-What do you do to support yourself? & Do you do enough?

Generally the answers to these questions are – not really & no not enough.  I would be interested to hear what you do to support yourself, daily routines or practices that you find support you.

Since doing my Shiatsu massage training I have started a number of routines of self support that I find help me in my daily life.

• I stretch – within Chinese Medicine stretching can be really useful for some people – this includes me. I find I can think more clearly after a good stretch – be it yoga or warm-up stretches or just stretching whilst I’m cooking or walking. I feel more relaxed & my mind slows down.
• I breathe deeply – the abdominal area of the body is called the Hara in Shiatsu & this is an area we should embody as much as we can. It is an area associated with instinct & intuition, rather than being in our heads all the time & getting caught up in our thoughts.
• I rest – The kidneys & Bladder in Chinese Medicine are the energies that keep us going, they are our core energy.  If we use to much of this energy we struggle to push through & get things done. The kidneys & bladder appreciate rest, quiet, reflection & meditation.

I use Shiatsu daily to support myself & my family. I may hold a pressure point if I have a headache or one of my children is distressed. I may stretch a particular meridian (line of energy) to help if I have an ache or I am tense.

I also look for support from other people. I have Shiatsu myself, or other treatments, as often as I can. Sometimes we need perspective & some support to help us keep going or to move on with something.

Shiatsu can be a great supportive therapy. It can hold a safe, supportive space. It can be great if you are a carer or have a stressful job, if there are big changes taking place in your life or if you feel stuck in a rut & want to begin to make changes.

Do leave a comment about what self support practices you have or get in touch through the ‘contact me’ page if you think Shiatsu might be able to support you.