Are you dealing with shoulder discomfort such as a frozen shoulder? Try these energy balancing suggestions to find relief and insight from your shoulder.
Shoulder projects, from soreness, joint pain, and numbness, seem to be popping up a lot these days. They can indicate resistance to moving forward, similar to other joint articulation problems. Oftentimes shoulder discomfort is a symptom of an imbalance and tightness in the opposite hip. Are you pushing or straining yourself physically? What are you shouldering in life? Are the “shoulds” putting you between a rock and a hard place?
Energy Balancing Tips for Shoulder Discomforts With Jin Shin Jyutsu
As Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioners, we work with 26 Safety Energy Locks. We release energy blocks using specific holds and sequences. The physical pain of shoulder discomforts can stem from various reasons. Below are several Jin Shin Jyutsu suggestions for you to explore. For each, place your hands or fingertips as indicated, with no pressure. Jin Shin Jyutsu does not require manipulating or otherwise massage muscles or tissues.
Moving Energy and Moving in Life
Holding the inside of the knees, with hands crossed), helps move everything. This can be a stuckness in your body or in life as well. Placing your hands here is comforting and easy to do, at any time, from watching your favourite show or sitting on the bus.
Letting Go
Frozen shoulders can be related to grief and the inability to let go. For both, we can look at Lung and Large Intestine Function Energies. The flow pattern for both also run through the shoulders. You can hold your fourth finger of either or both hands. To harmonize the Lung Function Energy, place your right fingertips just below the left collarbone and the left fingertips at the bottom of the ribcage, on the left.
To harmonize the Large Intestine Function Energy, drape your left hand over your right shoulder, near the neck, and hold your left index finger with your right hand.
Both holds as described helps the left shoulder. Switch sides for the other shoulder.
We have built up ways of coping, from since we were very young. Our belief system probably includes all kinds of “musts”, “shoulds”, however subtle. We have a sense of duty and responsibility that we have identified with. Yet who we truly are, our desires and needs, are suppressed.
Other flow patterns that move through the shoulder include the Small Intestine and Gall Bladder Function Energies. You can harmonize the first by holding your little finger and the second, the middle finger. Take your time to explore, which part of the finger (which joint area, sides, tops), which hand, how long…Observe what happens when you explore these different energy balancing holds for your shoulder discomfort. How does your body respond? Your mind? Your emotions?
Bringing back the Magic
I love Safety Energy Locks 8 (rhythm and strength), 10 (limitless life power), and 15 (wash our hearts with laughter) for this. Holding the outside of the knee (SEL 8) harmonizes the energy of the pelvic girdle and releases the opposite shoulder.
Disharmonies in the 10 can manifest as knee, hip, neck, and shoulder discomforts. There are actually variations of the flow that unlocks SEL 10 and help with breathing, dizziness, and eyes. SEL 10 is located on the inner edge of the shoulder blade, in the middle. This isn’t an easy reach for many people. Alternatively you can hold your index finger which is related to SEL 10. You can also hold your upper arm.
SEL 15 addresses physical pain, bone issues, circulation, and carrying so much weight that you forget to laugh. Place your hands on your bikini line to harmonize SEL 15.
Shoulder discomforts can be from many different reasons. For me, my shoulder discomfort started as physical overstrain, combined with sleeping in a new bed that isn’t quite comfortable for me. However, even physical accidents have an underlying imbalance, disharmony, and weakness. The shoulders have a lot to do with our lungs and the arm, by virtue of location. Breathing, being present, inner peace, connection, expression… These are some topics you can contemplate as you try some of the suggested holds.
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