SHIZUTO MASUNAGA SENSEI was born in Japan where he lived until his death in 1981. He studied shiatsu and psychology, and spent many years researching their relationship. With his knowledge, experience and intuition, he gave us the Hara and back diagnostic areas. He coined and explained the terms of Kyo and Jitsu in relationship to the diagnostic areas and throughout the whole body. He also developed a psychological understanding of each of the meridians. Through his intuition he developed the extensions for the 12 traditional meridians. He gave us the coordination of using 2 hands together, which he named Mother and Messenger hands. He also developed stretches and exercises for the meridians, and so much more. MASUNAGA SENSEI GAVE US A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF SHIATSU. THANK YOU!
THE OPENING
In a healthy body, every breath we breathe extends throughout the whole body. Every step, every stretch, every movement, every action is an expression of energy (Ki) as it travels and moves through our whole body and being. When any part of the body feels different, isolated and separated from the whole the Ki is blocked, stuck or weak. In the Masunaga System we may trace, touch and stretch each meridian as it travels throughout the whole length of the body.
Please look at the chart below for the following explanation
This will be a detailed introduction or a review with insight to the Masunaga System, though one must experience it to feel the depth and dimension of what it has to offer.
The Masunaga Chart is a beautiful piece of art that represents the full flow of life within us. I have it on a lovely frame hanging on my wall. I enjoy looking at it and continue to appreciate and discover all that it has to offer. Let's take a look together.
The chart represents many of the gifts Masunaga has given to us to enhance the art of shiatsu.
The giver may use the chart as a whole or individual parts.
THE COLORS: THE RAINBOW MAN
The meridians are in living color. There are colors in nature. There are the colors in the circle of life as expressed in the 5 transformations or elements. The meridians are an expression of the elements. Examples: the color red, the fire element, is represented on the chart by the heart and small intestine meridians. The color black, the water element is represented on the chart by the kidney and bladder meridians. Brown is for the earth meridians of the spleen and stomach. For the most part, the colors of the meridians on the chart match the theory of their corresponding elements.
THE MERIDIAN LINES
There are 12 lines in the arms, 12 lines in the legs, 12 lines in the torso and 12 lines in the neck. The full length of the line is a combination of the traditional path and the path of the corresponding extension. The solid lines represent the Yang meridians, the dotted lines represent the Yin meridians.
HARA/CENTER AND BACK DIAGNOSTIC AREAS
All 12 traditional meridians and their extensions are represented with a corresponding diagnostic area which we may palpate to feel for Kyo (under energy) or Jitsu (over energy).
Each diagnostic area is in the vicinity of where the related organ and organ energy is located. As the giver touches each one for observation, the giver is also treating the energy. As you can see, it is written on the chart "diagnosis and treatment."
The colors of the diagnostic areas match the colors of the meridians they represent.
The filled in diagnostic colors are the Yin. The hollow diagnostic areas are the Yang.
For example: In the Hara, the Yin heart diagnostic area is the red filled in oval below the sternum. The Yin red dotted heart lines flow from that area.
For example: on the back, the Yang bladder diagnostic area is the black hollow circle located on the sacrum. The Yang black solid bladder lines flow from that area.
The diagnostic areas are not bi-lateral except for a few. Example: the kidneys on the back and the lungs on the front.
When studying the chart, you may visually see the connections shared by the front and the back diagnostic areas.
THE POINTS
Only a few of the traditional points are shown on the chart. All the points for the traditional meridians are of course still present and valuable.
The extensions do not have any points.
For Masunaga, the main focus was to touch and clear and nourish the pathway and to move the energy through the length of the whole pathway, through the length of the whole body.
THE CROSS SECTIONS
The cross sections are an easy way to first learn the extensions. Each cross section represents the body part it is next to.
There are 12 meridians in all the cross sections and the corresponding body part. Although the neck only shows 11 lines, the 12th, the red dotted heart meridian is under the chin.
STRETCH AND WORKING POSITIONS
The 12 boxes on the chart represents the stretch positions of the meridians that the giver may use during a session to stretch the meridian.
Each meridian has a working position that is not shown on the chart. The working positions we use during our sessions gently expose the meridian we are working on. They also have a stretch position that may be used not to work on but to stretch the meridian, enhance your sessions and give an extra release and movement of the energy/Ki through the meridian.
THE FOOT
All 12 meridians are on the foot. The foot as shown is a glass bottom drawing. Meaning, from the bottom you can see the meridians that are on the bottom and top of the foot.
When you have an understanding of the chart and it becomes natural to you, you may feel the beauty and wholeness it represents.
I hope this explanation of the chart is helpful. In a future blog post, look for part 2. This will be a continuation of the Masunaga System of Zen Shiatsu.
MAUREEN C. MILLER is a graduate of the Ohashi Institute and a senior instructor where for over 30 years she has been teaching all levels of the Ohashi method, Masunaga's zen shiatsu and courses of her own design in NYC, Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in New York, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Massachusetts, ad Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-Ji in New York, and extensiviely in Europe. She also taught and trained many Shiatsu Ka.
Maureen has an extensive background in dance and practiced the martial arts of aikido (3d degree black belt) and karate (1st degree black belt). She is currently enjoying the practice of vinyasa yoga, gentle strength training and zumba dancing.
Maureen's private sessions combine the movement of dance, martial arts, and yoga with the art of touch and the knowledge of shiatsu to vie a very profound, graceful and beneficial session which focuses on the needs and wants of her clients.
Maureen is happy to share her over 30 years of teaching and practice experience with the students and instructors at The Five Lights Center of Shiatsu.
"I AM GRATEFUL TO MY TEACHERS, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE, FOR THEY INSPIRE MY THOUGHTS AND MOVEMENTS."
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