Shiatsu: An invitation to tune into your body-mind and adapt your daily life for inner harmony.
Shiatsu is een zachte vorm van massagetherapie die haar origine vindt in Japan en gebaseerd is op de traditionele Chinese geneeskunst. Een Shiatsu behandeling werkt voedend voor zowel lichaam, geest als ziel, met name in die bijzondere tijd rond je zwangerschap.
Shiatsu houdt rekening met zowel het lichaam, geest en ziel van de ontvanger als de gever, zorgt voor diepe ontspanning en helpt om de innerlijke balans en stroming te herstellen. Shiatsu stelt je in staat om weer contact te maken met je lichaam, je geest tot rust te brengen en je meer op één lijn te voelen. Het zorgt voor een diepe mentale en fysieke ontspanning die je veerkracht en vitaliteit versterkt.
In dit blog vertelt Charlotte, onze nieuwe collega, over haar ervaring met Shiatsu en waarom ze zo gepassioneerd is over deze vorm van massagebehandeling.
“Last year, I had the incredible experience of becoming pregnant and giving birth for the first time! I want to share how Shiatsu and the philosophy behind it helped me navigate this transformative period, with all its beautiful gifts and its challenges.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), pregnancy is seen as a significant life transition—an opening to transformation and growth, but not without its hurdles. Looking back at my pregnancy journal, I realize just how intense the journey was. My body was constantly changing to accommodate and nourish the baby, which often led to physical discomforts. At the same time, my mind and emotions were in a whirlwind of questions, doubts, and expectations.
That’s where Shiatsu came in. It became a powerful tool to help me listen to my body, mind, and heart. Pregnancy is a time of constant change, and some days I woke up feeling light, energized, and ready to take on the world, while other days, everything felt heavy and overwhelming. In Eastern medicine, we’re invited not to judge or attach labels to these feelings—whether “good” or “bad.” Instead, we’re encouraged to observe them with curiosity and compassion, understanding they are part of the natural ebb and flow of life.
Shiatsu tau
ght me to embrace the dance of the Yin and Yang energies within me—two fundamental principles that shape everything in our world. Yin represents passivity, nourishment, darkness, and stillness, while Yang is the active, bright, warm, and ephemeral force. These energies are not opposites; rather, they are two sides of the same coin, constantly interacting to create balance. The interaction of Yin and Yang produces Qi, the vital energy that flows everywhere and initiates movement.
What I’ve come to appreciate about this philosophy is how it helps me understand the cycles of expansion (Yang) and contraction (Yin) within my own body-mind. Every tension or change in my body became a field for exploration and fun. For instance, I started to study the impact of certain food on my digestion, certain moves on my hip discomfort.
Sometimes, though, I found myself feeling overwhelmed by blockages—physically and emotionally. In those moments, I sought the support of a Shiatsu therapist to guide me. Their hands, combined with their deep understanding of energy flow, helped me release tension and reconnect with my body and my baby. After each session, I felt a profound sense of peace and clarity, as though my body had reset and found its natural rhythm again.
I love Shiatsu as it doesn’t impose restrictions or a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, it invites you to listen to your own body and ask: What do I truly need right now? How can I nourish and care for myself?
This approach is incredibly empowering. Through Shiatsu, I learned to trust my body—both during pregnancy and in preparation for the journey ahead as a parent. It gave me the confidence to honor my own instincts, knowing there is no “right” or “wrong” way to experience pregnancy or birth.
Looking back on the past 15 months, I realize I have felt both incredibly powerful and deeply vulnerable at the same time. And I think Shiatsu has helped me accept these two sides of the same coin—embracing them as essential aspects of my journey.”
– Charlotte Lafitte
*It’s important to note that Chinese medicine, especially Shiatsu, is primarily focused on prevention and supporting a healthy body in its natural process of adaptation.
About the author:
