About this Book

Contents of this Book

The Thumb-Pressure Healing Art and it's Origins

Shiatsu at every stage of life

From Tokyo to Toronto: My story

Executives, Athletes and Movie Stars

The great mentor in my life

The benefits of Shiatsu: Patient Testimonials

Shiatsu helps athletes excel

Shiatsu: A friend to entertainers

What you can learn as a Shiatsu Practitioner

The International Scene

Introduction

Throughout the 20th century, our society experienced one technological advance after another, which not only made daily life more convenient but also much more fast paced. The difference between our grandparents' lifestyle just a century ago and ours id staggering. Think of all the machinery, electronics and other devices that have been invented to streamline the way we live. We take for granted our wide-ranging use of them _ it only takes a brief power outage to remind us. Through technology and transportation, we have compressed distance and time. This is the legacy of the 20th century.

So, too, have the medical advances of the past century been significant and far- reaching. As an example, we need only point to the many life- saving vaccines and medications that were discovered. But the human race survived thousands of years without them, once relying on more natural therapies. I think we have tipped the scale too far in favor of pharmaceutical approaches. It's time to restore some balance. An American medical study I once read stated that when patients visit their family doctors about a physical ailment, in 70 per cent of the cases the problem is stress related. That's the vast majority of cases! Stress causes imbalance of the body's systems: when the systems don't harmonize, the immune system doesn't function well, so we are susceptible to illness. By acknowledging that most problems stem from stress and by understanding the structure of the body and how it functions, anyone can recognize the benefits of shiatsu. Through the technique of thumb pressure, it restores the body's balance and structure and regulates its functions. Whether there is a deficiency of chemicals or hormones or an excess of them, shiatsu brings their production back to normal. The way of shiatsu is to help the body restore its own physiological balance naturally, instead of treating the symptoms synthetically through medications.I lived the first 28 years of my life in Japan and the immigrated to Canada, where I have lived for 24 years. I travel to Asia, Europe, the United States and South America several times a year to be present at international shiatsu congresses and seminars and to practice shiatsu on individuals at such events as the Olympics and film festivals. When I meet people from different countries, no matter what their ethnic background, religion, age, sex, or occupation, I hear them say, " I don't want to take medication" and " I want to avoid an operation." As a shiatsu therapist, there are times when I recommend continuing with drug treatment or having an operation. But there are many times when I can recommend shiatsu with confidence; for example, in a particular case , I might ascertain that the patients health will improve after five shiatsu treatments or, in another case, I may feel the best approach is one treatment a week for three months. We have to be patient and trust in the body's healing abilities. It doesn't happen overnight. The life force belongs to nature- it has its own rhythms, so we must respect that and give the body the time it needs to heal.

In reflecting on our health care system, I fear we have come to depend too much on medications, and their widespread use has not only produced side effects but also weakened the body's immune system and lowered it's natural healing powers. That is why in this century it is very important that we create a new health care system and regain some of our natural healing powers. I would like to see doctors be able to prescribe multidisciplinary approaches for their patients, without feeling pressure from the pharmaceutical industry if that means drugless therapy in certain cases.

Now that we've crossed the threshold into the 21st century, our environment is an increasing cause for concern. Environmental problems exist on a scale much broader than what can be pinpointed city to city, country to country. Problems such as pollution will only be solved through cooperation at a global level. Every day, we are breathing air, drinking water and eating food that is harmful to our body. Some people are starting to realize that taking medication to treat the resulting health problems is a backward approach. To everybody who seeks a natural and safe treatment, whether he or she is a member of the public or a medical professional, I recommend hands-on therapy or, more precisely, the highest level of hands on therapy: shiatsu. After 30 years of receiving shiatsu treatments myself and treating thousands of others, my goal continues to be to introduce people to the outstanding benefits of this healing art. The reason that shiatsu has spread so far already is that those who have experienced its good effects have convinced others that it is a genuine therapy. If I can make even a few more people aware of the way of shiatsu through the publication of this book and subsequently help them live a healthier life, I will be happy.