I wasn’t aware of the healing modality of water therapy until last year when I attended the “Be Like Water” retreat in Tolantongo, Mexico. Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Rachel Santos about her experiences in the world of healing arts and water therapy.
Rachel’s journey into the healing arts began early. At just nine years old, she started practicing yoga and yogic breathing as part of a theater program. Unlike many children her age, Rachel developed a strong interest in Eastern philosophy a few years later and has continued to explore it ever since. During high school, she apprenticed with a massage therapist and a Shiatsu practitioner, learning about chakra balancing, Reiki, and various forms of energy work.
At 21, while living in Japan, Rachel deepened her connection to nature, the elements, and Eastern philosophy. Her path eventually led her to Thailand, where she studied the Universal Healing Tao system under Grandmaster Mantak Chia. This experience allowed her to grasp the principles, theory, and philosophy behind healing arts on a deeper level.
A lifelong dancer, Rachel compares the practice of dance to Qigong exercises. She explains that dance focuses on the form or the “container,” while Qigong works with the “inner alchemy,” or the energy we place within that container. She emphasizes the importance of aligning with the immortal forces while practicing Qigong to enhance its effects.
In 2013, during a dance residency program in Thailand, Rachel encountered an aquatic massage practitioner. The experience, she recalls, was life-changing. She described the sensation of being in water as akin to returning not only to her mother’s womb but also to a primordial, aquatic state. This profound connection to water inspired her to pursue and share aquatic healing arts with others.
Rachel explains that several styles of water therapy have been independently developed worldwide. One of the most well-known is Watsu, created by Harold Dull at Harbin Hot Springs in California. As a Shiatsu practitioner, Dull integrated meridian and pressure-point techniques into water, thus creating what is often called “water Shiatsu.” Harbin Hot Springs became a hub for innovation, where other styles of water therapy also emerged.
Another notable method Rachel studied is Janzu, developed by Mexican healer Juan “Patik” Villatoro. Patik, inspired by his time in an Indian ashram, believed water could unlock creativity and promote healing. Rachel learned Janzu from two of Patik’s apprentices. She also highlights the similarities between Janzu and Aquahara, another major aquatic therapy style created by Alex Siebenstern. Interestingly, Germany has played a significant role in incorporating elements of dance theater into water therapy.
With her diverse background in healing arts, dance, and an understanding of nature’s elements, Rachel developed her own water therapy practice, which she calls Aqua Flow. Aqua Flow is inspired by Janzu and Aquahara and combines elements of martial arts, aquatic dance, breathwork, assisted stretching, and rebirth therapy. Rachel describes Aqua Flow as an immersive aquatic movement meditation that helps individuals trust water and let go of tension.
Aqua therapy, in general, is best practiced in warm water, preferably in a natural setting. However, heated indoor or outdoor pools also work well. According to Rachel, this practice is popular in places like India, Bali, Spain, Hawaii, Mexico, and Thailand, with surprising hubs of activity in Germany and Argentina. Additionally, water therapy is extensively used for physical rehabilitation across North America, Europe, Australia, and Japan.
Rachel, along with Master Sharon Smith, co-organized the 2023 “Be Like Water” retreat, which was a great success. The duo is teaming up again for the “Shedding” retreat in Palenque, Mexico, in January 2025. I am honored to have been invited back as a presenter to teach Qigong at this event. The retreat will take place at a private resort offering a tranquil ambiance. In addition to daily classes led by ten instructors, attendees will enjoy three curated excursions, including explorations of ancient Mayan ruins and jungle landscapes with a knowledgeable guide, as well as a visit to a breathtaking water site with multiple waterfalls. Rachel will also provide water therapy sessions during the retreat.
Water therapy continues to be a transformative and deeply healing practice, and Rachel Santos is at the forefront of this remarkable modality.