European Shiatsu Federation
BASELINE CURRICULUM / SYLLABUS
Hours Guideline for ESF Baseline Curriculum / Syllabus 450 contact hours with teachers over a minimum period of 3 years is regarded as the minimum period to cover all aspects to a reasonable level and then after graduation Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is recommended. Over and above these 450 ‘contact’ hours there will be home-study hours, practice treatments, client write-ups and so on. There should be a minimum of 350 contact hours with recognised shiatsu teachers and a minimum of 3 different shiatsu teachers teaching at least 24 hours is recommended. This is only a guideline for a breakdown of a syllabus/curriculum of 450 hours, which is considered a minimum. Schools and teachers are recommended to look beyond the minimum.
Compulsory Study Criteria
I SHIATSU THEORY
1 Understanding of Qi/Ki
2 Oriental cosmology; concept of Yin – Yang and further relationships
3 Theory and effects of shiatsu
4 Theory of tsubos and touch
5 Two out of the following four aspects of Oriental Medicine (OM) Theory
a) Five Element Theory with classical meridian systems
b) 8 Principles and Zang Fu (Chinese organ system) with classical meridian systems
c) Zen Shiatsu
d) Namikoshi Shiatsu
6 Location of important tsubos and their principle energetic actions (See Guideline list below)
7 Point contra-indications under certain conditions
8 Manifestation of meridian energies; character and functioning of meridians in relation to the two aspects of OM theory studied
9 Holistic understanding of health; unity of body-mind spirit.
10 Principles of acupressure
11 Two case histories to show an understanding at depth of a particular approach of OM theory
II TREATMENT AND TECHNIQUES
1 Treatment positions: prone, supine, side, sitting
2 Shiatsu pressure, leaning with palm, thumb, fingers, elbows, knees
3 Other techniques eg holding, rotating, vibrating, rubbing
4 Movement from and awareness of Hara
5 Energy flow from Hara to hands
6 Working from Hara / working with the whole body
7 Alignment and release of spine and joints
8 Mother-child hand principle
9 Joint rotations
10 Meridian stretching and stretching of limbs
11 Working with meridian flow according to the two shiatsu theory models studied
12 Tonification and sedation techniques
III SELF-DEVELOPMENT, SELF-EXPLORATION
1 Exercises for enhancement of perception and harmonisation e.g. Do In, Qi Gong, Yoga, Pranayama
2 Meridian exercises
3 Ethical principles – code of professional conduct and ethics
4 Writing up treatment reports
5 Experience of shiatsu ie. treatments from professional practitioners
6 A mode of checking and registering development and changes
IV CLIENT OBSERVATION AND ENERGETIC EVALUATION
1 Principles of evaluation: Asking, Looking, Hearing & Smelling, Touching
2 Evaluation from meridians, hara and back zones etc used in the theory modes studied
3 Back Shu/Yu and Front Mu/Bo point
4 Evaluation during treatment e.g. through stretching, rotation or on meridians and points
5 Evaluation strategy
6 Clinical Practice (as near as possible to a real clinic situation in order to develop professional confidence)
V WESTERN MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE
1 General Anatomy of bones, muscles and joints
2 Physiology: body systems from a Western viewpoint
3 Pathology: symptoms of illness and syndromes
4 Contraindications for shiatsu ‘prohibited points’
VI OTHER ESSENTIAL ASPECTS
1 Empathy development
2 Self-reflection
3 Perception
4 Personality development in the terms of the shiatsu-meeting
5 Listening and communication skills
6 Possibilities, limits and contra-indications of shiatsu
7 Principles of touch in general e.g. first contact etc
8 Ethics fundamentals
9 Incident awareness and handling difficult situations
