The major changes that have taken place in our society, economy and families over the last few decades have created a climate of intense psychological tension and forced us to adapt quickly and constantly to change.
The time we set aside for rest, reflection and introspection in our lives has fallen to almost zero, and yet it is precisely by developing this capacity for introspection that we can find our way back to balance in our daily life.
It appears that this general acceleration in the pace of life pushes people into a state of permanent stress that can gradually erode the body’s ability to regulate itself. The resulting ailments include:
- loss of well-being,
- chronic pain,
- agitation,
- depression,
- insomnia,
- backache or headache,
- circulatory problems,
- difficulties eliminating toxins and waste,
- digestive disorders, etc.
Shiatsu has an immediate relaxing effect on the body and enables the mind to return to its natural resting place, producing a state that is comparable to genuine relaxation: a feeling of lightness, well-being and openness to oneself. Furthermore, by promoting energy circulation throughout the meridians it boosts the body’s vital functions and enhances its ability to adapt to its environment. In this way, it improves overall health. Shiatsu is therefore one way to respond to the excessive stress that prevails in industrialised societies.