Curriculum year 1, 2, 3

The first year is split into two parts: the Living in Harmony Course, which consists of seven weekends, lays the foundations for Shiatsu-Acupressure practice. This is followed by the Living in Harmony Completion, which consists of six weekends and has exams at the end as well as continuous assessments. Both parts have a very practical focus.

The second year introduces Zen Shiatsu theory and muscles, the third year Traditional Chinese Medicine, Physiology and Pathology. Each year builds on the knowledge gained in previous years. By the end of the course you will have satisfied all the requirements laid down by The Shiatsu Society.

At the beginning of your training we introduce tutorials. You work on Teachers to help us assess where you are with all aspects of the training.

Homework and practical assessments are spread throughout each year. They cover subjects like anatomy, pathology, case studies and character profiles. The homework is marked and the marks contribute to the end-of-year result.

Our course has been ratified by The Shiatsu Society. All students completing this course are automatically placed on the register of the Shiatsu Society.

The work in the first year gives a good grounding for anyone interested in complementary health or growth work.  

Living in Harmony
These days so much of our lives can be out of whack. We set up this course to help you practice resourcefulness and harmony in your life. We will take you on a journey asking pertinent life questions and focussing you on finding your answers! After all the social distancing it is important that we rediscover touch for the powerful healing it can offer.
Step 1 Relax, both your body and your mind as you learn easy bodywork routines.
Step 2 How do you nurture yourself? We will look at food and diet and see how that influences our health and state of mind. Stomach and Spleen meridians.
Step 3 Boundaries and order. We all need some clarity and 
integrity in our lives. Lung and Large Intestine meridians.
Step 4 How do you take care of your energy? Stress can play a major role in our lives and we cannot always run away. Kidney and Bladder meridians.
Step 5 What is your dream? Are you living the life you want?
 Liver and Gall Bladder meridians help you to focus and decide.
Step 6 How do you express yourself? Heart and Small Intestine meridians and the Heart Governor and Triple Heater meridians. The other side of expression is being quiet and meditating.
Step 7 Finding your flow, working with integration as we put it all together and add in more forms of diagnosis. 
As we learn each of the Acupressure meridians we will discover the patterns of health and dis-ease that go with them. We will also see how we can nurture each element with food and lifestyle recommendations. Each weekend you will receive plenty of bodywork whilst learning to give treatments to others.

Year 1
The First Year Living in Harmony Completion course curriculum will introduce the following topics.

  • working with the flow of the 5 Elements
  • developing your diagnostic abilities
  • creating individualised treatments
  • Governing Vessel and Conception Vessel (final two meridians)
  • Touch-based ways of working with the 5 Elements 
  • Full and Empty diagnosis (focus of treatment)
  • On-Site and Table Shiatsu
  • developing your question and counselling skills
  • Food and Health (to enhance your treatment with recommendations)
  • Facial diagnosis

Year 2
The Second Year of the course will strengthen your practical abilities by deepening your knowledge and experience with Zen Shiatsu.

We will broaden your repertoire of techniques, helping you to feel energy and work with it more precisely. You will be diagnosing and giving advice to clients, which will enhance and focus your treatments.

By the end of the year you will have learned the location and usage of all the acupuncture points that we teach.

Besides consolidating and extending the knowledge gained in the first year, we add the following topics:

  • Zen Shiatsu, Meridian extensions & associations
  • Completing our study of acupuncture points
  • Recommendations (a more detailed look at diet, exercise and lifestyle)
  • Muscles & Muscle Pathology
  • Listening skills and Self Development
  • Zen Hara & Back diagnosis
  • Zen Meridian stretches
  • Development of Touch
  • Qigong
  • Treatments on the public

Year 3
The Third Year course completes your understanding of Shiatsu with Traditional Chinese Medicine theory. This will provide you with a solid core of knowledge upon which to base your treatments and recommendations to clients. It will also support your faith in your energetic diagnosis. We will study Physiology and Pathology to increase your awareness of the types of conditions that people may ask you to work on and ensure that you recognize when you may need to refer them to another specialist or doctor.

You will research some diseases for presentation to the rest of the class.    We will look at how you work with Qi and help you to develop your practice, refining the advice you give and improving the results you achieve with your treatments.

You will also prepare a short dissertation to show how Shiatsu Acupressure relates to another subject which you choose.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

  • Yin & Yang
  • 8 Principles
  • Fundamental Substances
  • Causes of Disease
  • TCM foods
  • Tongue diagnosis
  • Meridian associations
  • Direction of Qi

Physiology & Pathology

  • we will look at each of the major organ systems and their common pathology

Personal Development

  • Basic Counselling & Self Awareness

Practical Shiatsu

  • Broadening your skills & enhancing Qi work

Recommendations

  • Medicinal foods; TCM foods and lifestyle

Practice & Ethics

  • How to run a practice & dealing with clients
  • Case studies