Charlotte Lafitte Shiatsu

How do you enjoy a moment of stillness?

It's a real challenge for me to just be there, without phone, thinking, learning, or ruminating.

Hopefully, my daughter and shiatsu remind me of the beauty of a simple presence.
To cultivate this, I want to share more about meditation, a practice that anchors me in the present and give me ultimately peace.

Meditation is so precious to me. It allows me to be here—just here—without any injunction to do or any result to achieve.

What I cherish most is being able to gently observe an emotion. Sadness appears like a soap bubble; a tear flows. I don’t need to know why it is present. I watch it, I cherish it, and the bubble bursts.
I feel my inhalation and my exhalation, I feel my bones anchoring into the ground: I am present.

Winter invites us to slow down. How do you allow yourself to pause?

Have you ever returned to a place that felt like home?

I wanted to share about my trip to Japan, but something is holding me back. I find it so hard to put words to the emotional ties I have with that country.

Eleven years ago, I put all my energy into finding and keeping a job in Japan in order to live with my partner, who was Japanese at that time. The four years I spent in Japan really impacted me, as it was the first time I had to see the world from a different angle—or at least try.

Back in Tokyo after seven years, I was immediately immersed in a sensorial bath. A well-known smell welcomed me. It was a mix of an outdated scent, soap, and cold tobacco… Not the most appealing description, I know, but somehow it transported me seven years back and made me feel completely at home.

This road trip “back” to Japan was a way to share a little bit of my old life with my partner and daughter. I thought I was going to close a chapter: I would say goodbye, I would let go of all the memories I had in Japan. Instead, reconnecting with my friends from karate, past work, and past love only reinforced the bond. Returning to Japan made me realise how much experiences stay within our body, waiting for the right moment to surface and be integrated. 

The body holds stories and Shiatsu brings space for them to breathe. If you’re seeking a moment of calm before winter fully settles in, I’d be happy to welcome you in Utrecht. 🤍

Closing the summer season ☀️
I feel grateful for the precious time spent with my friends and family this summer.

1. Utrecht summer vibes
2. 35-year-old birthday with wonderful people
3. Enjoying the love and storms of a big family
4. Getting some rest in the basque country
5. Being more excited than my daughter about the carousel
6. Keeping tai-chi routine as much as possible
7. Adding a new morning routine - already in the park at 8am

Going on holidays for 3weeks!
I will take a break from Instagram to cultivate the fire element💜

Summer is the season of the fire element. It is linked to our heart, our capacity to connect with our inner compass, and to feel a peaceful joy . 

It is hard to find a peaceful joy at this moment, as we are all connected and our humanity is currently suffering. But summer is an invitation to cultivate our heart - meeting with our family & friends, enjoying the silence and connecting with nature.

I wish you great summer💜🦀🌈

I cannot believe that a year has passed !

As a shiatsu therapist, I keep encouraging people to listen to their body... it was honestly very hard for me to do that a year ago!
I was so excited to meet Iris, I just wanted a fast childbirth😂

Today, I want to tell to the 9month pregnant Charlotte :

It is OK, you don't have to rush.
Let go any self injunction , any "what I have to do, how should I relax, how can I start the labour..."
Take every advice as a possibility, an invitation but not a must do.
Feel your body, feel what it needs. Listen to you and your baby only 🤍

6weeks after I gave birth, a Pelvic floor physiotherapist told me to just RELAX without explaining how. Seriously?

I was in the middle of the darkness, my stress level was skyrocketing and as consequence my scars could not heal well... I indeed needed HELP to relax!

Help to feel my body again, feel the connection between my brain, my heart and my pelvic bowl...feel and eventually love it again.

This is my mission when I give a Shiatsu.
I hope to help you deeply relax , feel your body , feel the energy inside , gain trust and love for your body.

It is a SLOW process. Some people just need one session in a while, others need much more time to feel safe and connect with their core self.

And of course, there are times when you don't need help and when relaxing is easy! A simple bath, a cup of tea, a dance or a run are enough to refill your inner joy 🤍

9 months in, 9 months out!

I thought I would feel something special for this symbolic birthday, 9 months inside - 9 months outside... but not really.

My body & mind were not magically restored, and healing is a long process for me, but I'm just enjoying it!

However, my energy has changed, and I had my first postpartum client this month🥳
It is a true joy to accompany women during postpartum, helping them to share emotions and connect again with their body and inner energy.

If you are curious to know more about shiatsu during post-partum, feel free to contact me.

It always takes me some time to transition from one season to another, and the past few weeks have been energetically intense for me.

I've felt a strong upward, spring-like energy rising within me—full of potential—but also a bit blocked at the same time. I couldn’t quite keep up with the vibrant energy of Iris, and I quickly felt drained.

When this sense of stagnation arises, I know it’s time to nourish the dance of the Yin and Yang Ki within me. There’s no one-size-fits-all method, and I invite you to find your own unique way.

For me, I started with grounding practices like meditation, walk in forest, Tai Chi, and meridian stretches.

Once I felt centered, I shifted towards more Yang activities: dancing, going out with friends, and—of course—enjoying the boundless energy of an 8-month-old baby. 😄

It’s a reminder that even when we feel blocked, we can listen to what our bodie need.

How do you nourish your energy during this spring? 🌿

After a month of gathering with family and friends, my heart is full and ready to close out 2024 and embrace 2025.

If I have to take away one lesson from last year, it would be that I have little control over most things in my life...

That said, I still enjoy setting intentions for the new year. They serve as a lifeline whenever I lose my way!

🎬 So my word for 2025 is JOYFUL ACTION.
This year , I want to do, explore , meet inspiring people, and practice Shiatsu again and again. However, I want my actions to be driven by authentic DESIRE and CURIOSITY rather than fear and stress.

Let's see how long it resonates in me!😅
Do you like setting up intentions for the new year ? Share it with me ☀️

#2025

Yestersay, I enjoyed the cold and sunny autumn days in Utrecht. The city was joyful: people were out , trying to grab every single bit of sun before winter.

I took the time to reflect once more on the last 4 months. I've been completely turned upside down by the childbirth and the 2 months at the hospital. My core beliefs have been shaken, and I feel that I lost a part of my innocence.
However, it seems already so far away , and I'm truly amazed at how memory works!

Yet the main insights I would like to remember are:

🤍I have a very small control over life. I often seek control and safety, trying to foresee all the possibilities. This postpartum taught me that I better not overplan! It's still very hard for me😅

🤍I can go through stressful situations. I'm strong enough to embrace vulnerability and complex emotions...

🤍... Only because I am extremely well supported by my family, friends, and therapist ❤️

I'm grateful for that and looking for slowly giving shiatsu🙌

Special thanks to:
- Integral pelvic floor therapist
- shiatsu
- massage