Putting a new discipline to the test Recently I took part in a 5-day practitioner seminar introducing Jin Shin Jyutsu, a Japanese “art” of bringing the body’s energy into balance. It was organized in Asheville by my friend Beth Molaro, and brought together students and practitioners from all over the Southeast -- all of whom had questions, ideas and enthusiasm to share. The instructor, Lynne Pflueger, set aside practice sessions three times each day for us to learn some of the myriad techniques for bringing physical, emotional and mental states of disharmony into balance. Needless to say, by the end of the seminar my mind was chock-full of information and I was energized! That’s why it surprised me when I began coming down with a serious cold less than a day later. I probably caught it from the friend I stayed with in Asheville, who ended up sick in bed most of the time I was there. (I got to practice Jin Shin Jyutsu on her, as well as Reflexology.) As my symptoms progressed from sore throat to headache, sinus congestion and fatigue, I realized this was a great opportunity to test Jin Shin Jyutsu on myself! Jin Shin Jyutsu (JSJ) makes use of the idea of meridians and acupressure points outlined in Traditional Chinese Medicine: specifically, JSJ has identified 26 sets of gateway points, called Safety Energy Locks, that help regulate the flow of energy (Qi or “Chi”) through the body. Gently touching two or more of these points in prescribed sequences can bring dramatic changes in physical health and attitude.  So, it’s the middle of the night and I can hardly breathe. I lie on my back and put one hand on my shoulder. The other hand reaches up to hold each of the first hand’s fingers in turn, waiting until I feel a vibration, like a pulse. I move the top hand to a point on my face that aids in sinus drainage. From there I move my hand to a point along my upper back. Whoosh! Air comes flooding into my lungs, and I can breathe in and out -- through my nose! -- with ease. I finish the rest of the sequence (JSJ calls it a “flow”) and sleep soundly the rest of the night. Back to health in record time For the next two days I rested, mainly so I wouldn’t pass on my germs to anyone, and practiced JSJ at intervals. By the third morning I was back in top shape, ready to take the dogs for a long hike in the woods. Without the energy medicine to help bring my body into balance, it’s likely I would have been achy, sneezy and miserable for a week.
If you’d like to find out more about Jin Shin Jyutsu, send me an email at <reikidancing@gmail.com>. I’m going to need lots of practice to learn all the “flows,” and welcome volunteers to take part. [As with Reiki, participants remain fully clothed throughout the session.] And remember, Reiki and Reflexology are available six days a week at locations in Toco Hills and Decatur. Call 404-406-5204 to make an appointment. With so many ways to help keep our bodies in harmony, why stay in dis-ease?
If you're like a lot of people I know, you're holding out till the last minute to finish and file your tax return with Uncle Sam. How stressful! That's where both Reiki and Reflexology can help.
Reiki is ideal for helping you get your stress level under control. It helps you relax and get back in touch with your natural body rhythms. And Reiki can help alleviate:
Similarly, Foot Reflexology combines gentle stretching and compression to help reduce stress, improve circulation and move lymph -- your body's natural detoxifier. Reflexology creates relaxation almost immediately -- just ask my clients! It improves blood flow to the feet, brain, kidneys and intestines (some of the places that absorb excessive stress). Reflexology, like Reiki, helps alleviate pain and headaches, depression and anxiety. Both these healing techniques are excellent for moving "stuck energy" to help bring your body back into balance energetically. As you return to balance, this opens a window for self-healing. And that's a real "after-tax" benefit! Introductory offer ends May 1 New to Reiki or Reflexology? Take advantage of this special introductory offer: book your first visit in either technique, and your second visit is FREE! You can also make an appointment to try both Reflexology and Reiki in one session and get two for the price of one! But remember, this offer is good through May 1 only. So please don't hesitate -- call 404-406-5204 today! Why A Spring Tune Up?
My car might need one, you might be thinking, but why do I? Well, everything in nature is getting ready to burst into leaf and bloom. If you're feeling a little sluggish, a spring tune-up can help you get into balance with the season. Here's how it works. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Spring is the time of the Wood element: sudden growth and rapid expansion, irresistible movement and unpredictable change. Nothing's going to hold it back. In our bodies, we feel this impetus in the Liver -- not that lobe-shaped organ, but what TCM calls the Liver System. This system governs muscles, ligaments and tendons; the eyes; and the regular, rhythmic release of digestive enzymes, among other duties. And that's just the physical component. In TCM, Liver imbalances can show up as muscle tension and spasms, sciatica, headaches, seasonal allergies, insomnia, menstrual problems, skin eruptions, blurry vision and floaters, digestive problems and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), a tendency to form cysts and fibroids, and, of course, liver diseases. The good news is, these problems can be addressed by a knowledgeable herbalist, acupuncturist or naturopath. And many of them can be alleviated through Reiki and Reflexology. If you'd like to find out more, please get in touch with me. Just a couple of days ago my Reiki studio landlord told me that he can no longer afford to carry me at the generously reduced rent he'd been offering. For someone like me, just beginning to build a practice, losing my space could be a death knell. But it isn't. In fact, I see all sorts of opportunities arising.
First, the fact that the landlord is getting "lots of calls" about renting office space is encouraging. We are bouncing back from the economic recession -- maybe not as quickly as we'd like, but steadily. As inexorably as the daffodils and crocuses that are popping up in my back yard. Next, I have at least three options for relocating. Each one will involve some adjustment in sharing space (and I was getting very used to being able to come and go as I pleased at my current location). At the same time, there are unexplored opportunities for synergy: I can reinforce an existing Reflexology practice, help a newly minted Reiki master build a practice, or infuse new energy into a chiropractic clinic. And of course, each one involves brushing up on all those marketing skills I've honed over the last 25+ years. (A whole different kind of energy.) No matter which option plays out, there is movement -- and that's exciting! The essence of energy medicine is returning to balance -- unblocking the meridian channels and chakras that have been stopped up. But arriving at balance is not a static thing. The body, just like the earth and the entire cosmos, is always changing, so we are always fine-tuning our sense of balance. And Energy Dancing in Balance will soon be dancing in a new dance hall. Today marks another round on the wheel for me. And I'm torn -- part of me wants to celebrate my birthday, part wants to pull the bedcovers over my head till the weather warms up. This is the season for rest and renewal, yet we're acculturated to starting the new year with a burst of energy. Where does that energy come from? Not from the Earth; the Earth is sleeping right now. If we're generating it out of our own finite resources, is it any wonder that it runs out so quickly -- and so many of our well-meaning resolutions fade before the end of January?
If we were really plugged into the seasons, we'd sleep longer (even if it means going to bed earlier!) and give those seeds of good intentions time to germinate. Then, when spring comes, let all that pent-up energy burst forth! (Maybe that's why I used to send out my Christmas cards in April . . .) |
Christin Whittington
Christin Whittington is a practitioner of energy medicine – helping people restore balance in their bodies, their health and their lives using a combination of Reiki, Reflexology, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Qi Gong and herbal medicine.  Archives
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