With or without children, the back-to-school period is always a bit of a race! And like all competitions, it is only won with the right pace. Missing the start can be costly, but starting too fast can lead to exhaustion… Because it is a path of balance, Shiatsu helps you successfully kick off this new chapter and achieve your personal and professional goals.
Staying in Shape Until 2025
Just a year ago, Naïma B., 37, was full of energy after a restorative summer. She had just returned from two weeks in the countryside with her best friend while her two daughters stayed with their father. A bank executive, she felt capable of meeting the goals her supervisor set for the end of the year. The girls were smoothly transitioning back to their school routine, in a familiar middle school. In short, everything seemed perfectly under control.
But the sky darkened two months later when I met her. The intensity of workweeks, the legitimate demands of her children, and those of her mother, who lived with her, eroded her confidence: poor sleep, anxiety, lack of focus, and a constant feeling of tightness. She was “burnt out” and felt the situation slipping out of her control.
Within a few weeks, Shiatsu treatments helped her relax and regain her energy. Naïma refocused on her priorities and freed herself from toxic stress.
Another benefit: Naïma became aware of a few basic energetic principles. One of these is that during autumn and the approach of winter, the surrounding energy declines. Our bodies are sensitive to this and feel less “supported.” This calls for tapping into internal resources but in a measured way.
In 2024, I had the pleasure of seeing Naïma again in mid-September, to prevent another burnout.
Getting Back in the Saddle
José P., 55, had a difficult summer in his hometown after his mother passed away. Clearing out her house and handling formalities were hard tasks, made worse by the strained relationships with his brothers.
Back in Morocco, he reunited with his students and the familiar environment of his school. But the spark was gone. His experience allowed him to put on a brave face, or so he thought. In practice, he woke up tired every morning, procrastinated on preparing his lessons, and was irritable in class. His mood was worsened by heavy digestion and frequent burping.
However, José is a conscientious teacher who didn’t want his students to suffer because of his grief or bad moods. They deserved a teacher who was 100%. In the past, he had received a few Shiatsu sessions for relaxation. He returned to it this fall with much more pressing expectations.
The energetic massage brought him back “into his body” and lifted a cloud that had been obscuring his mind. It was like a signal he hadn’t heard before, allowing him to fully embrace this new school year.
At the same time, I suggested that José consider psychotherapy if the grief-induced depression persisted.
Taking Time for Yourself
Khalid A., 43, is an organized salesman, a caring family man, and a helpful friend. His iPhone calendar fills up with countless appointments without him even noticing. Many are related to his professional activities, others concern his son, his wife, and his parents… Each new school year is an opportunity to log the schedules of everyone dear to him. He himself hasn’t set foot in the gym in five years.
Khalid felt a bit embarrassed when he came for his first Shiatsu session. He had made the appointment on the advice of a close friend, concerned about his weight gain and low morale. That morning, he had hesitated to cancel due to a last-minute inconvenience, but he changed his mind.
Delighted by the Shiatsu treatment, Khalid said he had “rediscovered his body, as if he had forgotten it before.” His eyes gleamed as he promised to return regularly to achieve lasting well-being. But for various reasons, the subsequent appointments were canceled. With Khalid, we face one of Shiatsu’s most frustrating limitations: helping people who never come back!
Khalid neglects himself and mistakenly thinks that taking time for himself would be selfish. I regret not being able to convince him that to help others, one must be strong oneself, and thus taking care of oneself is essential.
Finding Balance
These three examples highlight that the back-to-school season is, above all, a change of pace, whether desired or imposed, where we shift from relaxation to pressure. Each person faces this with their experiences, resources, and constraints. There is a balance to be found between effort and self-care, while adapting to the ambient energy change typical of autumn.
Shiatsu, the Japanese massage, is particularly suited to harmonizing the flow of Qi, the internal energy, the breath of all life. On the futon, body and mind come together for better self-awareness. Trying and repeating the experience guarantees a kind of mental and physical strength that is invaluable for tackling personal and professional challenges with serenity, control, and efficiency.
