Stevan interviews Astrid about Jin Shin Jyutsu
What if the key to physical and emotional healing was quite literally in your hands? That’s the question at the heart of an interesting conversation with Astrid Kauffmann, a devoted student, practitioner and teacher of Jin Shin Jyutsu, an ancient art that harmonises spirit, mind and body, using nothing but the fingers and breath.
I sat down with Astrid to understand how she discovered this profound practice, what it entails, and how anyone from a stressed-out office worker to a child with a tummy ache, can start using it today!
Watch the Interview below
Below is a brief summary of the interview with Stevan from Twisted Reality.
Q: Astrid, how did Jin Shin Jyutsu come into your life?
My journey began during a challenging time in my life. I was working in London’s corporate world, a high-pressure environment that began to take a toll on my body. I started experiencing debilitating migraine headaches. I tried everything: painkillers, preventative treatments and nothing worked. Then someone asked, “Have you tried Jin Shin Jyutsu?”
I had never heard of it! But I picked up a book, found a self-help hold for migraines – holding the base of the thumb and the outside of the heels – and gave it a try. Within five minutes, the migraine vanished. Not only that, I felt better than before the headache started. That moment changed everything for me.
Q: For those unfamiliar with it, what exactly is Jin Shin Jyutsu?
Jin Shin Jyutsu is a way to harmonise the life energy in the body by using our fingers and hands. This ancient healing art was all but lost but was revived in the early 1900s by Master Jiro Murai, from Japan, who cured himself of a terminal illness by fasting, meditating, and practicing what we call mudras – finger poses. He then dedicated his life to studying and teaching what he called Jin Shin Jyutsu. Literally translated from the Japanese it means: The Art of the Creator through the (HU)MAN of knowing and compassion.”
At its core, Jin Shin Jyutsu involves gently holding the fingers or specific parts of the body. We each have 26 energy sites (which we call Safety Energy Locks) on each side of the body. They are spheres of concentrated energy that can become blocked. When we touch or hold them, we help restore flow, just like removing a dam from a river.
Q: This all sounds beautifully simple. Do you need to focus or visualise anything while doing it?
That’s the beauty of it – no, you don’t have to “do” anything mentally. Just hold. Jin Shin Jyutsu works without effort. I often say I’m a bit lazy when it comes to wellness routines. That’s why I love Jin Shin Jyutsu so much because I can just hold my finger, or place my hands on a place on my body and I don’t have to think about anything. Things just happen. Holding a finger while sitting on the bus or watching TV is still effective. The breath naturally begins to harmonise, and with that, everything shifts.
Q: You mentioned the fingers. How do they relate to our emotions?
Each finger corresponds to a specific emotion:
- Thumb – Worry
- Index Finger – Fear
- Middle Finger – Anger
- Ring Finger – Grief
- Little Finger – Effort or trying too hard
When these emotions become fixed or stuck – what we call “attitudes” – they can lead to energetic disharmony. By holding the corresponding finger, we gently help our whole being release that tension. It’s wonderfully empowering because when we use Jin Shin Jyutsu it works on all levels of our experience.
Q: What happens energetically when we practice Jin Shin Jyutsu?
Our bodies are pure vibration. Every one of our trillions of cells contains 100 trilion atoms, and every atom vibrates. When that vibration is smooth, we feel healthy, balanced, alive. When the vibration becomes low or stagnant, through stresses, traumas, or over-effort, energy pathways can block, and that leads to physical or mental/emotional symptoms.
By practicing Jin Shin Jyutsu, even for a few minutes a day, we help restore that natural flow and frequency. In this way, it’s not just healing: it’s harmonising. And it doesn’t just affect us. It affects our environment. Pets, children, partners – they all sense and respond to our energetic state.
Q: What’s a simple way for someone to get started today?
The easiest way is to hold each finger for about two minutes. That’s it. You can do this anywhere – on the bus, in a waiting room, before bed. If you’re short on time, even one minute per finger makes a difference. You’ll likely feel calmer, more grounded, and yes, just “different” in a good way.
There’s no wrong way to begin. Jin Shin Jyutsu is built into us. Babies naturally suck their thumbs or fingers – they already listen to the innate wisdom of their body. We’ve just forgotten how.
Q: I love the simplicity of Jin Shin Jyutsu. What would you say to someone who’s skeptical, or overwhelmed by chronic stress or pain?
You don’t have to believe it. Just try it. Really. You don’t even need to understand it at first. Just hold your thumb when you feel worried. Hold your index finger when you feel anxious or afraid. Hold your middle finger when you’re angry. Do it for a week. You may start to notice that you’re less reactive, that situations that used to upset you just don’t ‘stick’ or get under your skin in the same way.
And if you’re in deep grief or pain, it might not remove it instantly, but it helps you expand enough to see things differently, to begin the healing process. And the great thing is that the more you practice it the better the results because the effect is cumulative.
Q: Where can people learn more about Jin Shin Jyutsu self help?
I offer a wealth of free resources on my website, flowsforlife.com, including over 300 blog posts. I also provide a free Illustrated PDF Self Help Guide with simple exercises for every day ailments to get you started. There’s also my FlowsForLife YouTube Channel where I demonstrate simple self help holds and more involved sequences or flows. For those who want a more structured deep dive, I offer comprehensive Online Self-Help Courses About Jin Shin Jyutsu.
And for anyone wanting to build a regular practice, I host Weekly Group Practice Sessions in a closed community where we explore the art together. It’s for everyone – young or old, beginner or experienced.
Q: Any final thoughts?
Yes! Healing doesn’t have to be complicated. Jin Shin Jyutsu is already part of you. Your breath, your hands, your awareness – that’s all you need to begin. Just hold a finger. Wait. Let the breath come. You don’t have to create anything – this universal art is already inside you.
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