Many different kinds of patients have visited us to receive Zen Shiatsu treatment. They are people of diseases in great variety. Some patients are half-shick with light symptoms and some other patients are suffered from very severe symptoms with serious and incurable diseases such as cancer, rheumatisum, and so on. How does Zen Shiatsu Therapy deal with such patients? In here, let us try to describe the procedure of Zen Shiatsu with one example.

●First of all, observe and examine the patient.
Suppose there is one patient coming to our clinic like the followings.

A man, 35 years old. He does computer programming as his job. Is lanky and tall. His main complaint is that he has been exhausted and feeling fatigueness in the eyes, and has been suffered from the lower back pains for more than 6 months. He looks pale, however, he says he is well enough and has a good appetite. There has been no problem in the past medical examinations.

●Start the treatment.
Firstly, have him lay down on the back. (Spine Position) Then, if the abdomen is dented, his body condition must be "Kyo" obviously. In the very beginning before starting Shiatsu treatment, we do Abodomenal Diagnosis at first. Placing the hands on the abdomen and give soft pressure with the palms on the whole abdomen. Examine if the abdomen is soft or hard to touch and relaxed or tense. If he feels pains by the Shiatsu pressure or many lumps of stiffness can be found in the abdomen, then his body condition can be said "Kyo". This means that the Shiatsu treatment and pressure for this patient should be "Ho" style mainly centered and the portion of "Sya" style should be a small amount. From his complaints, it can be guessed that there are distortions in the Gall Bladder and the Triple Heater Meridians. Also, there must be distortion in the Kidney because of accumulation of his fatigueness.

Start the total body Shiatsu treatment. Firstly in side position, nextly in prone position, finally in spine position. In the side position, check if the patient feels painful caused by Shiatsu pressure in the neck area. If he feels pains in the side of the neck, then it is caused by distortions of Gall Bladder Meridian, and the pains in front of the neck are caused by distortions of the Stomach Meridian. In the prone position, remarkable stiffness and pains by Shiatsu pressure can be found in the upper back around the shoulder blade. Especially in many cases of brain workers, hard stiffness can be found in between the shoulder and the upper brim of the shoulder blade. Try to abate the stiffness in this area by "Sya" techniques. However, he is a "Kyo" type patient as you know, the "Sya" technique should not be so strong. There is the Kidney Meridian zone in the center of the back. Apply the palm Shiatsu for a while there. Then check the muscle of this area. If the patient has flabby muscle and tells that he feels very comfortable by Shiatsu treatment in this part, the Kidney Meridian is "Kyo". Judging from the response, this patient must have been exhausted.
Nextly, in the spine position, apply palm Shiatsu on the abdomen softly and compare the condition with the former abdomenal condition. Then go to the next step to Shiatsu on the legs. In the lupper legs, apply Shiatsu on each Meridian channel. If the patient has pains by Shiatsu pressure in the surface of the body, then the meridian channel must be "Jitsu". On the other hand, if the patient feels sharp pains by Shiatsu pressure in the deep inside of the body, then the Meridian channel must be "Kyo". According to the condition of "Kyo & Jitsu" on each meridian channel, apply Shiatsu treatment with "Ho & Sya" techniques.

Finally, go back to the abdomen and do the abdomenal diagnosis again. We diagnose "Kyo & Jitsu " on each Meridian on the abdomen as hara-diagnosis. "Sho" is determined and done "Ho & Sya" on the abdomen. Then, compare the condition with the initial condition of abdomen again, and whether the tension, the pain and the stiffness has been reduced has to be examined.