What to expect

I listen to your words and your body, and tailor every treatment to what you bring on the day, so each session is different.

Wear loose or stretchy clothing as you will remain fully clothed throughout. In the colder months, the futon is heated, and blankets are always on hand. I use various supports to make you comfortable in different positions, and can work on a massage table if getting up and down to the floor is difficult – I want you to feel warm, safe and snug.

At the beginning of each session, we will chat about what kind of support you need. I like to see you in the context of your complicated life rather than as a collection of symptoms. I’m interested in how you experience any issues, how they affect other aspects of life, and how you hold them in your body. This exploration gives me insights into what you might respond best to, and gives you the benefit of being fully heard in a safe, non-judgmental space. You can, of course, say as much or as little as you like.

The treatment

Once you’re on the futon, I see the treatment as an ongoing dialogue with your body. It’s mostly wordless, but I will check in with you to make sure you’re comfortable. You can request more or less pressure, or ask me to focus on a specific area for longer if required. Some areas may be sensitive, we can still work on them in different ways if you’re uncomfortable with direct pressure.

I will use various techniques depending on how things unfold, including work with acupressure points and meridians, stretches and rotations, joint manipulations, and stationary pressure using thumbs, palms, elbows, and occasionally knees. Sometimes still and nurturing, sometimes dynamic; I might use deep or gentle pressure, aiming to nurture the areas that are lacking energy and free it where it is stuck.

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About Shiatsu - support, nurture, release.

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Sometimes what we are holding needs to be met with energy and movement, sometimes it needs the quiet acknowledgement that comes with stillsness

Yin and Yang

These are relative to each other, and are always shifting. Like shadow moving across a hillside as the day progresses, some areas with be cooler, darker and wetter than others as the sun moves across the sky, but they will become more warmer, dryer and lighter as they move into the light. Nothing is fixed in one state, even the most yin or most yang contains the seed of its opposite.

While yang is the energetic energy of fire, yin is like a cool pool of crystal clear water - slow and restorative.

We need both.

There are two ways to restore balance - to suppress the excess or nourish the depletion.

In Shiatsu we bring balance by nurturing the depleted energy and improving its flow - it’s more sustainable than suppressing excess (although we will do a little of this too).

Wu Wei

Another lovely idea is that of Wu Wei.

The spokes and edges of a wheel whirl around and around, much like all the parts of life - work, relationships, children, parents, families, community, friends. It can feel hard to keep up and impossible to find time to look after yourself.

Wu Wei is the still point at the centre, in the midst of all the movement it’s the point of inaction that all action springs from.

When everything feels too much, and like you want to jump off the wheel, there's another option - find the centre. In a shiatsu session we can practice mindfulness techniques to help you step out of stress and overwhelm.

Energy work - what is it?

The idea of working with the energy in your body can seem a bit out there, but we are all aware of our energy levels and can feel the vibes from other people.

It can seem like an energy worker should have some kind of special powers. I don’t think that's the case, it's just a way of paying attention.

When you find a still, quiet space within yourself you notice different things, like the subtle shapes caused by patterns of tension. It might be heat, or skin tone, it could be tiny movements in response to touch, the strength of a pulse, the depth and speed of the in and out of the breath - these are some of the ways that we feel energy - there's so much data! And sometimes it's just a gut feeling that the brain can't decipher, and that's fine too - not knowing is all part of it.

When you have a treatment the invitation is for you to find that quiet space where your mind settles so you can hear the whispers, feel your body respond to touch, allow emotions to arise and shift. This is the place where the sparks of insight can grow and transformation happens.

It's not out there, it's in all of us. Ssssssh! Listen!

About Me – Georgina Holt (MrSS)

I trained with the Bristol School of Shiatsu and am a member of the Shiatsu Society UK (MrSS)

I’m fascinated by the places where traditional and Eastern practices overlap with modern Western knowledge, and seeing how we can use the wisdom gathered over centuries of observation alongside scientific discoveries. I also love learning about plant medicine and how this can work in tandem with Shiatsu.

What I love about giving and receiving Shiatsu

Regular Shiatsu is the cornerstone of my well-being. It invites me to listen to and be friends with my body, and has supported me through many difficult times, physically and emotionally. It also keeps me in touch with what it is to receive treatments, which helps to keep me tuned in to my client's experiences.

Both giving and receiving Shiatsu, the mat is a place of presence, where my awareness is in the point of contact and what that stirs in me. I love the liminal space where the walls seem to disappear, and my mind can roam, but I am anchored in touch. Emotions arise and shift as my body is nurtured and tension released, and healing happens in a place beyond words.

When giving, I love the opportunity to be fully present in each moment. I am also a potter - giving Shiatsu is similar to throwing a pot in some ways - I need to be grounded and balanced in my body, with my attention on what is flowing through my hands in each moment, and what movement and pressure is needed to create the form.

The clarity and presence last beyond the time on the mat - when leaving the treatment space, I always feel connected to myself and the world around me, and more joyfully alive. Shiatsu is the best thing!