Whether it’s meditation or therapeutic Shiatsu massage, there’s often a gap between the ideal of a discipline and its practical application in real life. This should never be a reason to get discouraged from doing things that strengthen us and help us face life’s challenges.
“I meditate for a short time every day. But on days that are truly too busy, I meditate for even longer.” This saying isn’t mine, and I’m probably quoting it imperfectly. Even worse, I don’t follow it. I see it as a goal, an ideal for what my daily practice should be. I’m happy when I get close to it and I try not to forget it, even when I fall short.
The ideal vs. the practice
What’s true for meditation is also true for other parts of our lives: diet, sleep, relationships with others… and Shiatsu. There’s a gap between the ideal and the reality of our lives. We should see this as an invitation to do better, not as a reason to blame ourselves.
As a Shiatsu practitioner, I give a therapeutic massage and then suggest a follow-up plan: 3 sessions in 3 weeks to start, then gradually spacing out the treatments. I recommend exercises, suggest ways to improve one’s lifestyle… In short, I lay out an “ideal” approach to eliminate, or at least reduce, the problematic imbalance. But what happens after a session is not up to me.
The Shiatsu follow-up plan
I remember a woman who came in for her second session in the same state as her first, but with added guilt for having “disobeyed.” Or another woman I ran into by chance in the city who sheepishly explained that she had given up on making another appointment because she “didn’t have what it took” after her treatment.
Each time, I remind them that there is no place for blame in a Shiatsu practitioner/receiver relationship, and that the framework I propose is never a straitjacket. Every step matters on its own, and not conforming to the ideal doesn’t justify giving up on everything.
Giving yourself time to meditate is always beneficial, even if you’re not as regular as you’d like. Receiving a Japanese Shiatsu treatment is also beneficial, even if you’re not yet ready to commit to a “perfect” plan. Every action is a step and takes its own time. Every Shiatsu massage session is worthwhile. Don’t deny yourself the chance.
