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imagined being one with. I saw Watsu as healing our wounds of separation, and as being a rebonding therapy. Thousands of Watsus later, I am no longer surprised by the union that takes place. Watsu frees us from the illusion of separation. Watsu reconnects us. Watsu celebrates union. The Outcome Ultimately, Watsu is about adaptation. Sharing Watsu with someone means respecting their limits and adapting to whatever is called for. Over the years, the Watsu community created "a form" or sequence that provides the greatest number of benefits to the client in a single session. One overriding benefit is the form itself—its dancelike flow seamlessly carries someone through both powerful moves and stretches, and moments of profound stillness. All Watsu practitioners learn this form and how to adapt its flow to each client they take in their arms. They also learn to listen for and follow whatever movement originates from the one in their arms, as well as for whatever movement is called up in their own body. Watsu allows for the form to evolve and adapt each session, as creativity and authentic movement come into play. Watsu's unique power to reduce stress has made it a treatment of choice in spas around the world. Many come out of a 54 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k j u l y / a u g u s t 2 0 1 8 session saying it is the most relaxed they have ever been in their lives, including those whose straight-leggedness during the Watsu treatment looked anything but relaxed. Watsu can provide relief from almost any condition related to stress— physical or mental. And the anecdotal and research-based evidence surrounding the efficacy of Watsu continues to grow: • Kathy Bateman, who managed the pool at the Children's Hospital in Seattle, says she has seen Watsu benefit children who are paralyzed, stroke patients, those with cerebral palsy, and terminally ill patients. • Practitioners around the world find that Watsu benefits pregnant women. Throughout the pregnancy, Watsu can help bond mother and child even before the birth, as the water creates a shared energy. From a physiological perspective, Watsu soothes muscles that are challenged with pregnancy's rapid weight gain. Some practitioners claim that their clients' babies turned out of breech position in the nights and days following Watsu. • Tomasz Zagorski, a sports therapist and Watsu instructor who has successfully brought aquatic bodywork into the programs of sports teams and Olympic medal winners, says Watsu for athletes has become a new field of application. Watsu's ability to accelerate the body's regeneration process makes it a valuable These 2017 photos of the author, his daughter Calias, and his longtime friend and senior Watsu instructor Minakshi show Tandem Watsu in its quietest moments.