Books in English
Physiology of Shiatsu: for beginners
“Physiology of Shiatsu for beginners” is a compilation of the seminars given by Dr. Federico Santamaría at the Japanese Shiatsu School of Master Shigeru Onoda in Madrid (Spain) in recent years.
The author explains in a simple -adapted to students without previous health training- languaje what are the mechanisms of action of Shiatsu from the point of view of Western science.
Shiatsu has physical effects on the organism of our patients, which can be explained from a neurological, hormonal and biochemical point of view.
With our pressures we induce cellular stress, a transitory ischemia, we act on proprioceptive receptors, we provoke the secretion of endorphins, and we modulate the activity of organs and viscera through the tsubos, which are access points to the central nervous system, capable of activating brain areas at a distance.
An essential text to understand Shiatsu from our western mentality.
Another Self: How Your Body Helps You Understand Others
Why does your nervous system register other people's pain and distress as your own? Why might your dentist make more mistakes when you are fearful? How does your dog know when you are unwell? Why does your heart rate synchronise with the person you are listening to?
Another Self explains why we sometimes take on the physical, emotional, and even mental states of others. In this book—the first overview of somatic empathy—Dr Cindy Engel brings together research into social perception and interpersonal physiology to explain how and why our thoughts and feelings are not always entirely our own.
New evidence reveals that this tendency to 'catch' others' emotional and physiological condition is not merely a quirk of sensitive individuals but a fundamental aspect of human intelligence: feeling with others is an ancient strategy reaching back into our evolutionary past enabling us to predict their intentions.
Understanding how somatic empathy works and that it affects us without our knowing, enables us to sidestep the perils of taking on another self (vicarious harm, overwhelm, and burnout) while optimising our comprehension of ourselves and others.
Be prepared to reassess your sense of self, your relationships, your occupation, and your choice of entertainment.
Cindy Engel is a Shiatsu practitioner with a large experience about somatic empathy through her practice. Peter Deadman (founder of the Journal of Chinese Medicine + author of Manual of Acupuncture etc) thinks it should be read by “every doctor, nurse, therapist, body worker and complementary medicine practitioner”. And Cliff Andrews reckons “a must read for anyone working in any therapeutic profession”.
The Skills and Ethics of Professional Touch: From Theory to Practice
This book introduces readers to the ethical and goal-oriented functions of touch in professional practice. Touch is both an increasingly visible topic today and a core skill in many professions, especially in health, education and social work. This book combines helpful theoretical discussions and practical information, offering a balanced and culturally-informed introduction to an issue that both students and professionals often find difficult to navigate.
Softening Our Gaze: Shiatsu and the Inner Landscape
Shiatsu, Japanese manual meridian therapy, embodies in all its benevolence a rich background in the comprehensive wisdom of Eastern medicine. In Softening Our Gaze, Joyce Vlaarkamp describes the landscape from which shiatsu originates and where it engages and interacts, with particular focus on the symbolism of the meridians and organs represented in this landscape. You will find descriptions of meridian trajectories, specific characteristics, qualities of the various provinces within the body, emotions, spirits, colours, and approaches for shiatsu treatment.After reading this book, you will understand how, by cultivating relationship with your own Inner Landscape and the three dantians and treating from this symbolic perspective, you can beneficially influence the flow of Ki - with the aim of converting potential into manifestation. Written both for the practitioner and the interested receiver.
Heisei Shiatsu: Deep shiatsu and the no-pain principle
Illustrated with many case histories from shiatsu treatments in hospitals,
this book covers a gap in the literature in this field. It looks at shiatsu through the lens of one of its essential but seldom talked about characteristics: quality of pressure and its significance for more enjoyable and effective treatments.
I Yin, You Yang: Interpreting Relationships the Chinese Way
I Yin, You Yang provides an introduction to the psychological aspects of traditional Chinese medicine. The author, in his trademark humorous and easily comprehensible style, mainly refers to the systems of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements respectively.
By presenting both systems with many pithy examples from every day life theory can be immediately put into practice. And the largest area of practice is our daily life with its impenetrable network of relationships. Not infrequently these relationships appear like Chinese gobbledygook. In other words: untangling the strands of this network is no mean feat but Mike Mandl tackles it with gusto.
Meridians: Maps of the Soul
Meridians are the bridge between the psyche and soma, the system that allows our life force to flow through our body. Each of the twelve main meridians stand for a fundamental life principle and by examining them, we can begin a journey towards better health- as well as freedom and contentment.
In this inspirational, easy-to-read deep dive, Mike Mandl uses his own wit and humour to explore the life principles of the meridians and offers a toolbox for self-diagnostic purposes, demonstrating how to strengthen these principles, correct imbalances, and keep in harmony with yourself through daily observation and maintenance.
Translating the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine into an engaging, accessible resource for practitioners and novices alike, this is the perfect first step in harnessing the meridians for your own self-actualisation.
The Art and Science of Equine Shiatsu
A comprehensive, practice guide to Equine Shiatsu, from nose to tail. Equine Shiatsu is a gentle but deeply effective therapy that works with the horse to promote both physical and mental relaxation, which in turn allows the body to heal itself. Based on the concepts of Traditional Oriental Medicine, this book outlines techniques that can be tailored to each individual horse, allowing you to work on your horse or better understand the work of a practitioner. This book includes a thorough explanation of the sophisticated theories behind Equine Shiatsu, Comprehensive guidance to a full body Shiatsu, including simple step-by-step instructions for each technique, How to deal with each horse as an individual, considering different horse behaviours and Examples of tricks of the trade and what to do when things do not go quite to plan.
The little book of Hara
Science now recognises that the guts contain as many nerve cells as the brain. Yet people still assume we think with our heads or brains - something that is seen as a sign of gross immaturity in traditional Japanese culture, in contrast to thinking and feeling with the ‘belly’ or hara.
Yet aside from sex, in our globalised Western culture people’s very sense of self is identified with their heads, hearts and upper body alone. Not being grounded in lower-body awareness, they are unable to centre themselves in hara – that region of the lower abdomen that has long been recognised in East-Asian culture as both the physical and spiritual centre of gravity of the human being.
The Little Book of Hara presents a variety of simple meditational practices teaching you how to find and act from your true centre or core – by seating your breathing, awareness and very sense of self in hara – and in this way overcoming the dualism of thought and feeling, reason and emotion, head and heart.
Seiki Fundamental
