Laughing Hara Zen Shiatsu

 
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Zen Shiatsu Diagnosis

Note: This level of assessment can only be done by a properly trained Zen Shiatsu therapist and not by someone who has completed a weekend course!

In Zen Shiatsu, diagnosis or assessment is done according to Asian medicine, not Western medicine. The first thing I do is have the client read and sign an consent form and fill out a history sheet.  This lets me know that the client is aware of what will happen during a session. The history form is designed to provide information about the client's current and previous health history.

Assessment in Zen Shiatsu consists of:

  • Listening (bun shin)
  • Observing (bo shin)
  • Feeling (setsu shin)
  • Asking (mon shin)

Listening is not just hearing what the client has to say, but the way in which the client says it. Listening assessment of the client begins during the first phone call or initial contact by noting the tone of voice as described in the Five Element Theory. A whining, groaning tone of voice, for example, may indicate an imbalance in the Water Element or Kidney and Bladder meridians. Listening is also used while noting the client's body posture to determine if the client's voice is not only appropriate to the situation, but if it is congruent with the client's body language.

Observation includes looking at areas such as style of dress, hygiene, presentation, skin tone, posture and energy (ki) patterns. Looking at the ki patterns in particular helps me to notice any right-left or top-bottom imbalances. After observing all the above, I can begin to formulate my treatment plans.

Touch is the primary method of diagnosis in Zen Shiatsu. It is so important that, in earlier times, palpation of the entire body was consider an important part of training for physicians.

Usually the first thing I do is to palpate the abdomen (hara). I say usually because sometimes I just "see" what is wrong with the client. Each of the twelve meridians we work with in Zen Shiatsu has corresponding diagnostic areas in the hara as well as on the back.  By palpating these areas, I can assess the state of the ki flow through the meridians. Usually, the meridian which has the most deficient (kyo) energy state and the one with the most excessive (jitsu) are the two meridians that I choose to work on during that session.  Occasionally, I may work a different meridian (s) based on my intuition. I always check the hara afterwards to check the success of the treatment.

During the session, continual assessment of the chosen meridians gives me an awareness of the state of energetic distortions throughout those meridians. Each meridian is either sedated or tonified depending on whether it is jitsu or kyo, respectively.  Work on the face, head, neck, hands and feet involves touching many meridians.

There are also points on the back (Yu points) as well as points on the front of the body (Bo points) which indicate acute or chronic imbalances in the internal organs.

Asking is the fourth diagnostic tool in Zen Shiatsu. After interviewing the client, I focus on the presenting problem as well as possible causes of the problem. Sometimes the presenting problem is not the "real" issue but it must be addressed to the client's satisfaction.

The Yin Yang medical theory is also used as an overall guide to a person's ki condition. We all tend to have either a Yin or Yang constitution; however, if either the Yin or Yang is dominant, there is an imbalance which may lead to illness.

After the session I provide client teaching, if indicated, in order to prevent further problems. My client education considers both Western and Eastern modalities.

This is a brief overview of the diagnostic process used in Zen Shiatsu. It is based on a system of Asian medicine and ki principles which have stood the test of time and is very comprehensive in nature.

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