A Sample of Self-Acupressure: Jin Shin DoŽ® Bodymind Acupressure for Neck & Shoulders
By Deborah Valentine Smith
This self-help technique is taught regularly by instructors and Acupressurists registered with the Jin Shin DoŽ Foundation for Bodymind Acupressure . See the Schedule of Upcoming Classes for current offerings.
Acupressure points in the neck and shoulder area affect the circulation of Qi, or life force, throughout the body. Ancient texts say where the Qi goes, the blood, or circulation, follows. When we are under stress, we tend to hold energy in the neck and shoulders, either through focus on mental activity or through the unconscious protective muscular tightening that "covers the neck."
Simple Neck and Shoulder Self-Acupressure
You can work most of the important acupoints in this area by simply searching them out with your fingers. As you press into these areas, you are looking, feeling, asking for the most tender or tense areas to reveal themselves. When you find them, squeeze or press gently but firmly in the area until you feel a change in the sensitivity, then move on. To begin, it is best to lie on the floor or lean your head against the back of a chair or sofa though you can do these techniques in almost any position. Close your eyes, take a deep relaxing breath and use your thumbs to press gently and firmly into the muscles all along the base of the skull. Begin behind the ears and move toward the spine, exploring the area with your fingers. Still breathing deeply, return to the most tense or sensitive points, press and hold until you feel the muscle soften or the tension ease. Now find the most tense places in the the back of the neck by rubbing across the muscles, one hand on either side of the spine, beginning under the skull and moving down to the shoulder. Find the most tense places there. Continuing to breathe deeply, press and hold. Moving down, cross one arm over the chest and squeeze all along the big muscle (trapezius) across the top of the opposite shoulder. Again, use your fingers to feel for the tensest or most sensitive point and breathing deeply, press and hold until you feel a release. Repeat on the opposite side. Now drop both arms to your sides, breathe, and imagine your skull is as heavy as a bowling ball, and is completely cradled by the surface on which it rests. Remind your neck and shoulder muscles that the head is supported for the moment so they can take a break and let go!! If you are returning to activity, imagine your head as light as a balloon, move your neck and shoulders, and lift off!
Neck Release with Specific Points
Holding two points at the same time enhances the body wisdom of allowing flow of Qi between the points, which we experience as relaxation. The method is usually to hold a point in a tense area: a "local point", with another point along the same flow which influences movement of Qi: a "distal point." Or you may begin by holding the same local points on both the left and right sides and adding distal points to help more blocked locals release. Working on yourself, you may hold the local point with the hand on the same side of the body and hold the distal point with the opposite hand. There are several important points in the JSD #21 area. (See chart You may just use your fingers to find the most sensitive point and hold it with a "joker": a point that may be held with many locals, or you may try holding the distal for the specific point that you think you have found.
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LOCAL POINTS
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DISTAL POINTS
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#24 (LI #14, "ARM BONE")
#23 (SI #10, "SHOULDER BLADE ASSOCIATED) #20 (GB #21, "SHOULDER WELL") #19 (TW #15 "HEAVENLY BONE") #21 (EXTRA POINT) #21 AREA LI (LI #18) #21 AREA SI (SI #16) #21 AREA TW (TW 16) #21 AREA BL (BL 10) #22 (GB #20, "WIND POND") "JAW POINT" (ST #6, "JAW CHARIOT") |
"JOKERS" #35 #26 "NOSTRIL PT"(EXTRA)
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See also Point Locations on charts below
POINT LOCATIONS
(NOTE: A "Tsun" is the width of the second knuckle of the thumb)
#24 - At the lower end of the deltoid muscle, pressing directly in towards the upper arm bone (humerus).
#23 - On the back of the shoulder joint, about 1 tsun below the bony ridge (acromion) and pressing up towards it.
#20 - On the trapezius muscle directly up from the nipple line.
#19 - In a hollow above the inner tip of the shoulder blade (scapula), 1 tsun lower than and inside of #20.
#21 - Below #22, outside the junction of the third and fourth cervical vertebrae.
#21: LI: At the level of the adam's apple, in the body of the Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle.
#21: SI: Behind and slightly lower than the #21:LI, in the "stringy" muscles of the neck.
#21: TW: At the level of the chin, on the back edge of the Sternocleidomastoid muscle.
#21: BL Inside and down from #22 about a tsun each direction.
#22 - Between the trapezius and Sternocleidomastoid muscles, just below the skull (occipital bone). Press toward the opposite #1.
"Jaw" Point - In the masseter muscle, which forms a bulge when the teeth are clamped shut, and a hollow when they are parted.
#35 - ("hoku") - In the webbing between the thumb and index finger, at the end of the crease formed when they are pressed together. Press toward the index finger bone. FORBIDDEN FOR PREGNANT WOMEN.
#26 - 2 tsun above the outer arm wrist crease, between the bones of the forearm (radius and ulna) , where a little muscular knot can often be felt.
"NOSTRIL Point" - At the side of the nose, on the bottom edge of the cheekbone.
"TRAGUS Point" - In front of the tragus (flap of cartilage) of the ear.
"EAR LOBE Point" - Behind the earlobe, between the jaw and the base of the skull, pressing toward the jaw.
#37 - Just inside and above the inner corner (canthus) of the eye. Press toward the bridge of the nose.
#1 - In the hollow 1 tsun above the eyebrow, up from the pupil of the.
#2 - Below the cheekbone, directly down from the pupil of the eye and pressing up towards the cheekbone.
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and last updated on 6/13/07.
Tao Te Ching quotations from Stephen Mitchell translation
Site ©2000-2007 by Deborah Valentine Smith