About
Jana’s Story
Jana Higgs is a Shiatsu, Oriental Therapies Facilitator and Yoga Teacher with over a decade of experience working and teaching in the wellness industry.
After sustaining a chronic back injury in 2007, Jana turned to yoga and traditional Chinese medicine, adopting their practices and restoring her health. When integrating Asana (postures), pranayama (breath) and meditation into her daily life, Jana found immense physical, mental and emotional benefits, eventually leading to teacher training at The Australian Academy of Yoga Learning in Melbourne and later the Australian Shiatsu College.
Jana currently works as a Hatha and Yin yoga teacher and Shiatsu practitioner. She offers Shiatsu treatments incorporating palm palpating, acupoints, stretches, sotai, barefoot Shiatsu and classical Shiatsu (finger pressure along meridian lines). Additional therapies such as cupping, moxibustion and guasha are also used throughout treatments when appropriate.
The modality of Shiatsu coupled with Jana’s extensive yogic knowledge helps people address physical and energetic blocks, assisting the body to rejuvenate and release while restoring and balancing Qi.
Through an incredibly nurturing space, Jana brings people back into connection with their bodies ensuring they feel safe, seen and supported in their well-being journey. Many of Jana’s clients comment on how compassionate and heart centred her work is. She puts people at ease while holding a loving and gentle space.
Jana’s ongoing professional development includes trauma-informed care as well as chronic and mental health support. She treats in an LGBTQIA+ friendly space and celebrates people of all different backgrounds, genders, sexualities and cultures.
About Shiatsu
Shiatsu is a harmonising therapy developed in Japan to promote health and wellbeing and has its origins in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Shiatsu incorporate a range of techniques to apply pressure over the various parts of the body. With the use of palms, thumbs, feet, elbows, knees and stretching , it creates a therapeutic result , drawing you back into your body. Pressure varies to light or firm depending on preference.
Depending on your needs of the day acupressure points will be held, along with working certain meridian lines to achieve desired results following Traditional Chinese Medicine principles.
Therefore Shiatsu reinforces the body’s ability to function harmoniously and stimulate the immune system, balance and regulate Qi and Blood flow. With the aim to not only treat and alleviate the immediate problem but to determine and treat the cause. Shiatsu is also simply a wonderful treatment to incorporate into your life to create and maintain balance and homeostasis of your body and mind. You would find a feeling of Nourishment and Nurture, connection and transformation.
Cupping
Cupping involves the attachment of cups to the body, through heat of suction to draw out stagnant blood and toxins to the surface of the local area which removes dead cells.
Through the suction and negative pressure cupping releases rigid soft tissue, loosens adhesions, lifts connective tissue and brings fresh blood to areas being treated. With this the necessary minerals and nutrients essential for muscular health are restored.
Cupping affects the flow of blood and lymph bringing stimulation. The vessel walls of the skin circulation are increased and old cells and blood are removed.
Cupping also stretches the muscle treating the myofascial trigger points, or knots to return a muscle to its full length and elasticity This method is particularly good for pain relief, and removal of cold and damp that create stiffness in the body, as well as promoting freath blood and qi flow.
Gua Sha
Gua Sha scraping therapy, similar to cupping, is used when Qi and Blood is stagnated and heat is produced which forms Sha (translated evil qi).
By using this scraping technique with a ceramic spoon it vents heat and dredges the meridian channels, releasing blockages of Blood and Qi. When moving blood to the surface of the skin, it releases the exterior promoting recovery from illness, Such as the common cold, covid 19, chest cough and sinus infections.
It also stretches fascia, stimulates the immune system, and has an antiinflammatory effect, by opening the pores and increasing circulation to carry heat away. It also increases metabolic activity, reduces pain and relieves stiffness and muscular tension.
Moxibuston
Moxa is made up of Mugwort leaf that has been dried and processed into a soft fluffy material known as Moxa floss or Moxa wool.
Moxibustion is a form of heat therapy. It involves the application of heat by burning Moxa on acupuncture points or an area of the body. By applying this heat therapy it adds warmth into that particular area of the body and along the meridian line to promote circulation of Qi and Blood. This also reinforces the body’s resistance to pathogens and rectifies imbalance.
Therefore Moxa can be used in Clinic sessions when there is pain, particularly due to injury or experiencing chronic pain from arthritis. When there is a sensation of cold deep in the bones and joints and you have trouble warming from the inside.
If you’re experiencing digestive problems, irregular bowel movement and gut tension, the application of heat therapy can make a significant difference.
TCM Dietary Therapy
Traditional Chinese Medicine dietary therapies is an ancient approach of treating and preventing disease by using food as medicine.
In TCM there is a focus on balancing the bodies YIn and Yang energies and ensuring that there is a free flow of Qi, life force within the body.
TCM dietary therapies use a variety of food and herbs with specific energetic properties to help restore balance and promote health. Foods are categorised as warming, cooling or neutral, and will be chosen on the individuals health needs and imbalances. Using the Five Element framework there is also a focus to eat according to the seasons to nourish and balance the organs and meridian lines of the current season, so the organ and meridian line will have optimal nutrients to maintain its vitality.
TCM dietary therapies emphasize the importance of mindful eating and food preparation. With attention your meal of eatinging mindfully, chewing slowing and having a balanced meal of flavours for optimal digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Yoga with Jana
Iyengar yoga was the first technique Jana studied, however it was her travels through the USA and India which sparked an interest in the more holistic aspects of yogic practise.
Living in several Ashrams she learned the amazing benefits of pranayama yoga and became immersed in Hindu traditions. Jana practises Kirtan and devotional Bhakti yoga and she incorporates these modalities into her teaching.
Jana’s yoga classes are primarily in the Yin and Hatha styles. Her teaching incorporates a wide range of practises including asana, vinyasa, pranayama, mantra and the exploration of contemplative and meditative states and deep relaxation.
Through Jana’s teaching you will be invited to drawn inwards, using the breath to access your body and mind. Sitting with feelings, honouring the body, sacred space and open hearts are all aspects of Jana’s classroom.
Her classes are personal and healing, nourishing and nurturing and everyone is invited to feel safe and welcome.
