How important is Self Care? Can Shiatsu Help? Exeter, Devon

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‘Self Care’ is a real buzz term at the moment and I am pleased that it is. Whatever self care means to you it has to be important to take care of your own needs, right?

As a mum of two rather boisterous boys, who keep my husband and I on our toes all day, I understand the impact on my body and mind of a busy life. As a single person I had the time to give myself attention and care for my needs. Now when I have less time it’s even more vital to care for myself.

I constantly meet clients who have busy lives with others around them, that they care for. These clients have realised that the cannot care for others if they have no energy and resource left. They have come to have Shiatsu to get some support and care and attention.

Often these clients are in the process of building a structure of self care and want Shiatsu to be part of it. They have felt guilt and come up against practical limitations but have understood they do need time, space and care for themselves

Understandably I use Shiatsu as my support system. It is naturally caring and nurturing. It works on the system of Meridians (lines of energy) the Acupuncture uses. With Shiatsu I can boost my levels of energy, I can calm my thoughts, I can exercise my body to suit the day, time and my mood.

Because Shiatsu is so great as a support tool I have created a Self Care Shiatsu Course. In this course I introduce the principles of Shiatsu, show simple exercises to support one’s self care and techniques that can be used on friends and family.

The next Self Care course is this Sunday. I hold it in my wooden cabin, fondly known as the ‘Shiatsu Shed.’ I limit numbers so that the support and guidance is at a real high level. I also tailor the course to the needs of the specific participants. I ask for areas they would like to focus on and adapt the course accordingly.

Details of the course can be found here https://www.facebook.com/events/558410488339857/

Bladder & Kidney Meridians, Shiatsu, Exeter, Devon

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Shiatsu is a hands-on therapy, given through clothes. It uses the same points & meridians (lines of energy) that Acupuncture & Acupressure use. The meridians are name after organs of the body, although they also relate to emotions & physical areas of the body. An imbalance in a meridian does not mean that there is an issue with the organ, it can mean there are other physical issues, or mental or emotional imbalances.

Shiatsu looks to balance the energy in the meridians, supporting & holding the ones that are low of energy & working more strenuously the ones that are tight or full of energy.

The bladder & kidney meridians are commonly the meridians that are low of energy, they relate to tiredness & pushing ourselves too much. Signs that the bladder or kidney meridian is out of balance are black bags under the eyes, sore lower back, needing the go to the toilet lots & poor sleep patterns. There are lots of other symptoms too.

A lot, if not all, of my Shiatsu treatments involve working these two meridians. They are our resource, that supports the other meridians & the body. They are lovely to have worked, & to work on, the treatment is often deep, slow & quiet, deeply relaxing.

There are ways that you can support your own Kidney & Bladder energy:

  • Rest whenever possible
  • Get as much sleep as you can
  • Take time each day to meditate or sit quietly
  • Limit hot, sweet or spicey foods
  • Limit alcohol & caffeine intake
  • Drink plenty of water
  • Hold kidney 1 pressure point before bed- see picture below.

Shiatsu is really good at raising energy levels, supporting tiredness & fatigue & boosting the kidney & bladder meridians. It is relaxing & soothing to have, it eases the body & the mind, afterwards it can provide more energy, drive & focus.

I offer Shiatsu in Exwick, Exeter. I also have pop-up clinics in Exmouth & Dawlish. Im always happy to discuss Shiatsu so do get in touch through the ‘Contact Me’ page.

Xx

Shiatsu Massage tasters this Sunday, Exeter, Devon

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I’m going to be giving tasters of Shiatsu at an event on Sunday. It’s being held at the Victory Hall, in Broadclyst & they’ll be lots of other therapists offering tasters & plenty of stalls to browse.

Tasters are a really good, & affordable, way to get an idea of what a Shiatsu involves, what it feels like to have, what effect it can have.

Broadclyst isn’t far from Exeter, where I practice Shiatsu. It is easy to find the hall & there is plenty of free parking nearby.

The event is on from 10.30 until 4.30. Details of the event can be found here

Shiatsu massage touch

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Shiatsu massage is a very unique & special form of touch. I think this photo gives an idea of the type of touch you receive in a Shiatsu massage treatment.

Shiatsu massage meets the client how & where they want to be met. Every Shiatsu session is different, reacting to how the person is in that moment. The practioner listens & follows what they feel as they give the hands on treatment. It is a nurturing & caring touch, supportive & present in its energy. 

I offer Shiatsu in Exeter, Devon & I work in a quiet & calm practice room in Exwick. You can contact me through the contact me page, to discuss if Shiatsu may be of benefit to you or to book a treatment. You may also want to have a look at my Facebook page or follow me on instagram @shiatsubyamy. If you want more information you could have a look at the Shiatsu society website or have the other pages on this site.

Healing touch – Shiatsu massage, Exeter, Devon

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Touch is important in so many ways, comforting a child, cuddling a family member, kissing your partner. Shiatsu massage touch is one of nurture, of holding without expectation. It gives the body space to be, to react, to act, to do what it needs to do. It’s this space, away from any demands, that helps the body to heal, for the energy to rebalance & for the client to get a sense of relief, relaxation & also invigoration.

Real rest? Shiatsu, Exeter, Devon

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I was in a conversation today with someone who was discussing how tired parents of young children get.  Lack of sleep along with long relentless days, emotional & mental demands from the children & requests for support & attention. You feel like you are just getting back to some level of normality when an illness or growth-spurt strikes & you get knocked right back to pure exhaustion again!

Its not just having children that can make people tired.  There are so many of us, in our non-stop western society, that are running with a level of tiredness. Jobs that demand extra hours or unsocial hours, a 24 hour culture with regards to shopping & socializing, supporting family & homes to look after.

So what can we do to help ourselves, to be less tired? (Well apart from Shiatsu massage of course!) We need to rest, particularly in these colder, darker days of winter.  My conversation this morning began me thinking about how to get real rest.  It is extremely difficult to do this within our busy lives.  My thoughts were regular support & ‘me’ time, Shiatsu, massage, pamper days. Also retreat time, either at an actual retreat or at a health-club, or a holiday away without anyone else. The thing I decide I would do, to help me rest, was to be more regular with daily practice.

Short spells of space can help to punctuate & regulate our busy lives. Meditation once or twice a day, yoga, Qi Gung or Tai Chi exercise for 5 or 10 minutes once or twice a day, resting with a towel over your eyes for 5 minutes a day. Sometimes my daily practise is consistent & in those times I do feel more rest & space.

I think I may go & book a weekend retreat too though! If you are interested in finding out if Shiatsu may help your levels of tiredness please contact me through the ‘contact’ me’ page.

 

 

 

 

Day off from Shiatsu massage 

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I love working as a Shiatsu practitioner, here in Exeter in Devon. I work hard giving & promoting this form of amazing massage. I am also a mum to two young, boisterous, energetic & enthusiastic boys! So my free time from Shiatsu is taken up, completely & then some. 

Today we headed out of Devon & into Dorset. It is as truly beautiful as our home county & on a day like this it was even more so. We headed to Lyme Regis, as did a lot of other people! We had the obligatory fish & chips, & managed to avoid the scavenging seagulls. They did swop & hit a poor small boy & snatch his sandwich. 
It felt so lucky & heart-warming to be enjoying the sun on a January day, obviously apart form the seagull incident. I managed to get one photo without loads of people in the way!

Being in the sun & the fresh air helped me to remember to breathe, deep into my abdomen, to get the energy moving & flowing around my body. I took my shoes off & ran with the boys in the sand & was reminded that being grounded is also important. I love the life lessons that Shiatsu provides me with. 

If you would like to see what Shiatsu can do to support you in your daily life then please get in touch. Details are on the ‘contact me’ page. I’m always happy to discuss anything Shiatsu related!