After a few years of practice—or even longer—we develop habits that can keep us stuck in a “comfort zone,” and it’s easy to think that we “know” everything and that we’ve “got it all figured out.” It’s even harder to challenge ourselves and keep learning. Inevitably, we forget the knowledge we learned earliest as we accumulate more expertise over the years. If you feel this way too, then this workshop is for you.
Under the guidance of Ivan Bel, who has 26 years of experience in Shiatsu and 41 years in various martial arts, we will explore the principles. The principles are not the Shiatsu technique itself. They are the foundational elements that underpin it. And this is not just an issue for beginners; on the contrary, some principles are either never encountered or studied, or are difficult to understand and internalize.
All martial arts practitioners, regardless of their discipline, first learn the foundational principles of their technique. Why isn’t this the case with Shiatsu? Of course, you’ve studied a few postures and Hara work, but what comes next? The basic principles are the technical principles. The more advanced concepts are those of deep work in Shiatsu. Finally, the philosophical principles transcend everything else. They are tools for continuing to journey both practically and spiritually along the Way of Shiatsu. The workshop is therefore open to all levels, from students to advanced teachers and practitioners.
This year, the ISS in Geneva is organizing an in-depth workshop on the principles and concepts that underpin and support Shiatsu. This workshop, based on Ivan’s book *The Spirit of Shiatsu*, will aim to structure the practice and develop power, relaxation, and technical precision, as taught by the Japanese, for whom “Shiatsu is a technique of millimeter-level precision. Nothing is left to chance.”
For example: the pressure is applied in three phases: contact, pressure, release. Everyone says the movement comes from the hips. And yet, almost everywhere you look, you see a back-and-forth movement of the hips—in two phases. How is such an inconsistency possible?
Another example: Do you know the four stages of using Ki? Ki musubi, Ki nagare, Ki awase, and Ki hazuchi? Did you know that this last stage is itself full of small but important details that help prevent you from becoming energetically drained?
These are just a few examples of the dozens that will be covered throughout this course.
The idea is to put into practice the content of the book, which consists of three parts.
Each of the three days will focus on one of the three chapters and will cover these three levels of understanding—technique, concepts, and philosophy—always bringing the discussion back to practice, lots of practice.
Shiatsu is a practical, concrete discipline—not some imaginary or vague concept. But you have to be able to demonstrate it.
Come discover Shiatsu in a way you’ve probably never experienced before.
Program
- Day 1: The technical principles underlying the technique, rather than the technique itself
- Day 2: Advanced Principles (ma-ai, zanshin, the stages of Ki, and many others)
- Day 3: Philosophical Principles and Their Application
Practical details
- Dates: October 16–18, 2026
- Hours: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM
- Instructor: Ivan Bel
- Course fee + on-site accommodation: 495 CHF
- Prerequisites: From first-year students to advanced practitioners/instructors
- Language: French
- Location: Guintzet Dojo – 13 Jean-Paul II Ave . – 1752 Villars-sur-Glâne
- Registration: by email (issgeneve@me.com) or by phone at +41 22 343 67 77
“Whether you have one year of experience (or more than 30, in my case), you’ll find plenty to enrich your practice—I saw that for myself when I took a workshop in April 2025!” Christophe Demaison
Note: Ivan Bel will be signing copies of his book *The Spirit of Shiatsu* (in English; *Der Geist des Shiatsu* in German) for anyone who brings a copy with them.
We hope to see many of you at this particularly intensive and enriching workshop.
- USA: 3rd Annual Shiatsu Summit – April 17/19, 2026 - 26 January 2026
- 2nd Balkans Shiatsu Summit – in Zagreb (Croatia), April 11 & 12, 2026 - 11 January 2026
- Belgium: depression and burn-out with Shiatsu – June 19-21, 2026 in Ostend - 7 January 2026
- An intensive week to explore Emotions and Psychological Disorders – 5-11 July 2026 - 6 January 2026
- Switzerland: Workshop for all levels on the principles and concepts of Shiatsu – October 16–18, 2026 - 10 December 2025
- FAQs - 12 August 2025
