What is Jin Shin Do® Acupressure ?

 

Jin Shin Do translates as the Way of the Compassionate Spirit.

• Jin translates as compassion or benevolence, as embodied in the image of Kuan Yin, the Goddess or Bodhisattva of Compassion, or she who observes the sounds or cries of the world and whose purpose is to relieve suffering. 
• Shin means spirit which is said to rule the heart and mind and can be seen through one's eyes.
• Do (sometimes written as "Tao" or "Dao") means Ultimate Reality or
  The Way of Nature.

In Jin Shin Do the client is regarded from a place of non-judgment and compassion. The aim of this practice is to achieve or maintain the well-being of the client on all levels: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.       

Jin Shin Do is a unique combination of Japanese finger pressure technique, Traditional Chinese acupuncture theory, Taoist philosophy and Western bodymind theories. It predates acupuncture and uses the same points and theory. An American named Iona Marsaa Teeguarden brilliantly synthesized the above to create Jin Shin Do® Acupressure.   

Acupressure is based on the idea that health is a state of balance and that illness or long-held negative emotions represent a lack of balance or a blockage in the smooth flow of chi or vital energy. Jin Shin Do Acupressure is a slow-paced technique in which an acupoint is held within the affected area (the local point) with one hand and one or more acupoints are held with the other hand which help release the local point. The pressure on the points is adjusted to the recipient’s wishes. It is as though one's body is being listened to through the fingertips.

As the chi is unblocked along the energy pathways (commonly called meridians), circulation and metabolism are improved, the body produces endophins, muscles relax and pain and stress can be released. Jin shin Do correlates the area of the body with chronic tension with states of mind. For example, a tight chest may indicate unexpressed grief or sadness. The client is encouraged to focus on his/her breathing and feelings in order to enhance the release process. 

Jin Shin Do is unique in its use of point combinations from ancient China called the “Eight Strange Flows or Extraordinary Vessels”. These are made up of points from a variety of meridians and act as reservoirs for excess energy from the meridians. If a meridian has excess energy (which might manifest as tight muscles or irritability), then the Strange Flow can absorb this energy and make it available to a deficient meridian. 

Kuan Yin, Goddess of Compassion