This oriental therapy, also known as accupressure, is a system of treating disorders by pressing firmly on the skin at precisely located points. It is based on the theory that the energy of life, known as chi, flows through the body along clearly defined channels which are called meridians. There are 14 main meridians, each of which influences a major organ of the body and any related organs and functions, although its path need not run close to the organ it is associated with. So, for example, the Lung meridian, which runs from the shoulder down to the thumb, influences the lungs and the entire brething apparatus, including the nose and throat.

In a healthy person, the energy flows smoothly, and is balanced between the two opposite qualities, yin and yang. Yin is characterized as dark, cold and passive, while yang is seen as light, warm and active. The main meridians are grouped in pairs, one yin and one yang meridian in each pair. The yin meridians are on the inside or front surfaces of the body and the energy flows upwards, while the yang meridians are on the outside and back surfaces and the chi flows downwards. If the flow of energy along a meridian is disrupted, the associated organ does not function properly and the perosn becomes unwell.

At a number of places along each meridian there are points where the energy can be contacted in order to restore a smooth and balanced flow through the channels. Shiatsu is the practice of treating these points by pressing on the skin.

Shiatsu is helpful in a wide variety of disorders, because by restoring energy balance in the body, it enables the body's own healing mechanisms to take over and cure the illness. When you become familiar with the concept of meridians, you can understand how different parts of the body are interrelated. I imagine the meridians as motorways running through the body, and with this image in mind it is easy to understand how tension or soreness in one area can be a signal that there is a problem elsewhere on the same meridian.

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