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REPORT OF GROUP MEETING – Thursday 26th
October 2000
Queen’s Cross Church Lounge, Albyn Place
Aberdeen. 7.30 p.m.
Our meeting this month was well attended
by old and new members alike, and after a brief introduction
Martin Julich, a qualified Shiatsu Practitioner, gave an interesting
and interactive talk about his work.
Martin qualified in 1996 as a Shiatsu practitioner,
but is also a qualified psychotherapist, and is trained in
expressive dance and voice work, all of which are helpful
in his present works, he says. He works through the Aberdeen
College of Shiatsu, and in the better-known Rosemount Centre
for Complementary Therapies.
Shiatsu is a Chinese-Japanese technique based
on finger (shi-) pressure (-atsu). It is most easily understood
as Acupuncture without the needles. It has a theoretical basis
in Chinese Medicine, which has a 4,000 year old tradition,
and uses the five elements; Fire, Earth, Water, Metal and
Wood as well as the same ‘meridians’ – energy
lines, also used in acupuncture. The meridians have no physiological
basis, like veins or arteries, but control the energy flow
around the body. Martin used the analogy of blocked water
pipes. When water pipes work properly, the water can flow
to all the places it is supposed to, in the amounts it is
supposed to. When there is a blockage, the water pressure
builds up in one place, whilst another place will not receive
enough water, or any at all. In the same way, physical and
mental problems, some of which may be enduring, may be caused
by blocked meridians. Shiatsu aims to harmonise the bodily
functions by creating a balance of energy throughout the body.
Shiatsu is used with a variety of conditions
such as ME, emotional difficulties, asthma, back problems,
skin disorders and migraines. Structural problems, such as
backache, are a speciality. The Shiatsu method is not a miracle
cure and Martin told us that treatment can take months or
even years. It is a meeting of two people, where both are
responsible for the treatment and its effectiveness, rather
than the therapist taking authority with an attitude of "I
can help you, I know better." Whilst the patient can
be sceptical and does not need to ‘believe’ in the
treatment, which is a requirement of many complementary therapies,
the patient must be willing to get better. Martin told us
that many patients come to see him with conditions that they
have had for years, and which they may not be willing to be
rid of, for any number of reasons. Physical and emotional
problems can often provide excuses for doing or not doing
something, and we probably all know someone who isn’t
willing to help themselves, or who likes to complain about
their condition. Often the major hurdle in the treatment process
is overcoming this attitude.
After hearing about the theoretical background
we were introduced to some basic face analysis and some Shiatsu
techniques used around the neck/shoulder area. We partnered
off to analyse each other’s faces, having been told which
parts of the face related to what. The face reputedly maps
an individual’s physical strengths and weaknesses (Donald
Dewar’s nose apparently identified him as a heart disease
candidate) with things such as thick/thin lips. Size of ear
lobes sparkly eyes and rosy cheeks and hair loss being health
indicators. Much of this seemed like things we already knew.
Rosy cheeks are typically seen as a sign of good health, and
in Shiatsu are a sign of healthy lungs. Martin told us that
many of our sayings and ‘old wives’ tales’
have their basis in fact.
After the face analysis we all stood up and
did an exercise in which we had to stand like John Wayne,
which made everyone’s hands tingle (I don’t know
how he ever managed to shoot any ‘injuns’ with his
hands tingling like that). The sensation was because we had
affected some of the meridians travelling down our spines.
After this we partnered again and tried some of the pressure
techniques on each other’s necks and shoulders. Whilst
my partner is still recovering (a slightly brutal touch apparently)
I found it very relaxing, and there were appreciative ‘oohs’
and ‘aahs’ from all round the room.
In relation to Manic Depression, Shiatsu
promises no miracle cures, but is clearly a therapy which
would be beneficial to anyone, sufferer or not. It would certainly
work as a technique to reduce stress, raise self-awareness
(useful in the self-management of MD) and identify triggers
and early warning signs of episodes. I was pretty convinced
by the talk and am sorely tempted to take myself along for
a session now. I would recommend it to anyone with an open
mind to some physical and mental therapy.
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