Shiatsu: 10 energy touches to balance the body

What we Westerners call and know as illness and healing, Easterners understand as imbalance and rebalancing. “For them, a pain or an illness in the physical body arises when there is a breakdown in our energy field, which, in turn, is related to emotions, feelings, thoughts and the way of life”, explains the psychologist , holistic therapist and shiatsu specialist, Tania Resende, from São Paulo.

She organized a ten-step self-massage sequence (involving the whole body) using the Japanese energy rebalancing technique. “Shiatsu means pressure with the fingers and has the same objective as acupuncture“, clarifies. In both cases, the stimuli, in addition to treating pain and other symptoms, are tools for well-being and prevention.

The series presented below can be done by you anytime and anywhere – preferably sitting down. If it is not possible to perform the entire sequence, notice those regions of the body that are most sore or tired and take care of them – always starting from the head towards the feet. “A good guideline is: the pressure should never reach the level where you feel pain”, warns the psychologist.

1. Massage the entire head with your fingers

How to make: Curve your fingers naturally. With the tip, comb your head sliding from the front hairline to the neck. Apply moderate, comfortable pressure. Repeat this slide 20 times.

2. Slide your fingers over the eyebrows

How to make: place the tips of the middle fingers at the inner corner of the eyebrows and lightly glide them along them towards the ends. Repeat 10 times – always start from the inside and never the other way around.

3. Pinch the tip of the ears

How to make: place thumbs and forefingers on the top tip of the ears. Give gentle pulls as if you were pinching them. Work your way along the entire edge, starting from the top towards the lobe. Repeat 10 times.

4. Rub the sides of the neck

How to make: support the palms around the back of the head. Then rub it back and forth. The movement does not need to be strong. Naturally, the action of rubbing the hands in the region will cause a pleasant warming. Repeat 30 times.

5. Knead the center of the chest in circles

How to make: Place the heel of your hand (right or left) on your sternum (bone located in the middle of your chest). With moderate force, press the region making circles, now clockwise, now counterclockwise. Make a total of 40 circles.

6. Circle the navel area

How to make: Before starting, rub your palms together to warm them up. Then rest your palm (right or left) on your abdomen. Slide it around your belly button with moderate pressure. Repeat 20 times clockwise.

7. Press the abdomen with your thumb

How to make: use the tip of your thumb (right or left) to press the energy point located 7 cm below the navel. Use it to make small circles in the same spot. Repeat 50 to 100 times alternating clockwise and counterclockwise.

8. Rub the lower back

How to make: rub your hands again to warm them up. Place the palms of your hands on your lower back – so that they are 4 cm away from the center of your spine. Move them up and down. Repeat the shuttle 50 to 100 times.

9. Rub shoulders, arms and hands

How to make: extend your left arm with your palm facing up. Slide your right hand across it from the fingers to the shoulder. Then do the downward movement, but with the left palm facing down. Repeat 20 times on each arm.

10. Rub legs, knees and feet

How to make: Sit down with your legs extended in front of you. Hold the left thigh with both hands and slide down to the feet. In the same way, return to the thigh. Repeat the full slide 20 times on each leg.