Indigestion is a common occurrence for many people. When we think of indigestion, we usually think of what foods we have eaten that are causing such pain and discomfort. It’s more than food that we take in that can create a blockage. Jin Shin Jyutsu for indigestion is an effective non-invasive art of healing that addresses these different levels.
Jin Shin Jyutsu works with what are called Safety Energy Locks or SELs. These are three-dimensional zones of energies in the body. With 26 on each side of the body, they work as circuit-breakers to help with proper energetic flow pattern. Jin Shin Jyutsu helps with both emergency and chronic conditions and complements well with other modalities and treatments. It works with your body, allowing the natural flow of energy to be restored.
When I share Jin Shin Jyutsu with people, they are always surprised by how simple it is and how they are already doing it themselves, without realizing it. Have you ever put your hands on the small curve of the back after running to catch your breath? Or on your forehead to trigger a memory? Or wringing your hands and fingers when under stress? Yes? Then you have been holding various SELs and you already intuitively know how to help yourself feel better.
One of the many reasons I love Jin Shin Jyutsu is how easy it is to do something for yourself. If I wake up in the middle of the night from feeling unwell, I can do something for myself. If my tummy is upset, I can do something for myself. Jin Shin Jyutsu also helps me be a better witness of what’s going on inside and better know when it’s time to see a medical doctor or other wellness practitioners.
Many Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioners likely have their go-to’s and “favourites” from working on themselves and clients. By virtue of who we meet and what we meet within ourselves, we are likely to gravitate towards certain Jin Shin Jyutsu SELs and flows.
Even using a few “basic” flows can have quite an impact! Sustained use of the same flows also allows for a more intimate and deeper understanding of the interconnections. This is certainly true for myself and I tend to share the same handful of SELs.
Jin Shin Jyutsu for Indigestion Self-Help
One of my favourites is SEL 14, located on the front of the chest, on the last rib. This is an equilibrium point. Being in the middle of the body, it helps bridge the upper and lower. It aids digestion and assimilation on all levels, not just of food but ideas, emotions, and any excess.
When we indulge in heavier foods, spend time with large crowds of people, or are taking in volumes of information, we can be overwhelmed. Our body-mind-spirit may be disharmonized by unbalanced emotions, for example. Holding SEL 14, which supports digestion, can restore harmony. Place your hand on the last rib, on the right side, the left side or both. Try the right 14 for protein and the left for carbs.
The exact placement will differ for people and what is going on. A SEL is about the size of your palm, with the bull’s eye where the energetic blockage is located. Even if you do not get that bull’s eye, you are helping to harmonize the energy in your body. And it’s cumulative!
I used this SEL on my dog as well. Animals take on a lot for us and they too can benefit from ways to release their stress and restore harmony and flow. For myself, I work with a lot of information and like many people, I may not eat at the best times of the day or may reach for less-than-perfect food. Stress can lead to and exacerbates these choices.
Being comfortable with finding what works for you is part of healing and self-knowing. Tune into how you feel. You may experience energy moving, you may release a deep sigh, you may fall asleep, or you may feel “nothing”. For me, it’s a big sigh, an exhale. For my dogs, it’s lots of tummy noises.
As Self-help, you can do Jin Shin Jyutsu as long as you want, though often enough we fall asleep and our hands fall away. If you are offering this to other people, one hour is a good estimate, shorter for those who are unwell or more vulnerable. Animals will move away or walk off once they are done.
In Jin Shin Jyutsu, as with our body and the cosmos, everything is interconnected. This is why many different SELs and flows help the same symptoms. SEL 14 is one way to help with indigestion. You can also hold your thumb as well to support your Spleen and Stomach, as well as the Earth Element. Jin Shin Jyutsu for indigestion also helps with the assimilation and for us to draw nurturance and energy from what we take in, food and non-food.
An underlying imbalance can manifest as a variety of symptoms. Indigestion, for example, is not always about the food we have eaten. Why do we get overwhelmed? What are you constantly worrying about? What is it that we cannot or do not want to take in? Are there lifestyle choices we can change to live a more aligned life?
The Spleen and the Stomach, responsible for digestion and assimilation, can be disharmonized by incessant worry, overindulgence in sweets, not being grounded and centred, for example. These are aspects and correspondences of the Earth Element. Jin Shin Jyutsu for indigestion can address these as well.
Jin Shin Jyutsu translates as “The Art of the Creator through the Man of Knowing and Compassion” from Japanese. This speaks to the importance of knowing ourselves and having compassion for ourselves and others. The spirit and energy of this ancient art of healing more than just the physical.
So next time you start to feel that familiar pain, maybe bloating, try Jin Shin Jyutsu for indigestion. If it is recurrent, there may be a deeper underlying imbalance. Check in with yourself to see how the Earth Element may be in disharmony and with your medical practitioner for conditions such as ulcers. Remember to hold SEL 14 or hold your thumb to digest whatever information you are given!
