Who tells your story?

Apr 17

When I tell people about Jin Shin Jyutsu for the first time I try to put it into simple terms that are easily understandable. Jin Shin Jyutsu can be as simple as holding a finger or as complex and you’d like to make it. We call it a life-long study. I describe babies sucking their thumbs, you lying in the grass looking at the clouds pass by with your hands cradling your head as examples of the natural way we use this art on ourselves unknowing. When I offer Self-Help suggestions at the end of a session it’s never surprising to hear my patient say, “That’s funny. I hold myself that way all the time.” Jin Shin Jyutsu is a part of who we are. There was an instance though when even I was caught off guard with the naturalness of the art.

Shelly had been an off and on patient of mine for three years. We had an initial consultation that didn’t result in an appointment. Six months later, she started to come for treatment monthly, then weekly and before being hospitalized at the end of her life, bi-weekly to help herself navigate the effects that cancer metastasis brought her way. She found that the sessions helped with her stamina, digestion, and anxiety and helped her do all the things she wanted to complete while she could. Shelly was a regular part of my week. We became close and I knew all about her family and life.

Shelly worked nearby and was loved by her all her colleagues. She had a husband and two children, one who was an avid athlete and the other passionate about musical theater who lived in New York. Shelly’s husband and family were always her main focus, attending her daughter’s athletic events across the country and flying to NY to see the new production of Hamilton twice with her son. She and her husband were planning his move to a smaller home after her death and her hope was that he would one day find a new love to complete his life as she had. She was a doer and a planner.

There came a time when Shelly came and stayed in the hospital for palliative and end of life care. Her family was at her side constantly and her husband made sure she was able to receive all that integrative medicine had to offer including Jin Shin Jyutsu and music therapy. As she moved into her final transition, everyone stayed close as much as possible.

The last day I saw Shelly the room was quiet. It was just she and her son. Shelly had moved into being non-communicative and she lay with eyes closed, breathing softly and looking peaceful. Her son was agreeable to having me work with her as always. While he sat across the room I began. Halfway into the session, music therapy arrived. Shelly had loved their visits and her son asked if it was possible for his mom to have this therapy at the same time as Jin Shin Jyutsu. Of course! It seemed like a perfect duet to me.

The therapist knew of the Shelly and her son’s love of the musical Hamilton and the fun they’d had seeing the musical together not just once, but twice. Because of this, the therapist had worked on a much slower version of one of the lively rap rhythm songs. She began, “Let me tell you what I wish I’d known when I was young and dreamed of glory. You have no control. Who lives, who dies, who tells your story.” Her slow an languid version brought a different dimension to the song and brought her son up from his chair to the end of the bed where he stood watching his mother.

As she sang her way towards the end of the song, it was clear that Shelly was present and feeling its power. I could feel the energy moving through her body and watched her breathing strengthen and deepen. A tear appeared and slowly made its way down her cheek. I called her son over to my side to take her hand. As the song continued, he placed her hand in his and gently held her ring finger, the one that represents sadness and grief. No one had explained the fingers and emotions to him. He intuitively knew what his mom needed.

And there we were. Tears in all our eyes, quietly communing in the energy of Jin Shin Jyutsu, music, and love. Mother and son connected in a deep and powerful moment together.