~ promoting balance and well being through supportive massage & bodywork care ~
5-Element Shiatsu is a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practiced for five thousand years using the paradigm of the 5 elements found in nature and therefore in us. This practice is focused on the relationships between organs; not the physical masses described in Western anatomy but rather understood by their inferred functions and associations via their meridians/channels and Qi (pronounced “chi"), a refined form of energy or life force energy that is constantly in motion and always changing. Stretching, holding, and various forms of pressure are used to improve energy flow, blood circulation, flexibility to positively influence the quality of vital energy to help the body create balance. (See Five Element Theory.)
Tui Na (Chinese Massage) is a TCM technique combining muscular stretching along meridians/channels with stimulation of points (tsubos) along meridians to promote smoother flow of energy and balance.
Swedish Massage, probably the most familiar type of massage, is a musculoskeletal modality, concentrating on the health of muscular, fascial and connective tissues that hold and move the body, and the circulation of fluids: blood, lymph, and cellular fluid. Techniques include a variety of strokes that induce relaxation, reduce stress, release tension, energize, increase circulation, enhance the immune system, improve posture and flexibility, eliminate toxic waste stored in muscle tissue, and restore the mind-body connection.
Reflexology Massage, used on the feet, hands and/or ears, helps to normalize organ function in order to move the body toward homeostasis: balance. Its premise is based on an understanding that points or areas on the feet, hands and ears correspond to every organ, gland, and system in the body.
Polarity is a synthesis of Eastern and Western healing techniques based on the 5-elements, electromagnetic energy around and within the body, and on the “sacred geometry” of the human form. The movement of vital energy is enhanced through varying methods of touch and pressure to stimulate the movement of energetic currents within us.
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