4. Move your left hand to the right SEL 13, at the center of the right third rib down from the collarbone (clavicle), just above the right breast area.
5. Move your left hand to the left SEL 22, at the center of the left collarbone.
For the left side of the body (see Figure 7.2):
The sequence is the reverse of the sequence for the right.
FIGURE 7.2
1. Place your right hand (the palm side or the back of the hand, whichever is most comfortable) at the base of the spine (coccyx).
2. Place your left hand on the left SEL 5, between the inside ankle bone and the heel. (See diagram.) (If this position is uncomfortable, place the left fingers on the left inside of the knee or on the pubic bone.)
3. Move your left hand to the right SEL 14, at the base of the right front rib cage. (The right hand is still at the base of the spine.)
4. Move your right hand to the left SEL 13, at the center of the left third rib, below the left collarbone (clavicle), right above the left breast area.
5. Move your right hand to the right SEL 22, at the center of the right collarbone.
“I HAVE ALWAYS had a sweet tooth. As a result, I periodically find myself eating way more sugar than is good for me. Afterward, I often wind up feeling either too jittery or very sluggish.
“A FEW YEARS ago, at a friend’s recommendation, I attended a Jin Shin Jyutsu self-help class, where I learned about the Anterior Ascending Energy sequence. I found myself recalling this sequence shortly after a subsequent sugar binge. I promptly began to apply it to myself. In a short while, I felt myself calmer and less fatigued. Since then, I have used this sequence daily. Not only do I feel an overall increase in energy, but my craving for sweets also seems to have diminished.”
ANTERIOR DESCENDING ENERGY SEQUENCE
The following sequence will revitalize the energy that descends along the front of the body from head to toe. It works directly upon the Stomach Function Energy. Thus, like the previous sequence, it helps to relieve worry and mental stress. It is also quite effective for clearing any congestion that occurs above the waist, such as bloat. Accordingly, it is useful for assisting anyone involved with a weight project.
Remember—any step that you cannot reach comfortably can be skipped. Simply go on to the next step that you can apply without straining.
For the right side of the body (see Figure 7.3):
FIGURE 7.3
1. Place your left finger or fingers at the right SEL 21, at the base of the right cheekbone. Keep it there for the remainder of the sequence.
2. Place your right finger or fingers at the center of the right SEL 22, at the collarbone.
3. Move your right finger or fingers to the left SEL 14, at the base of the center of the left front rib cage.
4. Move your right finger or fingers to the left SEL 23, at the small of the back.
5. Move your right finger or fingers to the right SEL 14, at the base of the center of the right front rib cage.
6. Move your right finger or fingers to the left high SEL 1, on the inside of the left thigh, about three inches above the left knee.
7. Move your right finger or fingers halfway down the left calf—to the low SEL 8, about midway between the outside of the knee and ankle—off the left shinbone.
8. Move your right finger or fingers to the left middle toe and hold the middle toe with the finger and thumb.
Note: Your left finger or fingers have been on the base of the right cheekbone throughout this sequence, and only your right finger or fingers have moved.
For the left side of the body (see Figure 7.4):
The sequence is the reverse of the sequence for the right side. As time permits, both the right and left sequences may be applied. However, if time does not permit, jumper-cable only the side that has more tension.
FIGURE 7.4
1. Place your right finger or fingers on the left SEL 21, at the base of the left cheekbone.
2. Place your left finger or fingers at the left SEL 22, at the center of the left collarbone.
3. Move your left finger or fingers to the right SEL 14, at the base of the center of the right front rib cage.
4. Move your left finger or fingers to the right SEL 23, at the small of the back.
5. Move your left finger or fingers to the left SEL 14, at the base of the center of the left front rib cage.
6. Move your left finger or fingers to the right high SEL 1, on the inside of the right thigh, about three inches above the right knee.
7. Move your left finger or fingers halfway down to the right calf—to the low SEL 8, midway between the outside of the knee and off the right shinbone.
8. Move your left finger or fingers to the right middle toe. Hold the middle toe with the finger and thumb.
“BEFORE I WAS introduced to Jin Shin Jyutsu, I had little or no control over my periodic bouts with indigestion, which were caused by my allergies to certain foods and preservatives. Although I had tried various prescription medications for dealing with the problem, they all had side effects that I found undesirable.
“IN 1979 A good friend of mine was with me when I was suffering from one of these attacks. I felt as if a tight band had been wound around my chest, hampering my breathing. From past experience, I knew my symptoms were stomach related and that I would be in for several hours of severe discomfort and nausea.
“FORTUNATELY, MY FRIEND was a Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioner. She immediately began to work on me. Imagine my surprise and delight when all of my symptoms disappeared within thirty minutes! I couldn’t believe it would last. I asked my friend if these same results could be consistently repeated. She told me that they could and that I even had the ability to do it myself.
“SHE PROCEEDED TO show me something called the Anterior Descending Energy Sequence that I could use to help my stomach. For the past fifteen years, I have used this sequence daily. It has come to my rescue on many occasions.”
POSTERIOR DESCENDING ENERGY SEQUENCE
This sequence acts upon the Bladder Function Energy. Therefore, it is useful for facilitating the body’s elimination processes. It is also a powerful tool for clearing up headaches and back stress, as well as muscle and leg discomforts.
For the right side of the body (see Figure 7.5):
FIGURE 7.5
1. Place your left finger or fingers on the right SEL 12, at the side of the neck between the ear and spine.
2. Place your right hand (the back of the hand or the palm side) on the base of the spine, at the coccyx.
3. Move your right finger or fingers to the back of the right knee, at the center (where the knee bends).
4. Move your right finger or fingers to the right SEL 16, on the right outside of the ankle, below the right ankle bone.
5. Move your right finger or fingers to the right little toe, and hold the little toe with the thumb and finger.
FIGURE 7.6
For the left side of the body (see Figure 7.6): The sequence is the reverse of the sequence for the right.
1. Place your right finger or fingers on the left SEL 12, at the left side of the neck, between the ear and the spine.
2. Place your left hand (the back of the hand or the palm) on the base of the spine, at the coccyx.
3. Move your left finger or fingers to the back of the left knee, at the center (where the knee bends).
4. Move your left finger or fingers to the left SEL 16, on the left outside of the ankle, below the left ankle bone.
5. Move your left finger or fingers to the left little toe, and hold the little toe with the thumb and finger.
“I’D EXPERIENCED SCIATIC pain all the way down my right leg. This pain continued nonstop for nearly two years, ever since my seventh month of pregnancy. The discomfort was always present—sometimes a searing pain that kept me up at night, at other times a dull ache.
“AFTER RECEIVING MY first Jin Shin Jyutsu treatment, the practitioner sent me home with instructions to use the self-help bladder
flow twice daily [that is, the Posterior Descending Energy Sequence]. I followed her directions, going through the flow for about fifteen minutes each morning and evening. At the end of five days, there was no more discomfort at all. I also felt distinctly calmer and more optimistic.
“FOR THE NEXT six or seven years, I never experienced even a hint of pain. In the past few years, on several occasions, a slight ghost of the ache has reminded me of the pathway of the sciatic nerve. One or two applications of the self-help bladder flow always clears it right up.”
The preceding sequences are among the most powerful self-help tools in the entire Jin Shin Jyutsu repertoire. For those whose lifestyles may be especially hectic, these three general daily sequences cannot be recommended highly enough. However, anyone who chooses to make them a part of their everyday routine will gain immediate and lasting benefits. Simply by allowing ourselves a few minutes daily for their application, we revitalize and nourish those parts of ourselves that consistently endure the greatest stress.
harmonizing with the fingers and toes
chapter eight
As we saw back in Chapter 1, when Jiro Murai was pronounced incurably ill, he retreated to his family’s mountain cabin. There he fasted, meditated, and performed various finger postures, which are known as mudras. Murai’s experience with these mudras led him toward the insights that resulted in Jin Shin Jyutsu. In a sense, then, everything that we have learned in the preceding seven chapters can be traced back to those simple finger postures. When we take the time to learn and practice these mudras, we not only reacquaint ourselves with the roots of the art, we also acquire powerful tools for the restoration of health and tranquillity.
It is comforting to know that all the things we need to be in harmony with the universe—our fingers and toes—are with us at all times. We need never fear that we have forgotten or misplaced them.
Earlier, too, we noted that each of our ten fingers can regulate 14,400 functions within the body. Murai learned that bending, stretching, and clasping the ten fingers in various ways can create as many as 680 different mudras. It is not hard to imagine, then, that a knowledge of these various mudras could allow us to send energy to any part of our being. Murai also believed that the simple act of joining the left and right hands could bring about a unity between the body and mind. Ultimately, therefore, the mudras can give us the ability to address a wide array of mental and emotional issues, including those that manifest themselves as a concern for our physical condition.
Immediately following are eight particularly powerful mudras that empower us to address both the causes and concerns relevant to a number of different disharmonies.
FINGER POSE 1: EXHALING THE BURDENS AND BLOCKAGES
Hold the palm side of the left middle finger lightly with the right thumb. Place the rest of the right-hand fingers on the back side of the left middle finger. (See Figure 8.1.) Reverse for the right middle finger, in the same way.
FIGURE 8.1
This finger pose aids in releasing generalized tension and stress from head to toe. It facilitates our exhalation, which in turn allows us to empty ourselves of the causes of harmful stagnation and blockages of energy.
In addition, this mudra can be used whenever you find yourself beset with any of these particular concerns:
• I can’t see too well.
• I have a hard time exhaling.
• I get frustrated.
• I’m tired all the time.
• I have trouble making up my mind—I’m a procrastinator.
FINGER POSE 2: INHALING THE ABUNDANCE
Hold the back of the left middle finger lightly with the right thumb. Place the other fingers of the right hand on the palm side of the left middle finger. (See Figure 8.2.) Reverse this procedure for the right middle finger.
This finger pose promotes easier inhaling of the Breath of Life—our source of abundance. It can be used to alleviate the following mental or physical concerns:
FIGURE 8.2
• I can’t “take” a deep breath.
• I’m getting hard of hearing.
• My feet are bothering me.
• I’m not as alert as I used to be.
• My eyes are really bothering me.
FINGER POSE 3: CALMING AND REVITALIZING
Hold the palm side of the left little and ring fingers with the right thumb. Place the other right fingers on the back of the left little and ring fingers. (See Figure 8.3.) Reverse for the right fingers.
This finger pose aids in calming the body, releasing nervous tension and stress, and revitalizing all of the organ functions. It can be used whenever you feel any of the following states of mind or physical symptoms:
FIGURE 8.3
• I get so nervous.
• I worry about my heart.
• I can’t walk too much without getting out of breath.
• I’m always “trying-to.”
• I get so depressed, I have no fun.
FINGER POSE 4: RELEASING GENERAL DAILY FATIGUE
Hold the back of the left thumb, index, and middle fingers with the right thumb. Place the rest of the right fingers on the palm side of the left thumb, index, and middle fingers. (See Figure 8.4.) Reverse for the right thumb and fingers.
This finger pose aids in releasing the fatigue, tension, and stress that can build up during the course of daily life. It assists in the release of worries, fears, and anger. It can be used to ease any of the following mental or physical difficulties:
FIGURE 8.4
• I get so tired.
• I feel insecure about everything—my health, my wealth, my happiness.
• I’m beginning to feel old and look old.
• I get irritated and angry over nothing.
• I worry about everything.
FINGER POSE 5: TOTAL REVITALIZATION
Make a circle with the right middle finger and thumb by placing the palm side of the thumb on the middle fingernail. Next, slip the left thumb between the circle of the right thumb and middle finger. (See Figure 8.5.) Reverse for the right side.
This mudra aids in the revitalization of all bodily functions and releases those blockages that are responsible for daily fatigue. It also assists in overcoming any of the following conditions:
FIGURE 8.5
• I always have an uneasy feeling.
• Nothing seems to be wrong with me, but I get tired all the time.
• My complexion is terrible.
• I’m temperamental—I just can’t help it.
• I have an uncontrollable craving for sweets.
FINGER POSE 6: BREATHING FREELY
Touch the right ring fingernail with the palm side of the thumb and hold for several minutes. (See Figure 8.6.) Reverse for left ring finger and thumb.
This finger pose strengthens the respiratory function and helps to balance all ear-related projects. When used while walking, jogging, running, or exercising, this finger pose helps us to breathe more easily. It also can be utilized when flying or driving in high altitudes. Use this finger pose whenever any of the following physical or emotional conditions are predominant:
FIGURE 8.6
• My skin condition is terrible.
• I feel rejected and unloved and get teary easily.
• I’m all thumbs. I’m just plain clumsy.
• I’ve lost all of my common sense.
• My ears are bothering me.
Finger Poses 7 and 8 help us bring harmony to the total being.
FINGER POSE 7: EXHALING THE DIRT, DUST, AND GREASY GRIME
FIGURE 8.7
Touch the palm sides of the left and right middle fingers in the folded hands position. (See Figure 8.7.)
This finger pose aids in releasing general daily tension and stress from the head, lungs, digestive functions, abdomen, and legs. It also strengthens the ability to exhale and unloads any accumulated dirt, dust, and greasy grime.
FINGER POSE 8: INHALING THE PURIFIED BREATH OF
LIFE
Bring the left and right middle fingernails together. (See Figure 8.8.)
This finger pose helps to release the tension in the back and promotes an overall feeling of well-being. It also strengthens our ability to inhale and receive the purified breath of life.
FIGURE 8.8
Besides these mudras, the hands can also be used in conjunction with the feet to address a wide array of disharmonies affecting body, mind, and spirit. These hand and feet sequences are explored below.
the link between the hands and feet
On the most obvious levels, the hands and feet bear striking similarities in shape, from the heel of the hand to heel of the foot; from the thumb to the big toe. Traditional healers see these similarities as the result of corresponding energy patterns. As a result, they have long seen the hands and feet as being energetically linked. After years of experimentation and research, Jiro Murai observed that the top-third segments of the fingers and toes correspond to the upper part of the body—the mental and emotional functions, the brain, and the chest. He noted that this same set of joints corresponds to the thighs. When the upper joints of the fingers and toes are jumper-cabled, any mental or emotional stresses, as well as tension in the chest and thighs, can be relieved.
The Touch of Healing Page 11