Ashi-what?
Ashiatsu is a word that is the combination of two other Japanese words. Ashi literally means “foot”, while atsu means “pressure”. Hence, Ashiatsu is a bodywork method that translates to “foot pressure”. Simply said, it is the art of applying carefully designed therapeutic pressure with the feet to promote holistic health and well being.
Different from the usual massage generally done with the hands, Ashiatsu is a technique of massage therapy, based on traditional Chinese Acupuncture, that is utilizing the feet to accomplish its miracles.
In Ashiatsu, the light bodied therapist glides or walks on the patient’s back, using her feet instead of her hands to target the Acupuncture trigger points that are linked to muscle tensions and cramps.
Combined with long and flowing strokes, or faster and lighter ones precisely tailored to the patients’ needs, this approach can be light or deep and is profoundly soothing.
With her well trained feet, the therapist can cover a larger surface area and achieve greater results. And by using bars and other props to support her body weight, the therapist can also carefully vary the pressure of her touch from a delicately light effleurage to quite a very deep pressure; depending upon the patient’s condition.
Therefore, an Ashiatsu massage is the deepest and the most pleasant relaxation massage you can get. It is universally recognized as being :
“The deepest most luxury massage in the world !”
And as far as neuromuscular therapy goes, an Ashiatsu massage is always the best natural treatment for holistic healing; especially when it comes to:
“Back and lower back pain management !”
Ashiatsu has its deep roots in ancient Asia and the type of Ashiatsu massage that we are practicing at Zen Ashiatsu is fully based on traditional Chinese Acupuncture Medicine.
With its profound roots in the Eastern traditional culture, this unique approach has been successfully utilized for thousands of years as it is performed both in China and Japan where therapists walk across their patient’s body while carefully using their feet to target; stroke and even firmly pressure specific Acupuncture points.
This therapy is called Barefoot-Shiatsu, referencing to the principles of Shiatsu, a Chinese traditional massage which focuses on Acupuncture points.
We, at Zen Ashiatsu, have faithfully adopted these ancient crafts and transformed them into a form that is adaptable to meet the needs of our contemporary Western culture.
