The Art of Longevity

"Anti-aging requires an understanding of longevity wisdom. Your Creator has given you built-in body wisdom to keep you forever young and healthy. Essentially, it is an innate awareness of not only your body’s basic needs but also all the signs and signals by which your body warns you of what is wrong with you. So, invoke and embrace that wisdom."
~Stephen Lau

     When Master Jiro Murai revived the ancient art of Jin Shin Jyutsu around 1920, one of the terms that he used to described Jin Shin Jyutsu was the Art of Longevity: Live fully, experience each breath fully.
      Most of us are raised to believe that growing older means a progressive decline in health, wellness, mental and physical ability.  I feel lucky to have had the most amazing Young Grandmother! She passed a few years ago at over 90 years old but throughout my life she  has been an inspiration in vitality. I have vivid memories of her smiling and living life fully. In her 80's she was encouraged to participate in the local Senor Center activities.. but she declined saying "Why would I want to hang out with those old people?"  She ran her own antique shop into her 80's, active and fun-loving. This woman had life to LIVE! She always made such an impression on me that for as long as I can remember, I would tell her that when I was as old as her, I wanted to be as young as she was! For me, she set the example that a study by researchers at North Carolina State University in 2009 concluded-that you really are only as old as you think you are. Thank you Grandma!

      "While scientists have to date largely focused on the biology of longevity, the secrets of living to an exceptional age lie more in our personalities, attitudes, support systems and life experiences than our genes." ~Leonard W. Poon

    Regular Jin Shin Jyutsu sessions and self-help provides a valuable support system as it is aids in restoring the body's energy systems to a balanced, efficient, functioning state. It's practice helps us to take charge of our negative attitudes and to change the self-defeating belief of inevitable aging. It teaches us to master the art of living and to seeing aging as an opportunity for greater peace of mind, wisdom, creativity and happiness. Jin Shin Jyutsu brings to us a new awareness of our limitless life energy and of our ability to partake of the effortless reality, which is our birthright. We can then expect the best results by learning and practicing good health habits for staying healthy and reducing stress. Jin Shin Jyutsu brings to us a new awareness of our limitless life energy and of our ability to partake of the effortless reality, which is our birthright. We can then expect the best results by learning and practicing good health habits for staying healthy and reducing stress. Ultimately, Jin Shin Jyutsu will restore you to a knowledge of yourself and of your long dormant innate ability to improve the quality of your life.

"Controlling mental and physical stress is the key to a long, healthy and happy life." ~Nicholas Perricone, M.D.

Our Energy Centers

"All Creation proceeds from unity."
~Mary Burmeister

      This week I want to introduce you to the energy centers of the body that Jin Shin Jyutsu refers to as "Safety Energy Locks". I am sure that many of you are familiar with the Chakras from Yoga and other healing traditions. A chakra is defined as a wheel, or vortex of energy. There are seven major chakras that flow through a human’s energetic system. All of these major chakras are on the Main Central Flow Pathway and make up our energetic blueprint connecting us to Source energy and our soul purpose.
      Interestingly, Safety Energy Locks have the same definition! They are  defined as vortices of spiralling energy. To my way of thinking, they can be considered "minor chakras" on our energy map. They mark the locations of intersecting energetic pathways or meridians often at skeletal junctures.
      I have many clients ask about this curious name-Safety Energy Lock. Jin Shin Jyutsu recognizes 26 pairs of these energy centers in our bodies. These areas are much more than fixed points and encompass and area approximately the size of our hand. Each one of them has a specific meaning that is expressed through its number and is closely related to its placement on the body. They act like the circuit breakers on the electrical system in our homes and lock when the flow of energy in a pathway is too much, too little or stagnant-to warn and protect us from further disharmony. When one or more of these safety energy locks become blocked, a local disruption can occur, eventually resulting in disharmony of the energetic pathway completely. Just like in your home electrical system, if an outlet is overloaded, it blows the breaker that feeds that outlet, but does not shut down the whole electrical system. If the breaker is not reset, you can just shift the plugs to another outlet. This outlet will also break as it becomes overloaded and the process will continue until the entire system shuts down. A single breaker switch shutting down is a warning that you have overloaded the circuitry and attention must be paid to what you are doing. It is just the same thing with the energy system of our bodies. These twenty-six Energy Locks serve as breaker switches. If enough are blown over a period of time, disharmonies will occur in your physical, emotional, or mental well-being.  Another picture that describes for me what happens in the body, it to imagine our highway system of roads. Where many roads intersect there are overlaps and junctions, referred to in many cities as "malfunction junction". All it takes is one accident at the junction to slow traffic from coming and going in many directions!
     Jin Shin Jyutsu teaches us to heed the warning of pain-which is our indicator that something is out of order and energy locks are shutting down. By simply holding the stuck energy center we can unlock the flow of energy and return ourselves to harmony. It really is that simple: Hold the pain and clear the stagnation!

"Smile, breathe and go slowly."
~Thich Nhat Hanh

Your Letters

Hi Beth,

Currently using main central, and finger holds but can you recommend other flows for fibromyalgia?

Thank you.
South Carolina

Fibromyalgia Tender Points

Hello SC,

What you have been doing is a good start and always a good choice...

I find it interesting that the "tender points" used to diagnose Fibromyalgia are all located on or near safety energy locks!
SO for starters I would be holding those tender points... ideally a tender point and Safety energy lock 1 (Whichever side 1 is easiest or feels best) as the 1's bring "stuff" out of the body.

More things that you can do...

~Hold 5 and 16. Good for pain and is specific to fibromyalgia. Right hand always on the 5 and left hand always on the 16 no matter which foot you are doing.

~Mediator flow - for left side R hand on Left 11, Make a ring with left thumb over left ring finger and Right foot on Left 1. Reverse for other side.

~Hold the backs of you knees. This is a powerful, simple flow that clears through the entire body.

I am attaching an image with the Safety Energy Locks and also the "tender points"...
Just keep doing your self-help as often as possible. No one can control the amount of time it takes to clear things from the body.. but know that everything that you do is helping on some level!

Let me know if you have any other questions~

Thinking about Attitudes

I honestly can't say this any better than Charles Swindoll does in the following quote. SO this week, I simply share his quote with you as food for thought. I first ran across this quote at the bank of all places! I was opening a new account at our local bank and the bank manager had this quote framed on his desk. I got him to make me a copy and it has hung over my desk ever since.

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past-we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you-WE are in charge of our Attitudes.”
~Charles R. Swindoll

Take charge of your ATTITUDES. Remember that the simple act of holding your fingers will balance all of your Attitudes and transform them into the positive emotions that we all thrive on. Refer to the image below for the finger to hold to balance each attitude. If you don't remember which finger to hold, I suggest that you take a quick inventory of your fingers... hold each finger for a second or two, as you go through each finger see which one REALLY wants to be HELD. Then go back and hold THAT one. It really is that simple. We are in charge of our attitudes and nature has given each of us an easy and accessible way to do so.

"The day always looks brighter from behind a smile."
-Unknown

 

Mediator Flow: the Birthplace of Attitudes

"Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open." ~B.K.S. Iyengar

Through its direct connection to Universal Source Energy and the energetic blueprint contained in the Main Central Flow, our very essence is manifested into our total being. The Main Central sets in motion the two Major Vertical Supervisor Harmonizing Energies that supervise the development of each respective side of the body. The next flow set in motion by the Main Central is the Diagonal Mediator Flow. The Diagonal Mediator is the weaving princess and ensures that all the flows within the body will cross at the Main Central so that they may constantly receive revitalizing life energy from the Source.

I will always remember my first 5-day Jin Shin Jyutsu seminar and my teacher's explanation of this trinity of flows. She was so animated as she explained how the Main Central was the ONE and it existed in peace at the center of everything. Then the Supervisors came into being, the TWO. And when there are two, disharmony becomes a possibility. With the existence of TWO there is then a need for the THREE and with three, mediation becomes not only possible but necessary.

I have begun to think of these three flows, as they relate to our personal three-fold nature of Body, Mind and Spirit. I see that the Main Central Flow is the Spirit flow, the source of our existence, the essence of our Being, the primordial fire. The Supervisor Flows are the Body flow, the reflection of each side becoming physical, the essence of duality with the responsiblilty for converting the unmanifest potential of the Main Central into the physical form. And finally the Diagonal Mediator Flows are of the Mind, the mental/emotional component of our being. The Diagonal Mediators give us the ability to connect, to move, to create action and are the birthplace of our emotions and attitudes.

We know that the body is affected by the air, food, activities, thoughts and stresses that we experience each moment of living. Our attitudes dis-harmonize the flow of life energy in our bodies and disrupt the pathways which deliver the limitless supply of life energy to every part of our physical being. Attitude is the way you mentally look at the world around you. It is how you view your environment and your future. It is the focus you develop toward life itself. Attitudes keep us from freely being all that we have the potential to BE. Remember that divine feelings are love and disease feelings are attitudes.

The Diagonal Mediator Flows start at the left and right shoulders and travel through both sides of the body, from back to front, side to side, and top to bottom. They end at the knee on the opposite side of where they started. They harmonize the left and right Supervisor Flows with each other and with the Main Central Flow, and are important to our overall supply of energy. The Mediator Flows make sure that all the flows in the body are revitalized by the Main Central and help balance both sides of the body.

When it is out of order, the Mediator Flow is the main cause for malfunctions in the body energy circulation patterns. On the other hand, when it is in balance it mediates energy flow from one side of the body to the other and helps us to get out of our minds.  Mediator is great for frozen shoulders, finger numbness, nose bleeds, clearing arm and shoulder projects, elimination, respiratory projects, reproductive projects and reduces fatigue, tension and stress while eliminating the negative effects of our attitudes. The Mediator Flow is a great assistant to bringing our BEing into balance-body, mind and spirit. 

"The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes."
~William James

Diagonal Mediator Flow
The Self-help for the Mediator is simple and consists of doing the following three things together. You may find this flow is easiest to do while lying down and is very nice after doing the Supervisor Flow described here.

Right side:
1. right thumb over the right ring fingernail;
2. drape your left hand over your right shoulder-where neck and shoulder come together;
3. rest your left instep on the inside corner of the crease of the right knee or simply bring the knees together.

Left side:
1. left thumb over the left ring fingernail;
2. drape your right hand over your left shoulder-where neck and shoulder come together;
3. rest your right instep on the inside corner of the crease of the left knee or simply bring the knees together.

“Every action of our lives
touches on some chord
that will vibrate in eternity.”
~Edwin Hubbell Chapin

A Jin Shin Jyutsu Session:

    Our bodies are designed to heal themselves, we need only find ways to bring the body back to harmony and balance so that healing can happen. For a session, the fully clothed client lies face up on a very comfortable treatment table. Jin Shin Jyutsu is gentle with hands placed over the client's clothes and does not involve manipulation, massage or rubbing.
    As the energy pathways are cleared and energy flows freely, the body will heal itself from everyday stress. It boosts our own profound healing capacities and thus promotes optimal health, well-being and vitality.
    Jin Shin Jyutsu is highly recommended both before and after surgical procedures. It can minimize bleeding and swelling during the procedure, and promotes rapid healing and detoxification of medications/anesthesia.
    A Jin Shin Jyutsu session generally lasts an hour although half-hour children's sessions and mini sessions for busy adults are available. Benefits extend well beyond hands-on sessions with the practitioner, as clients are taught the application of self help geared toward their individual needs.

"At the heart of each of us, whatever our imperfections, there exists a silent pulse of perfect rhythm, which is absolutely individual and unique, and yet which connects us to everything else." ~George Leonard

Creating Balance

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Through its direct connection to Universal Source Energy and the energetic blueprint contained in the Main Central Flow, our very essence is manifested into our total being.  The Main Central is the energy flow that created and sustains us, setting our other energy flows in motion and becoming a strong regular force for our bodies when it is allowed to flow freely down the front and up the back.

The first energy flow set in motion by the Main Central Flow is the two Major Vertical Supervisor Harmonizing Energies. These two flows create and maintain our physical form and are the birthplace of the pairs of energy centers that Jin Shin Jytusu refers to as Safety Energy Locks. The Supervisor Flows monitor or supervise the development of each respective side of the body.

"Unity can only be manifested by the Binary. Unity itself and the idea of Unity are already two." ~Buddha

The Main Central Flow is where life begins - the beginning of One and serves as the bridge between unmanifested blueprint spirit energy and the manifested physical energy. The energy of the Supervisor Flow is responsible for converting that unmanifest potential into the physical form. These two Supervisor Flows, create a duality, each side a reflection of the other creating a balanced symmetry of complementary polarities.

Left and Right Supervisor Flows
The left and right Supervisor Flows are like two vertical ovals of energy, one on each side of the body.

Right side:
Left hand over right shoulder where neck & shoulder come together.
Right hand on right "sitting" bone.
Right hand on right hip crease/groin.

Left side:
Right hand over left shoulder where neck & shoulder come together.
Left hand on left "sitting" bone.
Left hand on left hip crease/groin.

Do these flows daily to create and maintain a balance between each half of the body. These flows are especially useful to clear the head, improve breathing, aid digestion, and reduce stress in the back.

"Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless."
~Jamie Paolinetti

More Main Central Flow

“At the center of your being
you have the answer;
you know who you are
and you know what you want.”
~Lao Tzu

The Source of Life Force Energy for our bodies is known, in Jin Shin Jyutsu, as the Main Central Universal Harmonizing Energy Flow or the Main Central. It is the primary harmonizer for all body functions and is responsible for renewing, maintaining and sustaining our manifested form on all levels-physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. This energy pathway runs down the center of the front of the body and back up the spine.

The Main Central can be compared to a sensitive antenna as it connects us directly to Universal Source Energy, maintains our connection to Source and serves as the energetic blueprint for our total being. It is the energy flow that created and sustains us, setting our other energy flows in motion and becoming a strong regular force for our bodies when it is allowed to flow freely down the front and up the back.

When energy circulates easily and abundantly, body, mind, and spirit are all nourished. But when the flow becomes blocked, constricted or stagnant, disharmony results.

Whenever there is an imbalance from one side to the other side of the body, doing the Main Central  Flow can harmonize it and bring it back into balance. All other flows in the body connect with this main source of energy in the body, returning to the Main Central to connect back to Source and to recharge. By following the simple directions each day, we can strengthen this flow in ourselves and bring about an increased state of well-being.

Harmonizing the Main Central regularly helps you to feel centered and ensures that you will have plenty of energy. Some people find it calming and use it to fall asleep, while others use it to clear their minds upon waking.

I see the Main Central as my primary self-help tool. It has become my daily basic energy tune-up.  I love to do this flow in the morning before I get out of bed and at night before falling asleep. When I am abusing my body (gardening, dancing, painting, computer work, etc) during the day, I will take a break and do this flow. It re-centers me and takes the kinks out of my body.

I am so completely fascinated by the value of doing the Main Central Flow every day, that I wanted to dedicate this issue its benefits. I shared my Thyroid Success Story with you a few weeks ago and included in that issue the steps for the Main Central Flow. The Main Central Flow is super for balancing the endocrine system, but I wanted you to know how valuable it is for so many aspects of our lives. As you follow the steps below, you will find that I have included the functions of each step.

Follow the steps in the above picture. Start with Right hand on top of head and Left hand between eyes, Left hand moves down the body through each step, then at the end, Right hand moves to tailbone. Do these steps in whatever manner is easy for you-sitting or lying down.
 
The Main Central Flow:

Step 1: Place the fingers of the right hand on the top of the head (where they will remain until step 6). Place the fingers of the left hand on your forehead between your eyebrows. Hold for 2 to 5 minutes or until the pulses you feel at your fingertips synchronize with each other.
Function: Harmonize blood pressure, nervous conditions; revitalize the brain, dissipate senility; support pineal and pituitary glands; hold for insomnia; hold when there is lack of ambition; ease headaches; aids deep body energy, memory and mind, balance body fluids, tuning into situations.
Step 2: Now move the left fingertips to the tip of the nose. Hold them there for 2 to 5 minutes, or until the pulses synchronize.
Function: Support the pituitary gland; influence rejuvenation and reproduction of cells and life (both partners hold when having difficulty conceiving); aids superficial body energy, reproductive organs, facial
muscle relief, sinus, eyes, hormones, renewing cells and thoughts.
Step 2a: Move left fingers to mouth area... hold one finger above mouth, other fingers below mouth on chin. (optional step/not pictured)
Function: clears jaw tension; supports mental clarity.
Step 2b: Move left fingers to hollow space in middle of collarbone. (optional step/not pictured)
Function: Support thyroid and parathyroid glands; aid reproduction, larynx and speech problems; strengthens artistic expression, creativity; hold when feeling irritable; supports sinus, breathing, ears, expressing feelings, neck/shoulder muscle relief, stroke prevention, calcium balancer, thyroid gland, clear speech: strengthens our defense against environmental allergies.
Step 3: Move the left fingertips to your sternum (center of your chest between your breasts). Stay there for 2 to 5 minutes or until the pulses synchronize.
Function: Strengthen the circulatory system and revitalize lungs (breathing) and pelvic girdle (hip energy); support the thymus gland which is the master gland of the immune system - hold as a prevention against illness; support heart function, growing children, our "inner child",  fertility, emotional balancer; release old traumas and hurts.
Step 4: Move your fingers to the base of your sternum (center of where your ribs start, above the stomach). Hold them there for 2 to 5 minutes, or until the pulses synchronize.
Function: Strengthen builders of the blood and harmonize red blood cell/white blood cell ratio; control secretions of digestive enzymes & hormones; strengthen the lymphatic and nervous system & improve muscle tone of arms and legs; harmonizes spleen, adrenals, kidneys, liver, gallbladder and pancreas; help breathing control; strengthen small & large intestines; physical digestion and assimilation and revitalize adrenal glands; mental balance, all bleeding problems, dispels violent emotions.
Step 5: Move your fingers to the top of your pubic bone. Stay there for 2 to 5 minutes, or until the pulses synchronize.
Function:  Help influence growth, mental competence and the lymphatic system; harmonize reproductive glands and strengthen the spine. Stomach/digestion, (deeper) breathing, physical balance, helping body and mind rid itself of impurities.
Step 6: Keep your left fingertips in place and move your right fingertips to cover your coccyx (tailbone). Hold for 2 to 5 minutes or until the pulses you feel at your fingertips synchronize with each other.
Function: Help balance the reproductive organs, emotional balance, confidence, warm feet and legs, spine, white blood cells, vitality,
energy for physical body.
Note: The right hand remains on the top of the head while the left hand moves down the body until the final step.

“Truth lies within ourselves: it takes no rise from outward things, whatever you may believe. There is an inmost center in us all, where truth abides in fullness and to Know rather consists in opening out a way whence the imprisoned splendor may escape  than in effecting entry for light supposed to be without.”
~Robert Browning

Practice Compassion

 "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
~Dalai Lama

As I write today, my daughter is busily making Valentines for her teachers and classmates for tomorrow's big Valentine Day Celebration at school. To keep it personal and real, she always likes to make her own cards, one by one, each special and unique like the person they are meant for. I love seeing her work so hard on this project as Valentines Day has become such a retail driven holiday that the honoring of our friendships, love and romance is often overshadowed by its commercial nature.

In honor of Valentines Day, I want to focus on compassion.  It is through developing compassion that we are able to rise above personal feelings and open our hearts to other people and what better thing is there to focus on for Valentines?!

Compassion-from Latin: "co-suffering"-is a virtue, in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy for the suffering of others are regarded as a part of love itself, and a cornerstone of greater social interconnectedness and humanism — foundational to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and personhood.

The Budda is quoted as saying, "It is possible to travel the whole world in search of one who is more worthy of compassion than oneself. No such person can be found."

The practice of Jin Shin Jyutsu is all about compassion. It is through compassion for ourselves and others, that we can walk the path of our true spirit. In Japanese, Jin means “knowing, compassionate human being.”  Compassion is viewed as "the magic key that unlocks the true power of our inner spirit." This principle is a feeling of whole hearted acceptance of the weakness and strengths of the human race without judgment. Shin means spirit, “divine nature” or “creation.” It is through this spirit that energy flows from us to another. This spirit breathes in and through each of us. It encompasses the whole of the universe and sets us on the path of self awareness, in tune with nature and the oneness of all things.  And Jyutsu simply means “the art of.” Thus, Jin Shin Jyutsu can mean “the Art of Divine Creation through Compassionate Human Intent” or "the Art of the Creator through Man of Knowing and Compassion." Jin Shin Jyutsu is the art of releasing tensions and attitudes, which are the causes for various symptoms in the body. As we come into balance, we increase our capacity for compassion and reinstate harmony.

"Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect." ~from Charter for Compassion

This virtue is SO what we are missing in our world and our lives. Our capacity to become better human beings is dependent on compassion, that ability to feel what others are feeling and experiencing, to understand the pain and sorrow that another is suffering, and to accept each other with tolerance and non-judgment. By developing patience and understanding, we find the clarity to know all sides of a story. When we overcome our ego, we clearly see that we are all interconnected and dependent on each other for our well-being.

"Compassion is that which makes the heart of the good move at the pain of others. It crushes and destroys the pain of others; thus, it is called compassion.
It is called compassion because it shelters and embraces the distressed."
~Buddha

Thoughts on Self-Help: Making it work for you.

"In the beginning you must subject yourself to the influence of nature. You must be able to walk firmly on the ground before you start walking on a tightrope." ~Henri Matisse

Empowering people through self-help is one of my missions as a holistic practitioner. Each of my clients receive self-help routines to do on their own, tailored to their particular needs and abilities. This enables them to extend the benefits of the work that we do together by developing a personal daily practice. It is the time one puts into self-help/self-reflection that strengthens the pathway for healing.

I find that the most effective self-help is self-help that is done with the least amount of effort. It can be as easy as holding a finger or doing a one-step "quickie". You can do an entire flow or just the steps that feel good to you. Whatever you do for yourself will be beneficial. The results are not always immediate, nor do they always come in the form that you are looking for, but on some causal level they are working for you, peeling the deep layers and clearing the way for balance and healing.

Here are some tips to help you in your personal self-help practice:

• Relax- just be as you are.
• Use whatever position is most convenient, practical or comfortable for you.
• Ideally, apply each step or connection until a rhythmic pulsation can be felt. But if time is limited, hold for as much time as you have available.
• All sequences can be adjusted to suit you.
• Be comfortable. If you can not reach a step, you can skip it and go on to the next step that you can reach without straining.
• Jin Shin Jyutsu works effectively over clothing, bandage, brace or cast.
• Use your entire hand, one finger, or several fingers, your  palm or back of the hand whatever is easy, comfortable and convenient at the time.
• No strength is required. It is not necessary to apply pressure, to rub or massage.

Mary Burmeister encourages us to "...Simply adjust the sequence to your own convenience and comfort. If for instance, a "step" feels most revitalizing to you, just get into the habit, in your art of LIVING, of utilizing that step as your own 'special' quickie revitalizing exercise. The art of LIVING is simple. You are the artist."

The only time Jin Shin Jyutsu is not effective is when you are not using it. So pick something simple and do it every day. Make a daily goal of 20 minutes to start with and build up to more time eventually. The time spent with self-help need not be continuous, but can be 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there. Make it work for you however you can. Do not be discouraged. Remember that the results are not always immediate, nor do they always come in the form that you are looking for, but on some causal level they are working for you, peeling the deep layers and clearing the way for balance and healing.

"Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand and melting like a snowflake." ~Marie Beynon Ray

Bridging the Gap

"I am seeking for the bridge
which leans from the visible to the invisible through reality."
~Max Beckmann

When I first read in Mary Burmeister's Jin Shin Jyutsu Self-Help Book that Master Jiro Murai dedicated his study and rediscovery of the ancient healing art of Jin Shin Jyutsu to the Imperial Shrine at Ise Jingu, I needed to know more about Ise Jingu!

Ise Grand Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the goddess Amaterasu-omikami (the Radiating Princess or Sun Goddess), located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan.

In my research, I found this image of the Uji Bridge, which crosses the Isuzu River and leads to the entrance of the Imperial Shrine. I learned that the Uji Bridge further serves to connect the sacred land with the human world.

This image indeed has a magical, mystical feel to it and leads me to think about the bridge as a metaphor of healing, wellness and balance. Because of the nature of earth's geography-hills, mountains, rivers, etc-there could be no road of any type without bridges. Bridges, both the literal and figurative ones, connect us to everything and allow us to reach something of importance on the other side.

The purpose of a bridge is connect and make it possible for existing paths to continue and join. A bridge has no judgment as it simply exists to connect anyone who chooses to make use of it, no matter who they are or where are ultimately going.

"Know that Self alone that is one without a second, on which are strung heaven, the earth and the inter-space, the mind and the vital forces together with all the other organs; and give up all other talks. This is the bridge leading to immortality." ~Mundaka Upanishad

Right within our bodies exist many bridges or means of connection that help us to live and function effectively. Our bodies are made up of a multitude of communication pathways and bridges that connect all of the layers of our being-body, mind and spirit. Jin Shin Jytusu concerns forces that we can’t see, but that are powerful and ever-present on an energetic level. This experience of the mystical allows us to receive the harmonizing gifts that come through the gentle touch of Jin Shin Jyutsu on the energy flow patterns in the body.

Jin Shin Jyutsu considers harmony to be our original state. It  becomes the bridge on our journey to get our egos and attitudes out of the way so that we can reconnect with Source and find clarity and balance in our total being. The Main Central Flow especially helps us to connect to these mystical forces by bridging us back to the ancestral river of creative life force energy that creates our physical experience. By working with The Main Central Flow daily, we find ourselves remembering that harmony is our birthright.

“The study of Jin Shin Jyutsu is to remember who we truly are; spiritual beings having a physical experience.”
~Mary Burmeister

Physio-Philosophy

  

“Living life becomes art, when the phenomenon we call man realizes he just appears to be an object in the phenomenal world, whereas in fact he is the Original Source, the Divine.”
~Mieke Berger

    More than just a healing modality or style of bodywork, Jin Shin Jyutsu provides us with a philosophy for life. It gives us tools for living a balanced life and makes us more aware of our connection with Source and with our true nature. Often, it is the philosophy and spirit of the work that attracts clients and practitioners to Jin Shin Jyutsu rather than the technique.

   Jin Shin Jyutsu is the study of the life energy that pervades the universe and gives life to all things, our personal creation story. Through the study of Jin Shin Jyutsu and Self-Help we gain an awareness of the energy centers of our bodies, such that we can consciously utilize our breath and our hands to dissolve the blocks to the natural flows of our energy, and release stress and pain.

   Healing is the process of becoming WHOLE, a harmonizing of body, mind and spirit and a reconnection with Source. The word HEAL comes from the Greek word Holos; to make whole, entire, complete. This Source or power that brings us into being has the power to heal. It is this sense of balance and well being to the whole body-mind-spirit that Jin Shin Jyutsu emphasizes and that we experience as remembering wholeness. 

   Mary Burmeister called Jin Shin Jyutsu a "physio-philosophy". She believed the understanding of Jin Shin Jyutsu by many people would be facilitated by calling the art PHYSIO-PHILOSOPHY - KNOW MYSELF IT IS. (PHYSIO, meaning Nature, or Creator’s Art / One Order; PHILOSOPHY, meaning Effortless Reality, or Being the Non-being). She also referred to Jin Shin Jyutsu as the "Cosmic Artless Art to KNOW (Help) MYSELF", or “NATURE - THE EFFORTLESS REALITY, KNOW MYSELF IT IS”.

   The study of Jin Shin Jyutsu puts us on a path toward understanding ourselves and our relationship to the cosmos while giving us a deeper understanding of the energy that animates our being and brings us awareness of complete harmony within the self and the universe. Through both physiology and philosophy, Jin Shin Jyutsu teaches how to take the physical understanding and apply it to our circumstances.  Jin Shin Jyutsu teaches the wisdom of life, to know myself, to be in harmony. Our health and harmony depend upon the free and even distribution of this life energy throughout the body, mind and spirit. When we live in the moment with the breath of life, we have all the energy we need.

 

“For those of us addressing existing stress or health disharmonies, or for those wishing to participate actively in maintaining health, vitality and well-being, the Art of Jin Shin Jyutsu is a simple powerful tool, available to all. ”
~Mary Burmeister

Do the Main Central Flow Daily

The Main Central is a valuable self-help tool and the source of our life energy. This pathway runs down the center of the front of the body and back up the spine. I love to do this flow in the morning before I get out of bed and at night before falling asleep. When I am abusing my body (gardening, dancing, painting, computer work, etc) during the day, I will take a break and do this flow. It brings me back to balance.
Follow the steps in the picture. Start with Right hand on top of head and Left hand between eyes, Left hand moves down the body through each step, then at the end, Right hand moves to tailbone.
Harmonizing the Main Central regularly helps you to feel centered and ensures that you will have plenty of energy. Some people find it calming and use it to fall asleep, while others like to use it to clear away the cobwebs upon awakening. For optimum results, do this daily.

MAIN CENTRAL VERTICAL FLOW
Step 1: Place the fingers of the right hand on the top of the head (where they will remain until step 6). Place the fingers of the left hand on your forehead between your eyebrows. Hold for 2 to 5 minutes or until the pulses you feel at your fingertips synchronize with each other.
Step 2: Now move the left fingertips to the tip of the nose. Hold them there for 2 to 5 minutes, or until the pulses synchronize.
Step 2a: Move left fingers to mouth area... hold one finger above mouth, other fingers below mouth on chin. (optional step/not pictured-clears jaw tension, supports mental clarity)
Step 2b: Move left fingers to hollow space in middle of collarbone. (optional step/not pictured-supports thyroid balance)
Step 3: Move the left fingertips to your sternum (center of your chest between your breasts). Stay there for 2 to 5 minutes or until the pulses synchronize.
Step 4: Move your fingers to the base of your sternum (center of where your ribs start, above the stomach). Hold them there for 2 to 5 minutes, or until the pulses synchronize.
Step 5: Move your fingers to the top of your pubic bone. Stay there for 2 to 5 minutes, or until the pulses synchronize.
Step 6: Keep your left fingertips in place and move your right fingertips to cover your coccyx (tailbone). Hold for 2 to 5 minutes or until the pulses you feel at your fingertips synchronize with each other.
Note: The right hand remains on the top of the head while the left hand moves down the body until the final step.

"If we think we are tired or ill,
it is only because we have done something to unbalance the bodily conductivity of the universal electric current which motivates it."
~Walter Russell

Thyroid/Self-Help Success Story

“There’s no secret to balance.
You just have to feel the waves.”
~Frank Herbert

    A few months before my first Jin Shin Jyutsu Practitioner Class, I was diagnosed with a "toxic thyroid nodule" that needed to be removed. It was a scary time for me, my daughter was just 18 months old and I was a single mom and needless to say had a lot on my plate! I had been dabbling in Jin Shin Jyutsu Self-Help on and off for a few years following information in The Touch of Healing book. But without a practitioner to guide me it was difficult to keep up with it or really even to know what to do.
   They surgically removed 25% of my thyroid to get the entire nodule. It was not cancerous but they told me that at my age, removing the nodule was the best thing to do and that I would be on thyroid medication for the rest of my life.
   A week after the surgery, I had my follow-up with the surgeon. He said that in order to determine the proper dosage of thyroid medication that he wanted me to come back in a month to be tested for thyroid levels, then he would prescribe the medication.
In the meantime, I started doing Self-Help in earnest...nothing like a good push to get me to do what I know I need to do! I chose the Main Central Flow as the one to do because The Touch of Healing book spoke of it being a good daily flow.
   After a month they did the blood test for thyroid levels and when the results came back, my levels were just into the bottom of  the "normal" level. The surgeon decided that I should come back in 6 months because surely by then the blood test would give a good indication of how much thyroid medication I would need.
   Three months after this surgery, I took my first Jin Shin Jyutsu 5-day Basic Seminar. During a 5 day class, in addition to learning the history, philosophy and energy maps of Jin Shin Jyutsu, the participants get at least one session each day and give two session to learn Jin Shin Jyutsu hands-on.
   I learned that my choice of using the Main Central Flow every day was a good one as the Main Central Flow is not only the blueprint flow of the energy being/the ancestral river of life, but it is the harmonizer of the endocrine system, responsible for balance of hormone levels in the physical body. Our hormones are the communication system for our bodies, the grand directors of the functioning of our organs.

   from Wikipedia....."The thyroid gland or simply, the thyroid, is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body. The thyroid gland is found in the neck, below the thyroid cartilage (also known as the Adam's Apple). The thyroid controls how quickly the body uses energy, makes proteins, and controls how sensitive the body should be to other hormones."

   The Thyroid has some big responsibilities! I continued doing the Main Central everyday and added some other self-help to my daily routine. When the blood work came back after 6 months, my thyroid levels were solidly in the normal level. The surgeon scratched his head and released my case to my regular doctor. He told me to "Keep doing whatever you are doing" and get tested again in 6 months to see how much thyroid medication I would need.
   It is now exactly 8 years after that first post-surgery thyroid blood test and every year when they do the blood work, my levels come back perfectly normal without any medication. It has been an amazing journey and confirmation for me of the power of self-help and especially the Main Central Flow.

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity
but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.”
~Thomas Merton

Your Body is Precious

"Your body is precious. 
It is our vehicle for awakening. 
Treat it with care."
~Buddha

     Self-Help is the cornerstone of the Jin Shin Jyutsu and is the pathway to healing and continued balance. It is this Self-Help aspect that initially attracted me to Jin Shin Jyutsu. With Self-Help, I have witnessed miracles of healing in my body at my own hands. I truly believe that with Jin Shin Jyutsu, time and an open mind, all things are possible.

      I love that Jin Shin Jyutsu empowers us to take responsibility for our own healing, that it allows us to know ourselves in ways that connect us with our awareness and enables us to create balance for ourselves. I know so many people who present themselves to a medical professional and ask to be "fixed" by them when in actuality the body seldom works that way.

      The Self-Help aspect of Jin Shin Jyutsu gives us the means to identify and deal with stress in our bodies and clear that stress so that healing can occur.

      For many years now I have been able to have several Jin Shin Jyutsu sessions a month with a local practitioner. My practitioner is currently unavailable, so I am back to relying entirely on Self-Help. I practice Self-Help every day and often throughout each day. I can't imagine my life without this daily practice of tuning in and tuning up. It is in hindsight that I now realize the benefits of those weekly sessions! I always felt great after my sessions  and more capable of dealing with whatever life had to throw at me. But after a few months without sessions, I am more aware of the deeper health benefits of those treatments.  I look forward to my practitioner being available again!

      Regular sessions are more than a frivolous indulgence as the treatment calms the body and helps relax the mind which in turn helps to reduce stress by lowering the body's cortisol levels. Considering that stress is responsible for most illness, alleviating stress can make a major difference in overall health and attitude.

     The combination of daily self-help and regular healing sessions with your practitioner as part of your wellness routine will help you to maintain physical, mental and emotional well-being while instilling a sense of empowerment for your own healing. The many important health benefits of regular Jin Shin Jyutsu treatments include:

• Stress Relief
• Managing Anxiety and Depression
• Coping with Change
• Dealing with Pain
• Minimize Stiffness
• Blood Pressure Control
• Sports-related Injuries
• Boosting Immunity
• Promote Healing from Surgical Procedures
• Ease Negative Effects of Cancer Treatment

     Studies continue to show that the power of touch has miraculous effects with its ability to relax, heal, and help release emotions and tension without the aid of drugs. We all have an innate need for touch and the power of touch is the power to heal.

"Healing is a matter of time,
but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity."
~Hippocrates

All is Calm...

Did you know that just the thought of calm, of tranquility and serenity, can begin the process of refreshing the body and soul? Yet actually achieving a state of calm seems more and more difficult, if not impossible, given the stresses that weigh us down.

A good first step is to become aware of the breath. This simple, meditative exercise will bring about calm breathing and inner tranquility. Awareness of breathing is an excellent, first-aid technique that will help you to make your way through difficult emotional situations and produce many healthful benefits.

When under stress, we often breathe in a shallow manner or hold our breath, robbing our bodies of oxygen and creating more stress. The breath is very important to our well-being with its ability to relax the body and quiet the mind.

Hundreds of studies have shown that “just being quiet” evokes the ever-important relaxation response, which can lower blood pressure by 7–10 points, says Kathleen Hall, chief executive officer of the Atlanta-based Stress Institute. “It lowers your heart rate, and right away you get an immune system boost,” Hall says. “Considering the chaos in which we all live, it’s very important to have short intervals of relaxation. Research shows that even if you stop for three to five minutes, you change the lobes of the brain and you relax, producing serotonin and endorphins.” Serotonin tends to induce feelings of calm. Endorphins, often called the feel-good brain chemicals, reduce the perception of pain and produce feelings of euphoria.

In the philosophy of Jin Shin Jyutsu, we are invited observe the exhalation. This is where the breath begins. The exhale is what relaxes us and lets go of stress and tension. It is the key to clearing the body.  Moving out the old stale air and making room for the next new breath. Clear your clutter. Too many of us are hoarders of one kind or another. Many of us hoard our breath by not exhaling fully. We keep the old stuff in and don't make room for the new purified air, the abundant out-pouring of limitless life-power, our birth-right.

The breath is the simplest and most perfect of all the tools we have for health and balance. It can be used with awareness at any moment to balance the life energy and bring us into a place of harmony and healing flow. EXHALE long and deep, then you need not TAKE an inhalation but will RECEIVE one naturally, no effort necessary. Being aware of the breath assists us to dwell in the present moment, one breath at a time.

The Jin Shin Jyutsu breath practice, 36 Conscious Exhalations, is a great way to access this Limitless Life-Power and to establish a practice of mindful breathing. Begin by counting each exhalation. One, exhale, inhale. Two, exhale, inhale.......
Allow your breath to unfold naturally. If you lose count, just begin again. This exercise can be done all at once, or broken into 4 session of 9 breaths each. In time, your breathing will automatically become deeper and more rhythmic. As you EXHALE, unload all the dust dirt and greasy grime that is held in your body. Exhale from head to toes. Receive each breath with awareness and gratitude. Inhale from toes to head. RECEIVE the Cosmic Energy of Abundance. Connect to the Cosmic Energy Force.

Welcome to the effortless reality of your life.

“To keep the body in good health is a duty,
otherwise we shall not be able to keep
our mind strong and clear.” 
~Buddha

Quietly Regenerating

"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show."
~Andrew Wyeth

We would do well to welcome Winter as the season of reflection rather than fight its stillness and darkness. We are invited to celebrate the light within during this time of quiet regeneration.

In Winter, all of nature is called to rest. While the earth appears to be dormant, amazing stuff is happening below the surface. Preparation for the next growing season, the coming of spring, the bursting forth of life, and brilliant rebirth. This rebirth does not simply happen in Spring, rather it gestates all Winter, deep underground. It may appear on the surface that nothing is happening, blanketed in fallen leaves and snow, but know that often the most profound layers of growth occur underground. The soil rests while the decay and composting of organic matter along with the melting snow add nutritive elements to the earth, ensuring growth and fertility.

Winter is the time to go within and as humans we naturally slow down. Winter is supposed to be slow. It is the very nature of this quiet inner reflective time of winter, a hibernation of sorts, a time of rest and rejuvenation, to restore and regenerate the body systems.  We are quietly regenerating to be ready for the coming Spring and the creative energies that are required of us.

Nature is within the rhythms of our own bodies. By tuning into these rhythms and observing the changes that take place during the winter season, we can attune ourselves to a healthier Winter as we embrace the stillness and quiet regeneration. When we can find a way to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature, we find inner strength and deep reserves of energy and creativity.

"When we follow this season’s energetic impulse, the soul unfurls like a blanket of snow."
~Sheryl Paul

Self-Help Tip:
To energize and balance the rhythm of the winter months hold the index finger with the opposite hand for a few minutes or until you feel a rhythmic pulse. Holding the index finger will help us to go with the flow.

Self-Help Tip:
The key to Quietly Regenerating is Safety Energy Lock #25. It is located at the sit bones. Anatomically part of your pelvis (the ischial tuberosity), the sit bones are quite literally the bones under the flesh of the butt that you sit on.
Holding the 25's will relieve bodily tensions, lower back tensions, knee and leg discomfort while helping you maintain alertness and memory. This flow filters out all toxins released during physical activities and removes tiredness from the body to enjoy the benefits of exercise. The 25's relieve mental tension, bring us an energetic mind and a sound body, and takes care of our overall sense of vitality.
It is said that holding the 25's for 20 minutes per day does the equivalent for maintaining the body and mind in good shape as an hour and a half hour jogging session! The 25's can be helpful in appetite balance, to support weight loss and will clear out the colon.
Simply Sit on your hands (with the palms up or down, which ever is most comfortable for you). I do this simple flow myself most nights while watching TV with my family. If it is too hard on your hands to sit on them, I find that doing this while lying in bed is pretty easy too! The longer you can sit on your hands/hold your 25's, the more grounded you'll feel.

Immunity Booster

Here is a wonderful Daily Self-Help Flow to help you to stay healthy. It is especially helpful if you feel something "coming on". Don't explain the feeling away as tiredness, because chances are if you are tired, then you are more susceptible to whatever is "going around". This self-help is used to build or increase immunity for colds and flu.

Place your left hand on your right neck/shoulder area (the soft muscle area where your neck and shoulder meet). Place your right hand on the side of your right groin. Hold until you feel a rhythmic pulse in both places. Then switch: place your right hand on your left neck/shoulder area. Place your left hand on the side of your left groin. Breathe and Be Well.

  "Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open."
~B.K.S. Iyengar

Minimize Winter Woes

As we make our way into winter, I encourage you to Expect to Be Well. I know people who not only expect to get sick all winter but they worry and fear that they will get sick and they do, often.  The attitudes of Fear and Worry dis-harmonize the body and dis-ease of one kind or another creeps in. So prepare yourself to be well.

I know that you prepare your homes, gardens and vehicles for winter by doing regular preventive maintenance. If we are smart we will do the same thing with our bodies. Every Jin Shin Jyutsu session boosts your immune system and prepares your body for whatever life throws at you. Regular Jin Shin Jyutsu will also help you to heal faster if you do catch something.

Maintaining a healthy energy system is the best preventive for keeping the body from being invaded by colds, flu and other illness. Jin Shin Jyutsu sessions will tune up your body’s energy system and will leave you feeling calm, energized and totally rejuvenated.

We all know that we are more susceptible to common colds, flu and other ailments when we have experienced stress of any kind in our lives...and who is not exposed to stress?! Jin Shin Jyutsu is a great way to eliminate the effects of stress on our bodies. Many experts say that the majority of disease is stress-related. These stress-related diseases continue to claim more lives each year.

I want you to know that it is misconception that a holistic health session, like Jin Shin Jyutsu, is just a luxury. Some people believe that a session is either an indulgence for the wealthy or a 'treat' for special occasions. Most practitioners have clients who come in only for a birthday or special holiday. But adding Jin Shin Jyutsu to your life is a great, proactive way to take charge.

The cost of these regular sessions should be weighed against the benefits of treatment: better sleep, strengthened immune system, reduced aches & pains, reduced depression, minimized effects from stress, improved moods. Know too that the benefits of Jin Shin Jyutsu are cumulative. The more often you get a session, the more benefit there is for you. Those aches and pains go away faster, stay away longer or go away entirely. Life is Good.

---

Balance Back Stress

I remember with awe my first look at my daughter's spine. It was at the initial ultrasound, pretty early on in the pregnancy, she was just a peanut but there was her spine. Beautiful and perfect, it reminded me of a strand of luminous pearls.

Embryologically, a detailed cascade of events must occur to result in the proper formation of both the musculoskeletal and neural elements of the spine.  The spine will become the structural support of the body as a whole and will be a conduit for safe passage of the neural elements. The spine is responsible for interaction with the brain. All of this is well underway at the 4th week after conception. Amazing!

So much depends on the proper functioning of our spine. It is small wonder that a backache can put us "Out of Commission"!

When I first discovered Jin Shin Jyutsu, I suffered from incapacitating back pain that had begun at age 10.  As a young child, my parents brought me to be checked out by the family doctor... He took one look at me and declared my hips to be uneven. He informed me that I would "always have back trouble." Thanks alot Doc! So I always had back trouble....he told me I would... so I did.

Jin Shin Jyutsu teaches us that all things are possible. I practice Jin Shin Jyutsu Self Help daily and now my back pain is gone most of the time. When there is a flair-up, I use my self help to get back in balance, usually within 24 hours. In the past, a flair-up meant weeks of recovery and pain.

I should tell you that it took about a year to see a big difference, although I felt improvement after a week or so of dedicated daily self-help. It has been since 2003 that I have made self-help a daily part of my life.  At that time, there we no other practitioners that I knew of in the area, so Jin Shin Jyutsu Sessions with a Practitioner were not possible, I had to depend on myself.

For back projects my self-help is simple. With one hand, HOLD the back of your head where your skull meets the spine. With the other hand HOLD your tailbone/sacrum area. This simple flow helps the life energy push through the stagnant places in the spine, strengthening the spine and balancing the energy that supports both bladder and kidney function energy ...among other things! 

You can begin your day with this flow before you even are fully awake. Then during the day, take a break and do this flow again. Once more at bedtime and this flow will help you sleep. Three times a day for 10-20 minutes, whatever you have time for, and you will be on your way to freeing yourself from back stress and pain. Use either the palm of your hand or the back of your hand, which ever will be the most comfortable for you.
Holding your index finger will also support this energy and is a simple hold to use during the day, in the middle of a meeting or watching a movie. Use the index finger at the first sign of pain or discomfort and you will feel the pain melt away.

To balance hips and shoulders, I hold the backs of my knees. This simple flow helps to balance shoulders and hips, opens the pelvis and relaxes tension in the body.

Another simple favorite of mine is to "sit on your hands"/hold your sitbones. This is the location of Safety Energy Lock 25, "Quietly Regenerating".

When you combine weekly sessions with dedicated daily self-help, and you will be amazed at the progress you will make! Learn how to dismiss stress. These flows are indeed simple and effective and will make a difference in your busy life! Be in Balance. You'll like it there!

"When you are enthusiastic about what you do, you feel this positive energy. It's very simple. Everything is possible."
~Paulo Coelho

The Purpose of Pain

"Much of your pain is the bitter potion
by which the physician within you
heals your sick self."
~Kahlil Gibran

      When the life energy moves through us without obstruction, we are in perfect harmony.  If we have pain somewhere in the body, it is wise to pay attention to it, because it is a sign that something is out of balance. It warns us that something within the body isn't quite right. It's easy to lose sight of the fact that pain is there to serve you. If  you only seek to alleviate pain by suppressing it, you have not addressed the fundamental cause of the pain. Pain is functional because of the signal it gives.

      Pain is an indication of the presence of stagnation, a blockage of free movement of life energy through the body. When you feel those initial twinges of pain, it is wise to think of them as a signal from your body that there is a blockage and some attention is needed. I find that if I pay attention and I immediately seek help from my Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioner or apply self-help, the pain melts away.

      Most of us however ignore these initial twinges. We wait until we are sure that we are in pain and then we seek to suppress the pain with Over The Counter Medications. When these medications cease to "erase" the pain, we wait until the pain is unbearable to pay attention to the signal and seek help.

      Jin Shin Jyutsu helps us to be aware of the signal, and teaches us what to do to address the cause and to return to balance, harmony and wellness. Generally speaking, the longer we live with pain, the longer it will take to release it. With Jin Shin Jyutsu and Time, all things are possible. A return to balance is within your reach. Learn how to erase pain and improve your quality of life!

"Pain is such an uncomfortable feeling that even a tiny amount of it is enough to ruin every enjoyment."
~Will Rogers

Recharge and Harmonize

    To balance and harmonize our total being we can simply hold the palms of the hand. Holding the palms puts us in direct contact with the energy that determines the blueprint for our manifested form, the human body. As we are burdened with the trials of our everyday life, it behooves us to remember that we are indeed SPIRITUAL BEINGS having a HUMAN EXPERIENCE. With this in mind, I find it easier to deal with the mundane aspects of being human.

     Since this energy puts us in touch with SOURCE energy, it is small wonder that throughout human history, people have clasped their hands together in "prayer" position. The ancients knew that this was not just a symbolic gesture but a practical way to connect with SOURCE  and find harmony with the universe.

     As a total harmonizer, holding the palms, one at a time or together, will enable us to feel a profound sense of peace and oneness with ALL. Harmony is bestowed upon diaphragm and umbilicus energy. This energy helps to regulate temperature and breath. It is the source of our personal life energy. Holding the palms can serve as a recharge for your rundown "battery".

     This energy is ours to access at any time of the day or night. Sit or lie quietly with hands held together, either fingertips in palms or palms together in whatever way that you find most comfortable. Breathe. Inhale, Exhale. Relax the shoulders. Allow the shoulder blades the slip down the back any amount. Continue breathing with awareness and feel the pulse of the universe in the palm of your hands. Remember that you are a Spiritual Being having a Human Experience and SMILE. Know that all you need is already there, inside you.

"I am the Cosmic Rhythm,
which is the Breath I receive,
all knowledge/wisdom is within.
So simply BE the awareness/knowledge
and the understanding/wisdom."
~Mary Iino Burmeister