Rain, Sun & Shiatsu – Exeter, Devon

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Living in the south west of England it’s not a surprise when in rains but we have had a tough week this week. Rain every day, storms, wind, closed roads & train lines. It has been cold & blustery & unpleasant. How lovely to wake this morning to beautiful, bright, strong, almost spring like, sunshine. Saturday is a day that I practise Shiatsu massage & what a pleasure to set out in the sunshine.   

Even as the sky starts to darken now I still remember the warmness of the sun this morning & the lightness it made me feel. It was a really happy Shiatsu massage treatment in the sun. Amazing how a bit of light can make you feel. If you are interested in booking a Saturday Shiatsu appointment then get in touch through the contact me page. 

Wet Exeter, with a hint of spring

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Being in touch with the seasons is so important with Shiatsu. Listening to our bodies often fits with this too. In winter we want to go out less & in Spring & Summer we want to be out more, using more energy. As the seasons change it can be more difficult to listen to our bodies & follow the seasons – we are being pulled by two energies. This is very pronounced between quiet, still winter & strong, budding spring. So its exciting to see the first signs of spring, I saw my first wild daffodils, but they were too near a busy road to photograph. However I did take a snap of the first buds of the daffodils on our windowsill. 

This photo helps me remember we are not in full, blooming spring yet, it is only just beginning & we still have time to slowly wake from winter, before we push through with our new ideas & energies. If you would like to know more about Shiatsu massage please contact me through the contact me page. 

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.

Shiatsu stretches for bedtime

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Shiatsu massage is a powerful but gentle form of massage therapy that is suitable for all & it can support a large number of complaints. Most people can’t afford Shiatsu treatments as regularly as they would like so they look for lifestyle changes that they can make to support themselves, daily, between treatments. Because Shiatsu massage works with the energy in the body, getting it to flow & move with ease, stretching, meditation, diet & other lifestyle changes can help to keep the energy flowing, helping to alleviate complaints. 

At this time of year we should be resting as much as possible & if we are exercising it shou,d be gentle. When stretching it is always important to listen to your body & not push to far. Warming up is also important as is warming down. A great stretch to do at bedtime is the stretch relating to the Water element, relating to the 5 element diagnosis system that Shiatsu uses as one of its diagnosis tools. The water element governs sleep & rest as well as other things so bedtime is a great time to do it. It is a 2/3 minute stretch. Please see below for the the 2 steps in this stretch. If you are interested in knowing more about Shiatsu massage or would like to book an appointment with me in Exeter, Devon then please contact me through the contact me page.

Stretching for health

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Daily stretching can help keep energy flowing in the body & it’s a recommendation that I give often to clients who want to support themselves between Shiatsu sessions. There are different ways & forms of stretching, sometimes strong stretching is important to a client, sometime restorative, yin stretching is appropriate. I try to stretch morning & evening & have found the evening stretching a little asker now I have included my kids in it. Every night we do this simple set of stretches, moving energy & calming down before bedtime. 

If you want to know more Shiatsu massage please contact me though the cintact me page.

Spring is coming?

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Ok so I am based down in the south west of England, in Exeter, Devon & I appreciate that further up the country & particularly into Scotland there aren’t the small signs of spring coming that we are seeing here.It has been wet here today, & we do get a lot of rain in Devon! So signs of warming up & a change of season are very welcome!

In terms of Shiatsu diagnosis we are still very much in the Water element time of year. Quiet reflection & rest are vital in the colder months, storing & building energy for use over Spring & Summer. If we don’t rest now there is a possibility of burn out by the end of the warmer months. However it is now alright to start looking outwards & forwards a little. Being gentle & listening to our bodies & ourselves we can also start to send out our first tentative shoots, like the first plants of the year. 

If you’d like to understand more about Shiatsu & now it may be beneficial to you please contact me – through the contact me page. 

Shiatsu for pregnancy

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​As Shiatsu is a gentle & supportive therapy it can be perfect for mums to be, women in labour & post natal mums.

Shiatsu works on the principal of creating balance within the body.  Balance gives the client a sense of ‘rightness’ & flow, physically, emotionally, mentally & spiritualy.  This flow helps the body achieve what it needs to within pregnancy, labour & afterwards.  

Shiatsu can help with many prenatal, labour & postnatal concerns, issues, pains & discomforts.  Restoring balance can help with morning sickness & heartburn & tiredness.  Shiatsu can help physical issues such as odema & pelvis pain.  It can also help support the mum to be with any emotional concerns they may be facing.  

Shiatsu can be used for induction of labour, bringing it on naturally. The contraindicated points can be given to the client to use themselves.  Similarly the points helpfully through labour can be provided, for the birth partner or mother to use.  The points can help relieve pain, provide comfort when needed & slow or speed up labour.

After birth there is a level of support a mum requires. It is one of the most special times in life but with the high levels of nurture the mother is providing someone nuturing the mother can be incredibly important.  If the labour has been tough in any way then this is even more important. Shiatsu can restore balance in the body that can resolve physical & emotional issues quickly, allowing mum & baby to get on with their life together.

I work out of Exwick, Exeter, Devon but for late pregnancy or early postnatal appointments it maybe possible to arrange home visits. For general information about Shiatsu & my practice here in Exeter, Devon go to the About page.

I’m really happy to discuss any concerns & issues & whether Shiatsu may be able to help.  Feel free to ring me or contact me through the contact me page.