What is Amatsu?

"The human being is the only creature that needs to be taught to move naturally."
Dr Masaaki Hatsumi

The word Amatsu means Heaven or Nature. Amatsu therapy is based on ancient systems that have been used for over 3,000 years.

All too often life's stresses mean that our bodies have to accommodate various and diverse traumas luckily the body is amazing in its ability to keep us going. It will always strive to allow us to live each day. However, each time we encounter a problem, it takes on a pattern of coping until it can no longer adapt. Amatsu treats the whole person by allowing your body to regain a natural, healthy pattern.

It is not just physical injury that can cause problems. Amatsu therapy is based on the idea of the Godai or 'Big Five' - five areas that interact and influence the way our body responds to life.

• environmental - where, when and how you do what you do

• physical - your body's structure; bones, muscles, ligaments

• emotional - your thought processes, emotions, beliefs, values

• chemical - your hormones, digestive system, the food you eat

• electrical - your nervous system and energy systems

When these are in balance, we are healthy. A loss of balance in any one area will result in change in the others.

Amatsu is a catalyst for self healing, using the body's innate and profound ability to maintain and heal itself. It combines a variety of techniques including: massage, balancing, mobilisation, re-patterning and realigning energy flows.

• Anma - traditional Japanese massage

• Seitai - focuses on the relationships between various parts of the body and works to re-align, balance and repattern the body

• Shindenjutsu - works with the ligaments and fluids that allow for skeletal stability and natural organ position

• Kenkujutsu - works with the cranio-sacral system

Don't forget that it is your body that knows what it needs in order to repair - Amatsu facilitates this and helps to connect the mind/body link that allows us to do this.

If you have any questions, you can ask me on the Complementary Health Forum.