How to Do Spinal Shiatsu Massage

Video Transcript

"As you can see I've moved myself. I'm actually resting on my knees above Sarah here, and I'm going to be working along her vertebral column here, or the spinal cord, with my palms. I'm creating pressure here and shifting my weight, working from the hara, using my weight, pushing down with my palms. Is the pressure okay? Now she's scooting back as well when I do this, so I can keep that dynamic. I'm giving my body full support here. As a massage therapist it seems that there's a lot of burnout in my profession, as far as people putting their own bodies out. You have to take care of yourself as a massage therapist, and not over-extending yourself, working from the hara, working from your center, and using your full body. I can go up and make a fist, and go up her spine that way. I'm going along the spine, I'm actually not putting pressure on the spinal cord, which is very important. I'm on either side and I'm going up, kind of feeling the way it is behind these ribs, the little grooves of the ribs themselves, making a little bit of a circular motion. Using my body, making sure it's not too much. But don't be afraid. The back's very, very strong. She'll tell me if it's too much. I've gone up and down with my fists. You can do it two or three times, palms then fists. And I'll go in with my thumbs, it's a little more sensitive, almost like a jewelers screwdriver in a way. It's a little more fine-tuned. You can repeat that two or three times. That's a good introduction to the shiatsu right there, approaching the back. Then we can move into the hips."