Watsu
WATSU = WATER + SHIATSU
WATSU is the principle form of Aquatic Therapy for rehabilitation.
It promotes deep relaxation, quieting the sympathetic and enhancing the parasympathetic
nervous systems. It has profound beneficial effects for trauma, both physical and psycho-
emotional, with therapeutic application for neuromuscular injuries, stress, chronic pain,
discomfort during pregnancy, and special needs.
I discovered WATSU when I was pregnant with my first daughter. Water has always been my
happy place and I got really curious when a friend suggested to try out something which feels
like being a baby yourself: carried, held, hugged, experiencing this buoyant feeling like a fetus in
a womb
I clearly realize now that this WATSU session was the turning point in my life. After the session I
thought: ‘Oh, I’d love to work with body in therapy and bring change without talking or convincing,
just by gently being and guiding’. Looks like WATSU has some silent power within…?
HOW THE SESSION LOOKS LIKE?
Usually WATSU session starts already on the ground with a little talk which continues smoothly
in the swimming pool then. There is a moment to get to know each other, to introduce the pattern
of the session, ask questions & get comfortable in the water.
Then, the floats are picked and tested which already gives a good sense of how it’s going to be
like. You lay horizontally, being safely & lovingly held in the arms of the practitioner,
ears in the water.
When the floats are well suited, the session starts standing still by the wall of the pool. Breathe
in, breathe out. A short intro.
Then you slowly move forward and lay again on the arms of the practitioner. The water dance
begins and you are carried with love and consideration throughout the whole session.
The session ends where it has begun.
Don’t rush to open your eyes. Breathe, stay, take in.
People who try it for the 1st time usually share that “it’s an incomparable experience, neither
heavenly nor earthy, very special”
- Session price is 80 EUR
- Location: Geusseltbad, Maastricht (in the warm care bath)
- It’s an individual session so it is only us in the pool at the time & lifeguard on the ground
- Dimmed lights, closed blinds from curious eyes, luxury of privacy and serene relaxation
- Here’s a glimpse of what to expect: WATSU session in Geusselt
Watsu during pregnancy
And here, well to be honest, I believe that pregnant people are the one who can experience the
most benefits of WATSU! One of the unique things is that WATSU gives an opportunity to feel
like a baby in a womb yourself while you are actually also carrying a tiny little baby in your belly!
What a special dance of holding and being held it is…
And this is of course not the only benefit:
“WATSU was found to significantly lower participants’ levels of stress and pain and to improve
their mental health-related quality of life and mood. In comparison to the passive control group,
participants in the intervention group reported reduction in perceived stress from day 1 to day 8 (,
Cohen’s ). Qualitative data indicate that WATSU was appreciated as enjoyable and deeply
relaxing. No negative side effects were reported.”
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01708018?term=NCT01708018
Before practicing I tried the sessions myself. The positive influence was so obvious. And it was
one of the main reasons why I started to learn WATSU myself.
WATSU: story of the founder
Harold Dull started WATSU in 1980 in California where he taught the Zen Shiatsu that he had
studied with its creator, Shizuto Masanaga, in Japan.
In Zen Shiatsu stretching someone unblocks and balances the energy flowing through their body
more than Shiatsu’s traditional work on points.
Harold found warm water to be the ideal medium for this. He also found that the holding
required to float someone takes them to a level of healing beyond that of touch.
In WATSU, while being stretched, someone’s whole body is so contained, they find it safe to
access every level.
Now imagine this feeling of trust, floating and healing at the same moment. With a little baby in
your belly. Laying safely in warm water in loving hands.
WATSU WITH THE HEART
If we continue to talk about love, there is this belief that heart has a memory. I also believe so.
40 thousand neurons store the information and make the decisions. Communicates with brain
and other parts of the body. It’s not only the intellect which decides and leads, right? We often
refer to the gut feeling… or the heart’s intuition.
When a person feels care, gratitude, love through WATSU, her/his heart rate turns into a calm
ocean’s rippling waves. The same waves then reaches brain, respiratory and other body
systems. This established connection provides an opportunity for the heart to tune the emotions
& feelings. And the heart-related brain is concentrated then in those places where their
analytical skills are the most needed. Creativity is growing stronger.
Do you remember that feeling of pure joy when you were little?
That laugh that water splashing was bringing?
These goosebumps after spending way too long in the water?
Whenever you feel overwhelmed or stressed, the thoughts are too chaotic, gift yourself with an
opportunity to come back to these moments of pure joy, calmness…
People say that they experience the incomparable sensation of relaxation and happiness during
WATSU sessions. Give your heart the lead and you will be surprised how much wisdom and
calmness is there.
WATSU: testimonial
“I am very grateful to the Universe that brought me to Kristina. She is a very special woman who
radiates extraordinary peace, warmth and confidence. Just being with her is so good, safe and
infinitely calm feeling. Her Watsu sessions will take you on a journey of the soul without the
concepts of time and place. If you want to experience deep relaxation, a state of weightlessness,
or try a new experience, be sure to take the time to invest in yourself. This way you will do a big
favor to yourself and to everyone around you. After Watsu session you will become a better
version of You. It’s an experience that’s hard to put into words, it’s a feeling which you want to
carry with you and not let go. The practice takes place in the water, and it is a great conductor for
connecting with your subconscious and the depths of the Universe. Water expands the
boundaries of your subconscious and during a session you can become either a bird soaring in
the starry sky or an aquatic plant swaying in the depths of the ocean. Indescribable flight,
weightlessness, waves, security. Kristina is extremely attentive and sensitive, she leads the
whole session very professionally and carefully. Tip after a session to have time for self-
integration. There are major transformations going on after the session and it is possible that the
relaxation will be so deep and you will just want to fall asleep. I highly recommend to try this
extraterrestrial gift of the Universe – the Watsu session with Kristina.”
Joana