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Jin Shin Do® Acupressure — Magic or Science?
Jin Shin Do® Acupressure — Magic or Science?
By Iona Marsaa Teeguarden,
M.A., L.M.F.T., Dipl. ABT
— reprinted with permission from Acupressure News, Vol. 20, 2006, from the Jin
Shin Do® Foundation for Bodymind Acupressure® at
Shin Do® Bodymind Acupressure® seems like magic. . .
After my riding teacher, Karen Arave, hurt her back while barrel racing, I
offered her a free JSD session from my Module I Jin Shin Do® students. A Basic
student and I worked on her, and I loaned her an Acu-Releaser so that she could
maintain the release at home. The next morning, Karen said she had slept well
for the first time in ages and felt much better. She'd had an appointment with
her chiropractor, who said, “Whatever you did, keep doing it!” because she was
so easy to adjust.
Karen asked if
she could please come back the next week. After my Intermediate JSD students
worked on her, Karen again saw her chiropractor. He said she didn’t need to come
back for a while, since he barely needed to adjust anything.
After her third
JSD session, Karen said, “I am doing good. My back and neck haven't felt this
great for years. I want to thank you and your girls.” (In the rodeo world,
“girl” is a politically correct term; we are all cowgirls and cowboys.) “Would
you help my son, Brian? He is really, really struggling with lower back pain.
He’s a horse shoer, so he uses his body pretty hard every day. He went to the
chiropractor and still didn’t feel good enough to work.”
At his first
JSD session, Brian Arave said he was thinking he might have to retire, and he's
not even 40. That session took over two hours. Brian indeed “uses his body
pretty hard,” since he also competes in "tie down" in rodeos (and often wins). I
explained that we needed to release the tension in his neck, shoulders, upper
and middle back, so that release of his low back could hold. This made sense to
Brian—especially after a couple of sessions, when he was surprised to notice
that the middle of his back is actually tighter than his low back. Probably that
has to do with standing under 1200-lb. animals all day. Brian felt good after
his first JSD session. The chiropractor asked, "Did you quit working? Or quit
jumping off perfectly good horses?!" Brian used his Acu-Releaser during the long
hauls back and forth to rodeos, and he had regular JSD sessions. Karen and I now
trade riding lessons for JSD sessions.
strained her back, Brian’s wife asked, “Would you work your magic on me?” Jin
Shin Do is Magic! But I tell people that I don’t believe in Jin Shin Do—and I
don’t want to believe in Jin Shin Do, because this way I can continually be
amazed, which is more fun. However, I also like to try to understand things
(while realizing that we can never completely understand anything, starting with
the amazing fact of life itself).
In the early
seventies, when I was first studying acupuncture and what is now called
acupressure, I wondered, “What exactly are meridians and points?” In Japan in
1976, I found out that scientific research had confirmed the existence of acu-points
and meridians (lines of interconnected points) and helped to explain their
nature. Before we explore this and other scientific research, here are basic
("jing-luo"): a network of channels that transport Qi (energy). French
missionaries, who brought acupuncture back from China, translated “jing-luo”
as “meridien,” so English acupuncturists used the word “meridian” (which
derives from “meridien”). One meaning of Jing is “to go through,” and luo
means “something that connects or attaches.”1
("xue"): places along the meridians where the Qi is accessible (close to the
surface). “The original character for xue contains the image of something
precious that is buried in a small hole in the earth,” says B.C.
acupuncturist and author Arnie Lade.
thing that is in the acu-points is energy, or “Qi.” Qi is derived from the air
that we breathe, the food and liquids that we take in, and other subtle elements
that we absorb (like through the skin or senses). Stimulation of acu-points—with
finger pressure, needles or heat—influences the local area and the functions of
related Organ Meridian(s).
Meridian transports Qi to a related internal organ, sense organ, and body
parts—including the tissues along its route. Generally named for the related
internal organ, the twelve Organ Meridians are: the Lung, Large Intestine,
Stomach, Spleen/Pancreas, Heart, Small Intestine, Bladder, Kidney, Pericardium,
Triple Warmer, Gall Bladder and Liver Meridians.
receives Qi (vital energy) through its meridian, and its related functions can
be influenced by stimulating points along the meridian. As Arnie Lade says,
“Acu-points along a Meridian are gateways to influence the Meridians.”
tension at an acu-point helps the smooth flow of Qi in meridian(s) that go
through it. To facilitate the gradual and mainly pleasant release of tension to
the deepest level possible, JSD Acupressurists hold a tight or sore place with
one hand while, with the other hand, holding “distal points” that help it to
release. These distal points are on related Organ meridians and on the "Strange
Flows" (which have general balancing effects).
Japanese Research on Points & Meridians
In his course
“Chinese Medical Philosophy,” in 1971, Dr. Kok Yuen Leung said that research had
shown a marked lowering of electrical resistance in the skin along the paths of
the meridians. Japanese acupuncturists had used electronic equipment to trace
the meridians and to find “'points of blockage,' which show up as minute areas
of intense micro-electrical conductivity. These points invariably coincide with
the traditional acupuncture points.”
In 1976 in
Tokyo, I was fortunate to meet Katsusuke Serizawa, M.D.,2 who kindly
shared reports of scientific research that he and colleagues in the department
of physical therapy and medicine at the University of Tokyo had done since 1964.
indicated that the traditional points, or “keiketsu,” which generally exhibit
tenderness, normally have a skin temperature 0.1 to 0.6 degrees Celsius higher
than the surrounding area.3
said that these “electrodermal points or reflex points” are localized skin areas
of about 0.5 x 0.5 mm., which have a markedly decreased electrical
resistance—about 1/100 of the surrounding area.4 This is the same as
saying that the electrical conductivity at these points is 100 times greater
than that of the surrounding area!
research also suggested that the meridians are located in interfascial
spaces—between the fibrous membranes which support and separate the muscles and
organs. In 1964, Rokuro Fujita, M.D. concluded: “Each meridian in nature
consists of interfascial space, wherein exist blood-lymph vessels and nerve
trunks at a depth specific to itself.” In general, “some meridians have more
extravascular connective tissue, and others more extranervous connective
How does the Qi
move along these meridians or interfascial spaces? Japanese researchers
hypothesized that the meridians are stimulated by muscular movement, or
the "serial contraction" of related muscles. Not only physical movement, but
also the flow of emotions, causes functionally-related muscles to contract.
Therefore, both physical and psychological movement stimulates the flow of Qi.
It was in 1952
that Rokuro Fujita, M.D. made studies of the electrical reactivity of the points
and the appearance of “papules” after moxa (heat) stimulation, and concluded
that the main cause of meridian phenomena is “the transmission of changes based
on the serial contraction of systematical muscles connected kinetodyamically.”
Meridians and Myofascial “Tracks”
explore some exciting recent American research on the meridians, here are basic
a thin layer of connective tissue covering, supporting or connecting muscles
or inner organs. This connective tissue enfolds and enmeshes every structure
muscle (myo) & fascia combined.
The metaphor of
myofascial “tracks” (described in Anatomy Trains7) helps us to
visualize the vertical, horizontal and spiral ways that the fascia runs.
Authorized JSD Teacher Evan McCormick of L.A. says, “Many of the basic JSD
points correspond to key junctions where bone, muscle and fascia overlap; and
the Strange Flows are in the path of myofascial ‘tracks.’ This helps explain why
releasing a JSD point not only relaxes the local tension, but also releases
other muscles—those that contribute to the tension through fascial connections.
Release of the local point stimulates a spontaneous reorganization along the
“To use another
metaphor, the local point acts like a tuning fork. It is as though all the
fascia that relate to that local point organize themselves around its
acupuncturist Arnie Lade writes about the meridians and the faschia in his book,
Energetic Healing: Embracing the Life Force. Arnie says that, while he perceives
“the meridians as being subtle structures in nature,” there appears to be “a
physical medium through which they operate,” which likely is “the body’s fascial
composed primarily of collagenous and elastic fibers within a colloidal or
glue-like ground substance,” Arnie explains. “Collagen fibers are highly pliable
and tough, and form the bulk of the faschia, while elastic fibers are
stretchable, giving fascia greater flexibility. The majority of fascial fibers
in the body orient themselves in a longitudinal direction” 9 [as do
the majority of the Meridians].
on the idea that the faschia is “the conduit for meridian Qi,” giving two main
reasons why the fascial system might be the physical medium through which the
1) The fascia
is “a single, continuous, mobile sheet of connective tissue wrapping itself
around virtually every structure inside the body.”
2) The fascia is “highly responsive to electrical and magnetic influences.”
It is “a
sensitive biological amplifier of subtle external forces,” such as changes in
weather and seasonal changes. “Fascia allows for an amazing amount of
responsiveness because of its mobility and elasticity,” so that “via the fascia,
pain, tension and stress are easily diffused and rapidly communicated throughout
the whole body.”9
Likewise, it is
by means of the fascia that relief, relaxation, pleasure and joy can be easily
and rapidly communicated throughout the body.
“Although the fascia is a continuous network, three types of fascia are
differentiated: superficial, deep, and visceral.” Superficial fascia
“lies beneath the skin” and helps maintain body heat and protect against trauma.
Deep fascia “covers and holds muscles, tendons and ligaments together, as
well as separating them into functional units.” Visceral fascia “envelops and
supports the internal organs” and stabilizes them structurally, by anchoring
my clinical investigation, the classical routes associated with the meridian
system utilize and follow the body’s fascia,” says Arnie. “The superficial
fascia corresponds to the meridian’s exterior pathways and the deep and visceral
fascial layers to its internal pathways.”9
American Research on Meridians & Fascia
research along these lines has recently been done by Helene M. Langevin and
colleagues at the University of Vermont.10 They start from traditional beliefs
that Meridians connect the surface of the body to internal organs and are
channels through which Qi flows.
They say, “the
anatomical correspondence of acupuncture points and meridians to connective
tissue planes in the arm suggests plausible physiological explanations for
several important traditional Chinese medicine concepts.”10
Here are some
of their “proposed anatomical/physiological equivalents” of key concepts of
traditional acupuncture/acupressure theory:
Connective tissue planes.
Points: Convergence of connective tissue
Meridian qi: Connective tissue
Blockage of qi: Altered connective tissue
matrix composition leading to altered signal transduction.
Langevin cites Matsumoto and Birch as saying that “ancient acupuncture texts
contain several references to fat, greasy membranes, fasciae and systems of
connecting membranes through which qi is believed to flow.” 11
her colleagues have begun to provide experimental evidence supporting the
correspondence between the meridians and the fascia. Their hypothesis is: “The
network of acupuncture points and meridians can be viewed as a representation of
the network formed by interstitial connective tissue.” They say “this hypothesis
is supported by ultrasound images showing connective tissue cleavage planes at
acupuncture points in normal human subjects.” Also, they found an 80%
correspondence between the sites of 24 acupuncture points on the human arm and
the location of intermuscular or intramuscular connective tissue planes (in
postmortem tissue sections). 10
They note that
the same description fits both “meridians” and fascia or “interstitial
connective tissue.” Both “form a network throughout the body, connecting
peripheral tissues to each other and to central viscera.” Interstitial
connective tissue “constitutes a continuous network enveloping all limb
muscles, bones, and tendons, extending into connective tissue planes of pelvic
and shoulder girdles, abdominal and chest walls, neck, and head.” Therefore, “a
form of signaling (mechanical, bioelectrical, and/or biochemical) transmitted
through interstitial connective tissue . . . may have potentially powerful
integrative functions. . .”10
They say: “A
mechanism initially involving signal transduction through connective tissue,
with secondary involvement of other systems including the nervous system, is
potentially closer to traditional Chinese acupuncture theory, yet also
compatible with previously proposed neurophysiological mechanisms.” This
physiological model may be the first to satisfactorily explain why
stimulation of an acu-point has effects on other body parts. 10
explain the interconnection of the points in a simpler way. Sometimes clients
ask, "Why are you holding points on my foot when it is my neck that hurts?" I
often reply, “Well, it’s because the hip bone’s connected to the thigh bone, and
the thigh bone’s connected to the knee bone, and the knee bone’s connected to
the leg bone...” Usually they say “Oh!” before I get to sing: "and the leg
bone's connected to the ankle bone, and the ankle bone's connected to the foot
1 Ted Kaptchuk,
O.M.D., The Web that has no Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine, 1983,
Congdon & Weed, NY, p. 77, 108.
2 Katsusuke Serizawa, M.D. is author of Massage: the Oriental Method,
1972 and Tsubo: Vital Points for Oriental Therapy, 1976, both published
by Japan Publications, Tokyo.
3 “Studies on Clinical Scientific Approach in Acupuncture and Moxibustion
Treatment,” by Katsusuke Serizawa, M.D.; Dpt. of Physical Therapy & Medicine,
School of Medicine, University of Tokyo; and Institute of Physical Therapeutics,
Tokyo U. of Education; 1966.
4 “Individual Pattern Changes in the Distribution of Skin Temperature, Electric
Resistance, and Potential Difference, by Yoshio Oshima, Kosei Takahashi,
Katsusuke Serizawa, Toshimori Fujita, Toshio Kubota, and Kazu Mori; Dpt. Of
Physical Therapy & Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Tokyo & Institute
of Physical Therapeutics, Tokyo University of Education; abstract read at 4th.
International Congress of Physical Medicine in Paris, 1964.
5 “Experimental Study on the Main Meridian Line,” by Rokuro Fujita, M.D., The
Japan Society for Oriental Medicine in Japan, July 14, 1964.
6 “Study on Meridians,” 1st. and 2nd. Reports, abstract of paper presented by
Rokuro Fujita, M.D., at the Japan Society for Oriental Medicine in Japan, 1952.
7 See Anatomy Trains, by Thomas W. Myers, 2001, Churchill Livingstone,
pp. 51-60. To order: www.AnatomyTrains.net
8 “Extraordinary Energy Flows” by Iona Marsaa Teeguarden, 2003 Acupressure News,
9 Energetic Healing: Embracing the Life Force, by Arnie Lade, ISBN
0-914955-46-2 1998, Lotus Press (P.O. Box 325, Twin Lakes, WI 53181), p.
145-150, (also available in German and Portuguese). Arnie kindly includes
exercises (some traditional, some new) to help you experience, and get a body
sense of, the life force or Qi.
10 Helene M. Langevin and Jason A. Yandow, “Relationship of acupuncture points
and meridians to connective tissue planes.” (See www.somatics.de and then click
on: “Articles,” “For Professionals,” & “Of General Interest for Somatic
Practitioners.”) Ms. Langevin says that pubmed.org lists her papers right away.
Correspondence to Helene M. Langevin:
<email@example.com> - Fax: 802-656-8704; Given C 423, Dpt. of Neurology,
University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT 05405.
11 Matsumoto K, Birch S. 1988. Hara diagnosis: Reflections of the sea.
Brookline: Paradigm Publications.