.png){kind=small}
Let us remember we are in the Holy Presence of God.
God is our life source and sustains our Ki energy. Trauma lodges in our bodies causing meridians to be blocked. We feel helpless, suffocated, and speechless. Trauma has taken control. It settles in environment that has already been affected by stress, finding common ground. We are affected more deeply every time there is association. Suddenly, the effects of childhood abuse are projected to loved ones, while the traumatic incident lodges itself within us.
Anger, sadness, depression, and anxiety overwhelm us. Hyper-vigilance alerts us to potential threats. Our bodies hurt and we can’t sleep. It is suffocating. We have become susceptible to colds and virus. Damaging emotions have lodged in our organs. We are totally fatigued with zero energy. It feels like God has left us.
People closest to us don’t understand how we can be so mean. How can we be so close, yet so far away? Our spouses don’t know who we are. Our voices express to them the pain from every childhood stress to our new traumatic incident. Where is Love?
Shiatsu unblocks meridians and cleanses organs from emotional distress. I teach Shiatsu in combination with breathing exercises, directed meditation, and healthy food intake. Breathing techniques with stretching helps to relax the meridians. Stretching calms the nervous system, releases stress, creates a circulation of energy, and opens joints and muscles. I explain directed meditation and how to visualize the trauma leave the body during Shiatsu. Eating anti-inflammatory foods and a plant-based diet aid the body during recovery from trauma. Warm water with lemon is best to drink, since cold liquids make dampness in the body, and our kidneys don’t like cold. Avoid caffeine, salt, sugar, and animal fats that heighten the effects of trauma.
The entire body is affected by trauma. The touch of Shiatsu is so therapeutic. In general, people need appropriate touch.Trauma victims especially need safe and appropriate touch to help them regain trust. Regaining trust helps to rekindle relationships that have been severed by the trauma.
Our kidneys control water in our bodies and overall balance of Yin and Yang. Kidneys also purify our blood. Emotions from fear, anxiety, family stress, and fatigue lodge in the kidneys, which may cause physical ailments. Shiatsu tonifies or disperses/sedates KI energy to balance Yin and Yang. Our kidneys cooperate with our bladder, both being water elements.
After a traumatic experience, our nerves may be stained and our bodies stiff and very sensitive. We may be easily frightened and suffer from anxiety. The emotion fear lodges in our bladder, and may cause us to experience migraine headaches, oversensitivity, nasal congestion, malfunction of the autonomic nervous system, tightness in our legs and shoulder muscles, depression, frustration, night sweats, and weakened Spirit. Tonification or sedation of Ki energy in the bladder meridian gives the body an overall feeling of relaxation and calm.
Tonification or sedation of Ki energy in the liver meridian helps the body to regulate inappropriate emotions, like those emoted at loved ones. Along with being nervous, short-tempered, irritable, and nervous, the leanest body will not gain weight. The liver lodges the emotion anger, which is the outward sign of depression. Anger, quite often originates from childhood and is revisited and compounded each time an association triggers the body to react. Anger can injure the liver.
As stated, trauma affects the entire body. When one organ is affected, the body goes out-of-balance, so then another and another organ is affected. Shiatsu opens the flow of Ki energy in the meridians, moving trauma through the body and stimulating the body to heal itself.
The approach to healing from trauma is holistic using the mind and body and being aware of God’s loving Presence as we reach for recovery.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jo’Anne Brancato
MS, SBA, SDA, Certified Shiatsu Instructor, Holistic Health Counselor.
Email: achievingpathways@yahoo.com
Jo’Anne Brancato taught for forty years, and was a school principal for children with special needs. In 2007, she became fully accredited as a health counselor and coach. She is recognized by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners as an Expert Holistic Health Practitioner.
Since 2012, she has cared for the Sisters of St. Joseph and the people in her parish community. She facilitates a bereavement group, teaches adult Bible studies, and coordinates Religious Education classes for children. Jo’Anne also practices Transcendental Meditation, and is progressing towards becoming a Siddhi with the World Peace Assembly.
She lives in Rockaway, NY with her husband. They have worked together throughout their careers in education, and continue to work together at their parish and for Sisters of St. Joseph. They have four adult children, and nine grandchildren ranging in age from one month to 24 years. She is excited to officially add shiatsu to her credentials to help and serve others
Comments