Jin Shin Jyutsu for the Nervous System
Key Highlights
- A simple Jin Shin Jyutsu practice to calm the nervous system
- Uses the little fingers and Safety Energy Lock 17 (SEL 17)
- Helps relax the nerves and harmonise heart function
- Can be practiced anywhere, anytime
- Encourages a switch from ‘doing’ to simply BEING
When life feels overwhelming or the nervous system becomes overstimulated, having an easy, accessible practice can make all the difference. Believe me, I know! That’s why I want to share these easy Jin Shin Jyutsu self help holds that really work to soothe the nervous system.
This exercise involves holding the LITTLE fingers and a particular energy site, or Safety Energy Lock. It is gentle, requires no effort, and can be done anytime, anywhere: whether you’re sitting or lying down. The main thing is that you are comfortable.
Watch the video and practice along: Jin Shin Jyutsu for the nervous system
LITTLE Fingers: From EFFORT to EFFORTLESS
Mary Burmeister, a foremost teacher of Jin Shin Jytusu, says about the LITTLE Fingers: All TRYING TO’s (EFFORTS) melt away and you can just BE the SELF you are (EFFORTLESS). When we hold the little fingers, she also says that ‘heart functions become harmonised’, ‘body energy begins to increase’, ‘nerves become relaxed’ and ‘total PEACE engulfs your body. She adds: ‘TO BE is simple. It is our DO’s (TRYING TO’s) that are complex.‘
Jin Shin Jyutsu reminds us that we are human BEINGS not human DOINGS. Holding the fingers and practicing Jin Shin Jyutsu gently supports us in returning to that natural state of being.
In fact, I had one of my most profound experiences with Jin Shin Jyutsu when I held my left little finger. It was just as Mary described above, and I felt that PEACE, that BLISS permeate my body. Nothing mattered anymore. All was well. I must say that I was going through a particularly rough patch – feeling mentally/physically stressed and exhausted. But within minutes that all changed. So simple, so wonderful.
Safety Energy Lock 17: To relax the mind and nerves
When the nervous system is in overdrive, Safety Energy Lock 17 comes to the rescue. It is located on the outside of the wrist, little finger side, in the dip above the wrist bone. SEL 17 has the ability to relax the mind and nerves and harmonise the nervous system.
I talk a lot about SEL 17 (and SEL 18) to calm anxiety and panic attacks in this blog post: Ease Anxiety with this Jin Shin Jyutsu Hold. It’s also great for when you feel a panic attack coming on.
Moreover, the heart energy pathway flows through SEL 17 into the little finger, and the little finger itself is related to heart and small intestine function energy. This makes the combination of holding the little finger and SEL 17 a particularly powerful way to soothe and support the nervous system.
Jin Shin Jyutsu Exercise for the Nervous System
Sit or lie comfortably. If seated, you can rest your hands on a cushion placed on your lap. You can practice one side or both.
Left side (shown)
Wrap your right hand around the left LITTLE finger.
Hold for 2 minutes, or as long as you like, then
Release the hands, then
Place your right hand over the left wrist, so that your fingers rest over SEL 17, and
Place your left thumb over the left LITTLE finger nail.
Hold for 2 minutes, or as long as you like.
Do the same for the other side, so:
Right side
Wrap your left hand around the right LITTLE finger.
Release the hands, then
Place left hand over the right wrist, at SEL 17, and
Place your right thumb over the right LITTLE finger nail.
Want to practice Jin Shin Jyutsu regularly?
If you’d like to practice Jin Shin Jyutsu on a regular basis, I offer weekly group sessions where we get together from all over the world to practice different sequences or flows. They’re online, deeply supportive, surprisingly powerful, and a lot of fun.
You don’t have to be experienced in Jin Shin Jyutsu to join or benefit from this group practice.
For more info see Weekly Group Practice.