Hello Céline,

Traditional Chinese medicine is an integral part of learning Shiatsu, so we're curious to hear your tips for coping with the cold of winter and learning how to take care of ourselves as well as possible during this period.

What are your tips for getting through the winter without too much trouble?

Our advice for this cold season is first and foremost toobserve the natural world around us, and get in tune with it!
Everything slows down, and like trees which lose their leaves and whose sap returns to the roots, our energy is concentrated within us, in a principle of conservation.
We should therefore slow down our pace of life, rest as much as possible and avoid all excess, including endurance sports. This reserve is important for conserving our energy and preserving our kidneys, whose season we are going through according to TCM, the season of the Water Element.

What's more, at this time of year, it's time to give the spotlight to cocooning and thus reduce our outings. Let's prefer to stay in our homes, hide from the wind and the cold, go to bed earlier and dare to get up later.

Here's a seasonal tip:
Protect your Kidneys and belly. You can warm these areas with a hot water bottle to stimulate your vital energy, or even immerse yourself in a hot bath to nourish your Kidney energy.

It's also a good idea to warm up your food bowl, and avoid excess cold or raw foods that chill your insides. Instead, opt for seasonal vegetables, legumes, dried fruit and cereals.
In the same spirit, we should avoid drinking too much to avoid straining the kidneys. We can also start the day by rubbing our hands together, and when they're finally warm, apply them to the hollows of the Kidneys.
Finally, it's also a good idea to rub and gently percuss this very important area in winter.

How did you come to become a shiatsu massage practitioner? Has it changed your personal life? Can you tell us about your practice?

For me, it was a succession of synchronicities that put Shiatsu on my path during a chaotic period in my life. It was a revelation that was to become a real passion. Shiatsu, along with Chinese medicine, provided me with many answers to problems that at the time were nothing more than questions.
I then decided to reorientate my life. I decided to take the full 4-year course at Xavier Porter-Ladousse's Shiatsu School and make it my profession.
Since 2014, I've been practicing this profession, and for over two years now, I've had the joy of being able to pass it on to others.

Of course, Shiatsu has made me a very different person from the one I was 8 years ago. Let's not forget, it's an incredible tool for personal evolution, leading to beautiful transformations. As a practitioner, it's a technique that requires a great deal of grounding, calm and discernment.
Indeed, Shiatsu has calmed my fears and anxieties. You could even say that it has totally changed my outlook on life. Perhaps it will change yours one day?
On a more personal note, the Shiatsu I practice is in the "Zen Masunaga" style, in which we are very attentive to our feelings. This style is based on the principle of one hand listening and the other working, the concept of Yin and Yang, and the theory of the 5 elements. Sessions are always preceded by a discussion with the recipient, followed by a full energy assessment to guide the Shiatsu treatment. This is followed by a time of exchange and advice on life principles. Occasionally, we may also broach the subject of TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) dietetics.

Naturally, the sessions are always characterized by gentleness and calm. Silence reigns, inviting the receiver to quietly accept a moment of letting go. I also like to prepare the sessions. Getting into my bubble, lighting the candles, burning incense, working on my anchoring. For me, it's like a moment of meditation.
Finally, I can say that Shiatsu has transformed my professional life. It opened the doors to the Energetic World, which I continue to explore. For example, with the LaHoChi treatments you introduced me to, and today I'm still in the initiation stage.

Find Céline on her site.