The Spirit of Shiatsu

Going beyond the practical technicalities, this in-depth manual delves into the founding principles and philosophy of Shiatsu on a technical, cultural, energetic, and conceptual level.
Split into three parts and based on two decades of international experience, Ivan Bel first returns to the basic technical principles of Shiatsu, then explores the complexities of the person-centred mind/body theory behind the practice, and gradually expands into the philosophical elements of natural health.

Concepts and questions that are often excluded from practical Shiatsu resources are carefully explained, including inner cleaning and purification, linking energy, and the impact an individual’s environment can have on their health. Enriched with case studies and comprehensive yet accessible language, this is ideal for both Shiatsu students and practitioners.

In exploring the ’why’ as well as the ’how’, this must-have resource allows teachers and students to expand their knowledge and awareness for a more complete and flexible understanding of this ancient discipline.

Born in 1971, Ivan Bel grew up on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, giving him a lifelong love of sailing and distant horizons. At the age of 13, he took up the martial arts with aikido and karate, and never stopped, moving on to numerous Japanese and Chinese disciplines. After studying journalism and Chinese language and civilisation in Paris, he travelled extensively in Asia, even taking the Silk Road from Paris to Beijing by car. As he travelled along the martial arts path, he came across the one of Shiatsu, which became his passion and he studied it for 12 years. Today he is the editor-in-chief of the biggest blog on the subject with more than 10.000 readers per month, he is also a practitioner, international teacher and founder of an NGO promoting Shiatsu in Africa.