Watsu Basic and Explorer Paths on Land and in Water

In 1980 Harold Dull began Watsu by floating friends in a warm pool applying the principles and stretches of the Zen Shiatsu he had studied with its creator on land in Japan. Today a hundred authorized instructors teach the Watsu that, with the aid of many, has evolved to help millions of all ages in clinics, spas, and backyard pools around the world. This book illustrates what is taught in their first 50 hours of classes, a simple but complete Watsu that you can share with family and friends. It also introduces Tantsu (Watsu on Land) and an adaptation of Watsu for a home spa. When Harold saw, and experienced, how much Watsu benefits both the holder and the held, he started developing ways these benefits can be accessible to everybody. Tantsu and Tantsuyoga brings Watsu's way of working with the body as a whole and its deep connection through the breath to those without pools. Harold found that helping each other in threes accelerates learning while adding a new level of benefits. This book presents the stages and step-by-step instructions for joining and leading two friends through the complete-in-itself Watsu Round, and/or Tansuyoga. This book introduces the Explorer Path on which watsuers from all levels join and explore moves and themes in teams of three, and in rounds that encourage spontaneity and creativity. In this book's Tandem Watsu, float a third between you. Take turns being the one who supports and the one who explores the powerful stretches the other’s support facilitates. Contained between you, whatever the stretches release often finds its way up their spine. A Tandem Tantsuyoga that can be shared anywhere is also introduced. This book also includes the many discoveries made at each stage of Watsu and Tantsu's long development.

Harold Dull was born in 1935 in Seattle and on graduation from the University of Washington in 1957, joined the poets who formed the San Francisco Renaissance where several of his books were published. After two years in Europe and three in Mexico City, in 1976 he began to study Zen Shiatsu, both in America and with its creator, Shizuto Masunaga, in Japan. In 1980 he began teaching Zen Shiatsu at a hot springs in Northern California and applied its stretches while floating friends in its warm pool. This evolved into the Watsu that is now used around the world in clinics and spas and Harold's Tantsu that brings Watsu back on land.. Once Harold, and those helping him, developed Watsu's standard forms and the way to train practitioners and instructors, Harold turned his attention to making the benefits of both giving and receiving Watsu and Tantsu accessible to everybody through rounds and the Explorer Path. For 35 years Harold has traveled to teach Watsu and Tantsu. He has taught in 30 countries, almost all the countries of Europe, and Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, Chile, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India and Israel. He has studied several languages. He developed and maintains a Registry on the web that stores the transcripts of 20,000 from 95 countries who have studied Aquatic Bodywork and lists authorized practitioners, instructors and classes. He continues to teach and to work with other instructors in the Worldwide Aquatic Bodywork Association and to be involved in the creation and production of his videos and books. When he is not traveling to teach he lives with his wife in Berkeley.