Shiatsu (transliteration of the Japanese kanji 指圧) is a therapeutic method of Japanese origin, dating from the late 19th century.
The principle of "finger pressure" is the main motto of the practice, which has many variations. Anyway, the two main lines of thought in Shiatsu divide the therapeutic practice between those that use the concepts of traditional Eastern medicine (especially the so-called Traditional Chinese Medicine) and those based on the study of human biology from a Western point of view, together with the memorization of an extensive list of body points dedicated to treating the person undergoing the technique.
Most of the Shiatsu schools in the world use a selection of theories from both Traditional Chinese Medicine and traditional Japanese health precepts. According to these theories, the flow of vital energy (or Chi, Chinese, and Ki, Japanese) takes place through channels (vessels) in the human body - similar to the blood through veins and arteries - known as "meridians". At some points the flow of this energy can change and create a pattern of imbalance or disharmony. This will be reflected in the physical and mental health of the person affected. In Shiatsu, the meridians and their points (the same points as in acupuncture) are pressed to normalize the flow of Ki energy.
There are dozens of meridians, catalogued by the Orientals over the centuries. Most Shiatsu practitioners who use these fundamentals, however, learn a main system of twelve meridians, plus an auxiliary one with two more.
Each meridian is related to certain organic, psychological, and emotional characteristics, as well as to different regions of the musculature. The twelve basic meridians are
Lungs
Master of the Heart/Pericardium/Circulation-Sex
Heart
Small Intestine
Triple-Heat
Large-Fine Intestine
Spleen-Pancreas
Liver
Kidney
Bladder
Gallbladder
Stomach
The auxiliary system includes:
the Vaso-Conception, in the anterior part of the body
and the Vaso-Governor, in the posterior part of the body.