There Is No Other Help but Self-Help

Jiro Murai, a Japanese man who fell gravely ill at the beginning of the twentieth century, proved this truth on himself. By holding his fingers in various Yoga postures (Mudras), he was able to heal his body and live for another fifty years. He devoted the rest of his life to exploring the mystery behind our innate ability to heal ourselves with our hands. He passed his knowledge on to his American-born student, Mary Burmeister, who brought it to the United States and shared it with family, friends, neighbors, and students.

Both Jiro and Mary emphasized that what they taught was not a technique but an art. After several iterations, Jiro named it Jin Shin Jyutsu, which Mary translated into English as The Art of the Creator through the Compassionate Man. She often called it The Art of Getting to Know (Help) Myself. I call it simply The Way of Hands.

This page is dedicated to the art of healing ourselves with the help of our hands—whatever name it takes. The art itself is ancient. People have used their hands to ease discomfort and tension since time immemorial. Every child who has ever felt unwell knows that a mother’s touch can truly heal.

Know Thyself

“The truth is that within each one of us lies the power to cast all misery aside and to KNOW complete PEACE and Oneness—to BE that beautiful creation of perfect harmony—to truly KNOW (Help) Myself.”
—Mary Burmeister

Jiro and Mary were well-versed in the ancient philosophical traditions of both East and West, as well as in the principles of Yoga and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Many ideas from these systems found their way into the body of Jin Shin Jyutsu. The most fundamental of these is that our natural state is harmony. We fall out of harmony—and become unwell—when we live in discord with our true self. Healing, therefore, is not about striving to create harmony but about removing the blocks that obscure it.

The Hermetic principle As Above, So Below also lies at the foundation of Jin Shin Jyutsu. Its harmonizing sequences build on the relationships between “above” and “below,” “left” and “right,” “front” and “back.” They remind us that life is neither linear nor local. If I experience abdominal distress, the cause may lie on the back of my body. If I have a headache, holding my feet may be the most effective way to find relief.

The concept of chi (or qi) is another cornerstone of Jin Shin Jyutsu. By placing our hands on the body, we invite the natural circulation of chi to restore itself to balance. And this is what makes Jin Shin Jyutsu unique among its many cousins: in its practice, we neither move, take, nor give energy. Giver and receiver simply come together in a shared intent for harmony—and in that union, harmony is restored.

But when you know for yourselves

The best way to understand what Jin Shin Jyutsu is—and what it does—is to experience it directly. Choose a harmonizing sequence and simply try it.

Jin Shin Jyutsu works with twenty-six pairs of energy centers called Safety Energy Locks. You can think of them as miniature chakras, spherical in nature, positioned along the left and right sides of the body. By lightly placing your hands on these locations, you help restore balance to the body’s subtle energy pathways and clear energetic blockages.

The touch is gentle and effortless. Some practitioners even choose to hover their hands above the body, foregoing physical contact altogether. Do whatever feels most natural and comfortable for you. You don’t need to complete every step of a sequence; holding only the first position for the entire duration of your practice can be just as beneficial. That’s often how I practice nowadays, and I continue to feel its steady support.

At the foundation of Jin Shin Jyutsu lies the Main Central Vertical Harmonizing Energy—an oval flow that moves down the front and up the back of the body. This circulation is the source of all other energy flows. It gives rise to the Left and Right Supervisors, along whose pathways the twenty-six pairs of mini-chakras reside. Mary Burmeister named them Safety Energy Locks because they serve as regulators of energetic movement.

When all our Locks are open, energy circulates freely, and we experience harmony, vitality, and peace. When disharmony arises, one or more Locks may temporarily close to prevent imbalance from spreading elsewhere. We then feel this as tension, pain, or discomfort in the body.

By placing our hands on the affected areas, we invite the Safety Energy Locks to reopen and restore balance. Yet, true healing occurs only when we also address the deeper source of disharmony—otherwise, the Locks may close again, signaling that our attention is still needed.

To give and to receive are one in truth

The benefits of this art are not limited to those who receive it. During a session, both giver and receiver experience a harmonization of their energetic flow. Giving and receiving are, in truth, one and the same—a shared process of mutual healing.

In this exchange, no energy is transferred from one person to another. Rather, both transcend the illusion of scarcity and attune to the original, limitless Source of abundance.

If you wish to practice Jin Shin Jyutsu with others, I recommend enrolling in an authorized 5-Day Basic Seminar. These seminars teach the art’s guiding principles along with its harmonizing sequences and how to apply them effectively.

In a self-help context, however, there are no barriers to practice. Anyone can place their hands and experience the harmonizing effects of Jin Shin Jyutsu. You may rest your hands on your body—or simply hold your fingers or toes, as the need arises—for as long as it feels comfortable and good.

Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind

Keep in mind that Jin Shin Jyutsu is not a substitute for medical treatment. Do not discontinue any medication unless advised by your doctor.

However, the art can beautifully complement any medical or healing practice. As you continue with it, you may begin to notice subtle yet profound shifts—your perception softens, your quality of life improves, and the need to worry, suffer, or hold fear and resentment gradually fades away.

You pause, receive a moment of clarity, and come to know yourself.

Welcome to harmony.