Fatigue

Many of us have felt fatigue at one or another time. Our modern life leaves very little opportunity for rest. So, how do we cope with fatigue? Obviously, good sleep and rest are essential. Occasionally, however, we don’t have the time to rest. Or, perhaps, we did sleep and rested, but the fatigue is still there. I would like to share a powerful Jin Shin Jyutsu hold that has invariably helped me in moments of fatigue. It’s is called Fagitue Flow Self-Help and it clears up energetic causes of fatigue in our bodies. Those who have studied Jin Shin Jyutsu or have gone to a practitioner may already know of the 17-step Fatigue flow. What I have experienced, however, is that the Self-Help one-step flow is just as powerful. And it has one great advantage over the 17-step one. You can do it by yourself any time and anywhere for free.

Fatigue Flow Self-Help

So, whenever I feel tired and I would like to feel better, I place my hands on my head. My thumbs rest above and to the back of my ears and the rest of the fingers go on top of the head. The tips of the fingers of my left and right hand meet at the center. I usually keep my hands on my head for at least 20 minutes. There is really no hard rule about that, however. Most of the time I hold it because it feels really great.

Some logistical notes – if you are sitting,  you might want to place your elbows on a table for support. Or, if in bed, place pillows around you. Remember, Jin Shin Jyutsu’s philosophy is about reducing effort in life, not increasing it.

Here are some practical situations where I have experienced it myself. If I have to wake up early in the morning and I know I won’t have sufficient hours to sleep, I hold the Fatigue flow before sleep. You have to experiment with that a bit,  however, since once it worked so well for me that I woke up at 2 am. Since I prefer not to wake up before 6 am, I eventually switched to holding it first thing in the morning. Just set your alarm 15 min earlier than usual and hold your head while snoozing.

Fatigue Flow Quickies

Another time of the day when I usually fight fatigue is in the early afternoon. Especially after a heavy meal. And most definitely, during an uninspiring meeting scheduled at those early hours after lunch. If you have ever been in such a meeting, you know there is a logistical difficulty in doing the Fatigue Flow Self-Help. You cannot simply place your elbows on the table and hands on the head without attracting the attention of your boss and co-workers. So, I use a sneaky short-cut (quickie) for the Fatigue Self-Help flow. I place the thumb of my left hand on the inner portion of my right-hand middle finger and hold it. Or vice versa, I hold the left middle finger with my right hand, while none of the present the wiser for that.

Holding the middle finger, in fact, is so effective, that lately, I have consistently preferred holding it over placing my hands on my head. Even more so, I know 7 more shortcuts to the Fatigue flow in case I get bored with simply holding one finger. They come from the ancient Indian yogi tradition by way of Japan and are called Mudras. In Jin Shin Jyutsu, each of these Eight Mudras, or finger postures, serves as a shortcut for the Fatigue flow. Try them on a long-distance flight and be surprised with the mildness of the jet-lag symptoms.

I invite you to practice and experiment with the Fatigue Flow Self-Help and its quickies to find out what is best for you. And when you discover it, share your experience with others. After all, we were never meant to go through life tired and without means to cope.

Tatiana