In Japanese, Anma means massage or massage therapist. It refers to the oldest known form of traditional Asian massage. Using no oil Anma involves stretching, squeezing and massaging to stimulate the body to become and or remain healthy. Anma focuses on improving muscle condition and circulation of ãKiä, or Universal Life Energy. While Western massage techniques tend to focus on relaxing the client, the goals of Anma are to influence the internal organs, maintain balanced physical and psychological functioning of the body, reduce various ailments and help with realigning of the physical structure that may be needed.
Anma is not Shiatsu but Shiatsu is a part of Anma. It was not until 1964 that Shiatsu was recognized as distinct and independent from Anma massage. Originally a Shiatsu therapist was a specialist who performed one Anma technique, the pressure method (Ap Paku Ho). Anmaâs foundation is the kneading technique, which combines with several different application techniques to construct the massage. The kneading technique (Ju Netsu Ho) and the percussion techniques (Ko Da Ho and Kyoku Te Ho) are a unique part of Anma and are not found in any other style of massage. There is a distinct cultural difference between the Eastern and Western view and values of health and health care. To practice Anma it is important to understand the basics of how Asians view health and institutional health care. The point where illness is defined is substantially different. In the West, people tend to define illness through the diagnosis of a Western doctor/physician. A primary value in Asian culture is that good health and longevity are valued as the most important part of life, with prevention of disease at the foundation of it.
In the West, treatment takes place upon the onset of severe symptoms, with little effort made at strengthening the body overall before disease sets in. The ãinstant cureä or rapid recovery is sought. There is also an over-reliance on doctors and other medical practitioners without much of an understanding that one must be responsible for his or her own health care. Westerners tend to view health as good, unless there are visible symptoms, and then it is bad. Everyone wishes their health to be perfect, being the ideal that only a few people are given. In East Asian people, there is no such thing as perfect health, because health is not perfect to start with. It is accepted that most people have some irregularly or genetic defect of the human body. However, in East Asia trying to achieve balance is the objective, rather than striving for the unachievable ãperfect health.ä In the East, treatment takes place much earlier in the health care process, with East Asian medical providers looking towards prevention and early diagnosis as the measure of illness. Once noticeable symptoms appear, the illness is viewed as very advanced in Asian medicine. The objective of East Asian medicine is to try to diagnose in the early stages before symptoms appear. Treatment is much easier and recovery is quicker. As well, early detection prevents the spreading of illness.
