The Law of the ‘Self-Healing Crisis’ in Shiatsu Technique
FABIO ZAGATO
In all ‘energetic’ techniques, it has been observed that, during the self-healing process, the organism reactivates unresolved, chronic, disharmonious conditions in order to reprocess them and thus achieve a better balance.
In shiatsu, the concept of ‘false aggravation’ was briefly mentioned by Shizuto Masunaga in the early 1970s. Unfortunately, this did not lead to further methodological studies.
Through a systematic analysis of reactions to Shiatsu treatments over a period of about 50 years, I found that it is possible to recognise the self-healing activity of Ki, signalled by ‘false aggravation’, according to interpretative methods consistent with knowledge originating from TCM and supported by a specific application of Shiatsu technique.
The behaviours of Ki, as determined by the self-healing process, allow us to define a methodological framework for interpretation. This framework identifies the emergence of different energetic movements in the self-healing phase, according to the progressive sequences of Ki activity, from the most recent disturbances to the most chronic and stratified ones.
Observation of the receiver’s energetic structure is carried out through dialogue, physiognomic observation and analysis of the state of the meridians and energetic evaluation areas. The collected data are organised into an Energetic Axis that highlights the most significant phases of the receiver’s crisis. This provides a snapshot of the receiver’s energetic state, revealing the layering of their disharmonious conditions and the chronic development of the energetic alteration of the Five Movements.
Using Shiatsu treatment in accordance with the receiver’s spontaneous sequences of self-healing Ki activity avoids overlapping with what the receiver’s Ki is doing to restore balance.
