Shiatsu College

Friday 

Activity 

Facilitator 

14:00 - 15:00 

Arrive – come to the barn! 

15:00 -16:30 

Welcoming hands

Hannah Mackay

A practical shiatsu workshop to help us arrive and (re)connect with other shiatsu people! We will work with an appreciation of how our hands can help our receivers feel welcome; and we will focus on treating the hands, including favourite points and mobilisation of the structure of the hand.

17:00 -18:00

Opening circle

Hannah Mackay and Cat Westwood

18:30 

Evening meal

20:00 – 21:00

*Celebrating the history of the Shiatsu College, including the Founders (some livestreamed in!) and a Shiatsu College Ceremony

Shiatsu swaps afterwards if you wish

Cliff Andrews and Cat Westwood (tech support)

Saturday 

Activity

Facilitator

07:30 – 08:15

*Exercises 1

Phil Green

Ancestral animals associated with the Elements

08:30

Breakfast

10:00 – 13:00

Developing our Shiatsu Diagnosis and Treatment 

Cliff Andrews

In this practical student-led workshop, Cliff will be inviting us to reflect on our Shiatsu .. our strengths, and what would like to develop. We will work together in groups to explore how we can deepen our Shiatsu diagnosis and treatment with structured exercises tailored to you and the other participants. 

13:00

Lunch

14:00 – 15:30 

*Walks – two routes, gentle and active

Jude 

Anne

16:00 – 18:00

Body Weather Laboratory 

MB (Muscle & Bone) and Manipulations

Cat Westwood

A Japanese contemporary dance workshop emerging from Body Weather Laboratory practice (origins in Butoh). MB (Muscle & Bone) training unfolds alongside partner manipulations, the silent language of touch. This touches on similarities of Shiatsu, through pressure, weight, and sustained contact, the body becomes weather—changed by touch, time, and proximity. We enter a space of listening, exchange, and quiet transformation, as we are drawn to sensation, touch, and the unknown within the moving body.

18:30/45

Evening meal

20:00 

*The Shiatsu College 40^th Birthday Party - dancing in the barn - Cakes!

Sunday

Activity

Facilitator

07:30 – 08:15

*Exercises 2

Ancestral animals associated with the Elements

Phil Green

08:30

Breakfast

9:30 - 10:30

*Forest Bathing

Claire Gilliver

Outside workshop 

Forest Bathing translates as ‘Shinrin Yoku’ in Japan. An experience of total relaxation: a time to breathe deeply, be still, stop talking, smell nature, touch the textures and listen to the sounds of the forest. Join me for an hour of therapeutic, stress reducing, immunity boosting and mood improving calmness. Engage all your senses.

All you need is yourself, the ability to walk into the woods and importantly: dressed in ‘well covered, warm and waterproof clothing’. Weather permitting we will be sitting and or lying down on the forest floor – standing is fine too.

11:00 – 13:00

Shiatsu Ancestors and the Heart Protector Meridian 

Hannah Mackay

I have been doing some work with Ancestors in different practices. In addition to our biological ancestors, we can connect with our Ancestors of Affinity – those who came before us, in our areas of interest (in this case, Shiatsu). We will connect with the energy of the Shiatsu circle and the Shiatsu Ancestors of Affinity. We will include people from our Shiatsu community who have died, and those who came before us and are still alive! Can we feel more supported by the energy of this circle? We will work with the different Vibrational Frequencies of the Heart Protector meridian, to enquire into connecting with the Universal Shen, and the Shiatsu circle (or maybe just to appreciate warmth and connection!)

13:00 

Lunch

14:00 – 15:00

*Remembrance walk

Anne Palmer

A largely silent, mindful and reflective walk during which we may honour our friends, clients, teachers (particularly those who have passed), lineages and the healing work itself. After which we return to the Hall and, if we choose, share some of our experiences.

15:15 - 17:00

Puffer Fish & Beyond

Claire Gilliver

An invite to enliven your Shiatsu routines with varied flow, expansion and pace. All your favourite moves. Explore your inner Puffer Fish. Bring ample padding to support your ‘partner receiver’ to get comfy in all positions. We will warm up with a little qigong first.

Puffer Fish Star Burst

Crocodile Baguette Toothpaste

Dragon Smooth Butter

Fish Butter Baguette

Toothpaste Smooth Puffer Dragon

Star Crocodile Burst

Smooth Star Dragon Burst

Butter Crocodile Baguette

Toothpaste Puffer Fish

17:00 - 18:30 

Zen, Shiatsu and the Art of Clown

Nick Pole (online), co-presenting with Cat

This workshop is about how clowning can help us to play with core Zen concepts in shiatsu like allowing space, listening with the body, and accepting the process. It’s also about how funny and liberating it can be when everything goes horribly wrong. 

For background, see Nick's article: https://www.nickpole.com/en-GB/zen-shiatsu-and-the-art-of-the-clown/blog_10020

18:30

Evening meal

20:00

*Party games – physical activities

Claire Gilliver

Physical classic children’s party games are made adult size. Lots of music, fun and action. Look after yourself.

Monday 

Activity

Facilitator

07:30 – 08:15

*Exercises 3

08:30

Breakfast

10:00 – 11:30

Central channels - quantum style

Nicola Ley

If I was starting to teach shiatsu or healing now I would have this as the opening weekend.  I hope that in this session I will explain why.

In this short workshop we will explore the central channels particularly the Chong Mai. We will look at the central channels in ourselves. Thinking about our own models of the energetic anatomy: central channels of Qi, Dantien, chakras or the Celtic cauldrons and so on. 

I will give you a demo of the many ways in which Pauline Sasaki used the central channels. 

Pauline loved verse 42 of the Dao De Ching which roughly can translate as;

The Dao- neither something nor nothing creates the Qi of Heaven and Earth. Where the Sky kisses the Earth and the Earth reaches up to the Sky and they create the three. The Chong – the Spark of Life. And from the Chong comes the myriad forms of life.

There will be time to practise on each other and time for questions.

11:30 -13:00

Closing circle

Hannah and Cat

13:00

Lunch (packed lunch available) and leaving retreat

*open for partners/non shiatsu folk