“We human beings have been placed on the border between the visible and the invisible, between the finite and the infinite, between time and eternity.”
These words were written by the Desert Fathers in 300 AD.
“The more I follow knowledge, the more I grow; the more I follow the Tao, the more I diminish. Through diminishing, I reach non-action. Through non-action, nothing remains undone.”
We read this in the Tao Te Ching.
In a sense, this verse conveys a similar idea, although with different wording and implications.
As human beings, if we follow only knowledge, we can live and act in relation to the visible, the finite and time. However, if we also relate to the Tao (the invisible, the infinite and eternity) the consequences in our lives will be different.
According to the most widely accepted scientific theory, everything that exists came into being with the Big Bang. Before the explosion, the entire universe (or universes) was contained in that tiny speck, including us human beings.
In reality, it is not possible to say ‘before the explosion’, because time and space were born with it. Before that, there was infinity, eternity and the invisible.
As human beings, we participated in that infinity and eternity and potentially existed within the invisible.
We experience these two natures in every moment.
Shiatsu, which ‘touches’ life, can only reflect this reality, which explains many aspects of our practice.
Having a theoretical awareness of our human reality helps us practise shiatsu correctly and use its full potential, without becoming imprisoned by rationality or emotion alone.
During the workshop, we will explore these two realities within us through a combination of theoretical explanations and experiential practices, such as guided meditation. This will help us to deepen our awareness and gently incorporate them into our Shiatsu practice.
If time allows, we may also explore the following:
“The Blue Side of Shiatsu”
It is said that African Americans sing and have sung the blues about their longing for their lost homeland, the home from which they were torn. The defining characteristic of blues music is its ability to express such emotions as melancholy and nostalgia.
We all have a ‘blue side’ within us, a longing for our ancestral home.
This emotion within each of us is like the finger pointing to the moon in the Zen tradition.
Becoming consciously aware of our ‘blue side’ enables us to find the deeper meaning of our existence, and to avoid being enslaved by emotion.
The same can happen during a Shiatsu session with the receiver : it is a healing energy.
Information about the speaker
GIUSEPPE MONTANINI
He has been practising and teaching Shiatsu for about 35 years.
He has studied with: Akinobu Kishi, Ohashi, ESI, Saul Goodman, Pauline Sasaki, Kyoko Kishi, Thich Nhat Hanh, José Reyes and Katiuska Ortega.
He has served as president of both the Italian Shiatsu Federation and FISieo.
Over the years, he has worked to establish and promote Shiatsu in Italy and across Europe.
When he discovered shiatsu, he was fascinated by the way this discipline offers a practical application of Taoist and Buddhist philosophy in the care of others.
As Masunaga wrote, ‘In Shiatsu, simple pressure will not reveal the vital essence of what you are pressing. If you do not understand Eastern philosophy, you will not grasp the meaning of life and will therefore practise Shiatsu incorrectly”.
Alongside his study and practice of shiatsu, he has always studied and practised Buddhism, Taoism and Christianity.
