Zen

Shiatsu

Holistic bodywork based in Arrifana/Aljezur, Portugal.

This treatment is an invitation for the body to find a state of conscious relaxation, to allow us access to deeper insights, internal shifts, and holistic wellbeing.

We will be drawing from the disciplines of Zen-Shiatsu and Somatic Coaching to find out about the unique needs of your body and mind for the sessions, and to create a nourishing environment for whatever it is that wants to move, shift, or relax.

Gentle acupressure meets self-awareness.

The flow of life energy

What we call “life force” in Shiatsu (Ki) is this unspoken, intangible, and subtle energy that is running through our system on a daily basis.

When we are healthy and balanced, we are vibrating with this energy and are able to let it move freely where it is needed at the time, without the need to control it - for example in form of communicating and maintaining the work of our organs, moving our state of awakeness during the day, and even taking care of the processing of all the impressions that hit us and transforming of emotions.

When our life energy is in flow, we feel fit, creative, strong, resilient, and optimistic.

As we move through life though, we inevitably are experiencing distortions in the flow.

Life events, the work we do, the relationships we engage in, and even just our daily habits all have an impact on our internal system and shape the way our river flows. While this is a natural process, those external influences can show up as a challenge when we don’t tend to keeping our energy in flow.

We might feel exhausted, triggered easily, frustrated, on edge, or like we are missing on something important in life.

The wisdom of the bodymind

Here is where the practice of loving attention and the art of touch come into play. By acknowledging the “bodymind”, that inner felt sense which is bridging our cognitive awareness of what’s going on in our life, and the inherent body sense which lets us feel what is true and present right now, we open the gate to an exploration that goes beyond a mere physical nor purely cognitive inquiry.

We trust that our body knows more than we think, and that our mind has the capacity to read and translate this inner wisdom.

In our integrative Shiatsu sessions, we are working on the fine line which is the meeting point of those two instances within ourselves. You are invited to receive touch while listening within, to ask questions and feel into the answer, to allow yourself to drift between conscious awareness and deep relaxation.

This treatment is for you if…

  • you feel drained, in pain (physically / emotionally) and want to mobilise resources.

  • you are stressed or burned out and in need of slowing down and finding relaxation.

  • you feel stuck in areas of your life or in front of big decisions

  • you are in a phase of transition and feel states of fear, uncertainty, and exhaustion.

  • you feel like you are missing something in life but don’t know exactly what.

  • you are curious to develop a deeper sense of connected self-awareness.

  • you are going through challenging phases of change, grief, or loss and are looking to support and soothe yourself in the process.

  • you simply want to reset and let yourself be moved.

Offers and Packages

Treatments are held at Dawncollective Shala in Arrifana, Portugal. You can find us here.

Bookings can be made directly via sms or whatsapp +351 912 388 044 (Elena).

Requests for retreats or special events are possible and can be arranged individually. Feel free to get in touch with me to talk about the details! (see contact below)

BOOK YOUR TREATMENT HERE

Testimonials

“I recently had my first Shiatsu treatment with Elena at Dawn Collective Shala, and it was a remarkable experience.

From the moment I walked in, Elena created a warm and safe environment that immediately put me at ease. She took the time to explain everything thoroughly, ensuring I felt comfortable throughout the session. Her expertise and care made my first ever Shiatsu experience incredibly enjoyable, super interesting and relaxing.

I highly recommend Elena's services to anyone looking for a professional and soothing treatment.”

- Isabel

I enjoyed a Shiatsu Massage with Elena a few days ago, and it was a genuinely wonderful experience. The following days my entire body kept swinging with ease and peace of mind. If you are in this area, and want to experience a gentle but definitely noticeable relaxation for days, I highly recommend booking a session with Elena!

- Yvonne

I’m so incredibly glad I went to Elena for the Shiatsu massage! I’ve had many massages before, but none came close—Elena truly knows what she’s doing. After a long period of stress, I found it hard to unwind and fully arrive in my vacation, but she completely changed that. She has a remarkable ability to calm the nervous system, and I left feeling deeply relaxed, recharged, and free of built-up tension. I couldn’t recommend her more!

- Judith

How I work

Having a background in Yoga, Somatic Coaching, but also Architectural Design, my work characterizes itself by being a fusion of different approaches, mindsets and perspectives.

When I work with my clients, students and coachees, my first move is always taking a step back and look at them as a whole. What I hear, see and feel from the person in front of me tells me much more than I could ever learn from a book or any training I ever took.

I am aiming to cultivate a co-creative environment in which we are not looking for “trouble” to be fixed, but rather let whatever is important right now come to the surface on its own. This could look like a certain body area that wants to be touched, a specific muscle that wants to be moved, or an emotion that wants to be heard. It could mean a conversation or the need for silence.

Together, we work on creating space, on a physical or metaphorical level, and let the system balance itself by giving gentle nudges.

Come as you are and I meet you there, from human to human.

“Touch comes before sight, before speech. It is the first language, and the last, and it always tells the truth.”

- Margaret Atwood

If you’re a geek like me and like to learn more about the science behind the Shiatsu practice, you can read all about it in this post:

A little peak under the skin…

The Zen-principles of Shiatsu

FAQs

  • My Shiatsu sessions are done either on the floor, on a soft cushion-like mattress or on a massage table.
    You will be fully clothed and get pillows and blankets to be as comfortable as it can get.

  • No. Shiatsu is done without any oils. I am using acupressure by palm and thumb to access the stimulation points (tsubos) underneath the skin. This can be done fully clothed.

  • Shiatsu is a subtle form of acupressure. I am not applying any force or go deeply into existing pain points.

    Depending on the state of your system, there might be points that hurt, feel tender, or uncomfortable to the touch. You are invited to communicate those to me so that I can adapt the pressure, and together with you decide to either move on, or keep the pressure on the point while you breathe calmly and allow the area to soften.

    Shiatsu works according to the Zen-principle of stimulating the body into self-healing and will never cross your personal pain-boundary.

  • Sessions can be 60 or 90min long.

    In this time we have enough space for an initial conversation about your current state, any present pains or injuries and the intention of the session, the bodywork itself, and relaxation and reflection afterwards.

    A 60min session can be a gentle reset for yourself, an invitation to access deep relaxation, or work on a specific body area.

    In a 90min session, we can dive deeper and integrate somatic awareness in order to unlock stuck emotions, relieve pain points, or simply take more time exploring whatever wants to show up. When the Nervous System has come into a state of deep relaxation, it opens the doorways for us to access hidden layers, find blind spots, and potentially move stuck energy forward so that change can happen.

    In this timeframe, we will also have the time to integrate what we found on our journey of observing the inner landscape, and potentially take insights back into our day.

  • On the day of the session, ideally create some free time before and after our appointment.

    Try to avoid heavy meals up to 1-2h before we start, and wear comfortable, stretchy clothes as we might include gentle streches.

    Bring socks and an extra sweater, since your body will likely cool down a little while your Nervous System relaxes.

    If you have any topic that is on your mind, a theme in your mood, or a specific unease somewhere in the body that you would like to take care of, bring it to the session. We will talk about it in the beginning and explore it in the treatment.

  • After our treatment we will have a little reflection (if you wish) about things that have changed or surfaced and a check-in on how you are feeling. We might think about take-aways from the session and ongoing steps or practices for you.

    In the next around 8-12h after the Shiatsu session, you might feel sensations in the body like tingling, warmth, cold or soreness, which is most often an indication of the body processing the stimulation, sending fluids to the fascia, increasing bloodflow etc.

    To support these processes, try to drink a good amount of water or some herbal tea, so that your body can regulate and detox.

    If you feel tired, give yourself some extra rest or an early night’s sleep.

  • Shiatsu is a safe practice that moves slowly and gently and leaves you in full control and awareness of what is happening.

    When we encounter parts (physically or emotionally) that hold tension, you might sense emotions that were not visible before, as they were “stuck” beneath the surface. When those tensions are released, it can feel strong and sometimes vulnerable.

    During the session, we stay in close communication of what is happening, withdraw when it feels too overwhelming, or explore deeper when you feel ready for it.

    Shiatsu goes as deep as you allow it. Some topics might accompany you until long after the session has finished. In those cases, it is helpful to pay calm attention to whatever is surfacing for you and practice gentle self-care (going for a long walk, taking a hot shower or bath, talking to a friend, journaling, etc.)

    Should you need more assistance in dealing with intense emotional topics, you can approach me for ongoing Somatic Coaching.