Shinzui 真髄 is the Japanese term for 'essence’ or ‘core,’ while Shuhō 手法 translates to 'method' or 'skill.’ Thus, Shinzui Shuhō refers to freeing and restoring balance and health from the core through the skill of therapeutic touch. It represents an evolution of the East Asian Bodywork tradition, returning to a profound understanding of its fundamental principles. Developed over 35 years of practice, ongoing study, and teaching by Philippe Vandenabeele, born out of his hands-on experience - giving tens of thousands of treatments, this unique approach to bodywork integrates Eastern and Western treatment modalities into one comprehensive system. Enriched by research into the origins of Shiatsu, Ampuku, and extensive study of Jin Shin Do, Chi Nei Tsang, Craniosacral therapy, Fascia Therapy, and Visceral Osteopathy, Shinzui Shuhō brings the essence of these East Asian and Western bodywork traditions into modern clinical practice.

Over millennia, East Asian bodywork traditions have developed the refined science of Ki (Japan) or Qi (China) to understand, listen to, and collaborate with the body's innate intelligence. This understanding of Ki, or life-force, provides Shinzui Shuhō with a multi-layered map to recognise the workings of the body’s inner landscape. At the centre of this multi-layered matrix, and the core of Shinzui Shuhō, lie the techniques addressing the Tai Chong Vessel (太衝脈). These techniques are used in both treatment and diagnosis, as from this fundamental Tai Chong Vessel, the life-force is further expressed in all the Extraordinary Vessels and subsequently through the Six Greater Meridians.

Understanding the intricate and all-inclusive maps of the human body allows us to engage with its interconnectedness at the very essence of our being. This enhances the effectiveness of our treatments by incorporating the latest advancements in Western anatomy alongside innovations in therapeutic bodywork, all while remaining firmly grounded in the tradition of East Asian medicine. Shinzui Shuhō fuses in a comprehensive way the methodologies of both Western and Eastern healing traditions to address the body, mind, and spirit. Alongside learning new techniques, the Shinzui Shuhō training provides practitioners with a holistic perspective that enables them to build upon their existing knowledge.

Cultivating and embracing ‘stillness in action’ forms the foundation for true mastery of any art, including the art of touch. This is why, within the Shinzui Shuhō curriculum, we allocate ample time and space for Inner Cultivation. Thus, the Daoist practices of Meditation, Qi Gong, Nei Gong, and Nei Dan lie at the heart of our work.