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About Spas in Puerto Vallarta – Part 5 Shiatsu By The PVMirror Staff • Photos by Jesús de Avila • November 2009
When we first started this series of articles on the myriad Spas and the treatments available to residents and visitors to the Bay of Banderas area, we began with massages. Traditionally, these have always been the favorites of Spa clients. They are also the first thing we think about when we think of Spas, aren’t they?
To recoup a little: the practice of massage dates back thousands of years, in various cultures around the world. Among the ones we hear of most often is Shiatsu.
According to the research done on the subject, Shiatsu originated in Japan where it was traditionally used as a “healing” practice. Literally translated, Shiatsu means “finger pressure.” But unlike other forms of massage that use kneading and friction, Shiatsu uses pressure and stretching, where the practitioner uses various parts of his or her body - palms, fingers, thumbs, knuckles, elbows, knees and feet - to work on the body’s acupuncture points. And like believers of Chinese acupuncture, proponents of Shiatsu believe that disease is the result of blocked or unbalanced energy. The theory is that there are two energy forces: the Yin (negative) and the Yang (positive). The human body is seen as a microcosm of the universe, and the meridians vital organs are governed by Five Elements, by Yin and Yang. In a healthy person, no element is dominant in relation to the other.
Consequently, blocked or unbalanced energy allows disease to take over.
As Shiatsu works on the whole being, from the physical to the spiritual, a patient may experience a variety of reactions-crying, laughing, joy, during and after the treatment. These reactions are a sign that the body is breaking through old energy patterns.
Shiatsu is also known as acupressure, a finger pressure massage technique that is sometimes confused with acupuncture. There are no needle pokes involved with Shiatsu.
• Benefits of Shiatsu
Shiatsu treatments are given for a variety of ailments, from respiratory problems to digestive problems, from headaches and leg cramps to various everyday disorders. They help to balance a person’s energy flow, and strengthen the vital organs.
Among other benefits: Deep muscle and tissue relaxation, Stress reduction and management, Release of toxins from the body, Prevention of disease, Increased flexibility, Improved blood circulation, Reduction of blood pressure and mental anxieties, Balancing of the body’s energy, a.k.a.: ki or chi, Calming of nervousness and Increased mental and spiritual awareness.
Now, Reiki is not massage per se, but it can be combined with massage for Reiki healing. According to a spokesman for the International Association of Reiki Professionals and International Healers Association, "Reiki and massage are two separate things." However, massage therapists who are trained in Reiki will often combine the two practices for optimal results in therapy.
Like Shiatsu, Reiki has been used worldwide for thousands of years. This Japanese system of energy healing that was discovered by a doctor named Mikau Usui.
The usual treatment of Reiki massage begins at the head and works its way through the seven different chakras.
Reiki massage has been used to help patients manage pain and increase their quality of living. It is different from normal massage as there is no kneading or manipulation of the patient’s tissues or muscles. Instead, the hands of the practitioner remain still, and the energy of healing is sent through the channels of the practitioner into the patient – who remains fully clothed during the entire treatment.
It is believed that Reiki massage can even be used to send energy to broken bones or injuries that are covered by casts and bandages.
Among the conditions Reiki can alleviate are: lock-jaw, muscle pain, tension, stress, injury healing, pain management and over 60 other medical ailments. On our side of the Pacific Ocean, four different areas or chakras of the body are used for treatment: the head, body, legs/feet and back, respectively.
Reiki treatments are said to be totally safe and do not incur any side effects or injuries. Some people experience a sensation of warmth or tingling while others sense a feeling of relaxation and balance. Sometimes, Reiki shows results immediately, sometimes over a period of extended time.
Make sure that you are going to a certified Reiki Master-Teacher to receive your treatments.
In Puerto Vallarta and the south coast of Riviera Nayarit, you will find myriad spas, small and large, in hotels and private ones, offering massage treatments by expert technicians, along with their other services. Go ahead, pamper yourself … you deserve it! Email to a friend
Spas Directory
• Day Spa
Cond. Club de Tenis Puesta del Sol
Local 13, Marina Vallarta
Monday to Saturday 7 am to 11 pm •
Sunday 10 am to 11 pm
Phone:221-0176 •
E-mail: cristina@smcdayspa.com
Website: www.smcdayspa.com
• Spa Arroyos Verdes
Camino Viejo al Valle No. 1099
Bucerias, Nayarit
Monday to Saturday 9 am to 6 pm
Sunday by appointment only
Phones: (329) 298-6312 & 6267
E-mail: spa@losarroyosverdes.com
Website: http://www.losarroyosverdes.com/
• Spa Body Time - Therapeutic Medical
185–A PIlitas St. & Amapas No. 147
Col. E. Zapata •
Monday to Sunday 9 am to 10pm
Phone: 222-7429 • Cell.: 322 105-1045
E-mail: bodytimespa@hotmail.com
• Spa Felipe’s - Therapeutic
183 Pilitas St. Upstairs 185-B Col. E. Zapata
Everyday 10 am to 10 pm by Appointment
Services also available in the privacy of your
home or hotel • Cell.: 322 117-2591
E-mail: felipejreyes@hotmail.com
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