HEAD

The head is the main control centre of the body, and in theprotective cave of the skull lies the amazing brain - a vastlycomplex and mysterious organ. The head is also the seat of two ofthe chakras, or energy centres (see p.12), found along the centreline of the body. The Crown chakra, at the tap of the head, isrelated to aur essence and spirituality, and the Pineal or Browchakra, at the centre of the forehead, is related to clear seeing,intuition and intellect. In a head-oriented cuIture, we sometimestind aur fiind racing and overloaded. Instead of clarity of thoughtwe experience confusion and weariness. The result of this is often aheadache. There are a variety of other causes for headaches - oneof the commonest is stress, which can creare tension in the musclesof the neck, shoulders and scalp. Other types of headache includethose resulting from sinus congestion, colds or fiu; menstrual-related headaches; headaches following whiplash or neck injury;and migraines - recurring, throbbing headaches, which may beaccompanied by nausea or vomiting. Both massage and Shiatsuhave effective treatments for headaches and head congestion, so inthe following pages we have included helpful sequences from both.

44

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I Working forehead in stripsKneel at your partner's headand restyour thumbs in the centre of herforehead just above her eyebrows,with your fingers around the sides ofher headoSlowly and firmly drawyour thumbs away from the centre,out toward the temples, the hairlineand off. Work like this in strips rightup the forehead until you cover thewhole area.

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~eadaches:rnassageSince It is hard to dlstingUlshbetween the different types ofheadaches, several massagesequences are glVen In thefollowing pages and it Is a goodidea to try aii the different strokes,focusing on those that seem to givetaur partner most comfort. Onthis rage the receiver is Iying down.and on pages 46 and 47 sittlngup. The series of strokes on rage47 ISa soothing and relaxingsequence taken from an ancientIndian healing massage. Camomileand lavender essences are both

helpful for headaches (see p.21).Melissa is good for migraines and

Continued overleaf

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2 Pressing and circling templesBegin by pressing on your partner'stemples, for ten seconds or 50, withthe flats of your fingers. Then slowlyrelease the pressure and make slowcircles over both the temples. Checkwith your partner whether she'd likea deeper or lighter touch.

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3 Base of skull pressureTurn your partner's head to rest

comfortably on one hand, with hercheek facing upwardo Using thefingertips of faur free hand, push upand under the bone of the skull base.

Hold. letting the pressure build up,then slowly releaseoWork rightalong the fim, searching out tensespots, then turn the head to theother side and repeat.

45

COMMON AILMENTS

Continued from p.45

the stroke in Step 2 which circlesthe temples, mar be particularlybeneficiat. It isalso helpful to fie in adarkened room and apply a caldcompress (see p. 91) to theforehead. Many headaches willalsorespond well to the sequencegiven in Shoulders, Neck andUpper back (see pp.54-9). Ifyouhave had a whlplash inJuryandkeep getting headaches, or ifyouhave pain in taur arm, it would bewise to see an osteopath or doctorto check for joint damage.Caution.. Ifa headache comes onsuddenly, ISsevere, and isaccompanied by a very stiff neck orback, a fever, weakness in a limb,drowsiness or confusion, 1055ofvisionand/or epileptic fits, seekmedical help and advice at once.

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6 Fingertip healingAsk faur partner ta facus an herbreath and let faur fingertips cometa rest veri lightly in twa verticallines an either side af her farehead,abave the middle af her eyebraws.Keep faur shaulders relaxed, facusan faur hara and maintain a lightsteady contact far a few minutes.

46

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4 Massaging scalp along hairlineStand behind faur partner, allawingher head ta rest against faur bady.With faur hands in a "spider" shape,use the tips af faur fingers tamassage the scalp right alang thehairline, from the tap afthefarehead araund ta the base of the

skull. Travel slawly, using as muchpressure as faur partner needs.

5 Pressing and circling jaw musclesRest the pads of faur fingers an thejaw muscles. Ifyau have difficultyfinding them, rest faur fingers an thecheeks and ask faur partner taclench and unclench her teeth, whichcauses these muscles ta rise and falI.

Naw beginta press and circle faurfingers aver the whale area of thejaw muscles. Wark slawly andtharaughly ta release tensian.

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HEAD

7 Stroking over tap of headRest the middle and ring fîngers ofone hand on the middle of theforehead and those of the other inthe hollow at the centre base of theskull. Now lightlystroke faur fîngersfrom the forehead up and across thecentre fine of the skull and down tomeet the fîngers at the base. Thenpuii both hands out and away fromthe body as if dralning tension awayfrom the back of the head. Repeat.

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9 Strokingaround hairlineBeginas before, faur fîngerstouchlng at the centre of faurpartner's forehead. Then strokegentlystraight up to her hairline.Oivldefaur hands and draw faurflngersright along the hairllne, curveabove the ears and around the nmof the skullto the centre base. Whenfaur flngers meet at the centre, puIIthem back away from the head asbefore. Repeat several times.

10 Face massage sequenceStarting at the centre of theforehead, and using the same fîngersof each hand, stroke down and thenout and right around each eye, downalongside the nose, then around themouth, letting faur fîngers meetunder the lower lip. Continue downto the chin tip then along the Jawbone, up and over the ears, alongthe rim of the skull to the centrebase and off. Repeat a few times.

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8 Strokingheadto shouldersStand behind faur partner andgently rest the same fîngers of eachhand on the centre of her forehead.Draw faur fîngers lightlyup to thetor of the head then dlvide faurhands, coming down the sides of thehead behind the ears, down the

sldes of the neck, along the tors ofthe shoulders, and off. Repeat themovement several times.

47

COMMON AILMENTS

Headaches: Shiatsu

Headaches are frequently causedby poor digestion and inadequateelimination of toxins. Most of themendians concerned with these

functions run through the neck,shoulders, and upper back and anyimbalances can affect different

parts of the head. Working aroundthe upper back, shoulders andneck, as shown here, will release

stagnant energy in the appropriatemeridians and help relieveheadaches. Pressingtsubos an themeridian lines in other parts of thebody, such as feet. legs, hands,arms and shoulders, can also helpta relieve pain in the head. as inStep 6. If the tsubos are painful,hold them with light pressure, andagitate the point slightly in acomfortable way.

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I Shiatsu scalp massageBring faur partner's head forwardand support her forehead in faurcupped palm. With faur free handbegin to massage the whole of thescalp, using faur thumbs and fingersin a slow shampooing motion thattravels over the whole area. Focus

faur attention on the parts of thescalp that feel most tender to her.

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2 Shiatsu neck stretchSupport faur partner from behind,wlth faur elbows resting on thefront of her shoulders, ease themslightly back. Place faur hands on theback of her head while her headsinks forward to the point ofresistance. Hold for up to 30seconds, while she breathes deeply.Do net apply strong pressure.

3 Shiatsu neck side rollWith faur partner's head stil!forward, cup her forehead with onehand and let the other support theback of the neck between stretched

thumb and forefinger. Now slowlytilt the head back to rest on the hand

supporting the neck and begin ta raIIit gently in a semi-circle from side taside. Finallyreturn the head to anupright position.

HEAD

4 Shiatsu heel-of-hand massageStand beside faur partner and placeone of faur hands on her upperchest. With the heel of faur otherhand, make firm circling andvibrating movements aIIover thearea between the spine and theshoulder blade and up on to themuscles at the tor of the shoulder.Reverse faur position and repeat onthe other side.

5 Shiatsu pressing tap of shouldersStand behind faur partner and placethe balls of faur thumbs on tor ofher shoulders, near to the neck, asshown below right. Use faur bodyweight to apply pressure gradually,hold for a few seconds, then releaseslowly. Repeat the technique,moving outward along the shoulder,working the soft tissue between thebones.

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6 Shiatsuconnecting pointsKneel, with one knee up, beslde faurpartner. With one hand on hershoulder, use faur other thumb andforefinger to squeeze gently Into thefleshy part between the bones ofher thumb and her forefinger.Meanwhile, press into the smallindentation on the outside of theshoulder bone with faur thumb.Hold for up to 30 seconds.Continue, using faur thumbs, withlight pressure, to connect up anipolnts that are tender, as indicated inthe illustration left.

49

COMMON AILMENTS

Sinus congestionThe sinuses are air spaces in theskull that connect with the cavityinside the nase, and when themucous membranes af the naseare inflamed ar congested, the tinypassageways inta the sinusesbecome blacked. Thls can lead tad/scomfart and inflammatian in thesinuses, and mar cause aching inthe face ar a headache. Thefal/awingsequence warks aroundand across the banes where thesinuses are lacated and shauld bedane slawly and sensitively, withfaur partner Iyingdawn. Checkthat the amaunt af pressure yauare usingfeels right. Use eithermarjaram ar lavender essencehere (see p.21).

I Pressing around ere socketWith faur partner Iyingdawn,rthe tips of faur foreflngers unde

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the rims af her upper eye saekeby her nose. Now push up andunder the bones, build up pressur~hold and release. Move a step

!outward and repeat. Cirele bathesockets, using faur thumbs ta pres:the lower sockets.

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2 Clearing cheek bonesBegin with faur thumbs an thecheek bones, just below the eyesand next to the nose. Slowly andflrmly sweep out in a curving linethat travels out ta the hairline and

away. Move down a little way andrepeat the stroke. Work in this wayin strips down the cheek bones fromside of nose to hairline, until yaureach the base of the cheek bones.

3 Pressing under cheek bonesUsing the tips of the flrst two flngersof each hand, start clase to the sidesof the nose, and press up under therim of each cheek bone. Graduallybuild pressure, hold, then release.Move a step outward on each sideand repeat the pressure. Continuealongthe edge of the bone until youget to the ears.

50

ColdsThe cammon cald is a virusinfectlon, and the probability ofcatching colds rises when faurnatural resistance is lowered. AII

you can really do is let a cald run /tscaurse. A face and head massage

can help to clear congestion; any ofthe sequences in this sectlon on thehead mar be useful. The twoShlatsu techniques shown work onthe tsubas, which help to clearcangestion and aid elimination ofmucus, and the In-Do point on theforehead, which relieves heavinessin the head caused both by caldsand sinus problems. Rosemaryoreucalyptus essences mar be helpful(see p.21 ).

2 Shiatsu lung tsubosStand behind faur partner, and lether lean agalnst Iau. Curve bathfaur hands aver her shaulder jaintssa that faur flngertips rest in thevalleys between her shaulders andchest. Naw mave faur flngerssllghtlyfarward an ta the musclesand massage in small circles, applyingpressure with faur flngertips.

HEAD

I Self-helpoii rubUse eucalyptus ar rasemary essence(see p.ll). Gently massage the aiiinta the whale area araund faurnase and sinuses. Ifyau have a chestycald, apply it ta faur upper chest aswell. Use smalt, deep circlingmavements ta rub the aii quitetharaughly inta the skin.

3 ShiatsuIn-Do pointKneeland ask faur partner ta liedawn, supparting her head an faurknees. Place faur middle flngertips,ane restlng an the ather, betweenand veri slightly higher than theeyebraws. With light pressure, mavethe skin sensitively in tlny circles averthls tsubo. Use faur lawer flngertipta "sense" while the upper anesubtil creates the mavement.

51

NECK, SHOULDERS AND UPPERBACK

Bridging the head and the shoulders, the neck is a busy junctionwhere a huge amount of activity takes place. Major blood vessels inthe neck link the body to the head. The spinal nerves travelthrough the vertebrae of the neck and on down the spine, carryingmessages between the brain and all other parts of the body. Andthe throat houses the voice-box, as well as the passages for foodand air. The shoulder joints have the widest range of movement inthe body, and the whole shoulder and neck area can be easilystrained by overuse, unwise lifting or sudden,iarring movements.When we are under stress, it is the shoulder and neck muscles thattend to hold tension the most. This area also links with the Throatchakra (see p.12), which relates ta the expression of feelings viaarm or body movements, or through the voice. "Heart" feelings(see Heart chakra p.12) are also expressed through the arms. Whenwe boule up aur feelings we actually tighten muscles in the throat,shoulder and chest area to hold them in. Tense raised shoulderscan reflect fear, being the posture of the "startle reflex" when wegalvanize ourselves to meet game real or imagined threat. For allthese reasons this area often causes us discomfort.

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52

Neck stiffness, arthritisandstrain

Stiffnessin the neck may be causedby sleeping in an awkward posltion,ar from getting very cald fromstrainingmusc/es or Ilgaments, bysudden jarring movements, orsimplI from being anXlOUS.Whenapplylngthe following massagestrokes, keep your touch gentlebut firm, always remain wlthin thethreshold of pain, and go slowly. Iffaur partner has arthritis of theneck(see p.92) omit Sters 4 and 8,p.S4-5. Try rosemary essence (seep.21).Compresses (see p. 91) canalsobe helpful for neckache.

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NECK, SHOULDERS AND UPPER BACK

I Stroking and stretching back of neckWith faur partner Iyingan her backuse bath hands alternately ta strakeup the back afthe neck fram base taskull. Then cur faur hands under theback afthe head and puii tawardIau, stretching the neck. Make surefaur thumbs dan't drag an the ears.Naw glide faur hands alang the backaf the head and slide aff at the tap.

2 Turninghead and circlingbackof neckFirst cur bath faur hands araundand under faur partner's skull, withfaur thumbs resting in front af theears. Then slightly lift and gently turnthe head ta rest an ane af faurcupped hands. Check that thepasltian feels camfartable. Naw usefaur free hand ta massage the backaf the neck in slaw flrm cireles,maving right up ta the skull base.

3 Kneadingmuscleat baseof neckSlidefaur hand dawn ane side afthe neck and grasp the musele at thetap af the shaulder between faurflngers and thumb. Slawly squeezeand knead the musele, pushing faurflngers underneath it wlth cirelingmavements ta reach different parts.Ask faur partner ta saI what feelsparticulariI gaad. Repeat from Step2 an the ather side.

53

~

COMMON AILMENTS

4 Stretching side of neckCup ane af faur hands under faur

partner's skull and draw her headsideways taward her shaulder, Nawuse faur free hand, fingers paintingtaward the flaar, ta glide dawn theside af the neck and alang theshaulder ta the tap af the shaulderjaint, as shawn. Press firmly dawntaward her hand, stretching the sideaf the neck between faur twahands, Then glide back up theshaulder and neck and repeat thestretch twice mare, Naw reverse

faur hands and stretch the atherside af the neck.

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5 Stretching neck forward andbackwardCup bath faur hands under faurpartner's skull and slawly liftherhead farward, chin taward chest, tathe paint af resistance, as shawn left.Bring her head dawn again andrepeat. Naw cup ane hand underthe skull, the ather an tap af herhead, fingers painting taward theflaar, as shawn belaw, Tilt the headright back sa the chin comes up ashigh as passible. Release and stretchagain. Then bring her head gentlyback ta rest.

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7 Neck massage with partner sittinKLet your partner sit at a table,

supporting her head with her hands,Gently squeeze and stroke the backand sides of her neck with rhythmicalmovements. Move slowly, lettingyour partner be your guide for theamount of pressure needed. T ry alsomassaging the upper shoulders andbase of the neck with slow, firmkneading strokes, as this is acontinuation of the neck muscle.

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NECK, SHOULDERS AND UPPER BACK

6 Self-help for arthritis and achingneckPut two tennis balls into a sock andknot the end, Lie down with the balls

at the tap of your neck, just belowthe rim of your skull, one on eachside. Do this for about five minutes a

Gaj. It can be very soothing foraching necks ar osteoarthritis,

Caution: If you feel dizzy orexperience pain, stop at once.

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/8 Rotating the neckStand behind your seated partnerand put your wrist under her chin,your hand cradling her cheek. Cupthe opposite side of her head withyour other hand, Now slowly turnthe head by simultaneously pullingthe cheek and pushing against theslde ofthe head until you reach thepoint of resistance. Release the heada little, and then take it back to theresistance point two mare times.Then reverse the positions of yourtwo hands and repeat the stroke anthe other side.

55

COMMON AILMENTS

I CirclingshoulderbladeKneel at your partner's side, facingher head. Lifther hand on to herlower back and cup your outermosthand under her shoulder. Now cupyour free hand over the tap of theshoulder, clase to the neck, andfirmly liftthe muscle.Then continuedown along the edge of the shoulderblade, pushing in under the rim.Circlearound the blade and back tothe tap of the shoulder. Repeatseveral times.

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Upperbackandshou0er

seiffness or painStlffness in the upper back can becaused by muscle strain or arthritlS.Emotional stress can also causetlghtness in the muscles, as can

spending long hours sitting at adesk or maktng repetitive arm

movements. In Shiatsu, the upperback relates to the lungs and heart,50 by worklng here you can

Influence these organs and helptreat such ailments as asthma orbronchial complaints. Trybergamot or rosemary essencehere (see p.2l). Muscular pain inthls area can also be eased usingcompresses (see p. 91).

Caution.. Before treatlng arthriticor injured joints see pp. 90- 3.

2 Pressing flat of blade and

squeezing along ridgeWith the heel of your free hand,

push slowly and firmly up the flat ofthe blade from base to tap until yourhand meets the ridge of bonerunning along the tap of the blade.

Clasp your fingers around the tap ofthe ridge and squeeze your hand outtoward the shoulder joint. Repeatthe whole movement several times.

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3 Rotating shoulder jointCup your outermost hand under

your partner's shoulder joint, whileyour other hand holds her upperarm just above the elbow. Now startto lift and rotate the shoulder joint ina large slow circle, going to the pointof resistance aII the way around.After several circulations changedirection and rotate the shoulder theother way. Repeat on the other sidefrom Step 1.

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5 Kneadingtap of shoulderandjointBeginto do some broad strokesfrom the neck along the tor of theshoulder toward the joint. Use bothhandsalternately to squeeze andstroke along the muscle, and thenspend some time working slowlyaround the joint, pressing into thesaft tissue between the bones with

faur thumbs and fingers.

6 Stretching shoulder jointKneelby faur partner's side, facingtaward her head, Take hold of herwrist and hand between both of

yaurs, with faur thumbs in her palm,Now lifther arm and stretch it awayfrom you up and out above herhead, Release the pressure and thenstretch again two or three times, Letthe arm down to rest by the side andthen repeat the stroke on the othersidefrom Step 4,

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NECK, SHOULDERS AND UPPER BACK

4 "Sandwiching" out to shoulderjointWith faur partnerIyingon her back,sit at her side facing toward hershoulders, Place one hand under herupper back at the base of the neckand the ather hand an the centre ofher chest, just belaw the collar bane,Slowly and firmly draw faur handstaward Iau, squeezing aut tawardthe shaulder joint. Repeat the strakeseveral times.

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57

COMMON AILMENTS

7 PullingupalongspinalmusclesSit at faur partner's head and pushboth hands about a hand's lengthunder the back on either side of the

spine. Press up with the pads of faurfingers into the muscles clase to eachside of the spine, then slowly drawfaur hands up along these musclesto the base of the neck, ironing outknots of tension. (See vertical arrowsbelow.) Repeat several times.

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~8 Pressing near spine and shaking .:;~shoulderSit facing faur partner's side, at

shoulder level. Push both hands

under the shoulder blade until faurfingertips reach the spine, as shownbelow left. With the pads of faurfingers slowly press up into themuscles clase to the spine. Pressdifferent areas alongside the upperspine. Now puii faur hands towardyou, to the rim of the shoulder blade(see horizontal arrows left) and liftand shake the whole shoulder quitevigorously, as shown below right.Repeat on the other side.

II

I Shiatsu thumb pressure downbladder meridianWith faur partner Iyingon her front,sit at her head and place the pads offaur thumbs on either side of herspine, at the tap of her upper back.Gradually apply pressure by movingfaur weight on to faur thumbs.Hold for a moment or two, thenrelease slowly and move in this waydown her upper back. Repeat thistechnique three times.

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NECK, SHOULDERS AND UPPERBACK

Upper back stiffness and pain:ShiatsuDeep pressure down the bladdermeridians in the upper back willrelax thls whole area and willaffectthe functioning of the lungsandheart. Weakness in the front of theshoulders often causes tightness inthe upper back meridians andmuscJes. These stretchingtechniques willopen the upperchest and help relieve this stiffness.The back needs to be seen as awhole, however, since pain in theupper back can also be caused bylumbar problems. Wheneverpossible treat the mid and lowerback areas too.

2 Shiatsu upper back stretchAsk faur partner to sit back on herheels and stretch her arms over faurthighs. Encourage her to relax herneck and back and place the sides offaur hands either side of her spine atthe base of her neck. Move from

faur hara to increase the pressurethrough faur hands and work slowlyand carefully down the muscles ofher upper back.

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3 Shiatsu elbow stretchWith faur partner sitting cross-legged or on her heels, ask her toput her hands behind her head, withfingers interlaced. Standing behindher, place the side of ane of faurlegs against her back and cup herelbaws in faur hands. Ask her tobreathe aut and gently stretch herelbaws back as you brace her backwith faur leg. Hald, then release.Repeat twa or three times.

59

r

CHEST

The chest is the emotional centre of the body, housing aur Heartchakra (see p.12), which relates to compassion, love and self-development. It is also the centre of breathing and if aur chest isnot constricted by tension, the ribcage expands and contractsfreely as we inhale and exhale. Any tension in the chest area willrestrict the breath and hence limit the amount of oxygen that wetake in and use. Chest problems are often due to bottling upfeelings - hence the expression "get it off your chest". Asthmaattacks, though often an allergic reaction, may also be triggered byanxiety and upset. Those who suffer from chest problems can trycutting down dairy produce (thought to create mucus) and thosewho smoke should give it tip. The following pages contain strokesthat will help loosen mucus from the chest, and others that will aidand deepen the breathing. When massaging this area, bear in fiindthat the front of the body is mare vulnerable and "open" than theback. Before beginning, rest both hands gently on your partner'schest and tune in to the breathing rhythm. Ii your partner isundressed, oiI and soothe the chest first, using the strokes from thewhole body massage (see p. 41).

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60

ChestcongestionThesestrokeswillhelpto relieveanItensionin the chest causedbybronchialinfectionsand asthma.Easlngthemusc/esalongside thespmewillaffectthe nerves leadingtoaIItheorgansof the chest. Trybergamatar eucalyptusessenceshere(seep.21).Thepercussionstrokescreate vibration in the

chestcavityandlungsand can helptoloosenmucusand phlegm fromthebronchialtubes.For these

(Steps2and3)your partner needsacushionunderhisbelly 50 that hisupperbadyislower than his hips.

2CuppingonribsPutfaur handsinta acuppedposition(seep.26).Then, with joasewnsts,begina rapidalternatingclappingstrokeaver the whale farsideoffaur partner'sribcage,frombottomta tap andbackagain.Avaidworkingdirectii an thespine itself.Cuppingonthe upper backareaaffectstheupper labesof the lungs.Changesidesandrepeat an theothersideof the chest.

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I Pushingmusclesat sideof spineKneelup, facingfaur partner's side.Leaningfram faur hips,placetheheelsof faur handsjust beyand the

I far edge of the spine at the tap. Let. / faur weight pressdawn asyau slide- r., I faur hands autward acrass the ridge

,fi of muscle. Repeat this stroke, maving; slawly dawn ta the baseof the ribs.

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"-'"3ThumpingaiongsidespinePlacethe flatsoffaur flngersan theridge of musclenearest ta Iau, at theside of the spine. Startingat the midback,thump the back of faur flngersquite rapidly,with faur ather handina joase flst,whileslidingfaurflngersup alangsidethe spine(natdirectii an it),untilyau reach thebase of the neck.Then thump dawnta the start again.Adapt faurpressure ta faur partner's wishes.Repeat an the ather side.

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61

COMMON AILMENT5

Breathing exercise for chestproblemsThis isa breathing exerose thatderives from bioenergetics, andalthough it isaccompanied here bya partner, it can be equally effectivedone by yourself Rocking thepelvis as you breathe helps toexaggerate healthy respiratorymovements. The movement alsohelps you to fiiiand empty thelungs fully.Here we giveinstructions separately for giverand recelVer, but it 15up to thegiver to keep rime with thereceiver, and nor the otherwayaround.

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I Breathing exercise with pelvicmovements (for receiver alone)Lie on faur back, with faur knees upand feet shoulder-width apart.Inhale, rocking faur pelvis back sothat faur sacrum presses into thefloor and faur lower back hollows(see recelver in i!lustration above).Then exhale fully, letting faur pelvisswing forward in the opposite direction,so that faur tai! bone liftsa littleway off the floor (see receiver below).Repeat several times, then rest.

2 Co-ordinating stroke (for giver)Sit at faur partner's hips and watchhis breathing pattern. Place faurhands on his belly. As he inhales,glide up the centre of his body to thetap of the chest and over theshoulders (see above), and as heexhales slide faur hands down thesides of his chest applying somepressure as air is expelled {seebelow). Repeat several tlmes.

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62

CHEST

2 Shiatsuchest releaseKneelat faur partner's head andplace the heels of both handsbeneath his collar bone. As he takesa deep breath In,apply pressureagalnstthe rlse of his chest. Thensuddenly release faur pressurebefore he reaches full inhalation.

To encourage full exhalation,gently lean faur body welghtthrough faur hands on to hls chest.Repeat the sequence twice.

I Shiatsu pressing down onshouldersKneeling at faur partner's head, rupthe tops of hls shoulder joints andrest the heels of faur hands in thevalleys between shoulders and chest.With stra

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(over faur hands and lean some offaur welght down on to hisshoulders. Hold for nve seconds andrelease. Repeat twice mare. \

Coughs,bronchitis andasthma:Shiatsu

Circulatoryand respiratoryfunctionstake place In the chestandShlatsuwillincrease the energytathese two vital systems,encouraglngthe eliminatlonoftOXInSand mucus. Rounded5houldersand a hunched bac/<are

Indlcatlonsthat the person isprotectlnga weak chest. Work. ,wlthcareand respect as thlS area15thecentre of emotions and ca

bevulnerablein many people.Thetechnique shown in Step2shouldnor be used on asthma5ufferers.

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3 Shiatsu centring techniqueSupport faur partner's head on faurknees and stroke through hls hair,resting faur flngers on tap of hlshead. Place the flngers of faur otherhand softly on the base of his breastbone and pause. Now move faurflngers slowly up the bone, pauslngas he exhales and moving anii withhis inhalation.

63

ARMSAND HANDSaur arms are crucial for aur survival and how we relate to theworld. Ever since we stood upright during the process of evolutionwe have been able to use aur arms for a whole variety of activities,aided especially by aur "opposable" thumbs. These thumbsprobably make aur hands the most skilful biological organs to haveevolved. aur arms and hands are also vehicles of self-expression.They relate to the Throat and Heart chakras (see p.12) and withthem we are able to express a huge range of feelings - fromreaching out tenderly in love and affection, to expressing hatredand rage by beating or hitting, to warding off danger. As the arms,wrists and hands are so mobile and are used constantly in everydayactivities, the joints and muscles can be subiect to sprains or strainsif they are stressed or overstretched (see p.90). These injuries canrespond well ta massage in their recuperative stages. Tennis elbowis a common strain of the arID for which we have given a massagesequence bere. Hands and arms can also sometimes suffer fromcramps, and the joints from rheumatic complaints such as arthritis(see p.92). Careful working with massage aratind the joints of thehand can bring relief and comfort.

64.

Tennis elbow, cramp, strainsTennis elbow is a strain caused byoverstretching the musc/es andtendons of the forearm at the

outer side of the elbow, and pain isfelt when the person grips orbends the arm when lifting heavythings. This strain can also happenafter overuse in such activities as

sawing. This sequence can beparticularii helpful after an initialrest penod and ice treatment (seep. 91). Wait for one to two daysbefore massaging. The sequencecan also be helpful for cramp (seealso p.85) or aching arms. Userosemary essence here (see p.21).

Caution.. Before treating arthriticor inJured Joints see pp. 90- 3.

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2Massagearound elbow jointSupportyour partner's arm on yourknee,sothat hiselbow isslightlyralsed.Now beginto work slowlywithyourthumbs and tlngers aroundthewholejoint. payingspecialattentionto the outer (Iateral) partoftheelbow,Stayfocusedon theunderlyingstructures,but if there issoreness,work with sensitivity,

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3 Thumbing across fibres of forearmSlightly raise your partner's lowerarm and work tlrst up the back, andthen the front, of his forearm fromthe wrist with slow. tlrm thumb

movements that push alternatelyupward and autward, crassingthetlbres of the musclesthat run dawnthe arm. Give extra attentian ta the

area just belaw the elbaw.

tARMS AND HANDS

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I KneadingarmsWith yaurpartnerIyingdawn, facehissideand begin ta knead hisupperarm with tlrm. rhythmical squeezingstrakes.Travel rightdawn ta hiswrist. givingspecialattentian ta themusclesof the farearm, just belowthe elbaw. Kneadtharaughly up anddawn the arm twa ar three times.

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COMMON AILMENTS

Hand and wrist pro~sArthnk hands can benefit fromgentle and sensitive massagearound the joints. The sequence onthese two pages mar be useful andyour partner can either fie or sit.Writer'scrampismusc/efatigue "

arislngfrom any sustained,repetitive movement of the hand.Try out the strokes shown here,along with the hand massages fromWhole Body (see p.40), to seewhich feel best. Fingersand thumbscan suffer from sprains or stralns(see p. 90)and massage can helphealingand mobi/ity in therecovery period.Caution: Before treating arthriticor injuredjoints see pp. 90-3.

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2 Flexing wristWith hisarm still upright, nextstretch the back of the wrist.Support his hand by holding hiswrist.With faur free hand pressdownwith faur palm on the back of hishand. Do this slowly and carefully asyou can reachthe point of resistancequite quickly.

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3 Extending wristWith hisarm in the sameposition,now stretch the front of hiswrist bypushingdown on hispalmwith faurown palm.Pressslowly to the pointof resistance,then release.Whileyou are doingthis support his lowerarm with faur other hand.

66

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I Wrist rollingSupport faur partner's forearm inarupright position, with faur palmsorthe backand front of hiswrist. Nowmove faur handsrapidly backandforth, rolling his wrist between them

asyou go. His handshould flaploasely asyau da this stroke.

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4 Opening the palmLet faur partner's palmfacethefloor and placethe heelsaf faurhandson the backof hishandandfaur fingers in hispalm. Naw pressdown with the heelsaf faur handsand firmly lift with faur fingerssathat yau apen and spreadthe bonesof hispalm.

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7 Circling knuckle jointHaldingfaur partner's hand withanehand,clasp and isolate one offaur partner's ftngers by wrappingaiithe flngers of faur other handflrmly around 11,as shown above.Usefaur thumb to slowly circlearoundthe knuckle joint, pushingintathe softer tlssue. Work each

knucklein this way, including thethumb.

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5 Squeezing along channelsHolding faur partner's hand in onehand, use the thumb and flrst ftngerof faur other hand to squeeze alongthe channels between the bones.

Press in ftrmly from both sides andwork slowly along the groove fromwrist to web of ftnger. It is easier towork two channels with one handand two with the other.

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6 ExtendingfingersStretch the inslde of his knuckle

joints by pressing faur thumb on theback of his knuckle, with faur otherhand pushing the ftngertip slowlybackward tiI! you reach the point ofresistance. Ask faur partner to sai"when". Extend each ftnger in turn.

8 Stretching fingersBegin, as before, by clasping thewhole of faur partner's ftnger, butthis time begin to squeeze, wring,and stretch down the whole lengthof the ftnger to the tip and off, asshown below. Give ftrmest pressureon the root and espeCially along theligaments at the sides of the ftnger.

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