Amatsu in Detail
The natural biotensegrity of a person can be compromised by injury, illness and many lifestyle related factors which, in turn, impacts on the balance within the body. For example, we can compare the body’s structure to a bicycle wheel. If one of the wheel’s spokes becomes distorted or bent by running into a kerb, the entire wheel structure changes and its natural tensegrity is lost. Therefore the specific damage to the wheel’s spoke not only has an effect at that place, but has also impacted the entire wheel’s function. Based on these principles every injury will not only have a local and specific impact within the body, but also a global impact.
For example, if a person simply twists their ankle by turning it over onto the outside then they may stretch (or possibly tear) the ligaments in the ankle. This inherent change in the shape of these ligaments will affect the shape of the whole leg, which will then also have an effect on the position of their pelvis and spine and then their entire body structure. This adaptation of the pelvis will then also change the walking posture of the person, the shape of the ribcage and the balance of the shoulders amongst many other things. Therefore, a simple ankle sprain can irritate or affect an existing vulnerability or old injury elsewhere in the body, or create a new condition, which may not be obviously directly related to a sprained ankle.
Amatsu’s breakthrough in the west began in 1986 when Dennis Bartram first discovered Dr Hatsumi’s work and then in 1995 when Dennis, William Doolan and Christopher Roworth made history as the first non-Japanese therapists to be taught the ancient healing principles of the Tatara by Dr Hatsumi. They were all granted Menkyo Kaiden (full teaching rights) of the ancient school as a result of Dennis Bartram’s personal work and research. These teachings are now underpinned within a western scientific framework and are available today as Amatsu therapy, which is taught by ATA approved schools. For further information on Dennis please see dennis bartram.
1. Dr.Stephen Levin’s research into biotensegrity explains these principles further. To find out more please visit www.biotensegrity.com
2. See Kenneth Snelson, Forces made visible.
3. Dr. Stephen Levin, Live lecture April 1, 2005
Some of the information in this section is reproduced from Stephen Levin’s website with his kind permission.
