Jin Shin Jyutsu - Harmony in your hand

Noy Pullen educates us on Jin Shin Jyutsu and how it achieves harmony in your hand.

Ever really looked at your hands? The soft generous palm with four distinct fingers raying out: the pointer or index finger traditionally shows the way. It’s also known as the teacher, the prayer finger or even the pot-licker.

The expressive and powerful middle finger, or tall poplar, is often employed to gesture anger.

According to medieval belief, either a nerve or artery connected the ring finger to the heart which gave the finger a prominent role in medical practice. Doctors would use the ring finger when applying treatments. As a make-up artist, I have always done this unconsciously when applying any cream. Similarly, when applying any ointment to my family’s wounds. Our beauty therapy trainer said that it was the most delicate finger and would not pull the skin. This finger is called doctor finger, healing finger and heart finger. Because of its healing and pious reputation, our gentle ring finger is also known as the finger that no-one dares speak its name.

The amusing pinkie, so called for its diminutive size and because pink means ‘small’ in Dutch. This finger also bears the titles of youngest daughter or ear-finger for its ability to remove wax from the ear.

The dexterous opposable thumb gets its name from the word, tum, meaning swollen, being thicker, stronger and shorter (with only two joints instead of three) than the fingers. It’s also referred to as chief finger or grandfather, or even lice finger for obvious reasons.

The fingers are recognised for their roles in praying, hunting, healing, cursing, licking pots, and squashing pests.¹ Our hands create the most beautiful works of art, a flourishing vegetable garden, a superb meal or they can soothe and comfort one in distress.

Harmony in your hand

We also shake hands, press our hands together or clap hands for communicating, for worship or contemplation, or cogitating walking slowly with hands clasped behind the back. We hold hands, interlock or press together for prayer, or even pressing down on the earth. Enjoying a relaxing head massage, both you and the one doing the massage, benefit from this gentle acupressure of the fingers.

Managing a difficult diagnosis

My integrative medical doctor, while discussing a serious diagnosis and the accompanying feelings with me demonstrated a simple yet effective technique called Jin Shin Jyutsu to practice when those debilitating companions – worry, fear, anger, sadness or apathy – threaten to overwhelm me. Everyone who has some difficult or tragic news has met these feelings.

Jin Shin Jyutsu (pronounced Jin Shin Jitsu)

This ancient healing art from Japan, Jin (meaning man of knowing and compassion) Shin (creator) Jyutsu (Art), translated into English might translate as The Creative Art of Harmony.

The idea is to hold each finger with all the fingers of the other hand wrapped gently around that finger for a few minutes until you feel a gentle pulse, breathing deeply. Repeat with each finger then to complete the process, press the palm of the hand with the thumb while supporting that palm with the other fingers. Repeat for the opposite hand.

This brings a sense of well-being to the whole body. You may wish to focus on one emotion. For example, fear, if it’s the over-riding emotion, wrapping and holding the appropriate finger till you feel the pulse together with the positive energy, peace of mind, in this case, washing over you. Repeat on the other hand.

Some practitioners take only the tip of the finger gently squeezed by the index finger and thumb of the other hand, ‘dripping’ the negative energy downwards towards the ground so it can ‘run out.’

The main dis-ease which focuses on each finger meridian

Thumb (earth) – worry (also stress, tension, headaches)
Index finger (water) – fear (addictions, back pain)
Middle finger (wood) – anger (impatience, indecision)
Ring finger (air) – sadness (grief depression, asthma)
Pinkie (fire) – low self-esteem (overwhelmed, anxiety, criticism)

Organs associated with each finger

Thumb – stomach, spleen, skin
Index finger – kidney, bladder, digestion
Middle finger – gall bladder, liver, blood
Ring finger – lung, large intestines
Pinkie – heart, small intestine, bone
Palm – diaphragm is a special harmonising point

A positive response is released after holding each finger:

Thumb – trust
Index finger – peace of mind
Middle finger – joy
Ring finger – comfort
Pinkie – truth
Palm – for nourishment and intuition

This gentle form of acupressure develops an awareness of the life force (energy body) within yourself and can bring harmony to your body and mind, also calming the spirit. Your hands can perform this healing art by addressing physical symptoms or latent emotions that could be hindering your own sense of well-being.

How to get your own Jin Shin Jyutsu vinyl mat

Agents for Change has developed a beautiful vinyl mat that you could paste up on a wall for easy access, or as a placemat or mousepad, to remind you of this valuable accessible method of creating harmony. Mine goes in my bathroom door as a regular reminder of how wisely we are created.