Jin Shin Jyutsu: Self-Healing Through the Art of the Hands

 At OM Massage, we believe that true healing begins with awareness—and sometimes, the simplest tools for transformation are right at your fingertips. Jin Shin Jyutsu is a gentle, time-honored Japanese healing art that uses nothing more than your breath and your hands to harmonize energy, reduce stress, and support physical and emotional well-being.

It’s a deeply calming and accessible self-care practice that requires no equipment, special setting, or prior experience. Whether you're at home, at work, or lying in bed, you can begin to balance your body and mind with just a few minutes of focused attention and touch.

Jin Shin Jyutsu (pronounced "jin shin jitsu") translates loosely to "The Art of the Creator through Compassionate Man." Its roots date back thousands of years, predating written records. The method was revived in the early 1900s by Jiro Murai, a Japanese philosopher who healed himself from a life-threatening illness using ancient finger-holding techniques and meditative breathing.

Later, this healing wisdom was brought to the West by Mary Burmeister, one of Murai’s devoted students, who helped adapt and teach the practice in the United States and Europe.

Jin Shin Jyutsu is based on the concept that life energy flows through pathways in the body. When these pathways become blocked due to stress, emotional tension, or illness, discomfort and imbalance arise. By applying gentle pressure to specific points—particularly through the hands and fingers—you can support the free flow of energy and activate the body's innate healing capacity.

 Regular practice of Jin Shin Jyutsu offers a wide range of physical, mental, and emotional benefits:

• Relieves stress, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm
   
• Supports organ function and energy balance
   
• Eases headaches, fatigue, and digestive issues
   
• Promotes better sleep and mental clarity
   
• Encourages emotional release and relaxation
   
• Improves circulation and overall vitality
   
• Restores harmony to the nervous system
   

Best of all, it’s non-invasive, safe, and easy to learn—making it an ideal addition to your daily self-care routine.

One of the simplest and most powerful ways to practice Jin Shin Jyutsu is through the Five Finger Method. 

 Each finger in Jin Shin Jyutsu is associated with a specific emotional state and set of internal organs. By gently holding a finger while breathing mindfully, you can bring harmony to both the emotional and physical aspects of your being. Here’s how each finger corresponds to your body and emotions:

• The thumb is linked to worry, and it influences the stomach and spleen. Holding the thumb can calm the mind and help with digestive issues or anxious overthinking. 

• The index finger relates to fear, connecting to the kidneys and bladder. This is a helpful focus when dealing with stress, insecurity, or kidney-related imbalances.

• The middle finger represents anger and corresponds with the liver and gallbladder. Gently holding this finger supports emotional release and detoxification.

• The ring finger is associated with sadness and grief, and it governs the lungs and large intestine. Holding this finger can aid in letting go, both emotionally and physically.

• The little finger corresponds with effort and pretense, as well as feelings of trying too hard. It connects to the heart and small intestine and can help restore inner joy, authenticity, and emotional balance.
   

By simply holding each finger for a few minutes with calm, steady breathing, you can support the natural flow of energy through your body and emotions—an easy yet powerful self-healing practice available to anyone, anytime.

1. Sit or lie down in a quiet place. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
    
2. Gently wrap the fingers of one hand around the finger of the opposite hand (e.g., your right hand holds your left thumb).
    
3. Hold the finger lightly—no squeezing. Relax your shoulders and breathe slowly.
    
4. Focus your awareness on the finger, the breath, and how your body feels.
    
5. Stay for 1–5 minutes per finger, or longer if desired.
    
6. When finished, move to the next finger, working through all five if time allows.
    

You can also place your hands on energy centers of the body—such as the forehead, chest, or abdomen—for a deeper balancing session. But the finger-holding practice alone can bring profound results.

• During stressful moments
   
• To calm anxiety or overwhelm
   
• Before bed for better sleep
   
• During meditation or breathwork
   
• As a daily emotional check-in
   
• After illness or physical exertion
   

Even just a few minutes a day can create noticeable changes in your mood, energy levels, and sense of inner stability.

• During stressful moments
   
• To calm anxiety or overwhelm
   
• Before bed for better sleep
   
• During meditation or breathwork
   
• As a daily emotional check-in
   
• After illness or physical exertion
   

Even just a few minutes a day can create noticeable changes in your mood, energy levels, and sense of inner stability.

Jin Shin Jyutsu is more than a technique—it is a compassionate dialogue between your hands, your breath, and your energy. As you tune in and trust the process, you may find that healing is not something outside of you, but something already alive and waiting within.

If you'd like to explore hands-on energy healing or integrate Jin Shin Jyutsu into a guided session, visit OM Massage in Lake Oswego or explore our Self-Healing section for more resources.

Let your hands become your healers. Your breath, your anchor. Your awareness, your medicine.

             May you be at peace! 

                       -Om Massage