The Second Depth came into being to allow a harmonious expression of spirit, mind, and body, as Mary Burmeister explains. It governs rhythm and harmony and is naturally connected with breathing. Its organ functions are Lung and Large Intestine Function Energy.

The attitude of grief or sadness prevents the Mediator from harmonizing the Second Depth, and the resulting disharmony manifests in the deep skin. Because the Second Depth’s main project is the skin, any skin-related issue can be supported by harmonizing this depth.

Harmonized Second Depth bestows common sense.

To harmonize it:

2nd-Depth Safety Energy Locks

SEL 5, Undeviating Justice; Regeneration

Location: At the inner ankle.

Some people prefer to hold just behind the knuckle, while others hold just below it. Remember, Safety Energy Locks are spherical energy centers, each about the size of the human palm. There’s no need to worry about finding the exact spot—simply place your hand and feel around. Wherever the pulsation is strongest, that’s the right location.

Keywords: Mind Specialist

Meaning and Function: Safety Energy Lock 5 helps us release judgment; deal with changes, adapt; helps us “put off the old and put on the new”.

What Mary says: “[It] aids: chest congestion; digestive discomforts; back an hip tension/stress; hearing discomforts.” [SH2, p. 20]

To open

  • Hold both SEL15.
  • 15-3:
    • (right) Place the right hand on the right SEL 15 and the left hand on the right SEL 3.
    • (left) Place the left hand on the left SEL 15 and the right hand on the left SEL 3.
  • Hold the index finger. Wrap one hand around the index finger of the other hand.
  • 5-6-7-8 Harmonizing Sequence.  

Further Commentary

Don’t overlook the simple index-finger hold in favor of longer flows. The index finger resonates with Safety Energy Lock 5 in several ways, making it a powerful connection. It supports the Fourth Depth, which relates to fear—and SEL 5 helps to dispel that fear. Holding the index finger also opens five Safety Energy Locks, one of which is SEL 5 itself.

SEL 5 assists in releasing fear and trauma. When we can’t let go of a painful experience or find ourselves reliving it in thought, harmonizing SEL 5 can bring relief and acceptance. Whenever we need to face a situation as it is, without judgment, opening SEL 5 is a wise choice.

SEL 5 also relates to regeneration—it helps us “put off the old and put on the new” (SH2, p. 20).

Though SEL 5 is powerful on its own, it’s often combined with other locks. For example, holding SELs 5–16 is deeply calming and can soothe painful conditions or muscle soreness after physical exertion.

The 5–6–7–8 sequence is another powerful yet subtle combination. Known as a Good-for-Everything Flow, it supports critical conditions and may help ease the side effects of demanding or invasive medical treatments.

Safety Energy Lock 6 Balance

Location: At the middle of the inner side of the foot, along the arch, approximately halfway between the heel and the toes.

Keywords: Mind specialist. Total balancer. Governor of respiratory functions.

Meaning and Function: Not too much, not too little—Six represents perfect balance. According to the Pythagoreans, 6 is a perfect number because its factors (1, 2, and 3) add up to the number itself. There is only one such number between 1 and 10, and just one more between 10 and 100 (28). In Six, the triangle of Heaven meets the triangle of Earth, and together they interlock to form the six-pointed star—a symbol of harmony between the spiritual and material worlds.

What Mary says: “[It] aids: chest congestion; digestive discomforts; back and hip tension/stress.

To open

Further Commentary

Safety Energy Lock 6 is the Governor of respiratory function, while SEL 3 serves as the respiratory specialist.

SEL 6 has a close relationship with both the Lung and Large Intestine aspects of the twelvefold Body Function Energy. Disharmony in the pulse indicating Lung or Large Intestine FE (left index finger) can often be harmonized by working with SEL 6. Interestingly, the harmonizing sequences for both Lung and Large Intestine each contain six steps.

Holding SEL 6 together with the little toe on the same side (as in the Movement Order of Disharmony, T2, p. 49) can help when the 1st Depth needs harmonization. I’ve used this sequence myself to stay alert during an after-lunch meeting. Here is how Mary Burmeister explains the connection between this sequence and digestion: “[Movement Order of Disharmony] Body Function Energy created from liquids and food circulates from skin surface through muscles and into bones.” (T2, p. 48). It’s no surprise, then, that holding SEL 6 and the little toe also supported digestion kept alert after lunch.

Movement Order of Disharmony (T2, p. 48):

  • Right Side: Place the right hand on the right SEL 6 and the left hand on the right little toe.
  • Left Side: Place the left hand on the left SEL 6 and the right hand on the left little toe.

SEL 6 has helped me many times when I experienced both digestive discomfort and issues with balance.

SEL 7, Victory, Perfect Life Power

Location: At the very tip of the big toe.

Keywords: Mind Specialist; No judgment; I am perfect

Meaning and Function: Safety Energy Lock 7 means Victory and Perfect Life Power. An open SEL 7 reminds us that we were created perfect—and have always been so. In that awareness of inherent perfection, we can release guilt and stop judging ourselves.

What Mary says: “[It] aids: chest congestion; digestive discomforts; back, hip, head discomforts

To open:

Further Commentary

Reflecting the correspondence between the very high and the very low – SEL 7 corresponds to the head. Opening SEL 7 helps energy descend down the body, clears up head and any abdominal distress.

Holding SELs 7 is my favorite flow when I feel an acute abdominal discomfort, usually brought on by eating specific foods. It clears up any pain within 5 minutes even though I have to hold it for at least 30-40 minutes or else the pain re-occurs. It can be a bit awkward to reach it by oneself, especially if you are in pain – so if you have someone else around, why not ask them to hold your big toes.

I also held SEL 7 for my dog (tip of his hind paws) when he showed signs of seizures and that calmed him down.

The location of SEL 7 is at the very tip of our big toe. In fact, it is not even clear whether it is on the top or the bottom part of the foot, whether it is a descending/exhaling or ascending/inhaling safety energy lock. I would like to think that SEL 7 represents the gap between the exhaling and inhaling process of our bodies – the brief instant when the past is gone and the future not yet come. The NOW! 🙂

SELs 5, 6, and 7 are on the inner side of the foot along the length of it. Here is a magnified picture of their location.

SEL 8, Rhythm, Strength, Peace

Location: On the outer side of the knee, at the tip of the fibula.

A low SEL 8 is located about a hand’s breadth below the back of the knee. Occasionally, the regular SEL 8 can also be shifted slightly toward the center back of the knee. This variation is especially helpful for Fourth-Depth projects, as two branches of the Bladder Function Energy merge at the center of the knee.

Even in the visible body, this area is a major circulatory intersection: the Popliteal Artery branches into the Inferior Medial and Inferior Lateral Genicular Arteries, and the Popliteal Vein branches into the corresponding Genicular Veins.

Keywords: Rhythm, strength, peace, miracles unfolding.

Meaning and Function: Eight turned sideways forms the symbol of infinity. Safety Energy Lock 8 reminds us that we are limitless, and that evidence of this is all around us if we choose to see it. We call that evidence miracles, but they are simply reminders of what lies beyond the immediate physical senses. “I alone impose limitations on myself,” says Mary Burmeister (SH2, p. 26).

What Mary says: “[It] aids: assimilation and elimination; rectal; all functions in pelvic girdle area; muscle tension/stress

To Open

Further Commentary

Opening SEL 8 helps regulate the body’s temperature. If you feel too hot or too cold, holding SEL 8 can restore balance. I once held my 8s while sitting in a large, air-conditioned auditorium, chilled to the bone. Within minutes, I no longer felt cold—though I could still sense the cool air around me, it simply didn’t affect me anymore. I later experienced the same regulatory effect in the opposite setting, holding both 8s in a hot sauna when I wasn’t feeling well from the heat.

At SEL 8, the Supervisory Flow moves along the lateral side of the body, ascending toward the pelvic area, while the Mediator flows downward from the pelvis toward the foot. The energetic exchange through the pelvic region passes directly through SEL 8, making it particularly beneficial for all hip-related projects.

The symbol for the number 8—an infinity sign standing upright—illustrates its deeper meaning. At the center of the 8, “above” meets “below,” echoing the Hermetic principle As Above, So Below. The shape of 8 embodies the key to our movement between spirit and matter. In the Hindu tradition, the two energy pathways, Ida and Pingala, spiral around the main channel, forming a series of figure-eight loops.

Holding the 8s is excellent for any pelvic or hip-related imbalance. I once recommended it to my ninety-year-old grandmother, who happily reported after several weeks that her shoulders felt more relaxed and even. Indeed, holding the 8s is described in Text 2 (p. 53) as Special Body Function 4, which addresses hip imbalance that can lead to one shoulder being higher than the other.

SEL 9, End of One Cycle Is the Beginning of Another

Location: Along the back, at the lower tip of the shoulder blade, approximately at the level of the eighth thoracic vertebra.

Keywords: End of one cycle and the beginning of another

Meaning and Function: In our base-ten system, 9 marks completion before the new cycle of 10—1, but amplified. It symbolizes the end that becomes a beginning. Across traditions, ninefold divisions are common: nine past avatars of Vishnu (with the tenth yet to come), nine planes of existence or koshas—the sheaths of spirit that veil the divine essence—and nine archetypes of the Enneagram.

What Mary says: “[It] aids chest congestion; back; hip; foot discomforts – toes, callous, corns, sprains.

To open:

  • Hold SEL 19 (elbows)
  • Low 8 + 16 on the same side of the 9 (Special Body Function 2)
  • Hold the thumb
  • Hold the area of 12/4 with the opposite 21. It helps the 9 on the side of the SELs 12/4. On a side note, this is also excellent quickie to help any discomforts in the eye. In that case, it helps the eye on the side of 21.

Further Commentary

According to Wayne Hackett, the combination of Low 8 and 16 was one of Mary Burmeister’s favorite “quickies” for opening SEL 9. To help the right SEL 9, hold the right Low 8 together with the right SEL 16.

An open SEL 9 helps keep the feet comfortable and well-balanced. Conversely, discomfort in the feet will tend to recur until SEL 9 is harmonized and remains open.

SEL 10, Abundance

Location: Middle of the back, approximately at the level of the middle of the shoulder blade (around thoracic vertebra 5).

Keywords: Warehouse of abundance.

Meaning and Function: “10 came into the universe meaning air, vehicle of the outpouring of limitless Life-Power”, [SH2, p. 30] It reminds us that there is a world beyond ours, one where abundance reigns in the place of scarcity.

What Mary says: “[It] aids chest congestion; blood pressure; voice; release tension/stress in the knee, hip, neck, and shoulder.” [SH2, p. 30]

How to open

Further Commentary

There are four harmonizing sequences for SEL 10: General [T1, p. 21], Breathing [T1, p. 22], Balance [T1, p. 23], and Vision [T1, p. 24].

“With the Breathing Flow, I look through and see any problem to know that there never was a problem.” —Mary Burmeister

JSJ for couples! If you have a partner, let them place a hand on your back at the level of SEL 10. It feels wonderful—and it’s my favorite way to fall asleep.

I don’t usually have trouble falling asleep at night. On the rare occasions when I do, I ask my husband to place his hand on the area of SEL 10—and it inevitably puts me to sleep within minutes. As self-help, however, holding SEL 10 for sleeplessness is not practical. I discovered that holding SEL 1 works just as well and is something I can easily do on my own.

Two very powerful self-help sequences come from the seven-step “Eyes” sequence for SEL 10 in [T1, p. 24]:

Three-step sequence to help the left eye

  1. Place the left hand under the right underarm.
  2. Place the right hand on the left SEL 20 (above the eyebrow).
  3. Move the right hand to the left SEL 21 (cheekbone).
  4. Return the right hand to the left SEL 20 (above the eyebrow).

Three-step sequence to help the right eye

  1. Place the right hand under the left underarm.
  2. Place the left hand on the right SEL 20 (above the eyebrow).
  3. Move the left hand to the right SEL 21 (cheekbone).
  4. Return the left hand to the right SEL 20 (above the eyebrow).

Second toe: Holding the second toe helps the eye on the same side.

I’ve used both “eye” sequences several times, when I used it myself to calm eye twitching from fatigue.

Two SELs directly support the voice—10 and 16. While 16 relates to the impetus to speak, 10 helps the actual mechanics.

SEL 11, Justice, Unloading Excess Baggage.

Location: At the base of the neck at the level of thoracic vertebra 1 (TV 1).

Keywords: Janitor, Justice, Unloading excess baggage.

Meaning and Function: SEL 11 helps the exhaling processes, the descending energetic pathways, and removes all kinds of burdens – from mental and emotional to toxins that burden the body.

What Mary says: “[It] aids shoulder, neck tension/stress; hip, leg, head, arm, elbow, wrist, hand, finger discomforts.”

To open

  • Hold the index finger.
  • Place a hand on the same or the opposite shoulder. At the same time, with your other hand place the thumb over the ring finger’s nail (as in Mudra No 6). [SH 2, p. 32]
  • Hold the same side SELs 11 and 25 [SH 2, p. 33]

Further Commentary

SEL 11 is an important energetic intersection. All finger flows (Large Intestine, Small Intestine, Umbilicus FE) cross the side of the body at the level of thoracic vertebra 1, between the left and right SEL 11. Positioned near the center relative to all other SELs, it provides balance, according to Mary Burmeister [SH2, p. 32].

During my hospice volunteer training—a two-day program—the subject of Jin Shin Jyutsu came up. As I was enthusiastically sharing all the wonderful flows I had practiced on myself and others, an elderly woman on the training team smiled and said, “Don’t forget the shoulders, dear—they feel wonderful too.” She was right. Many of us know the deep comfort that comes from the simple warmth of a hand resting on the shoulder.

The area of SEL 11 is often tense for most people. Our modern lives are filled with stress, and our shoulders tend to rise higher and higher as we carry our burdens day after day. This is what Jiro Murai referred to when he advised, “Drop the shoulders. Be the Smile.”

According to Wayne Hackett, when Mary Burmeister became ill during her time in Japan, Jiro Murai visited her every day. During each visit, he applied the 11, 12, 3, 4 flow from Text 2, page 26, for about 15 minutes. As described in the book The Touch of Healing, Mary’s illness arose mysteriously soon after she began her Jin Shin Jyutsu studies, but she fully recovered and went on to live a long and productive life.

SEL 12. Thy Will Be Done

Location: SEL 12 is located along the middle of the neck in the vicinity of cervical vertebra No 4.

Keywords: Surrender, Thy Will Be Done

Meaning and Function. Safety Energy Lock 12 helps us accept direction from Higher Sources. Its function is to help us to accept, connect with, and follow our Higher Self.

What Mary says: “[It] aids: [the] release of arm tension/stress and neck.”

To open

  • Hold the middle finger.
  • Place both hands along the same side SEL 12. [SH 2, p. 34]
  • 12-coccyx. Place one hand at the coccyx and the other on the opposite side SEL 12. [SH2, p. 35]

Further Commentary

I like holding both sides SEL 12 at night when I am falling asleep. It feels like a hug to myself and there is that sense of surrender to a higher power that watches over me. By surrendering to a higher power, we also hand over our burdens to that Higher Power. By unloading so, we can feel at peace with ourselves. The need to defend, argue or justify ourselves disappears.

One of my favorite adjustment sequences is the Bladder Function Energy self-help sequence of holding SEL 12 together with the coccyx. When my coccyx appeared twisted for a while, holding SEL 12-coccyx for 30 minutes always readjusted my tailbone to its natural alignment.

When my daughter was only a month-old baby, she picked up some bug that caused her eye to constantly tear. Every time I held her in my arms I adjusted my hands so that they were on her SELs 12 and 25. For young babies, that is actually a very natural position as we carry, nurse, or cuddle them. After 2 days, the eye tearing stopped and her eye recovered. The idea to hold the Bladder flow for her condition came from a story in The Touch of Healing book. [TH, p. 117]

If you feel resistance to the phrase “Thy Will Be Done,” try this modern reinterpretation from A Course in Miracles: Your Will is mine (ACIM, W-307.1:1). It worked miracles (pun intended) for one of my students who had grown up with a dogmatic Christian background and felt blocked when working with SEL 12.

SEL 13, Love All, Fountain of Youth

Location: SEL 13 is located in the upper chest area, at the level of the third rib, near the center of the sternum.

Keywords: Hub of present-day lifestyle.

Meaning and Function: SEL 13 came into existence with the meaning of LOVE. This is not the limited, personal love we feel toward specific people or things we cherish. SEL 13 represents Universal Love—the unconditional force that watches over us, ensures our well-being, and embraces all beings without exception. It connects us to the inner child within each of us—the innocent, lovable essence that is our truest self.

What Mary says: “[It] aids chest congestion, appetite balance; reproductive functions; tension/stress of shoulders and neck.

To Open

  • Place your hands on both sides SEL 13.
  • Index-little finger quickie: Hold the right index, then the little finger. Then repeat for the left index and little fingers.
  • Hold Middle Finger

Further Commentary

If I had to choose one favorite, SEL 13 would be it! It’s so easy to place your hands on both SEL 13s (upper chest), and it was through this hold that I first experienced the feeling of Divine Love. My entire being filled with an indescribable sense of acceptance, protection, and love. There was no room left for fear, anger, anxiety, or any of the usual thoughts that used to race through my mind. I felt impervious to the vagaries of the world and was filled up with the confidence that nothing could touch me against my will.

Open SEL13 helps us stay in touch with our inner child and accept love (of both ourselves and others). When our creative forces do not have an appropriate outlet, they turn inward in a destructive way. By connecting us to the Universal Love and our inner child, Safety Energy Lock 13 can provide that creative outlet and help us overcome addictions and destructive habits.

When surrounded by love, you transform self-destruction into creativity. Through its creative function, SEL 13 is closely related to fertility and to Kidney/Scorpio Function Energy. It is governed by SEL 4 [T1, p. 18] and numerically resonates with the 4th Depth (1+3=4).

Of the 12-fold Function Energy, eleven flow through SEL 13.  Seven of those have a particularly close relationship with SEL 13. All Finger flows go through the area of SEL 13. In addition, the Surface Function Energy (Lung, Large Intestine, Stomach, and Spleen) also combine at the center of third front ribs [T2, p. 4].  Also there, In the middle of the sternum, the Mediator crosses the body twice in its circulatory pattern.

Question: What is the relationship between SEL 13, its harmonizing sequence, and the 4th Depth?

Numerically, 13 reduces to 4 (1 + 3), linking it directly to the 4th Depth.

The 10-step harmonizing sequence for SEL 13 begins by holding the middle of SELs 13 and 10. Together, they add up to 23—the only Safety Energy Lock located within the 4th Depth.

The midpoint between the two SEL 13s corresponds to the center of the sternum, a sensitive area associated with the Bladder Function Energy (see All Combined Energy, T2, p. 43). The base of the sternum—step 5 in the 10-step harmonizing sequence for SEL 13 (T1, p. 28)—corresponds to the Kidney Function Energy (see All Combined Energy, T2, p. 43).

SEL 13 and Pulse Listening
When I first began studying Jin Shin Jyutsu, I often felt pulse indications simultaneously in the superficial index fingers and the deep ring fingers. This pattern pointed to SEL 13. The quick self-help method of holding the index finger and then the pinky—first on one hand, then the other—helped harmonize my pulses and bring the flows into balance.

SEL 14. Equilibrium, Sustenance

Location: Located at the bottom of the rib cage – around the tip of the last rib.

Keywords: Beginning of Man; Equilibrium; Nourishment; Bridge

Meaning and Function: SEL 14 serves as the bridge between Heaven (above) and Earth (below), helping to sustain and harmonize life within the body. It supports our ability to digest not only food but also thoughts, emotions, and life experiences. Closely connected with the Diaphragm Function Energy, SEL 14—located at the Waistline—embodies the principle As Above, So Below.

What Mary says: “[It] aids hips and thighs tension/stress; maintains our harmony waist up with waist down.”

To Open

  • Quickie: One hand on opposite SEL 14, place the thumb of the other hand over the ring fingernail.
  • Hold both sides SEL 14.
  • Hold both sides SEL 19.
  • 19-14: Place one hand on the opposite SEL 14 and the other on the opposite SEL 19.
  • Hold Ring Finger

Further Commentary

SEL 14 helps all Toe Flows and it also helps the Middle Body Function Energy of Diaphragm, Umbilicus, Gall Bladder, and Liver [T2, p.4]. It helps the brain, calms the mind. It is good for mental projects or psychiatric labels.

Left SEL 14 HelpsRight SEL 14 Helps
Left Brain, EyeRight Brain, Eye
Spleen, PancreasLiver, Gall Bladder
Digest CarbsDigest proteins
Quickie: R on L14; Hold L R.F.Quickie: L on R14, Hold  R R. F.

Overeating heavy food. SEL 14 combined with the opposite ring toe is an excellent choice when you’ve overeaten and aren’t feeling your best—provided you can still bend enough to reach the toe 🙂! If not, simply hold both SEL 14s instead. It might take a little longer, but it will still bring relief.

Safety Energy Lock 15. Wash Our Hearts With Laughter

Location: In the groin area on both sides of the pubic bone.

Keywords: The Comedian

Meaning and Function: SEL 15 brings a sense of humor and helps us laugh in life. It gently reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously. It keeps the downward energy circulation unimpeded and removes stagnation from the upper part of the body.

What Mary says: “[It] aids abdominal and leg tension/stress; hips, knees, foot disharmonies, including bloat tension/stress.”

To Open

  • Place both hands on both sides SEL 15.
  • 15-3: Place one hand on the same side SEL 15 and the other hand on the opposite SEL 3. (you end up harmonizing SEL 15 and SEL 3 on the same side)
  • 15-6: Place one hand on the same side SEL 15 and the other hand on the opposite SEL 6
  • Hold Little Finger

Further Commentary

SELs 15 and 3 are closely related. Before we can experience the benefits of SEL 3, we need to open SEL 15 first (see Text 1, p. 17). I know a person who claims that SEL 3 never helped him with flu and cold until he began holding SEL 15 first. Now, just holding SEL 15 helps and he doesn’t even need to reach out to SEL 3.

Opening SEL 15 helps with abdominal discomfort. Once, during a JSJ seminar with Iole Lebensztajn, I got this terrible abdominal discomfort after eating lunch. I was feeling so bad that I had to lie down on one of the massage tables, while the class was getting ready to resume for the afternoon. Iiole held 15 and 6 to help with the discomfort.

A woman suffering from severe head congestion once held her SEL 15s through the night and awoke to find her sinuses freely draining. She had first assumed it was an infection, but when tests came back negative and her doctor declined to prescribe antibiotics, she turned to Jin Shin Jyutsu. After I felt her pulses and suggested SEL 15, she tried it—and found relief overnight.

SEL 15 harmonizes all fiery energy – Lung, Heart, and Diaphragm Function Energy (Chest Flows). I never understood why and how 15 can help the Lung, but I held 15 and 6 once and was able to harmonize both Lung and Large Intestine Function Energy in my pulses.

SEL 15 is related to the Hip Line and it helps in the physical recovery of the body – fractures, surgeries, etc. Any time something physical is going on in the body, SEL 15 is beneficial pre- and post- conventional medical treatment. It helps the same side abdomen, hip, knee, cold foot, bloating in the knee and lower leg area.