The Five Shen - A Remarkable Explanatory Model

The Five Phases are a frequently used model in Chinese medicine. While initially unfamiliar to Western eyes and ears, they fairly quickly reveal themselves to be useful and flexible tools for explaining process and development in life, both in terms of human interaction and in the natural world around us.

Over the years I have discovered to my delight that the ancient Chinese have not only mapped the external world in detail, using these wonderful tools, but have also done the same work regarding our inner world. The five phases extend well into the spiritual life of the human and provide a highly nuanced method for mapping the different levels of our psyche – the five spirits.

Not only do these descriptions highlight contrasting qualities between our various mental and spiritual functions, they also provide the clearest and purest explanation of the five phases themselves. This makes them a remarkable and unique explanatory model for students of Oriental medicine, for patients during their healing process and also for readers curious about the ancient worldview underpinning such modalities as acupuncture, qigong and feng shui.

In this three-day workshop we will work in a direct and practical way exploring the Five Spirits as one unit and as five sets of psycho-spiritual frequencies. We will explore with Qigong, with Shiatsu and with the help of Chinese calligraphy.

About the presenter:
Chris is a practitioner and teacher of Shiatsu, as well as acupuncture, Qigong and meditation. He has been practicing Shiatsu since 1990, when he discovered Oriental Medicine while traveling in East Asia in 1986.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Chris studied in Japan and China. He studied for six years with teachers at the peak of their practice. His main teacher was Takeo Suzuki, to whom Masunaga handed over teaching at the Iokai Center when he himself declined in health. Upon his return to Europe, he continued to study with six other Shiatsu teachers, inviting them to teach in Sweden. He also began working with two friends: Jan Nevelius and Jeremy Halpin. It was through their joint and hard work that Chris was able to develop his Shiatsu over the years.

While in Asia, he also began learning acupuncture. His first teacher was Peter Yates - also an Englishman with many years of experience in Shiatsu. Qigong and martial arts. He also took lessons from Kimiya Gotoha, an expert in Ryodorak - a modern variation of acupuncture that draws from Western medicine, especially on the subject of the autonomic nervous system.

Since then, he has been practicing and teaching all over the world. He currently serves as president of the European Shiatsu Federation.

The seminar is primarily for Shiatsu practitioners: massage therapists who have at least completed the basic level of Shiatsu training, therapists, assistants and teachers. Other participants will be considered on an individual basis.

Classes will be conducted in English.

When:
January 17 - 19, 2025
(Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10:00am-5:00pm/6:00pm)
Number of participants: 15
Price:
- 440 EUR for members of the Shiatsu Poland Association,
- 465 EUR for other participants.
Registration for the seminar: shiatsupolska@gmail.com
A non-refundable deposit of 115 EUR is required to reserve a place.
Transfer details:
IBAN: PL65 1870 1045 2078 1080 4822 0003
BIC/SWIFT: NESBPLPW
Recipient: Stowarzyszenie Shiatsu Polska
Address: ul. Hoża 86/410, 00-682 Warszawa, Polska
Transfer title: Seminars - name and surname of participant.