Bodywork at Onkodo Clinic

Written by Bob Quinn, DAOM, LAc

In 1994 I took off an entire year and traveled around the US visiting acupuncture colleges. In the end I had visited ten of them. I knew I wanted to study Chinese Medicine, and I wanted a well-rounded education. I was leaving behind a solid career in high school education and sought the best training available. In the end I chose to stay in Oregon and attend OCOM. The reason I did so was because of their shiatsu teacher, Jim Cleaver.

I was interested not only in herb and acupuncture education but also saw a place in my future practice for bodywork. It was a great training with Jim, and I then went on to study traditional Thai massage with Paul Greenbaum, DC, L.Ac., LMT. This was followed by training in Sotai, a Japanese system of neuromuscular re-education. In turn training in Feldenkrais and Taoist qigong tuina followed and is ongoing. At this point all of these systems can be seen in how I work.

At Onkodo Clinic we have the great good fortune to have on staff Fig Aiamune, a talented Zen shiatsu practitioner. I first met Fig a few years ago and have continued to receive regular treatments from her since then. Together with daily exercise and a sensible diet, this is actually the most regular part of my strategy for staying healthy. Her treatments help me so much and feel so great.

Zen shiatsu is a fascinating system. It was started in Japan by Shizuto Masunaga, a very interesting character. Masunaga was also a psychology professor. Shiatsu involves numerous techniques, but the most commonly employed is the use of thumb pressure along the same meridians used in acupuncture. Masunaga further developed the traditional meridian system, finding “extensions” of the meridians on the arms and legs. He also formalized a system of abdominal diagnosis.

The Onkodo Clinic just recently welcomed Joseph Kairos, LMT into its stable of practitioners. Joseph is widely trained in many styles of bodywork. A very avid athlete himself, Joseph is adept at sports massage, medical massage, deep tissue-myofascial massage, and also the wonderful Hawaiian lomi lomi system. He gladly works with motor vehicle accident patients. I have received massage from Joseph and can say from personal experience that his skills place him among the elite practitioners in Portland.

I encourage those who are interested to do what has worked for me – include regular bodywork at Onkodo Clinic into your lifestyle. You won’t regret it.

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