Seiki CV
My first contact with Seiki was in 2003, a short article in the Shiatsu Society's magazine written by someone I now know quite well.
My sense of truth was ringing bells and when a chance came up the following year to work with her, I signed up immediately.
I'd been interested in Shiatsu for many years and had completed a foundation training with the European School of Shiatsu, but out of circumstance had stopped my training. I switched later to study Aromatherapy.
I completed much of the aromatherapy training in 2004, but it felt lacking on the energetic bodywork side and I hadn't felt attracted to the Chinese acupressure and meridian work taught within the school, taken from Shiatsu.
Soon after I met Akinobu Kishi for a treatment session in London and then in 2005 attended my first two day workshop with him.
The workshop was initially a test for me, to 'let go' and allow my 'natural mind' to take over as we went into spontaneous movement, Katsugen (he calls it) as a group. Katsugen is an important part of Seiki's personal development work or hara training. This has to be one of the deepest fears for personalities focused around 'control', to step off the cliff edge and let yourself fall with no guarrantees given. There was also much spontaneous healing laughter, helped along by work with Kyoko (Akinobu Kishi's wife) and I was able to bring this back for years afterwards.
I attended another weekend workshop in 2006 and again took a private treatment, which again opened up deep aspects of my unconscious. To have space to be completely authentic in the moment, is something so rare and so precious in our society and yet I found it in these sessions and in the workshops.
I chose to attend the residential 5 day workshop later that Summer and again in 2007 and in 2008 travelled with Kishi for his Japan Seminar introducing us to the archetypal influences within Japanese Shinto which had inspired his work.
Along the way I've been able to take a lot of private treatments with Akinobu Kishi and Kyoko and these are all learning experiences, in which we 'meet' and enter into resonance together. Learning, if it can be called such, is not for the head in Seiki, but the 'being' that is really you, beyond the mind. Finding harmony and balance as a human energy form within a body.
Again in 2009, I attended the 2 day workshop held in Brighton and could only answer to the group questions on why I was there, that it simply felt part of my Way, a journey of growth for myself and for those I share it with.
I attended the Israel workshop in May 2009 at Neve Shalom, the Garden of Peace, where Palestinians and Israelis work side by side to bridge the chasm between their communities. It was an amazingly beautiful experience to share with the people there and one that I may write more about, as it went very deep.
I now hope to arrange a residential workshop with Akinobu Kishi myself in the UK in 2012, so hold onto your seats...