Release fear, restore calm
Fear is something we all experience at some point or other in our lives, and when it lingers, it often turns into anxiety. There are many sequences or flows in Jin Shin Jyutsu that we can use to ease these feelings. But one of my favourite exercises is probably one of the simplest too!
Anxiety, Jin Shin Jyutsu, and the power of the fingers
In Jin Shin Jyutsu, our fingers are essential to our harmony. Each finger relates to an ATTITUDE (or fixed emotion), and specific energy pathways (in fact 14,400 in total). By simply holding a finger, we can help release tension and restore balance. This is the very foundation of Jin Shin Jyutsu self-help.
When it comes to fear and anxiety, Jin Shin Jyutsu teaches us that holding the fingers in a specific order can go deeper and ease those uncomfortable feelings.
Watch the video, and practice along in real time
FEAR: False Evidence Appearing Real
Imagine walking down a dark alley. You’re afraid of going forwards, but you’re even more afraid of turning back. At the end of the alley, you see a huge shadow on the wall – a monster waiting for you. Your heart races, your breath shortens.
But as you inch closer, you realise that the ‘monster’ is nothing more than a small puppy. What looked terrifying was simply False Evidence Appearing Real – that’s what Mary Burmeister, one of the foremost teachers of Jin Shin Jyutsu, often called FEAR.
This story captures how fear and anxiety can take hold of us. The good news is that we can hold our fingers at any time, anywhere, 24/7! Our hands are always with us.
Fear is often at the root of our disharmony. It underlies worry, anger, grief, and the effort of daily life. By holding the thumb, index, and little finger in order, we can EXHALE and LET GO of fear and anxiety. Then we can FLOW with life.
My experience is that I feel relief within minutes. Holding longer – say 10 to 20 minutes per finger – can bring a deep sense of peace. You can also go through the sequence more than once in one session. It’s a simple yet powerful way to get rid of fear and anxiety fast using Jin Shin Jyutsu!
How to practice this sequence
You can practice Jin Shin Jyutsu, sitting, lying down or standing (I often hold my fingers while waiting in line or for an appointment). When I sit down to practice, I like to have a little cushion on my lap. It just feels cosy and comfortable to rest my hands there. You can use a simple meditation timer to guide you through the different finger positions (I use an app called SOMNO, but there are many others):
Position 1: Gently wrap your left hand around the right THUMB, hold for a few minutes, then
Position 2: Wrap your left hadn around the right INDEX FINGER, hold for a few minutes, then
Position 3: Wrap the left hand around the right LITTLE FINGER, hold for a few minutes.
Then reverse the hands for the left side:
Hold the left THUMB then the left INDEX FINGER and then the left LITTLE FINGER.
You can hold each finger for a few minutes, or for as long as you like. Practice quietly with your eyes closed or even while watching TV! It doesn’t matter whether you start with the right or left side, and you don’t need to do both hands every time. You can adapt the practice to fit the time you have.
Want to practice Jin Shin Jyutsu regularly?
If you’d like to practice Jin Shin Jyutsu regularly, I offer weekly group practice sessions where we get together from all over the world and we practice different flows, different sequences, each week. It’s all very exciting and the group energy is absolutely amazing. For more details visit: Jin Shin Jyutsu Weekly Group Practice