You have already heard a lot about the book “Touching the Invisible – exploring the Way of Shiatsu” by Chris McAlister, Jan Nevelius, and Jeremy Halpin. There have been numerous posts and a few articles on the Internet. Although I received it some time ago, I make it a point of honor never to talk about a book until I have read every line, which is why I am late in reviewing it. No matter, that doesn’t detract from the pleasure, and I must say that I really enjoyed it, both for its content and for the quality of the writing. This is not a traditional book, but the result of numerous interviews in which the three authors open up and discuss all kinds of aspects of Shiatsu. As you can see, this is far from a technical book. And that’s what’s so good about it!

Published in English, this book discusses Shiatsu from a philosophical, ethical, emotional, professional, and theoretical perspective. It is this combination that makes it truly interesting. We are not limited to a single aspect, as is the case with technical books. Here, most of the major underlying themes are addressed. Nor is it a course explaining what Shiatsu is, but rather how it is approached by the three authors, in their own words. Of course, to facilitate understanding, there are sections and subheadings, but it is still not a textbook. On the other hand, it is a great resource for nourishing our thinking about Shiatsu.

Certain topics are well-known classics among shiatsushi practitioners. What is Qi, Yin/Yang, Kyo/Jitsu, the five elements, Hara? But the authors take us further by questioning the role of the practitioner and that of the patient, and what it means to treat with Shiatsu. I particularly liked the last chapters on the present and future of this manual therapeutic art. Or what are the steps and conditions for successful treatment. This book does not discuss technique, but—as you will understand—concepts, principles, and conditions. Let’s take an example. What is the difference between treating and healing? I translate Jan’s answer:

“It depends on how we define treating and healing. In Western medicine, ‘healing’ is used to mean that the symptoms have disappeared—a migraine is healed when you no longer feel it. However, this does not mean that it has been treated on a deeper level—and in all likelihood, the cause of the migraine has not been addressed.”

And Jeremy adds: “Shiatsu has a different perspective from Western medicine when it comes to treating and healing. Suppressing or repressing a symptom through medication is often considered a cure in conventional medicine. For a client, saying ‘I’m fine as long as I take my pills’ is not considered a cure in Shiatsu and may well lead to other problems.”

We totally agree!

But to believe that the debate in this chapter on the nature of care revolves around this question would be to misunderstand the level of this book. Everything is explained in depth, and the subchapters are eloquent in this regard:

What are the internal and external aspects of healing?
Awakening healing energies
The role of intuition in healing
Awareness and healing
Treating vs healing
Signs of healing
Time and the healing process
The range of outcomes in the healing process
Preconceived ideas about healing
The layers of the healing process
Continuous learning

The least we can say is that the discussion is thorough and leaves few areas unexplored. And the same goes for each chapter. The result: the three authors of this book invite us on a journey, encouraging us to question and reflect.

I have only one criticism of this book: its size. It is too big to carry around easily, which is a shame. A book of reflections is usually the kind of book you like to put in your bag and dip into here and there, preferably while out for a walk. A bit like philosophers’ books of thoughts, in a way. As a result, you are forced to read it at home, quietly, sitting in a comfortable armchair by the fireplace, which isn’t a bad thing either.

I have not yet introduced the authors, who are not newcomers to the world of Shiatsu, but experienced teachers and practitioners.

Chris McAlister was the president of the European Shiatsu Federation (ESF) and the European Federation for Complementary Medicine (EFCAM), but he is also a teacher, a practitioner, and a great connoisseur of Asian arts, particularly martial arts and spirituality. Originally from England, he now lives in Sweden.

Jeremy Halpin is Australian. He too has been a Shiatsu specialist for 35 years, both as a teacher and practitioner. Between 2000 and 2008, he was a researcher in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and a lecturer in complementary medicine for doctors and medical students at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

I have a particular fondness for Jan Nevelius, whom I didn’t know before, who has 40 years of experience practicing Shiatsu and is also a 7th dan in Aikido. He also teaches Reiki and Qigong.

In conclusion, we can only rejoice that such a book exists, as it offers insights for every level. Beginners, students, practitioners, and teachers will all find something to enrich their intellectual lives. We can only rejoice at the collaboration of these three musketeers of Shiatsu, who open up debate and understanding about our art. I therefore recommend that this book take its place alongside “The Essence of Shiatsu” as our only books on Shiatsu today… until the next one comes along.

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Marie Cruysmans

Marie Cruysmans is a young shiatsu practitioner based in Brussels, after three years in Beijing during which she enriched her knowledge of Chinese medicine, Qi gong and Taoist philosophy.
Taking care of the Living is what drives her since her youth and nourishes her vocation as a therapist ("the one who takes care", in the etymological sense of the term). With Shiatsu, she explores the way of touching the Other beyond his skin in order to enter in communication with the Being in him.
Convinced of the complementarity of therapeutic approaches, she is also interested in hypnosis, modified states of consciousness (meditation, shamanism) as well as spirituality in order to find the way to a possible reconnection of the three dimensions of Man, as Body-Heart-Consciousness.

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