Choosing a “Bodyworker”
* Note: A “Bodyworker” is someone who works on your body! They may be a Shiatsu Therapist, a Massage Therapist, or someone practicing another modality to bring health and healing to the Human body.
A first step to choosing a bodyworker could be asking your circle of contacts~~especially if there is someone you can talk to who appears to care for their health and is a generally happy person. Someone who is happy and nice to others has an idea about how to take care of themselves!
Get a few names. Try different people and different styles if necessary. The important piece is to find someone with whom you feel comfortable, who makes you comfortable and with whom you can communicate your preferences.
Most importantly, you have a right to ask for lighter or deeper touch. If you do not like deep or painful touch, and the bodyworker will not adjust to your needs, find another bodyworker. Shiatsu is energywork and as such can have a healing benefit without causing pain. As you become more experienced with bodywork you may come to crave deeper work, however, in the meantime you have a right to ask for and receive what works for you. At some point~~or not!~~you may find yourself wanting the ‘good hurt’ associated with deeper touch, however getting to that point is a journey whose speed you have every right to control.
Conversely, if you like deep work~~find someone who will deliver! Doing deep work takes strength, energy and good body dynamics and is physically more demanding for your bodyworker!
After Your Bodywork Session
Schedule your bodywork session before an hour or more of downtime! The more downtime the better. You may be energized or sleepy, you may even be reflective about your life. It is nice to be able to have unscheduled time to do…whatever strikes you in the moments after your session. It may be just sitting in a park staring at the trees. It may be going for a walk or reading a book or taking a bath. It may be just going home and taking a nap and going to sleep. All are perfect in my world. The point is to allow the Shiatsu session, or whatever session you receive, to settle in more deeply into your body and being. Truly, this is the best way to maximize the expenditure of time and money!
