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Attitude. Attitude.
Attitude. How often have you heard, “it’s all about attitude?”
One of those inspirational emails that get forwarded
throughout eternity recently struck a chord with me. Perhaps you have received
it as well. The email lists many “I’ll be happy when” statements such as:
“I’ll be happy when I get out of college and get a job…Then, I’ll be
happy when I can retire from this stinking job and enjoy life.”
Then the wise email reminds us that: “The truth is there is
no better time to be happy than now. Life is always filled with challenges, so
you might as well admit this to yourself and be happy anyway.”
It’s all about attitude, right?
The online edition of the Merriman-Webster dictionary had the
following entries for the word “attitude:”
“1 : the arrangement of the parts of a body or figure :
POSTURE 2 : a position assumed for a specific purpose <a threatening
attitude> 3 a : a mental position with regard to a fact or state b : a
feeling or emotion toward a fact or state”
The origin of the word “attitude” is traced to the Latin
word “aptitudo” meaning “fitness” and directly linked with the word “aptitude.”
Aptitude is defined as:
“1 a : INCLINATION, TENDENCY b : a natural ability : TALENT
2 : capacity for learning : APTNESS”
So, “attitude” is associated with posture, how we carry
ourselves physically as well as the mental and emotional positions we have
towards certain facts or situation.
Our attitudes, the physical, mental and emotional positions
that we hold and carry are linked with our aptitudes, our natural abilities and
capacity for learning.
In my mind, our capacity for learning is related to our level
of awareness. Just as the child becomes aware that touching something hot can
burn, we become aware that carrying certain thoughts and emotions are harmful to
our well-being.
Just because one experiences what might be deemed a “negative”
attitude, it’s not necessarily a “bad” thing. It’s natural.
However, when we hold onto and carry attitudes long after the
event or situation that prompted them occurred, we might begin to experience
some detrimental effects, such as irritability, pain, discomfort, disease, and
so on.
In studying Jin Shin Jyutsu®, “the art of the Creator
through the compassionate man,” we learn that we have natural, innate and
simple tools available to us to help us harmonize our attitudes: our fingers.
I invite you to try these simple techniques to balance for
balancing attitudes:
1. Hold your THUMB when you experience WORRY.
2. Hold your INDEX finger when
you experience FEAR.
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3. Hold your MIDDLE finger when you experience
ANGER. (This is a good one for road rage….remember, HOLD your finger,
don’t go flashing it!!!)
4. Hold your RING finger when you experience SADNESS.
And,
5. Hold your LITTLE finger when you experience TRYING
TO as opposed to BEING.
Jin Shin Jyutsu brings to our AWARENESS that we have
the “APTITUDE,” the natural ability, to harmonize our ATTITUDES, how
we carry ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Sound too simple? Mary Burmeister, the person that
brought Jin Shin Jyutsu to America, says that Jin Shin Jyutsu is “complicatedly
simple.”
After more than 30 years of studying this ancient art,
Mary wrote three books on using Jin Shin Jyutsu for self-help. One of
those books is devoted exclusively to the fingers and toes. The other
two books have sections about holding the fingers.
Therefore, it’s quite evident from Mary’s
teachings that holding the fingers is very powerful! Not to mention that
it was by holding various finger mudras that Juro Murai healed himself
of a life-threatening disease in the early 1900’s and Jin Shin
Jyutsu® as we know it today was rediscovered.
This summer, I was going through some “challenging”
times. Just after my husband, Bill was laid off, we discovered we have a
MAJOR structural problem with our house which is going to cost a lot to
repair.
Talk about perfect timing! Facing just one of those
issues is enough to handle on its own. It was like we were dealt a
double whammy.
One morning, feeling particularly distressed about the
situation, I was sitting on the couch really fretting when I decided to
hold my fingers. As I sat there holding my fingers one by one, I noticed
my thought patterns shifting from “How are we going to handle this?”
to “I could choose joy or I can choose to continue to make myself
miserable.” As the burden of the worry and concern eased and
dissipated, the tension in my body released and I felt very empowered.
Now, nothing changed externally. Bill was still laid
off and the structural problem still existed, but I was no longer
carrying the burden of it all in my mind and body. My AWARENESS
recognized that I had the APTITUDE (natural ability) to harmonize the
ATTITUDES of worry and fear simply by holding my fingers.
The first synonym listed in the Merriman-Webster
Online Dictionary for aptitude is “gift.”
Jin Shin Jyutsu is the Creator’s gift to each and
every one of us. We are each gifted with the innate ability to bring
balance to our body, mind, and emotions.
I hope you accept this gift and experiment with
holding your fingers. You might be surprised to discover that not only
are your mental and emotional positions adjusting but that your physical
posture might be affected as well.
Copyright © 2003 Light Touch Integrative Therapies
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