Getting to the Heart of the Matter with Jin Shin Jyutsu by Mitzi Adams

Getting to the heart of the matter in your everyday life is actually doable. Imagine being able to send energy to the heart via your pinky finger, to promote heart healthy changes. Seems too simple and outrageous, right? Well, it can be done! In fact, that little phalange sitting on the end of your hand, can be a huge helper in times of need.

The life force in the body is activated through energy. This energy can be activated by the use of Jin Shin Jyutsu®, an ancient Japanese healing art form utilizing the fingers, toes, and what are called, “safety energy locks,” in the body, to stimulate the flow of vital energy. When we hold the fingers, we are accessing our organ energies, which, in turn, will start to flow through their respective, associated patterns. In addition, each finger is associated with an attitude. Hardened attitudes that we hold onto, can disrupt the flow of energy in the body, robbing us of needed energy used to promote good health. While we gently and lovingly hold a finger, not squeezing or massaging, we harmonize our bodies in this particular way: WORRY with the thumb; FEAR with the index; ANGER with the middle; GRIEF and SADNESS with the ring; and TRY-TOs, or PRETENSE with the pinky finger. While holding your fingers, you will feel pulsation arise. Once you feel it, you can continue to hold as long as convenient, or a few minutes per finger. While focusing on the pinky finger for the heart function energy projects, you may want to allot more time–perhaps up to 20 minutes or longer in a sitting. (See chart).


In the case of the pinky finger, the associated energetic flow patterns are with the small intestine and the heart. This is purely on an energetic level, when we speak of the organs. If you could imagine a traffic map in the body, where you could choose to drive on the road to the heart and the small intestine, then you can simply navigate this to happen by wrapping the thumb and fingers of one hand, around the the pinky finger of the other hand. As you hold, you are simply allowing the energy to start its way through these roadways, energizing and removing stagnation that causes disharmony in the body. Now, imagine a beautifully paved road to heart. Let’s start our road trip now!

Is your blood pressure too high? Do you have a malady of the heart such as arrhythmia, a rapid heartbeat or abnormal heart rhythm? Do you have coronary heart disease? Or, are you at risk for any these mentioned, or perhaps other heart disharmonies? Well, there’s a quiet, little helper waiting to be held– your pinky finger can be your new physician’s assistant!!


handsTake time every day to wrap your thumb and fingers of your RIGHT hand, around the pinky finger of the LEFT hand. Hold for a few minutes, or longer, while in bed in the morning, while watching TV, while walking, talking on the phone, while sitting quietly meditating, or anywhere in your daily travels where your hands are free. If time permits, simply go to the other hand and repeat. No time is too long for finger holding, and there’s no harm at all to doing this “self-help” exercise. Not only are you helping the heart function energy, but you have the additional bonus of helping the small intestine function energy, and you’ll also be harmonizing the attitude of trying-to, which causes a burden to correlated organ energies. In a few minutes, you can start to feel the anxiety and tension leaving the body, allowing the heart to to relax and blood pressure to become more balanced… and, don’t worry! Holding longer will never cause the blood pressure to get too low.

Holding the fingers will only bring about harmony. The more you hold the pinky, the more benefit you’ll receive. Of course, be sure to visit your healthcare provider for your routine check-ups, and be sure to mention you are doing this routine for your heart, if you begin this journey. After a period of a month or more of your holding, you may want to check back with your doctor, as you may have brought about positive changes to your heart, which may indicate a change in the level of your medication, or perhaps, an elimination of a particular medication. Be sure to follow your doctor’s orders, and stay on your prescribed regime, however.

Will positive results continue to hold, or will I have to hold my pinky finger forever? Well, your lifestyle and genetic predisposition are probably the causes beneath the disharmony of your heart, so holding the pinky finger to ensure proper harmony is a good idea for life. If you skip a day or two, or fall-off the “self-help” band wagon, simply jump back in whenever, as your body will thank you.

We live in such stressful times. Every day is a run-run-go-go-do-do effort to get by, and there’s little time for folks to catch a breather. Why not in between all the running around, just grab your pinky finger? If you’re driving a lot, a great substitute for holding the pinky finger, is to make a ring with your thumbs over the pinky and ring nail beds, as your hands are wrapped around the steering wheel. This will take the place of holding the pinky finger, and will add the bonus of helping respiratory system, as well. How easy is that? You have two hours of driving? Well, there’s two hours of heart-healthy cruising. You’re a passenger on a train, subway, plane or car? Well, take advantage of your pinky finger then. How about while walking–utilize the steering wheel method by making a ring with the thumbs over the pinky finger and ring finger nail beds of both hands. You won’t run out of steam as fast, and you might even choose to walk longer. How beneficial!!

9-1-1 !! What about the case of “I think I’m having a heart attack!” Or, “I think they’re having a heart attack!” Well, first off: DIAL 9-1-1 !! Then, while waiting for the EMTs, grab your LEFT pinky finger, in whatever position you may be in. If you witness someone else in this situation, you can grab their LEFT pinky finger, (with either hand of your own), and with the other hand, press lightly into the upper back, right on the spine at the location of thoracic 5 (T-5), or right between the shoulder blades on the spine. Sound too complicated? Just grab their pinky finger, and ask them, if they are able, to grab their other one. Do your best to breathe, both recipient and helper.

In addition, according to the American Heart Association, “During a sudden arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm), it may be possible for a conscious, responsive person to cough forcefully and repetitively to maintain enough blood flow to the brain to remain conscious for a few seconds until the arrhythmia is treated. Blood flow is maintained by increased pressure in the chest that occurs during forceful coughs. This has been mislabeled “cough CPR,” although it’s not a form of traditional resuscitation.”

I witnessed this process of Rescue 9-1-1 first hand on several occasions, but the most profound story was when my former landlord rang our doorbell, and when I answered she said, “ I think I’m having a heart attack.” She was ashen in color, and looked like she was going to die. My husband dialed 9-1-1, and then I grabbed her LEFT pinky finger and pressed into her spine at thoracic vertebra 5 (TV-5).

It seemed like forever until the paramedics came, but in the meantime, the Jin Shin Jyutsu went to work to start the harmonizing. By the time the rescue team arrived, the color had returned to my landlord’s face, and she was able to communicate more. Though she was taken away on a stretcher to the back of the ambulance, she was alive. Truly, the amazing wonders of this art were working to save this woman’s life. She successfully returned home, and started a new path of health and wellness by making new choices in her life, including holding her pinky finger!

Our pinkies can be so helpful to our understanding of letting go. It’s the holding on, and pretending that everything is ok when it’s not, that disrupts our energy flows. It’s the efforting and repeating over time of pushing ourselves to the limits that breaks us down, leading to symptoms which then lead to disease. Why not hold the pinkies to dissolve the stresses of everyday life before it takes a hold of us? The study of Jin Shin Jyutsu “self-help” can allow us to better handle the wear and tear of life’s assaults and can be performed whenever and wherever you are. Whether enlisting the help of a seasoned practitioner, or working with the techniques from the many Self-Help Jin Shin Jyutsu books, you will begin a journey of wellness, increasing your longevity of life through balancing your body, mind, and spirit. Now that gets to the heart of the matter, don’t you think?


mitzi-headshotMain Headquarters of Jin Shin Jyutsu, Inc

Books and resources

Mitzi’s Jin Shin Jyutsu website

Mitzi Adams was first introduced to Jin Shin Jyutsu in 1986 when she started her graduate studies in dance in Arizona. She has studied for a little over three decades and has taught Self-help Jin Shin Jyutsu at various universities. Her love and devotion to Jin Shin Jyutsu are witnessed through her teachings, inspiring all those drawn to this profound art.