November Newsletter

Air cools as nights draw in and thoughts turn like leaves to warmer times past or future, hopes and memories of good turns done, friendships lost and found, of magic childhood moments getting into warm ironed pyjamas in front of the fire...
A Taoist autumn is to let go the melancholy of season's change, grow courage to face winter, and smell the sunshine on those rare bright days that skymark this time. One such lit up the half-marathon when we gave shiatsu to the Capital runners: it was a real thrill to hear their appreciation on the radio. The week before we were at the Mind Body Soul exhibiting the art of gentle healing, meeting new people and making new friends.
And now, hooray for Amazon publishing three e-books: Taoist Medicine Wheel, Finding Spirit in Zen Shiatsu and Taoist 4Play Shiatsu Secrets for Love, that people can download for really a very small sum to read on (the beach?) their Kindles, iPhones, iPads, Androids, Blackberries ... when I first went to school we wrote on slates; paperbacks had just been invented, credit cards not even a tinkle in a banker's eye, and keys were made for locking. Now we can go anywhere in the world and spend money by tapping numbers on keypads - scary!
Talking of years, our Winter Gathering on 5th December will be a celebration of Kris's 70th and an occasion for remembrance, reconciliation and peace-making. We would love to see you there.
We close the Year opening doors to new experiences in Shiatsu and the Tao. Come on by!

All the info on what you like - see you there!

Cool links to connect you with what's what, where and how:

• 3rd November Jade Circle Level 1 with Anamarta
• 8th November (- 20th December) 'Chi Kung for Health and Vitality' with Tanya in North Wales
  
• 11th November Zen School of Shiatsu Assessment-Training Day
  
• 19th November Jade Circle Level 2 with Anamarta
• 24th November Zen Shiatsu Free Open Evening with Kris and Marta: no need to book, come on by and learn about the Zen approach to Shiatsu
• 27th & 28th November Foundations of Taoist Practice Step 1: Harmony of Yin and Yang. The first step, the first experience of Taoist Alchemy: transforming stress into vitality, awaken healing light.
  
• 29th November to 2nd December Shiatsu Intensive Immersion with Kris and Marta, four days of the Art of Gentle Healing, leading to Certificate in Practical Shiatsu and your first steps on the Way of the Helping Hand - watch video

Click for Kris's ebooks on Amazon including the latest 'Taoist Medicine Wheel - Tao of the Shaman Part 1' by Kris Deva North published by Universal Tao Publications UK.
Also available here in full colour illustrated pdf (you can see the Chapter-list.)
Also serialised on the Taoist blog with, so far, Ch1 From History to Mystery, 2 Comparison with other Traditions, 3 Evolution of the Medicine Wheel, and coming next, Chapter 4 The Five Elements.
A paperback version 'Taoist Shaman, Practices from the Wheel of Life' co-authored with Mantak Chia, is due out soon published by Destiny Books.

Shiatsu Practice Development

Talkability

Standing in line at the healthfood shop with my basket of miso, brown rice and onions I overheard the customer in front of me ask the checkout lady "Do you know a good therapist?"

Checkout waved at the notice-board crammed with flyers and rang up the sprouts. "Yes," persisted the customer, but there's so many. Can't you recommend any?"

I first heard this half-conversation when I started doing Shiatsu and racking my brains for ways to find new clients. I was surprised to be hearing it over twenty years later - where are we all?

Obviously we can ask to put our card or flyer (more later on how to write one) on their notice-board along with all the others. But why not treat the finding of clients as important to our Shiatsu practice as the giving of treatments? Why not use the same principles - you remember last week I wrote about the unique relationship between Shiatsu giver and receiver - why not develop a personal relationship with people who can help you? Talk to them.....have you ever had shiatsu/? what do you think of it? would you like to try it? Give them a free-sample treatment -session. Just sit them on a chair or stool and do it, right there and then. (And even if its only a 5-minute session, apply the Rule of 3.)

I did this, the manager saw, said that looks great! and asked if I would mind offering seated-shiatsu treatments to customers, one lunch-time a week "...it will attract business, and generate enquiries for you."

Would I mind? Wow! We agreed I could charge a modest £10 for a 15-minute treatment, with half going to the shop. When customers started to book private treatments my practice grew.

Even if you don't get the gig, you will certainly be the one that Checkout remembers when customers ask about therapists.

Visit the shop/restaurant every 2 or 3 weeks. Talk to the people. Give treatments to new staff.Wherever your enquiries come from - follow up every lead immediately.

Something to be - so far I've focussed on things to do. Here's something to be, that will help you find and keep clients more than any other single quality - - -
* BE ENTHUSIASTIC *
focusing your enthusiasm on your client/potential client as much as on yourself or your shiatsu.

This is the latest in the series of articles on Shiatsu Practice Management or 'How to find Clients - and keep them coming back' by Kris Deva North, Master of the Zen School of Shiatsu. You can read the whole series with a click here, including the audio-version, completely free.

NEXT WEEK: The Popsy Principle
© Kris Deva North