(English version only) This post is a follow-up on my last post in which I gave you an insight into the Liver1 function according to Chinese Medicine. First I will comment on the Liver function related to women’s menstruation. Then I will give you 5 tips for a healthier Liver function and a more balanced emotional life (also for men)! If you like to go straight to the tips, scroll down to the picture ‘5 tips’. Liver’s impact on women’s menstruationMany women suffer from PMS, premenstrual syndrome. 1-2 weeks before the menstruation starts, they develop one or more of the following symptoms: feeling irritable and/or depressed, having mood swings, feeling…
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Healthy Liver function, happy emotional life
(Only English version available) In this post I would like to give you a little insight in the way the Liver is being looked at in Chinese medicine. The focus will be on the Liver function related to our personal and emotional life; the Liver function has a deep influence on our emotional state. The organs are written with a capital letter; this is to indicate their meaning used as in Chinese medicine. In Western medicine the organ is solely seen as an anatomical entity. According to Chinese medicine the organ is much more than that; it is a complex energetic system encompassing not only the material-anatomical aspect, but also…
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5-minute eye relieve
(Only English version available) Picture above: points according to acupuncture1. Bladder 12. Bladder 23. Yuyao4. Triple Heater 235. Taiyang6. Stomach 2 This time I would like to share with you a little DIY (do it yourself) shiatsu massage. The nice thing about it is that you can do it yourself anywhere, anytime! When you work, study, while waiting, or simply when you are by yourself. It’s a shiatsu massage for your eyes. Through your eyes a lot of information is brought in about the world around you. The brain tries to process all this information, so you can move through your world. It takes a lot of eye movement to…
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Active Rest
(Only English version available) Some years ago I had several Alexander Technique sessions with Maria Vahervuo. Maria (from Helsinki, Finland) got introduced to the Alexander Technique (AT) at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. She got interested in the AT, because of the effect it had not only on her playing as a musician, but also on her life, emotions and well-being. Therefore Maria decided to study Alexander Technique herself. She now has become a passionate teacher, continuously broadening her knowledge in the field of AT and adjacent studies (and still being a musician!). Find out more about Maria here. From the sessions with Maria I learnt among others about…
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Simple grounding tip to help with anxiety
(Only English version available) This month my good friend Sam Ho has written a post about the ‘famous’ acupuncture point Kidney – 1. Sam Ho is an acupuncturist and massage therapist from Australia, living in London at the moment. If you have any questions or feedback, please email me at info@shumara.nl. Enjoy reading:-) Feeling Anxious?Did you know uncertainty has actually been linked to feelings of anxiety?1 2020 is proving to be a tough year and we are all feeling it. Working from home, lock downs or just the general stress of uncertainty are all likely to be having an impact on your mental health & anxiety. Here is an exercise…
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The Lung (meridian) – Part 2
(Only English version available) In this second part you will find some more aspects of the Lung’s functioning according to Chinese medicine/ shiatsu. When you scroll down, you will find:– some lifestyle tips – shiatsu/ acupuncture points – an overview of healthy Lung functions and Lung’s pathology Bear in mind that the information is from various resources having sometimes a bit of different point of view. Also, the information isn’t complete. There is much more to tell. If you have any questions, just email me and I will try to answer them as Chinese medicine can be quite difficult to understand. Good luck with reading! ProtectionThe Lungs are related to…
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The Lung (meridian) – Part 1
(Only English version available) In this part you will find some aspects of the Lung’s functioning according to Chinese medicine/ shiatsu. In part 2 a few more aspects will be covered + a full overview of healthy Lung functions and Lung’s pathology. Also, some important shiatsu points and lifestyle tips will be given! Master of KiThe Lung1 is associated with the function of Ki (energy) exchange by the process of respiration where the intake of oxygen and the elimination of carbon dioxide take place. This is the most important function of the Lung. The Lungs govern respiration by the inhalation of ‘clean’ Ki from the air and the exhalation of…
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Meridians – a short introduction
(Only English version available)(The above picture shows the meridians according to acupuncture. In shiatsu there are a few differences) Meridians are like pathways of Ki (energy) in the body, but you can’t physically see them. The whole body ‘is‘ Ki. The ancient Chinese noticed however the action of Ki within the body and this was eventually systematized into twelve main meridians (there are more meridians). These twelve meridians are grouped into six Yin and Yang pairs. A meridian isn’t solely a pathway; it is an expression of your life. Each meridian has its own life function (respiration, digestion, excretion and so on). Find below the meridians, grouped into their Yin…
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Ki
(Only English version available) Ki is a fundamental concept in shiatsu as shiatsu is based on Chinese medicine. Therefore I would like to give you some insight into the subject of Ki. In literature a lot is written about Ki; the concept of Ki is being looked at from different perspectives. Below you will find a summary of one of those perspectives. It might be a challenge to understand, but give it a try! If you have any questions or comments about this post, please email me at info@shumara.nl. Ki’s meaning in a more general senseIn Chinese medicine Ki (‘Ki’ in Japanese or ‘Qi’ in Chinese) is a fundamental concept.…
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Meridian exercises for an improved level of health
(Only English version available) Find here all illustrations of the meridian exercises. Below I’m giving quite some background information to help you with the exercises. If it is too much, don’t worry, you can just scroll down and choose the pieces that are of interest to you:-) For doing the exercises it isn’t necessary to know all about Ki (energy) and the meridians (pathways of energy in the body). More important is learning to feel what is going on in your body. However, in case you are interested in these subjects, please just let me know. Introduction to the meridian exercisesShizuto Masunaga is the founder of Iokai Shiatsu (also known…
