Releasing Stress
Shiatsu works to release stress in different ways; for example with the fascia and posture, cerebral spinal fluid and the Body Rhythm, tsubos, Meridians and Yu points, Extraordinary Meridians (especially GV,CV) and other different methods. I shall discuss a few of them below.
Unwinding the Fascia with Shiatsu-Do
Fascia is a very dynamic soft tissue of the body that Shiatsu is working with all of the time. It affects posture and the function of every organ and system of the body. It is a conduit for Meridian Qi and therefore, a medium through which the Meridians operate (The Triple Heater Meridian Qi is associated to the fascia and by working with this Meridian it will have the most beneficial affects for treating Qi in the whole body). It is a single continuous mobile sheet of connective tissue wrapping itself around virtually every structure inside the body. Fascia is highly responsive to electrical and magnetic influences and is a sensitive biological amplifier of subtle external forces such as changes in weather and seasonal changes. It allows for an amazing amount of responsiveness because of its mobility and elasticity so that via the fascia, pain, tension and stress are easily diffused and rapidly communicated throughout the whole body. Although fascia is a continuous network, it can be differentiated into superficial, deep and visceral. Superficial fascia lies beneath the skin and helps to maintain body heat and protect against trauma. Deep fascia covers and holds muscles, tendons and ligaments together, as well as separating them into functional units. In contrast visceral fascia envelopes and supports the internal organs and stabilises them by supporting them structurally (usually the classical routes associated with the Meridian system utilises and follow the body’s fascia) whilst superficial fascia correspond to the Meridians exterior pathways whereas the deep and visceral fascia correspond to its internal layers/pathways.
Each time pressure is applied to a tsubos or a part of the body, the fascia is directly affected. It must be open for the flow of energy to run smoothly through out the body; if energy has been re-directed and changed through a treatment it will become inhibited and distorted again if it runs into restrictions of the fascia. Such fascial restriction can put stress on physiological systems and cause them to dysfunction. When under stress, fascia can exert tremendous force throughout the body, an estimated tensile strength of up to 2000 lbs per square inch.
Irregularities of the fascia occur when it becomes solidified or immobile due to stress, trauma or bad posture for example. It can become twisted, overstretched or bound up as in the case of scar tissue. With bad posture and misalignment of the skeleton from stress or trauma of the fascia and tension habits of muscles, compression of the joints and organs can result, causing symptoms like constipation, menstrual cramps, vision and sinus problems, impingement on nerves and suppressed blood and lymph flow.
Many problems can be connected to previous stress and trauma of the fascia system resulting over time in a compensatory symptom. For example an injury caused to a hip joint (primary factor) causes the fascia to constrict in and around the joint, whilst poor use of the body and bad posture would further aggravate the condition. Over time the fascia stress would send out a constricting force to other areas of the body, for example the throat, pulling the body out of alignment leading to cervical strain and possible restriction of the thyroid function. This can then lead on to hormonal and metabolic dysfunctions (secondary factor). It is vital to understand that working entirely with the secondary symptoms would only bring about temporary relief without releasing the stress generated from the primary factor.
The body tissue is capable of storing memories from a traumatic period or stressful time in a person’s life in the form of pictures, smell, sound, taste, stimulation and memories. The body and mind has to exert energy to hold the stress within the tissue or structure. Their life force becomes anchored into the stress system as they continue to relive the experience and for this reason they may struggle, not being able to move forward in projects or relationships as they are not able to break negative habits. Their life force is not available to be used for what they desire to do in the present because it is trapped in the body. As stress is released and energy is able to move more freely throughout the body, a person begins to feel themselves more involved in the present. The recovered life force can then be used for activities in the present whilst relieving them from old negative feelings that had them trapped in the past or waiting for the future. More energy is made available as it is not being used to keep and store what had previously been a traumatic experience or a stress held in the body.
Muscles are separated by the fascia and are a denser part of the fascia itself. Hyper tone muscles can accumulate a lot of energy but are unable to utilise or circulate it. The holding itself can become an energy drain on the body. Hypo tone muscles may not be able to receive the energy released by a treatment as they have shut down through lack of use or stress. Energy that is trying to flow via Meridian, blood or fluid circulation may be ineffective in changing the muscular condition unless the muscle is prepared through specific techniques within a treatment. Muscles also have an emotional/psychological quality which can keep a person locked into energy draining postures and negative patterns of expression. Most of these imbalances do not cause pain as the structure has learnt to accommodate the stress (a proprioceptor response) over time and the hypothalamus perceives this as normal. The bodies range of tolerance is reduced and further smaller stresses will create pain and dis- ease. Sometimes after a Shiatsu treatment that has corrected a structural imbalance, the body can revert back to how it was because it is not used to being in its correct alignment and any emotional issues that are not addressed will contribute. Therefore it can sometimes take a few sessions before the body starts to recognise and keep the new structure in place.
I have briefly mentioned how the body is capable of storing physical and emotional disharmony in the form of pain, misalignment of the structure, and various other problems connected with the bodily systems. It is also worth mentioning how different parts of the body can be diagnosed to show us what symptoms the receiver may have by observing their posture. Our physical body is closely associated with the etheric energy body whereas the astral body relates to our emotions and the causal body to our mental state. These different layers interact with one another demonstrating that a disharmony within one will affect the other, so a problem cannot be seen in isolation without taking into account the physical, emotional and mental conditions of a person. When we look at a particular part of the physical body, say a foot, we see what is happening in the whole of the person’s physical, emotional, mental and spiritual states. A problem with the feet may be because of an individual’s inner physical health, unconstructive or energy blocking emotions or mental beliefs, or impediments in their spiritual evolution.
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Body Area
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Physiological Problem
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Psycho/Emotional Problem
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Back
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Sexual/reproductive problems, Back/spine problems, fatigue
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Lacking courage, anxiety, Bl & KD disharmony, lack of impetus, fear
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Front of legs
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Digestive disorders, St & Sp disharmony, muscular fatigue
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Needs not being met, needy or too giving, self image issues, eating disorders
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Neck
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Circulatory problems in upper body, cervical problems
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Low self esteem, rigid
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Shoulders
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Weakness in lungs, digestive, reproductive, shallow breathing, poor circulation
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Weak relationships, depression, isolated, lack of faith
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Chest
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Heart, lungs, blood pressure,
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Nervous tension, lack of confidence
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Pelvis
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Digestive weakness, urinary problems
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Cannot relax, in a hurry
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Knees
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Liv, Gb, St & Sp
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Inability to adapt and change
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Thighs
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Sexual organs, hormonal problems, frigidity
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Insecure, shy, stress
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One leg shorter than the other
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Joint compression
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Stuck in the past, waiting for better future
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Meridians and Qi
Kyo and Jitsu are terms used from Masunaga’s Zen Shiatsu theory which describes the quality and quantity of energy present in a persons Meridian system. Kyo can be said to be an under activity or under investment of energy and Jitsu to be full or a compensating activity for the Kyo. Zen theory states that the Kyo must be satisfied before the Jitsu will disperse. Ki must be brought to the Kyo and dispersed from the Jitsu to recreate a state of balance in the body. In health the Jitsu actions are engaged in to satisfy our Kyo needs, it is part of the process of living. It is when the appropriate action cannot be taken to satisfy the need that we fail to recreate a state of balance. We may need something simple like sleep or exercise or something complex like a sense of direction in life. If we cannot satisfy our need because or external of internal hindrance, our Jitsu will tend to take the form of behaviour which distracts us from our Kyo – the need. A pattern is set up of inappropriate energy expenditure, which manifests itself as behavioral characteristics and eventually leads to physical symptoms. The different needs we have at different times are expressed by the Meridians, for example the Liver and Gallbladder embody our need to choose our own life path and express creative individuality. Temporary circumstances in a persons life will influence the pattern of Kyo and Jitsu in the short term but circumstances relating to early cultural or social environmental factors tend to frustrate a particular need over a longer period of time, hence leading to habitual patterns of Kyo and Jitsu (behaviour). These habitual patterns tend to lead to imbalances in the free flow of Qi and eventually ill health of some description. The Jitsu response starts out as a helpful one but can become a negative self serving energy pattern or tendency and can cause a greater deficiency in the Kyo.
At the level of the autonomic nervous system, Kyo is a lack of the parasympathetic function and Jitsu is an over activity of the sympathetic function. Kyo is related more to the whole body where as Jitsu would be related to something more specific such as a Meridian, a nerve circuit or thought pattern. When Shiatsu treats the body in a way that activates the parasympathetic and tones down the sympathetic, it is addressing the body energy and the Kyo aspects at the most fundamental level. Treatment of organs, Meridians or points is a more specific approach and can be very beneficial and bring relief but may be limited in its effectiveness if the parasympathetic is not integrated and operating. The points and places that are the most Kyo are often the ones that give us the most possibilities to create a positive change in the receiver’s health. These areas can be protected, reactive to touch, painful and stiff. Subsequently Kyo areas need to be treated with caution as the receiver may react adversely and close down thus not allowing their parasympathetic nervous system to be activated. Therefore Kyo points need to be opened in layers. They need to be treated more patiently, starting at the surface and going in more slowly to allow the body to adapt and open at each layer.
When The sympathetic function remains switched on beyond the time that it is needed by the body it will have the following adverse results (1) interrupts the flow of information, (2) creates tension patterns in the soft tissue and muscle system and uses body energy to maintain them, and so consume energy that should be used for other activities, (3) pulls the body out of alignment (4) causes unnecessary use of energy and over time steals this energy from the vital functions of the body. In terms of Kyo and Jitsu, unresolved stress interferes with the flow of information, and missing information leads to Kyo. Jitsu is a compensating activity. Continuation of Jitsu further creates stress, interference of energy and the deepening of Kyo.
Central Channel
The Dural tube is a term used to describe the structure of the central nervous system and its energetic pathway connection to the Central Channel. The CNS stores information about our lives and even past lives and is a component of the Central Channel regulated by the Governing vessel. The brain and spinal cord are protected by layers of skin, muscle, bone and fascia and are covered in fascial layers called meninges which form the Dural tube. It is internally attached to the spinal canal at the upper cervicals and is free floating until it attaches to the lumbar and proceeds to the sacrum. Cerebral spinal fluid is a substance that flows throughout the brain and spinal cord. The movement of CSF is directly influenced by the Governing vessel and conception vessels which stimulate its yin like wave vibration from the brain to the sacrum and back again. This wave happens 8 – 12 times per minute and this movement is an expression of the state of health of a person. A faster movement indicates a distress in the homeostatic response of the system. The wave like movement of the CSF in the Dural tube is an expression of the vitality of the Central Channel which is the core expression of life. The Body Rhythm is the reflection of the movement of the CSF which conducts impulses of the governing vessel to the nervous system then to the body and brain. When this rhythm is disturbed it is a reflection of a Central Channel disharmony and will eventually affect the physical and mental body. When a person is in a state of homeostatic and physiological balance there will be a relative symmetry in the bilateral structures i.e. at the occiput, shoulder girdle, scapula apex, iliac crests, sacrum/hips, knees/ankles ect. Imbalances at any of these horizontal planes will reflect in the leg lengths being imbalanced. This asymmetry is an expression of both physical and mental stress. The flow maybe restricted (called a lesion) and releasing these lesions from the Dural Tube can stimulate energy flow.
Due to many types of stress we accumulate, restrictive forces can gather at various places in the central channel, inhibiting the flow of information between the various body systems and the nervous system. This is also the cause behind many spinal and postural misalignment problems. Restoring the flow of information in the Central Channel can help assist recovery from pain due to structural problems, while helping to balance biological energetic systems. Releasing restrictions of the Central Channel can help reinstate immune functions by activating the parasympathetic system.
