Colleen Foye Bollen
Flowing Stillness
Jin Shin Jyutsu Self-Help
Jin Shin Jyutsu’s self-help component gives clients an opportunity to learn techniques they can do at home to prolong the effectiveness of their sessions and to maintain their health and ease symptoms between treatments. These self-help techniques empower people by giving them a key role to play in their health and well-being.
When doing Jin Shin Jyutsu self-help, sit, stand or lay down in a comfortable position. You can have your eyes open or closed, whichever is most comfortable for you.
Begin each exercise by focusing on your breath. In Jin Shin Jyutsu the breath starts on the exhale. Imagine, as you exhale, the air cascades down the front of your body. Then on the inhale, imagine your breath coming up your back. This creates a circle of breath, with the breath cascading down the front on the exhale and coming up your back on the inhale.
As you do each hold for two to three minutes, focus on your breathing. Imagine the exhale going down the front of your body and the inhale coming up the back of your body.
Fingers & Toes
Looking at the hand chart you will see that in Jin Shin Jyutsu each finger is associated with a primary emotion/attitude, two organs, a depth of the body (i.e. skin, muscle, chi, tissue, bones) and a color.
This exercise is simple and very adaptable. You can do it anywhere and anytime that your hands are free. Simply wrap one hand around one finger of the opposite hand. For example, you can wrap your left fingers around your right thumb.
You can choose to hold only one finger or you can hold each finger in sequence (thumb, index, middle, ring, little). Hold the finger gently, so the energy can move through the finger. Avoid squeezing or pressure. Hold each finger for two to three minutes or longer, if you like. You can hold the fingers on your right hand, left hand or both hands.
With this self-help tool, you can help shift an emotion/attitude by holding the finger related to that motion/attitude. For example – the thumb is associated with worry. By holding the thumb, you can help change worry into a sense of leadership/empowerment.
If you have a stomach ache, holding your thumb can help release/unblock energy in that area. Wearing the color associated with a finger (i.e. yellow for the thumb), you can help shift the emotion/attitude, organs and depth of body connected to that finger.
Putting your hands in the prayer position (palms together) can help clear all of the emotions/depths, all of the organs and all of the depths of the body. It harmonizes the entire body, mind and spirit.
All aspects of the fingers, also apply to the toes. If you would prefer, you can hold your toes instead of your fingers.
Main Central Vertical Flow
The Main Central Vertical Flow is the source of our life energy. This pathway flows down the center of the front of the body and up the back of the body. This self-help exercise helps to harmonize this pathway.
Hold each step for two to three minutes.
Step 1: Place the fingers of the right hand on the top of the head (where they will remain until step 6). Place the fingers of the left hand on your forehead between your eyebrows.
Step 2: Now move the left fingertips to the tip of the nose.
Step 3: Move the left fingertips to your sternum (center of your chest between your breasts).
Step 4: Move your fingers to the base of your sternum (center of where your ribs start, above the stomach).
Step 5: Move your fingers to the top of your pubic bone (above the genitals, center).
Step 6: Keep your left fingertips in place and move your right fingertips to cover your coccyx (tailbone).
Note: The right hand remains on the top of the head while the left hand moves down the body until the final step.
The Main Central Harmonizer boosts your energy level and provides an overall tune-up for your body, mind and spirit. It balances the appetite, clears the eyes, head, throat, chest, digestive organs, pelvis, back, lymph, blood, and nervous system. It is the major centering/balancing flow in Jin Shin Jyutsu. Some people find it calming and use it to fall asleep, while others like to use it to clear away the cobwebs upon awakening.
26 Safety Energy Locks
Jin Shin Jyutsu has twenty-six Safety Energy Lock (SEL) points. The points are located along the right and left side of the body (twenty-six points per side). When energy within the body gets stuck and is not flowing easily, it can cause stagnation and create disharmony or dis-ease.
During Jin Shin Jyutsu treatments and self-help sessions, a combination of SELs are held. This allows the SEL points to open and be reenergized. As the SELs release and balance is restored, the client experiences physical, mental, and spiritual harmony.
Graphic from High Touch
The location of Jin Shin Jyutsu's 26 SELs
1 – At the inside of each knee joint.
2 – On the lower back at the top of the pelvic bone.
3 – On the upper back at the inner edge of the scapula.
4 – At the base of the skull.
5 – On the inner ankle, between the ankle bone and the heel.
6 – On the arch on each foot.
7 – The middle of the underside of the big toes.
8 – At the outside edge of the back of the knees.
9 – On the middle back, at the bottom edge of the shoulder blades.
10 – On the upper back, at the middle of the shoulder blades.
11 – At the base of the neck, where the neck joins the shoulders.
12 – Located at the back of the neck.
13 –On the front of the rib cage, near the third rib.
14 – On the front of the body at the bottom of the rib cage.
15 – In the pockets of the groin, where the legs join the torso.
16 – On the outside of the ankle (side of the little toe).
17 – On the outer edge of the hands (side of little finger).
18 – On the palm side of the hand at the base of the thumb.
19 – In the crease of the elbows, on the thumb side of the body.
20 – On the upper forehead just above the eyebrows.
21 – Below the cheekbones on both sides of the nose.
22 – Under the collarbones.
23 – In the small of the back, just below the rib cage.
24 – On the top of the foot, halfway between the little toe and the ring toe.
25 – On the backside of the body on the sit-bones.
26 – Close to the armpit, at the outer edge of the shoulder blade.
Simple self-help using the Safety Energy Locks (SELs)
High 19 and Opposite 1
Place one hand two inches above the crease of the elbow (SEL High 19) and the other hand on the opposite side of the body, two inches above the inside of the knee (SEL High 1). Hold this position for two to three minutes. This hold can be done on the left or right side of the body.
This hold helps with many health projects, including dizziness; ringing in ears; breathing issues; sciatica; toxicity and toxic emotions stored in the tissue; blood and blood pressure projects; circulation; authority and leadership issues; digestion; and supporting the liver and gallbladder.
15 and Same Side 3
Place one hand where the leg joins the torso, on the lower trunk in the pocket of the groin (SEL 15). Hook the other hand over your shoulder, on the same side of the body, and hold the upper back at the inner edge of the scapula (SEL 3). Hold this position for two to three minutes. This hold can be done on the left or right side of the body.
This hold helps with many health projects, including mental stress, back-hip-leg tension; immune system; fevers, colds and sore throats, attitude adjustment; and is good to employ pre and post-surgery.
Covid-19 and Post-Covid-19 Symptoms
Covid-19 affects each person in unique ways, depending on one’s overall health and immune system. These are general self-help ideas that address the whole body.
Hold Thumb
Wrap your left fingers around your left thumb. Reverse and wrap your right fingers around your right thumb. You can hold one thumb at a time or hold both thumbs at the same time.
Hold for two minutes, or as long as is comfortable.
Fingers on Palm
Place your left fingers on your right palm; reverse and place your right fingers on your left palm.
Hold each position for two minutes, or as long as is comfortable.
Shoulder and fingers
Step 1: Place your left hand over your right shoulder (SEL 3). You can think of your left hand being like a coat hanger hooking over your shoulder.
Step 2: With your right hand, place the pad of your right thumb over each fingernail of your right hand – thumb pad over little fingernail, ring fingernail, middle fingernail, index fingernail.
Step 3: Reverse to work on the other side by putting your right hand over your left shoulder (SEL 3) and placing your left thumb pad on each fingernail of your left fingers.
Hold your thumb pad over each fingernail for two minutes, or as long as is comfortable.
Immune system booster
The immune system booster can be done on the left side or the right side. Or, you might want to do both sides.
Left side
Step 1: Your right hand crosses over your body and gently rests just under your left cheek bone (SEL 21).
The left hand stays on the left side of the body and rests just under the left collar bone (SEL 22).
Hold this position for two to three minutes.
Step 2: Your right hand so it gently rests at the bottom of your left rib cage (SEL 14). Your left hand stays where it is, just under your left collar bone (SEL 22).
Hold this position for two to three minutes.
Right side
Step 1: Your left hand crosses over your body and gently rests just under your right cheek bone (SEL 21).
The right hand stays on the right side of the body and rests just under the right collar bone (SEL 22).
Hold this position for two to three minutes.
Step 2: Your left hand crosses you’re your body and gently rests at the bottom of your right rib cage (SEL 14). Your right hand stays on the right side of the body and continues to rest just under the left collar bone (SEL 22).
Hold this position for two to three minutes.
The immune system booster helps strengthen your immune system and helps with the production of red and white blood cells.
Additional Resources
Videos
Official Jin Shin Jyutsu YouTube channel with numerous self-help videos
https://www.youtube.com/JinShinJyutsuOfficial
Books
The Art of Jin Shin by Alexis Brink – Introduction to Jin Shin Jyutsu self-help with a lot of photographs.
The Touch of Healing by Alice Burmeister – Provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of Jin Shin Jyutsu, includes self-help ideas.
A Touching Good-Bye by Judith B. Andry – Instruction on using Jin Shin Jyutsu in times of critical health issues and death.