KoKoDo Shiatsu (“finger pressure”) massage deals with sickness, often regarded as a type of violence occurring inside the body, while KoKoDo Jujutsu (“gentle, yielding technique”) is a self-defense art to protect against violence and aggression, which is viewed as a type of sickness on the outside.

Many of the concepts and training methods used in KoKoDo are similar for both Shiatsu and Jujutsu, including:

Non-aggression

In KoKoDo Jujutsu, the aim is to neutralize an assailant’s strength and aggression while at the same time avoid causing any unnecessary harm or injury. This is not accomplished through brute force against force, but rather by the efficient use of proper technique and non-resistance in order to cancel and neutralize the attack.

Restoring health is similar, in that a person’s body often tends to react negatively and fight against aggressive forces and stresses encountered in life, whether it be physical, emotional, or environmental. Shiatsu, along with other forms of Eastern medicine such as acupuncture and moxibustion, work to gently nurture and guide a person back into a healthier state of balance.

Relaxation

KoKoDo Jujutsu requires the complete abandonment of physical strength, relying instead on relaxation and the proper use and focus of the mind and body. On the other hand, these techniques actually create tension, fear, and stress in the assailant through the application of joint manipulations, throws, and pressure points, essentially “short circuiting” their body and neutralizing the attack.

In a similar but opposite way, KoKoDo Shiatsu identifies areas of tension and stress stored up within a person. By treating and releasing these areas of blockages of the meridian system, blood and energy circulation is improved and the natural healing process is enhanced, helping a person return to a state of calmness and wellbeing.

Awareness

Cultivating an awareness of one’s surroundings is an important aspect of training in KoKoDo Jujutsu; by recognizing potential threats or dangers before they escalate, appropriate action can be taken and conflict can often be avoided.

KoKoDo Shiatsu can also create an increased state of awareness for a person and allow them to become more in touch with their own body and surrounding environment. By recognizing early signs of imbalance, more positive changes in health can be made.

For more information about the art of KoKoDo, please visit Sadohana Dojo

Fortunately, these practitioners are promoting a return to a more hands on approach for diagnosis and treatment, skills that have long been valued in the Eastern systems of healthcare.

Palpation, or examining by touch, is still 1 of the 4 main methods of diagnosis used in Traditional Japanese acupuncture (particularly the styles collectively known as Keiraku Chiryo, or Meridian Therapy).

As part of palpation diagnosis, areas of the body, especially the abdomen, back, and extremities, are examined during acupuncture and shiatsu treatment for various changes including:

• tenderness and pain
• tension and areas of hardness
• slackness and areas of weakness
• temperature differences
• skin moisture or dryness
• other palpatory findings

These changes often correspond to specific acupuncture points or meridian pathways, and provide guidance to the acupuncturist during treatments.

It is interesting to note that even for health conditions that are primarily emotional, such as anxiety or depression, the body will still manifest specific patterns that can be physically observed through the sense of touch.

As our society becomes more and more technologically based, Traditional Oriental Medicine wisely reminds us of the importance and value of human touch in our lives.

Fortunately, the Eastern medical approach can be very useful in the treatment of these kinds of injuries and pain, allowing us to recover faster and get back to our activities.

In order to better follow this approach, it’s useful to understand how Traditional Chinese Medicine views health and injury in terms of the acupuncture meridian system.

Because much of ancient China was an agricultural society, many of the concepts pertaining to this meridian system were traditionally described as being like a network of irrigation channels providing water and nutrients to the surrounding farmland.

In a similar way, the acupuncture meridians of the body can be thought of as an interconnected system of pathways bringing energy, blood, and nourishment to every area of the body, both internally to the organs and externally to the bones, tendons, muscles, connective tissue, and skin.

With injuries such as sprains, strains, fractures, or other similar trauma, these meridians can also get damaged, with their flow becoming impeded.

In Eastern medicine, physical traumatic injuries can usually be classified under the 2 general categories know as “Energy Stagnation” and “Blood Stasis“, although in real life, most injuries tend to have aspects of both.

Energy Stagnation refers to when the flow of energy through a meridian pathway becomes disturbed, similar to a river of water coming to a turbulent stretch of whitewater rapids. A common example of this would be when perhaps starting a new type of sports activity or exercise routine and then feeling sore and achy the next day. Pain of this type is usually a more generalized feeling and tends to move around. It typically responds well to some gentle stretching and movements to help encourage the flow of energy through the affected areas.

On the other hand, Blood Stasis is a more severe blockage of the meridians affecting the blood circulation in the local and surrounding regions, much like a river of water becoming dammed up and blocked. A common example of this would be spraining a joint or breaking a bone, where the pain is more focused into a fixed location. Swelling and bruising often occurs, and the pain is usually much more intense. In fact, Blood Stasis pain, in its most severe form, is classically described as feeling like being stabbed with a red-hot knife.

As mentioned, most injuries tend to involve blockages of both energy and blood, so treatment usually focuses on reducing inflammation and improving the circulation in the affected area, thereby allowing the body’s natural healing process to occur more efficiently.

Tips for healing and recovering from sports injuries

1. Heat or Cold? – Although using ice, especially in the first 24 – 48 hours of an injury, can be useful for dealing with the initial pain and swelling, in the Eastern medicine view it’s regarded as actually slowing down the long-term healing process. Muscles, tendons, and bones all rely on good energy and blood circulation to be healthy, and this is even more important when recovering from an injury. The Eastern approach is to use Heat for most types of injuries, and the treatment of choice is Moxibustion, a form of heat therapy using the leaf of the Mugwort plant. The heat from the burning Moxa, along with certain chemicals in the herb that get absorbed into the affected area, is useful in reducing pain and inflammation as well as promoting the healing process.
2. Rub it in – Traditional Oriental Medicine has a long history of using herbs, not just internally, but topically as well, especially when dealing with external traumatic injuries. Various herbal formulas, usually oil or alcohol based, applied several times a day to the site of the injury, can be quite helpful in reducing pain and swelling while also promoting circulation to the affected area.

Eastern Medicine also places great emphasis on the Heart system and in fact describes it as being like the Emperor of the body – all of the other organ systems are there to work for and support the health of the Heart, as without healthy blood and energy circulation disease soon follows.

The Heart is vitally important in Traditional Oriental Medicine, not only for proper circulation but also for mental and emotional well-being. The Spirit, or Shen as it’s known in Chinese, is regarded as literally residing inside the physical heart.

Many everyday expressions in the English language also demonstrate this close connection between the Heart and Spirit:

• to express heart-felt appreciation for something
• to have a heart-to-heart talk with a friend
• to have your heart set on something
• to love someone with all of your heart
• to die of a broken heart

All of these expressions convey a deep sense of meaning that reaches into the inner core of a person.

The Heart system is also often traditionally described as being like Fire – just like the Sun provides warmth and energy for life here on Earth, the Heart also gives warmth and energy to the body to support life.

However, Fire can sometimes get out of control and when it does, things tend to overheat. The same thing can also happen in the body. When the Heart system becomes diseased and out of balance, it can “overheat” – resulting in physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, and a rapid or irregular heartbeat.

This Heat can also affect the mental aspect of the Heart and cause a disturbance of the Shen, or Spirit. In mild cases, this may cause problems including insomnia or vivid dreams that disturb the sleep. In more severe cases, it may manifest as mental illness, such as schizophrenia or the manic phase associated with bipolar disorder.

With such a wide range and important effect on the overall mental and physical health of a person, the Heart system truly is the Emperor of the body, and we should do everything we can to ensure its good health.

Some conditions often related to the Heart

• angina
• heart attack
• hypertension
• tachycardia
• arrhythmia
• palpitations
• anxiety
• insomnia
• agitation
• mental illness

Tips for keeping the Heart healthy

1. Calm your mind – various contemplative practices, including deep breathing exercises and meditation, can help to calm the Spirit. Modern society tends to bombard us with information and sensory overload from the outside, while on the inside, our own minds race with incessant chatter that never seems to stop. Taking just a few minutes every day to allow the mind to quietly settle down can have a positive effect on your overall health.
2. Work on your upper back – the back, especially the area starting at the top of the shoulders and extending down between the shoulder blades, is an extremely important region of the body in Traditional Chinese Medicine. There are vital acupuncture points here that connect directly with the Heart and affect the blood and energy circulation to the rest of the body. People suffering from heart problems almost always have rigid and inflexible upper backs and should work on relaxing and improving their flexibility.

In addition, the skin and mucous membranes are also regarded as an extension of the Lung system. This connection is commonly seen in children who suffer from asthma or allergies and may later on develop skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. Treatment is aimed at strengthening the health and functioning of the lungs, resulting in improvement of both the asthma and the skin.

In Eastern medicine, the Lung system is responsible for circulating “Defensive Energy” which travels along the surface of the skin, regulating the body temperature while also protecting the person from outside diseases. It is similar in concept to the immune system, and it is interesting to note that Western medicine views the skin barrier and mucous membranes as an important defense against infectious diseases, something recognized in China well over 2,000 years ago.

When a person catches a cold or flu, the typical symptoms – chills and fever, achy body, sore throat, nasal congestion, coughing – are due to this “Defensive Energy” becoming weak and not circulating properly. Many folk remedies for colds, such as eating hot soup or covering up the body with lots of warm blankets, are intended to open up the skin pores and induce a sweat which helps to restore the proper circulation of the “Defensive Energy“. Acupuncture and herbal medicine can also be used to help out, as the sooner this circulation can be restored and strengthened, the quicker the recovery time, and if done early enough, the full symptoms of a cold or flu can often be averted.

The acupuncture meridian pathway relating to the Lung travels from the chest, through the shoulders and arms, down the inside forearms and wrist, and into the thumb and index finger area. Because of this, other health conditions associated with the Lung system, besides lung and skin problems, can include things such as frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Finally, in Traditional Oriental Medicine, little distinction is made between the body, mind, or emotions – everything is seen as being interconnected. As a result, each organ system corresponds to a specific emotional state, and in the case of the Lungs is associated with sadness and grief. The action of crying, with its strong physical contraction of the lungs as well as runny nose, shows this connection to the Lung system. People who suffer from chronic sadness and depression often experience a sense of tightness and constriction of the chest and lungs. Acupuncture, moderate exercise, and deep breathing can all be useful in releasing this lung constriction, while at the same time helping to improve the person’s overall mood.

As can be seen, the Lung system has a wide range of influence on the entire body and keeping it in shape is an important part of staying healthy.

Some conditions often related to the Lungs

• asthma
• cough
• bronchitis
• tonsillitis
• laryngitis
• pneumonia
• sinusitis
• hay-fever allergies
• frequent colds
• psoriasis
• eczema
• sweating problems
• carpal tunnel
• tennis elbow
• sadness & grief

Tips for keeping the Lungs healthy

1. Moderate exercise helps to strengthen the Lungs as well as to improve the entire body’s circulation. Breathing in lots of fresh air as well as working up a gentle sweat can be very beneficial for the Lung system, but it’s important to remember that too much of a good thing can actually have the opposite effect, so moderation is key.
2. Skin brushing is a simple and easy way to stimulate and strengthen the Lung system and only takes a few minutes to do. A dry loofah brush is used to massage the entire body before a shower or bath. To follow the same direction of flow as the acupuncture meridians, the strokes should be towards the feet and downwards for the outsides of the legs and the back, and away from the feet and upwards for the insides of the legs and chest. For the arms, the inward sides are stroked towards the fingertips but the outer sides away from the hands and up towards the shoulders.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Spleen-Pancreas system (also commonly just referred to as the Spleen) encompasses all the other organs of digestion, including the stomach and small & large intestine.

Eastern medical theory describes the Spleen as being like the Earth – just as the earth provides food for our nourishment, so the digestive system produces the energy and nourishment needed by the rest of our bodies. Because of this, it plays a central role in our overall health – if we have a strong and healthy Spleen system, we usually have a greater ability to recover from sickness. This effect can easily be seen in serious cases such as the late stages of cancer – once the person’s appetite and digestion deteriorates, the rest of their health often rapidly follows.

According to Eastern medicine, the Spleen is also important in controlling how fluids are distributed throughout the body. Symptoms such as abdominal bloating, fluid retention, edema, and heaviness of the body are all signs of an imbalance in the Spleen system and its inability to properly regulate the fluids.

Other conditions such as phlegm and mucous buildup in the respiratory system are also viewed as being related to the Spleen. The person’s digestive system, along with their diet, is commonly seen as an important factor in all of these conditions, and some people may notice that certain foods such as dairy products or other items tend to worsen their condition.

Finally, in Traditional Oriental Medicine, the Spleen controls our mental ability to think and concentrate. Common examples showing this connection include students who notice an increase in their appetite and particular food cravings while studying hard for exams, or someone suffering brain-fog due to low blood-sugar levels. With an imbalance in the Spleen system, people often experience things such as difficulty to focus, feeling foggy-headed (especially after meals), and a tendency to over-think & over worry.

Hopefully, this brief introduction to the Spleen-Pancreas system gives a better understanding of how Traditional Oriental Medicine views the body and how a healthy digestive system is a foundation for our overall wellbeing.

Some conditions often related to the Spleen

• nausea
• colic
• irritable bowel
• fatigue
• bloating
• water retention
• over thinking
• anxiety
• worry

Tips for keeping the Spleen-Pancreas (Digestion) healthy

1. Nourishing foods – try to avoid overly processed & sugary foods, as they tend to weaken the digestive system. In addition, animal products, especially dairy, tends to produce mucous which further weakens the digestion. Instead, whole grains such as barley, buckwheat, oats, and rice provide a slow release of energy & nourishment for the body. Other excellent foods to include in the diet are root vegetables such as squash, turnips, and yams.
2. Slow down & chew well – thoroughly chewing our food releases enzymes which assist in proper digestion. Take your time when eating meals. Eating on-the-run puts a tremendous strain on the digestive system and should be avoided.
3. Warm it up – consuming ice-cold drinks and excessive cold raw foods puts additional strain on the digestive system, as energy is used up to heat it to body temperature. In Eastern medicine, the Spleen prefers warmth, so warm drinks and lightly steamed vegetables are helpful, especially for those with weak digestion.

Traditional Oriental Medicine always views the physical organs, along with their corresponding energy meridian pathways, as an integrated whole. Because of this, when Eastern medicine talks about an organ, it is referring to the entire system which often includes other associated parts of the body, not just the local area of the physical organ.

Emotions in general are said to be controlled by the Liver system, but in particular, anger and frustration are closely related to the Liver.

In the case of an angry, irritable person, the Liver energy is too active and is described as a Fire that rises up towards the top of the body. The normal direction of Liver energy flow, upwards and outwards, has been taken to an extreme, and this can clearly be seen as their voice becomes loud, their body movements become agitated, their blood pressure rises as blood rushes upwards to their head, their face turns red and the eyes become bloodshot, and veins in the forehead become distended.

At the other extreme of the emotional spectrum would be someone who suffers from depression. Instead of the Liver energy travelling upwards and outwards, it begins to stagnate and turn inwards on itself, causing symptoms such as pent-up emotions, frustration, depression, and an inability to express feelings. 

Another aspect is that in Traditional Oriental Medicine, the energy meridian system is described as functioning in pairs. In the case of the Liver, it is directly coupled with the Gallbladder meridian which starts from the temple area, travels down the sides of the head and neck, through the tops of the shoulders, down the ribcage, through the hips, and down the sides of the legs to the feet.

Because of this pathway, other common health conditions often related to the Liver include migraine headaches, neck & shoulder tension, and sciatica pain. Other body parts are also associated with the Liver system such as connective tissue, tendons, and the eyes.

Finally, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Liver is described as storing and regulating the Blood. Because of this close association with Blood, the Liver system is extremely important when treating women’s health issues.

Some health problems such as menorrhagia or amenorrhea are related to blood flow (too much or too little), while other problems such as dysmenorrhea (painful periods) and PMS are more to do with the energy flow of the meridians. In all cases, regulating the Liver system is an important aspect of treatment.

Hopefully, this brief introduction to the Liver system gives a better understanding of how Traditional Oriental Medicine views and interconnects the entire body.

Some conditions often related to the Liver

• migraine headaches
• neck tension
• sciatica pain
• irritability
• stress
• depression
• PMS
• irregular or painful menstrual periods
• endometriosis

Tips for keeping the Liver healthy

1. Eat your greens – green foods are particularly nourishing for the Liver. Some excellent green foods include broccoli, kale, cabbage, chard, spinach, spirulina, chlorella, and barley greens.
2. Regulate your emotions – because the Liver regulates all emotions, it is important to try and keep them in balance. If you’re the type of person who tends to be irritable and easily angry, find ways of easing your stress levels, and deep breathing is an important tool for maintaining composure. On the other hand, if you are the type who tends to hold things in, find ways of better expressing yourself in order to maintain a healthy flow of Liver energy.
3. Stretch your Liver meridian – the Liver meridian starts from the big toe and travels up through the inside of the leg and thigh before entering the torso. A particularly good stretch is a groin stretch, where you sit on the floor with the soles of your feet touching each other in front of you. Let your knees settle downwards towards the ground and hold this position for 1 minute, making sure to breathe into the tight areas.
4. A little bit of alcohol – in small amounts, alcohol actually helps to promote blood circulation so is healthy for the Liver. However, moderation is the key, as too much of a good thing can actually have an opposite effect.

Probably the easiest way to get some insight into Eastern medicine is to look at the extremes of both a young infant and an elderly person, and how similar their characteristics are. In the case of the child, the Kidney system is still in development while for the older person, a weakening Kidney function is just a progression of the natural aging process:

• bald / balding
• no teeth / loosing teeth
• bed-wetting / incontinent
• weak back & legs / hunched back
• soft bones & open fontanel / brittle bones
• undeveloped memory / poor memory
• undeveloped reproductive organs / declining sexual function

As can be seen from just this brief list, the Eastern view of the Kidney system involves many other parts of the body as well:

• urinary system
• reproductive system
• hormones
• growth & development
• bones & marrow, especially the spine
• brain function & memory

According to Traditional Oriental Medicine, the Kidney is also in charge of controlling the Fluid metabolism throughout the body and could be thought of as the coolant system that prevents things from overheating. For example, a condition commonly treated with acupuncture is the typical menopausal woman where the Kidney system is not doing its job of cooling the body. As a result, this extra heat rises up and collects towards the top of the body, producing symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, shoulder pain, and insomnia.

In addition, the Kidney is regarded as a measure of strength of a person’s constitution, similar to what Western medicine might refer to as hereditary and genetic factors. For instance, the grandma who has her 3 gin & tonics every day, smokes cigarettes like a chimney, has never been sick a day in her life, and yet lives to 100 would definitely be described as having a strong Kidney system. On the other extreme, the frail, sickly, asthmatic kid who’s always coming down with a cold has a weak Kidney system and will probably have to work extra hard for the rest of their life just to maintain average health.

Finally, Eastern medicine makes special connections between specific organs and their corresponding emotions. In the case of the Kidney, its emotions are associated with fear, shock, and willpower. An obvious example of this would be someone who gets a sudden scare and loses control of their bladder. Another less common example could be someone who experienced a traumatic event and seemed to age overnight as a result.

With regards to willpower, references to this exist even in our everyday language, such as describing a weak person with no ability to stand up for themselves as “spineless” or “having no backbone“, which especially makes sense from the Eastern perspective since the Kidney and Bladder acupuncture meridian pathways actually travel through the back and spine areas.

Hopefully, this brief introduction to the Kidney system gives a better understanding of the way Traditional Oriental Medicine views a person and how it interconnects everything together.

Some conditions often related to the Kidney

• back pain
• knee & foot pain
• fatigue
• diabetes
• menopause / hot flashes
• hypothyroid / hyperthyroid
• urinary problems
• insomnia
• poor memory
• lack of willpower

Tips for keeping the Kidney healthy

1. Stay flexible – because both the Kidney meridian and its related Bladder meridian travel through the back and the legs, maintaining flexibility in these areas is very important. Yoga poses such as Downward Dog and Child’s Pose, along with stretches for the hamstring muscles help to gently stretch out and improve the energy circulation of these meridians. You’re only as young as your back!
2. Keep warm – because the Bladder meridian travels through the top of the head and neck, exposure to drafts can allow cold to enter here, where it can then travel along the meridians and penetrate deeper into the body. For a similar reason, the abdomen and lower back should always be covered up and kept warm (even if fashion trends say otherwise).
3. Breathe deep – so many of us are shallow breathers, especially when stressed out. By focusing on deep relaxed abdominal breathing, it helps draw energy downwards to help strengthen the Kidney system.
4. Don’t stress out – unlike our ancestors who had to deal mostly with immediate physical threats such as war or hunting, we have to deal with more prolonged stress (physical and mental) since modern society usually doesn’t allow us to either fight or run away from danger. This continuous stress tends to build up in the body and depletes the Kidney adrenal system.

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