A Little About Shiatsu

Shiatsu is a form of Japanese bodywork that has been practiced for over a century, with roots in traditional East Asian medicine. It developed from earlier hands-on healing traditions and draws on the same understanding of the body as an interconnected system, influenced by Chinese medicine.

At its heart, Shiatsu is simple and practical: using touch, pressure, and movement to support the body’s natural ability to regulate, adapt, and find balance. While the language and frameworks may be old, the work itself is very relevant to modern life — especially in a world where many of us spend a lot of time disconnected from our bodies.

Inspired by the Five Elements

My work is informed by Five Element Shiatsu, a traditional framework that observes how the body, emotions, and energy move in natural cycles — much like the seasons.

Rather than seeing the body as something to fix, Five Element Shiatsu recognises that we are always responding to life. At different times we may need support to move forward, to express ourselves, to feel nourished, to let go, or to rest more deeply.

The Five Elements offer a way of understanding these shifting needs:

Wood (Spring) relates to movement, growth, direction, and change

Fire (Summer) to expression, warmth, connection, and emotional flow

Earth (Late Summer) to nourishment, grounding, and feeling supported

Metal (Autumn) to clarity, vitality, boundaries, and letting go

Water (Winter) to rest, stillness, resilience, and inner resources

We naturally move through these phases again and again. When we work with these rhythms — rather than pushing against them — the body often feels more responsive, balanced, and at ease.

In nature, we don’t question animals resting through winter or new growth emerging in spring — these cycles are expected and supported. As humans, we often judge ourselves for needing rest or push forward when our bodies are asking for something different.

Five Element Shiatsu invites a kinder approach, helping us work with our own rhythms rather than against them.

In a Shiatsu session, these elements help guide how I listen and respond through touch, supporting what feels most needed in that moment.

Sometimes that means encouraging movement, sometimes offering stillness, and sometimes simply creating space for the body to reorganise itself in its own way.

Pausing to listen...

You don’t need to have studied the Five Elements to begin noticing these patterns in yourself.

Sometimes simply pausing to reflect can make them feel surprisingly familiar or meaningful.

The questions below may help you notice what’s asking for attention in your body or life right now, or bring awareness to what’s been sitting underneath the surface.