What is Watsu?
Since its discovery 20 years ago, the form of aquatic bodywork created by Harold Dull known as WatsuTM, water Shiatsu, has been adopted and practiced widely, not only in this country but worldwide. The technique’s growing popularity is largely due to the fact that each Watsu session is not only a massage, but also a profound experience that causes many healing “shifts” on the physical, emotional and spiritual levels. Healing can occur not only for the receiver of Watsu, but also for the giver. Each Watsu session takes place in chest-high warm water, and involves both massage an a series of flowing, dance-like movements. While beginning Watsu givers usually rely on a learned sequence of moves, more advanced practitioners often use the “free flow” method. This spontaneous approach allows the giver to become increasingly open and free to intuit whatever movements emerge in response to the client’s needs at the moment. Today’s teachers and practitioners of Watsu, certified by the Worldwide
Watsu is a type of bodywork performed in a pool of water, rather than on a more traditional mat or massage table. The name is a nod to Shiatsu, which is integrated into Watsu practice. Watsu incorporates stretching, massage, joint mobilization, breathing exercises, and dance with Shiatsu to relax the body and ease the mind. This type of bodywork is recommended for a wide range of people including older individuals because Watsu is gentle and nurturing, far less invasive than some other massage techniques such as myofascial release or deep tissue. Watsu was developed in 1980 by Harold Dull, who was curious to know how Shiatsu might feel underwater. Already a well established Zen Shiatsu instructor, Dull began taking his students into warm pools for massage sessions, and realized that the new bodywork technique had healing potential. Calling it Watsu, he developed a school in Middletown, California, which has certified over 5,000 Watsu practitioners. The school has a state of the art com
