It promises to heal the mind, body and spirit by releasing muscle tension, pain and stress. Watsu began its life some twenty years ago in a warm pool at Harbin Hot Springs, when the American poet Harold Dull started floating people while applying the stretches and principles of Zen Shiatsu. Dull became fascinated by shiatsu after studying in San Francisco and Japan during the Seventies and he wanted to use what he had learnt in conjunction with the healing properties of the water.
Patients don a swimsuit after having completed a health check with the practitioner.
Then the patient is asked to lie back while the practitioner supports their head and reminds them to breathe deeply. The support of the water takes weight off the vertebrae and allows the spine to be moved in ways which would normally be impossible if carried out on land. Gentle, gradual twists and pulls relieve the pressure a rigid spine places on nerves, it also helps to undo any dysfunctional organs serviced by those nerves. The Watsu receiver will experience a variety of emotions, which will be released into the process of the continuous flow. It's not unusual for guests to feel tearful when they leave.