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This Art is Ours to Use

By on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 | Comments Off

No matter where I am, or where I travel to, I always see people in a perfect Jin Shin Jyutsu self help hold. They are helping themselves, but they don’t even know it!

Recently, I sat next to a gentleman on a (short) flight. He was at least 6 foot tall, the flight was full and he had to cram himself into a seat next to the window. However, he had a very calm energy about him, and he did not fidget. Then I saw that he was holding his thumb! So I also held my thumb, to help us both!

Isn’t it comforting to know that helping MYSELF is as simple as holding a thumb or a finger? When I first started working with this Art, I was disbelieving. I said to myself: ‘It can’t be that simple. I will start with something much more complicated so I get REALLY good results.’

The interesting thing is that some of my most powerful results have come from spending a few minutes just holding a finger!

I encourage you to choose one of your thumbs or fingers (or let IT choose you!!) – to close your eyes and hold it for a few minutes in a quiet space. The last time I suggested this to a friend, she was amazed to discover that a whole HOUR had gone by – after which she felt like new….

But don’t take my word for it. As Mary always used to say: ‘Be your own testimony.’

Jin Shin Jyutsu is the Getting to KNOW (Help) Myself

By on Sunday, April 24th, 2011 | Comments Off

When we start to work with the energy of the body, we realise that the physical follows the energy. We can read the body, by knowing what the energy is doing.

Case in point. Maria is 75 and she has a very hunched back. She can’t stand up straight anymore. One would say that this is something that ‘happens’ in ‘old age’.  However, another story unfolds when we add an understanding of the energy body to the equation.

The main energy (main central) moves down our front (exhale) and up our back (inhale).

Let’s say that when Maria was younger (years younger), something frightened her and she stopped breathing properly. She became afraid of letting go, of exhaling the dirt, dust, grease and grime.

As she became afraid of exhaling, the energy down the front of her body became tenser and started ‘pulling her down’, at the same time creating a safe, protective space for her chest and her heart.

‘The body is the demonstration of your thinking’.  – Postures of the body give the state of the heart and the mind.

The Ancient Healing Art of Jin Shin Jyutsu allows us to: 1. move through our disharmonies at the point when they HAVE NOT YET TAKEN HOLD IN THE PHYSICAL, 2. REPAIR THE BODY when disharmonies have taken hold in the physical and 3. Effect LIFESTYLE CHANGES by harmonising attitudes like Worry, Fear, Anger, Grief and Trying Tos that created the disharmonies in the first place.

All this through the process of GETTING TO KNOW (HELP) MYSELF.

Why I Love the Self Help in Jin Shin Jyutsu

By on Monday, March 14th, 2011 | Comments Off

Our natural state is happiness and joy.

You wouldn’t think it, would you? There is so much suffering in the world.

When I first became aware of the power of Jin Shin Jyutsu, I wanted to ‘go out and save the world’.  Funnily enough, there were many that don’t want to be saved, aren’t ready to be saved. And quite frankly, TRYING TO (little finger attitude) help THEM was distracting me from HELPING ME. I realised after many years of offering help (and of course I still help when help is asked) that making a difference starts with ME.

If I want my world to be a certain way, then I need to demonstrate it in my human BEINGNESS. I need to be the example. I want my life to be the blessing and the adventure. I want my life to BE FUN. So no matter how noble my desire to help others, help has to start with ME.

To KNOW others, I must KNOW MYSELF first. The gift of Jin Shin Jyutsu –the Art of the Creator through the Man of Knowing and Compassion – is that when we forget the message that LIFE IS MEANT TO BE A BLESSING, AN ADVENTURE AND FUN, we have this ancient and gentle healing art which repairs the damage done and returns us to our natural state of JOY and HAPPINESS.

This is also why I love SELF HELP: Because it is EMPOWERING. It gives me back control of MYSELF.

Jin Shin Jyutsu Self Help Holds Manage Cholesterol Levels

By on Saturday, March 12th, 2011 | Comments Off

Letters like this one are a real joy to me, mainly because the person is actively using the information and seeing/feeling the benefits of the Jin Shin Jyutsu self help holds over a period of time – not only that, her doctor is amazed too! I’m printing this letter with her permission:


Good morning Astrid,

Thank you so very much for your website with all the practical, wonderful Jin Shin Jyutsu information you have on there. I refer to your site almost daily, and not only use it but have learned so much from it.

I’m sure many others also appreciate the time you take to share these wonderful holds and your expertise with us and to answer our questions.

About ten years ago I came across the ‘Touch of Healing’ book in our local library and immediately purchased one for my own use. I was fascinated by it and although I didn’t know anyone who practiced Jin Shin or was a practitioner, I read the book and used the finger holds.

Then several months ago I found your website and began in earnest to learn about and use many of the other holds.

In fact I loved it when you mentioned that if you wanted to change your life, then hold the 1’s for an hour a day. I took you at your word and started doing just that. It so worked!

A couple of months ago I’d gone to my doctor for a regular check up with the lab work. When he came in he said to me your lab work is great. He said there isn’t anything that is out of balance and your cholesterol is way down and everything is where it is suppose to be.

I have never been able to get my cholesterol down, even though I’ve been taking medication for several years.

I said really? I was so surprised!
He said yes really, I don’t know what you are doing, but KEEP DOING IT!

So of course I am continuing the Jin Shin, and a few weeks ago I had a knee project happen and about the same time an esophagus project developed.

With the knee project it is very hard for me to hold both 1’s at the same time now, so I hold one side for thirty minutes and then the other side for thirty minutes. I also hold the 15’s for the knees and I do the Main Central every night when I go to bed.

For the esophagus I am using the left and right Supervisor flows as well as the high 19’s.

While I am waiting to see the knee specialist and hear back the results from my esophagus test, I am averaging about 2-3 hours each day doing these holds. (I am retired and have the time to devote to the holds.)

Although neither project is completely gone yet, every day I am able to detect a difference and especially this morning I can tell the knee is getting better.

At first it seemed to take a long time to see results, but I am glad you mentioned that all holds are ‘cumulative’, as that has kept me going and helped me to wait and watch for the results.

I feel Jin Shin Jyutsu is bringing me closer to total wellness. I need to clear and heal a lot of years but I feel so much better now than this time a year ago. I know it will be an ongoing process but I find Jin Shin to be easy to do (with a few exceptions) and it has brought me to a better place spiritually and emotionally as well as physically.

Again thank you so much for your website and information, they have been such a tremendous help to me! Please keep up the good work and know that you are appreciated!

FP from Missouri, USA

Jin Shin Jyutsu and The Power of One

By on Sunday, January 23rd, 2011 | Comments Off


We have all moved into 2011, and on February 3, the new Chinese Year will kick off. This time it’s the turn of the Rabbit to take center stage. It’s a good idea before this date to get your ‘house in order’ – pay your bills, get a new outfit or new shoes, clean out the junk in your house, put up some new paintings, get some new plants.

And of course it’s a great opportunity to start moving the energy in our own bodies.

The mover and shaker in Jin Shin Jyutsu is the energy site that is found on the inside of the knees: the energy site that is number one. This one is truly the Power of One! People have told me that when they held their ones for an hour every day, their lives changed!

So, if you want change in your life, start holding the inside of your knees. It doesn’t matter whether you cross your arms or not – do whatever feels comfortable for you. Hold at least for 20 minutes at a time if you can.

It’s wonderful that Jin Shin Jyutsu can help us move the energy so that we can get ‘unstuck’ and open up to receive the abundance that life offers. It’s ALL about harmonising the breath to let go of the old and let in the new.

Jin Shin Jyutsu Self Help Holds for Constipation

By on Friday, October 8th, 2010 | Comments Off

A common project or problem that a lot of us face at some time or other, especially if we travel long distances, our system is upset, our diet changes, we don’t eat the right foods – whatever – is constipation!

A note here: very important to prevent constipation is to make sure our system is hydrated at all times. In winter months it’s very easy to forget to drink water. Remember, if you feel thirsty, then your system is in crisis – yes, it is!

So for those annoying times, all you need to do is the following Jin Shin Jyutsu exercise to clear the left descending energy down the front of the body – Mary used to call it the Lifestyle Flow:

Place your right hand at the base of your head on the left side of the occipital bone. At the same time, place your left hand/fingers on your left sitting bone with the palm up (I find that easier than palm down, but do whatever is comfortable for you)

Hold for a few minutes, or as long as you feel like!
You can sit or lie for this exercise

After a few minutes, move the right hand down to the neck on the left side, hold for a few minutes, then move the right hand to the left crook where the shoulder and neck meet.

There is also an energy site on the outside of the left knee which you can hold to ease constipation (the right knee energy site is to ease diarrhea).

Self Help for Sweaty Feet and Hands

By on Tuesday, October 5th, 2010 | Comments Off

In Jin Shin Jyutsu, the index finger is related to the kidney and bladder, as well as the muscle function and most importantly, the element of water.

So holding the index finger can ease the discomfort of a full bladder (too much water) and at the same time lubricate dry eyes (too little water).

The body is very clever at doing these balancing acts given a bit of help. So also with too much, or too little moisture in the hands and feet.

If you suffer from clammy hands and sweaty feet, then hold the index finger (either one) regularly throughout the day. This will also help teary eyes. Let me know if it works for you!

Jin Shin Jyutsu Self Help: Attitudes

By on Saturday, October 2nd, 2010 | Comments Off

The thumb and the fingers form the foundation of Jin Shin Jyutsu Self Help.

Just by holding the thumb and the fingers every day one at a time for a few minutes, is a good way to regenerate all our 144,000 energy functions.

Moreover, the effects over time are cumulative, so the more you hold your fingers, the quicker you’ll notice the benefit.

Each thumb and finger is related to an emotion or as we call them in Jin Shin Jyutsu, an ATTITUDE. There are five atttitudes that form the basis, the starting point as it were, of every dis-ease and disharmony:

Worry, Fear (that’s the biggest one at the moment!), Anger, Grief and Pretense (trying to – the one to hold for the Heart).  The hold for Depression and Fatigue is the center of the palm.

Simply hold a finger for a few minutes, or when you’re watching television, waiting for a bus or whatever, to harmonise each attitude.

See the links to these older posts:

Self Help for Worry (and insomnia)

Self Help for Anxiety (and Fear and Panic)

Self Help for Anger (and High or Low Blood Pressure)

Self Help for Grief

Self Help for Heart (attack)

Self Help for Depression (and Fatigue)

Jin Shin Jyutsu Self Help for Anxiety

By on Thursday, September 30th, 2010 | Comments Off

Anxiety and FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real) are a big part of our lives. Managing our anxieties and fears goes a long way to managing stress in our lives and in our bodies.

A very simple way to manage anxiety is to hold the index finger. Not only does it calm anxieties and nervousness, but it helps the following:

* Teeth and gums
* Backaches
* Digestion, constipation
* Self criticism, shyness
* Muscle tension
* Kidney and bladder energy
* the stress of standing for many hours
* anything to do with the element of water (colour blue)


There is nothing to fear but Fear itself.

Self Help and The Fear of Disease

By on Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 | Comments Off

Our world thrives on Big Labels.

What’s a Big Label?

My simple way of putting it is: anything that we are told we have that causes us FEAR. A headache is a ‘small label’ – which we can ‘fix’ quite quickly in most cases. But cancer for instance,  is a ‘big label’ which generates a lot of FEAR. And there are many, many labels that have the same effect.

‘Labels’ are the effects of our mind and body being in disharmony (over a short, read: acute or long, read: chronic) period of time. There is no right or wrong with this. It is just the way IT IS. We do the best we can with the awareness we have at the time.

And that is where the awareness of this ancient art comes into its own. As we become more aware of our body, what we put into it and how we treat it – we become aware that disharmony is not necessarily a permanent state of being.

Disharmony can be changed to harmony.

What is Jin Shin Jyutsu?

By on Monday, May 24th, 2010 | Comments Off

Jin Shin Jyutsu is an ancient Japanese healing art which uses the hands to harmonise and regenerate the whole being.

By knowing where to place the hands on the body you can manage pain, eliminate fatigue, stimulate your immune systemn and alleviate most conditions.

I often describe it as ‘acupuncture with the fingers’ and it is safe for every body from pregnant mothers to babies to the elderly or infirm. There are no contraindications either, so Jin Shin Jyutsu is a great support to the system, reducing the negative and harmful effects of drugs or invasive treatments like chemotherapy, for instance.

Every body is made up of the same physical parts and so it is that every body is made up of the same energy ‘flows’. The energy body is a complex and intelligent network that is just as much part of our make up as the physical body, and it can be accessed through a myriad ways  (acupuncture, massage, reiki, reflexology, bowen, shiatsu, osteopathy and many others).

So every body can work with their energy for health and vitality to clear small ‘stucknesses’ or large ‘stucknesses’. A small stuckness could manifest as a headache or a cold, and a large stuckness could be cancer.

There are acute conditions like a muscle spasm in the leg for instance and chronic conditions that have developed over time like asthma and arthritis.

To introduce Jin Shin Jyutsu is simply to awaken the awareness of this innate wisdom that each and every one of us has at our disposal to use for a happy, healthy and fulfilled life: Free of stuckness in pain, fatigue, worry, FEAR, anger, grief and pretense.

Awaken your vitality, your health, your power, your wisdom, your potential – you can start, by holding one or more of your fingers. This is the power and the empowerment of Self Help Jin Shin Jyutsu.

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    The Art of the Creator through the Man of Knowing and Compassion

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