them. I believe that the trust of
patients
to therapist may guarantee better effectiveness. That’s why
the Shiatsu
practitioner should continue the fight with diseases and the fight with
themselves to get many cases through the medium of steady practices and
keeping
in contact with sufferers. I’m
now emphasizing about not only
technical part of therapy but also therapist’s mental attitude.
The one thing of a certainly I can talk up is that if
I enumerate several words which have been ruling me by passing through
all of
the curriculum, they are
Nerve reflects another nerve (Neurone connection)
/all the parts are connected
Referred pain, balancing/harmonizing system, energy
flow/circulation,
Stimulating/Stimuli and
sensory receptor,
And then, Love human beings/Respect nature’s law.
Shiatsu is the closest way of every beings life to the
nature’s law.
Studying human body is same as studying the cosmos,
touching human body is same as touching god body.
It always makes me to think about the Mother natures
once more. |
2. My
recognition of Shiatsu
Shiatsu is one of the most
important CAM
(Complementary and Alternative Medicine).
It is natural medicine of
stimulating body with only hands and thumbs. There
are specific points that we believe or prove clinically, scientifically
those
are connected to internal, external human body organs. We stimulate
those points
exactly and sincerely to get rid of organ toxins. Here, the organs mean
not
only internal organs but also external ones such as integument system
and musculoskeletal system.
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People, especially in
western
culture, are sometimes talking about muscles and joints problem only
and
relaxation as massage with Shiatsu practitioners. But in my opinion, it
would be somewhat misunderstanding. Basically, it is
also OK. But that omits Shiatsu real effects, I think. Because we know
body
system imbalances are the origins of the superficial pains. Shiatsu
treatments have many effects on body systems
balancing as the results of getting the organ system disturbance out.
Make it
sure what are the systems, those are metabolism, immune,
cardiovascular, blood
circulation, hormone, digestion system and so on. Of course, it
includes
reliving muscle pains, joint troubles too which I called
musculoskeletal system
imbalances.
So, where are the ideas from? Can
we say Shiatsu is totally
different with another typed massages or
therapies? Yes, we can do because Shiatsu has deep relation with Asian
philosophy.
However,
Sometimes people are wondering thatShiatsu may be borrowing the
acupuncture ideas. Clearly, it’s
totally wrong answer. The
specific points on human body are not only acupuncture’s
logics.
Furthermore, Shiatsu was existed longer time than acupuncture.
Definitely, we would say the Asian philosophy (representatively
Yin and Yang theory) has affected for long past terms into both Hands
on
therapy(Shiatsu, Anma massage, Tuina and so on) and
Kampo medicine (TCM,
Acupuncture, Herbology), otherwise, we would not say Shiatsu is the one
part of
Kampo medicine. Eventually, we can know
shiatsu and acupuncture are both using the points together in
some part that we know it as meridian pathways(經絡: the pathways in the
body along which vital energy flows). That is one of
Asian traditional and clinical alternative medical terms. In between,
I’m not
sure which makes quick response and it lasts and which creates more
sensations.
Not much is known about it so far. For sure is that very little is
known as
side effects but it also owing to unnatural method or
practitioner’s personal
skill in terms of most of alternative medicine. If I mention about
hands on
therapy in passing, human
being’s delicate hands sensibility must be god’s
gift.
Especially
Shiatsu among other hands on therapies, as remarked above, is
absolutely natural stuff because it doesn’t force. It only
aids to reach self-healing power. That’s why
it has no side effect. Therefore, it can be the best healing way in
terms of
preventative and recovery health care. That also makes sense, in many
case, patients
need to take both together Medical care and Shiatsu
therapy which is the oldest healthcare in human history and nature.
I think, definitely, shiatsu is the reflex action that
stimulates certain points to relief pain when body hurts, that is, the
extension of instinct which copes naturally with the suffering. Taking
one with
another, Medical science is anyhow same thing.
All difference is not the purpose itself but
the methods.
Using only thumbs, fingers and palms, whenever
wherever we are, we can give Shiatsu, we can help suffering people.
What a
wonderful!
That is why I’ve been interested
in Shiatsu.
At first time, the personal curiosity brought me to
the shiatsu world, after that, with learning Shiatsu more and more,
Shiatsu
itself became one of the greatly meaningful and valuable things in my
life
time.
Besides, I realize it must be very much meaningful and
valuable for also many of patients, many of people
who work in the fields of healthcare and all the people around me. |
3. In the field
Medical science vs. Alternative medicine, Hands on
therapy vs. Acupuncture, Meridian pathway vs. Nerve system line,
Registered
massage vs. Shiatsu, Science vs. Philosophy, Traditional way vs. Modern
way,
Material vs. Mentality, Western culture vs. Asian culture.
Generally speaking, people easily like to talk about
which one is better in between or which one is best among. Even we
would
discuss which one is correct and which one is wrong in between.
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But,
those things that I mentioned all maybe egg and chicken.
Once again, all difference is not the purpose
itself but the methods.
It looks like being contrary to each other, in fact,
it doesn’t.
Most
of People appeal to Shiatsu practitioner about specific part pains
especially muscles and
joints such as more visual or sensible symptoms not much about what
causes those outer
exposed phenomenon, for example, Occupation, Medical
history and Life style.
Their request is actually simple. Fix it out!
That’s
right. They are all right. That would be the goal that Shiatsu
practitioners
have to do with spreading Shiatsu original ideas in same time. One of
hopeful
thing is that some people already feel Shiatsu is for whole body
treatment
which involved and interactive between external and internal body. Look
at them
after first treatment, their reaction are very positive about its
effect. And
also many patients appeal the reason why they repeat to come to Shiatsu
clinic is it worked
for many physical, mental problem every time(I think mental problem
means about
their stress). Many clients speak up, “what they do is real
stuff”. Indeed,
they are satisfied with Shiatsu.
Nobody can deny the fact Shiatsu
works for many things beyond we think.
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4.
Keep going for Shiatsu way
I
realized that the good Shiatsu practitioner can be a good Physical
therapist including Medical
term, TCM doctor,
Acupuncturist, even Psychologist whichever people are interested in
human health. But not every
good health care occupational person can be the good Shiatsu
practitioner even
though they are interested in it.
Because of, Shiatsu is very special medicine.
That is the ‘指
圧道(Shiatsu
Tao)’. What is Tao?
There are various meanings about it. One of these is “The
way”. Yes, we
are on the way, aren’t we?
Who daringly can say I know all what Shiatsu is.
That’s why I’m still hungry and always hungry of
true Shiatsu.
I’m sure that will be all the time big motivation of
my Shiatsu life. |
5. Is friend or
not
It comes to the finish,
Let me introduce an article
which I’ve been highly impressed by as a
Shiatsupractor.
“Is friend or not
A Doctor who wants to be the friend of patients,
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always tries finding
troubles out with much more concerns to them.
He only makes effort a lot to relieve their pain and to cure them
completely.
Why he does? Because
he always
sympathizes with patients’ suffer
because he naturally pays attention of his all the five senses to the
friends.
He never hesitates to listen to the friends by even
his sixth sense.
He upgrades a new skill someday through his constant studies.
That’s the secret about his success.
- Stan Toler <The
secret blend> ”
Look, what the big difference between being friend and not is,
With the Occupational air or with the
spiritual air of
the strong will to save the friend’s life. Which one can make
a miracle?
It has a thread of connection with what Namikoshi Tokujiro(浪越徳治郎,
1905-2000) sensei’s great
teaching is.
“指
圧の 心,
母 こころ (Shiatsu
no Cocoro, Haha Cocoro: The heart of shiatsu is like a
mother’s love)”
Let us heal patients with the true
heart as their friend!
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Donny Kim, Shiatsupractor®
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