I​ ​feel​ ​that​ ​I​ ​discovered​ ​Zen​ ​Shiatsu​ ​at​ ​the​ ​most​ ​divine​ ​timing​ ​on​ ​my​ ​healing​ ​arts​ ​journey. My​ ​healing​ ​arts​ ​journey​ ​started​ ​in​ ​2014​ ​after​ ​I​ ​received​ ​my​ ​first​ ​energy​ ​work​ ​treatment.​ ​I​ ​turned to​ ​alternative​ ​healing​ ​when​ ​western​ ​medicine​ ​had​ ​no​ ​solutions​ ​to​ ​my​ ​chronic​ ​back​ ​pain.​ ​As​ ​soon as​ ​I​ ​experienced​ ​firsthand​ ​the​ ​healing​ ​power​ ​of​ ​Reiki,​ ​I​ ​knew​ ​it​ ​was​ ​one​ ​of​ ​my​ ​callings.​ ​

Earlier​ ​this​ ​year,​ ​I​ ​felt​ ​called​ ​to​ ​expand​ ​my​ ​offerings.​ ​I​ ​began researching​ ​for​ ​different​ ​alternative​ ​healing​ ​therapies​ ​and​ ​treatments​ ​that​ ​resonated​ ​with​ ​me.​ ​I came​ ​across​ ​Yin​ ​Yoga,​ ​which​ ​combines​ ​Indian​ ​Hatha​ ​Yoga​ ​with​ ​Traditional​ ​Chinese​ ​Medicine and​ ​Tibetan​ ​Buddhism.​ ​I​ ​immediately​ ​felt​ ​a​ ​strong​ ​pull​ ​to​ ​study​ ​this​ ​specific​ ​style​ ​of​ ​yoga because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​body-mind​ ​connection,​ ​mindfulness,​ ​and​ ​chi​ ​flow​ ​through​ ​the​ ​energetic pathways,​ ​or​ ​meridians.​ ​

It​ ​was​ ​not​ ​too​ ​long​ ​after​ ​I​ ​registered​ ​to​ ​study​ ​Yin​ ​Yoga​ ​and​ ​become​ ​a Registered​ ​Yoga​ ​Teacher​ ​that​ ​I​ ​discovered​ ​Zen​ ​Shiatsu​ ​Chicago.​ ​After​ ​little​ ​research,​ ​I​ ​realized Zen​ ​Shiatsu​ ​was​ ​a​ ​style​ ​of​ ​bodywork​ ​that​ ​I​ ​felt​ ​truly​ ​aligned​ ​with​ ​my​ ​offerings.​ ​Both​ ​alternative healing​ ​therapies​ ​Yin​ ​Yoga​ ​and​ ​Zen​ ​Shiatsu​ ​are​ ​based​ ​upon​ ​the​ ​wisdom​ ​of​ ​Traditional​ ​Chinese Medicine​ ​and​ ​highlight​ ​the​ ​Meridian​ ​Theory.​ ​In​ ​addition,​ ​the​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​chi​ ​flow​ ​in​ ​these​ ​healing therapies​ ​emphasizes​ ​and​ ​compliments​ ​my​ ​background​ ​in​ ​energy​ ​work.​ ​

I​ ​quickly​ ​registered​ ​for Beginning​ ​Zen​ ​Shiatsu​ ​after​ ​a​ ​vision​ ​of​ ​combining​ ​energy​ ​work​ ​modalities,​ ​Yin​ ​Yoga​ ​asanas, and​ ​Zen​ ​Shiatsu​ ​bodywork.​ ​I​ ​plan​ ​to​ ​utilize​ ​my​ ​education​ ​of​ ​Zen​ ​Shiatsu​ ​to​ ​offer​ ​personalized holistic​ ​healing​ ​sessions​ ​which​ ​will​ ​interweave​ ​yoga,​ ​bodywork,​ ​and​ ​energy​ ​work.​ ​I​ ​plan​ ​to​ ​work with​ ​my​ ​clients​ ​on​ ​a​ ​multidimensional​ ​level,​ ​with​ ​both​ ​the​ ​physical​ ​and​ ​energetic​ ​bodies​ ​to influence​ ​the​ ​natural​ ​healing​ ​abilities​ ​of​ ​the​ ​body,​ ​mind,​ ​and​ ​spirit.​ ​

I​ ​feel​ ​there​ ​is​ ​a​ ​necessity within​ ​current​ ​health​ ​care​ ​and​ ​traditional​ ​healing​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​awareness​ ​to​ ​the​ ​body-mind connection​ ​so​ ​this​ ​will​ ​be​ ​the​ ​main​ ​focus​ ​for​ ​my​ ​practice.​ ​Mindfulness​ ​meditation​ ​practices​ ​will play​ ​a​ ​large​ ​role​ ​in​ ​my​ ​implementation​ ​as​ ​well.​ ​I​ ​will​ ​strive​ ​to​ ​convey​ ​the​ ​importance​ ​of awareness​ ​of​ ​the​ ​mind​ ​and​ ​inhabiting​ ​the​ ​body.​ ​I​ ​will​ ​encourage​ ​embodied​ ​presence​ ​within​ ​my clients​ ​during​ ​the​ ​treatment,​ ​on​ ​the​ ​mat,​ ​and​ ​in​ ​their​ ​daily​ ​lives​ ​as​ ​much​ ​as​ ​possible.​ ​

In​ ​addition, I​ ​plan​ ​to​ ​create​ ​workshops​ ​that​ ​draw​ ​from​ ​Zen​ ​Shiatsu​ ​and​ ​Yin​ ​Yoga.​ ​These​ ​workshops​ ​will focus​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Five​ ​Element​ ​Theory​ ​of​ ​Traditional​ ​Chinese​ ​Medicine.​ ​I​ ​will​ ​teach​ ​clients​ ​the utilization​ ​of​ ​bodywork​ ​and​ ​asana​ ​to​ ​activate​ ​certain​ ​meridians​ ​which​ ​correlate​ ​with​ ​each element.​ ​Clients​ ​will​ ​gain​ ​a​ ​felt-sense​ ​of​ ​the​ ​elements​ ​within​ ​and​ ​grow​ ​a​ ​connection​ ​with​ ​these energies.​ ​My​ ​mission​ ​as​ ​a​ ​healing​ ​art​ ​practitioner​ ​is​ ​to​ ​assist​ ​others​ ​in​ ​self​ ​inquiry​ ​and​ ​overall well-being.​ ​My​ ​vision​ ​will​ ​continue​ ​to​ ​expand​ ​with​ ​me​ ​and​ ​Zen​ ​Shiatsu​ ​will​ ​only​ ​support​ ​my growth.