.png){kind=small}
If we consider walking in the cold through the frame of Eastern Medicine it fits in well with a basic concept called Tenjin Goichi.
Tenjin Goichi is the view that human beings are part of nature and thus our bodies are constantly affected by the environmental changes that occur in the natural world. As a result, we need to take measures in response to changes in weather, seasons, and climate.
In shiatsu we believe that movement is medicine. When we walk in the cold we're balancing the different energies in our body according to the Five Elements Theory of Shiatsu.
This theory operates under the belief that all that exists in this world are divided into five parts that exist in a close relationship and are believed to be continually evolving and changing within each person. Each element has unique characteristics associated with it, including season.
When we walk, our energy moves and our blood circulates which stokes our "Fire Energy". If we are walking outside we balance our "Earth Energy" and if it is cold, we tend to breathe heavily and use our "Metal Energy."
As a result these different energies come more into balance and we get in better shape and enjoy more robust health. However it's important not to just sit in cold weather, be sure to move and walk faster to get energy going to get a better shape in both body and mind.
About the Author: Kumiko Kanayama is a shiatsu Grandmaster, educator, and the Founder of The Five Lights Center of Shiatsu, the oldest and longest running shiatsu foundation in America.
With over forty years of experience, Kumiko is a versatile practitioner who developed her own style known as Intuitive Shiatsu™ — a form of bodywork that can be used to treat many chronic conditions and may also relieve muscular and joint pain.
​Her insight has been featured in Insider, You Aligned, Authority Magazine, The Village Voice, Shiatsu Milano Editore, Acupuncture Today, Shukan New York Seikatsu, Shiatsu Society Journal (UK), Elephant Journal, New York Weekly, MysticMag, Fierce Truths, Insider, and Harmony Power Broadcast and has received glowing reviews from clients such as Gisele Bündchen and Nicole Kidman.
