Hello dear one,
Welcome.
I had the pleasure earlier in this week of a massage therapist asking to practice jinshin jitsu on me at work.
I said yes please.
I was unfamiliar with the modality,
Which I learned is a Japanese acupressure healing art to balance the body's energy through gentle application of one's hands on designated points on the body.
And as she had one of her hands lightly touching a point on my shoulder blade,
And her other hand took each finger of my right hand one by one and held them.
And I realized I have never done this before.
I've in years past dipped into Donna Eden's energy medicine.
I practiced self reiki for the last couple years.
I do that often.
Yet,
I have never held each finger one by one.
And throughout the rest of that brief practice with her,
I experienced sensations in my shoulder and could feel a lot of subtle things in other parts of the body.
It was very relaxing and my interest has definitely been piqued to learn more about that healing modality.
And what I want to share with you today is a simple finger holding practice I've been playing with and enjoying since that day.
I've been using it throughout my days when I'm lying in bed before sleep,
Waiting moments I'm waiting during the day or it's just been a beautiful touch point.
And as someone who considers herself energetically sensitive,
I have felt frustrated that I can't feel more sensation when practicing self reiki or other energy healing modalities with myself.
For example,
I keep practicing and I trust and it was really cool to experience sensations so quickly with this finger holding practice,
Is what I'm calling it.
Even after a few breaths with each finger,
I will often feel a pulsing sensation,
Which wasn't there before.
And so I appreciate its simplicity,
That it's as accessible as the breath if you have a body where finger holding is accessible to you.
Also,
As someone who currently lives alone and unpartnered,
It allows an experience of being held and holding a beautiful expression of self love.
So,
By practicing and weaving it into my days now when I'm more resourced and grounded,
I trust this can become a helpful tool when I'm experiencing more challenging sensations as well.
So,
Knowing you will have your own experience different from mine,
Let's practice together.
Let's try it.
Let's experience it.
I will share with you before we begin to orient that it is a beautiful spring day here in Southern Vermont.
So,
I am speaking outside and you might hear birds or the creek rolling gently behind me.
Know that these sounds are part of my natural environment here,
And may they be as soothing to your system as they are in mine.
So,
Beginning the practice,
I invite you to gently wrap your right hand around your left thumb.
Hold your left thumb.
Let go of your right hand.
Let go of your left hand.
And put intention on your breathing.
Breathing in with intention.
Breathing out with intention.
Can you feel any sort of pulse or sensation?
Let go of your left hand.
Let go.
Alternating now to hold the right thumb by wrapping the left hand gently around it.
Connecting with the breath.
Open to noticing what's here.
With curiosity,
Let go of your curiosity as this right thumb is being held.
One more breath with intention.
Switching now to hold your left pointer finger with your right hand.
Again,
We return to the breath.
We're open to noticing sensation,
Whether it's here at the pointer finger or elsewhere in the body.
Switching hands to take the left hand and grab your right pointer finger with your right hand.
Hold it gently.
Take a nice deep breath.
Exhale,
Releasing down.
Being here with the experience of holding your finger.
Let go of your left hand.
Let go of your right hand.
Nothing needs to happen.
There's nothing to do.
Switch and now alternating hands again.
Hold your left middle finger with your right hand.
Wrapping around gently.
Let go of your left hand.
If you drift,
You can always come back to the breath.
Does this finger feel different from the others?
One more breath here.
Alternating now to hold your right middle finger with your left hand.
Connecting with breath,
With intention.
Open to whatever arises.
One more breath here.
We'll alternate to hold our left ring finger with your right hand.
Feeling into any subtle textures or sensations.
Connecting with breath,
With intention.
Open to anything.
Trusting the energy will flow where it needs to go.
One more breath with this finger.
Then let's alternate across to hold our right ring finger with our left hand.
Once again,
Inviting curiosity and an openness to what's here.
Connecting with the breath.
Noticing the inhale and the exhale.
One more breath with this finger.
Then we'll alternate to hold the left pinky in your right hand.
I welcome gratitude for this finger,
The tiny ways it's so helpful each day.
Scanning for sensation as we take one more breath on this side.
Then alternating,
We hold the right pinky with the left hand.
Always connecting with the breath as a touch point.
Returning to your pinky as another touch point.
Being here for one more breath.
Thank you.
Let's close this meditation.
By sending gratitude to these fingers.
My hands have just held each other.
If something similar feels right for you,
Go ahead.
Let's be with gratitude and love for these exquisite fingers which give us information and allow us to move through the world.
Sensing heat and coolness.
Feeling various textures.
The delicate softness of flower petals.
The smoothness of a river washed stone.
Fingers which allow us to express ourselves in musical instruments,
Rhythms,
Writing,
Art.
Fingers which allow us to share love.
A hug,
A handmade card,
A crocheted animal or coaster,
A nourishing meal or tea.
Fingers that allow us to open doors and light candles to send energy and blessings.
Thank you,
Fingers.
If you choose to take this practice into your days,
Go ahead and play with length.
Maybe try three breaths on each finger for a shorter practice or two to five minutes per finger and notice what you experience.
If this didn't resonate with you as it did for me,
I celebrate your discernment.
We are experiencing the world through different bodies.
May you be connected with a practice that feels enlivening and resourceful to you.
As always,
Take some time as you're transitioning from this practice back into your day.
I invite you to notice the texture and quality in your body's energy,
Having connected through the fingers.
And may the curiosity and openness we practice resonate with you.
May the energy you've lost in this container seep into other moments of your life.
Thank you for being here.
Go well into your day.
