Have you ever wondered about the marvels of the human body? What makes our hearts beat, our skin heal after a cut, or our bones repair after a fracture?

Ancient civilizations recognized that life is infused with a single, vital force that manifests in all living beings—plants, insects, animals, and humans alike. The ancient Greeks referred to this energy as pneuma, the Hindus call it prana, the Chinese refer to it as chi (or qi), and the Japanese know it as ki. Across cultures, traditional healing systems—from Ayurvedic medicine  to Traditional Chinese Medicine—are built on the understanding that to heal, one must strengthen and balance the flow of this vital energy within the body. Supporting this concept, Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientists of all time, famously said, “Energy is everywhere”.

Now, let’s explore how Eastern and Western approaches to holistic health differ in their philosophies and focus. Here are some key distinctions:

1. Philosophy and Worldview: Eastern traditions are deeply rooted in philosophical frameworks that view health as a balance of energies, while Western medicine is often grounded in scientific, evidence-based approaches.
2. Focus on Prevention vs. Cure: Eastern practices emphasize prevention, focusing on maintaining balance and harmony before illness arises. While Western medicine is increasingly adopting preventative measures, it has traditionally concentrated on curing diseases once they manifest.
3. Treatment Methods: Eastern medicine employs practices like acupuncture, herbal remedies, and yoga, whereas Western holistic health tends to combine conventional medicine with psychological therapies, exercise, and nutrition.
4. Mind-Body-Soul Connection: Eastern systems view the body, mind, and spirit as interconnected, blending them into a unified approach to healing. In contrast, Western medicine, historically, has often separated physical health from mental and spiritual well-being. However, with the rise of integrative medicine, this is beginning to change.

Jin Shin Jyutsu® (pronounced jin shin jitsu) is a Japanese healing art and therefore falls into the Eastern approach to holistic health.  It emphasizes the balance of energy, focuses on prevention, and views the mind, body, and spirit as interconnected aspects of overall well-being.

One of the teachings of Jin Shin Jyutsu® is that harmony within the body is achieved through the conscious use of our breath and hands. By using our breath and hands, we enhance both our physical and mental vitality, helping to eliminate the underlying causes of dis-ease and disharmony.

The Meaning of Jin Shin Jyutsu®

Jin Shin Jyutsu® means “The Art of the Creator through the person of compassion.” It’s important to note that the use of the word “Creator” is spiritual, not religious. Many people mistakenly believe that Jin Shin Jyutsu® is a type of martial art, likely due to the similarity to Jiu-Jitsu, one of the many types of martial arts.*  The word “Jyutsu” translates to “art,” likely the cause of confusion.  The name can be difficult to remember, so I often refer to it simply as “JSJ.”

*(https://gymdesk.com/blog/different-types-of-martial-arts/)

To help you understand more about JSJ, here are a few foundational concepts , as outlined in The Touch of Healing by Alice Burmeister with Tom Monte:

• “There is a life energy that circulates throughout the universe and within each individual organism.”  Mary Burmeister who brought Jin Shin Jyutsu® to the Western world, also refers to this life energy as the Source of Life.
• “Breath is the basic expression of the life energy.  It enables us to unload accumulated stress and stagnant energy via exhalation.  With each inhalation, we receive an abundance of fresh purified energy.”
• “Life energy moves through the body in distinct pathways, known as flows.  These flows unify and integrate the body.”  JSJ practitioners also call a “flow” when we place our hands in a specific sequence of locations on the body to unblock the energy.
• “When the life energy moves through us without obstruction, we are in perfect harmony. Obstructions – which lead to physical, mental and emotional disharmony – are created by attitudes.”  See my blog #4 for more information.
• “Energy moves down the front of the body and up the back, in a continuous oval.  This movement creates a complementary relationship between the upper and lower body, as well as the front and the back.”
• “…an underlying harmony is always present, even when we suffer from some prevailing disharmony or illness.  Even though such disharmonies seem to take many different forms, they all arise from the same root cause – blockage of life energy.  For this reason, the resultant disharmonies are called labels.”  We also refer to physical ailments or illnesses as “projects”, which shifts our perspective and encourages a proactive approach to healing because a project is something we can work on.

Jin Shin Jyutsu teaches that energy flows through the body along various pathways, much like a network of roads. When we become fixated on a particular emotion, it can become an “attitude” that blocks this energy flow. Picture a traffic jam—when one part of the road is blocked, alternate routes often get congested too. In a desperate attempt to avoid the gridlock, some drivers may drive in reverse, causing even more chaos.  This is what happens when our body’s energy is blocked.

[Image from ResearchGate.com]

There are 26 key locations on each side of the body which we call Safety Energy Locks. Some are on the front of our body and some are on the back.  They act as circuit breakers to protect the body.  See below for where they are located.

Copyright Jin Shin Jyutsu® Inc.

The more I study and practice Jin Shin Jyutsu®, the more I believe that we inherently possess the ability to harmonize ourselves. As infants, we instinctively hold our toes, which are energetically linked to our fingers, and both our fingers & toes are important to restore balance. Another example is how many babies suck their thumbs for comfort and a sense of security (see Blog #4 on our Attitudes for more details). As we grow, however, we are often taught to ignore our natural instincts for self-healing.

My teachers have shared images from ancient times, such as the ones below, that suggest a long-standing awareness of these healing principles. Sadly, this widespread wisdom was gradually forgotten and lost over time, but is remerging.  In the images below the people are holding Safety Energy Locks.

Egypt 6^th Dynasty (2330 BC) tomb of Ankmahor, the tomb of physicians

Statue of King Menkaure and his queen

I would love to hear your thoughts on this article via email at ingrid@energiflo.com.  This blog was inspired by the book The Touch of Healing by Alice Burmeister with Tom Monte.

You can buy “The Touch of Healing” at JSJInc.net or on Indigo.ca at or on Thrift Books.

Curious how Jin Shin Jyutsu® is different from Reiki? Read my post all about it here.