Jin Shin for Cats and Dogs

Alexey Khodus/Getty

Pets give us so much love. Return it with healing touch techniques that increase energy flow and wellbeing.

Jin Shin Jyutsu is a form of intuitive healing knowledge that all humans carry inside us from birth and use, often unconsciously, time and again.

When we put our heads in our hands while thinking, for example, we activate certain parts of our brain and thereby help ourselves to remember things. At school, children often sit on their hands, which helps them to focus, to listen more carefully, and to remember what they have learned. When we cross our arms, we touch a point in the crook of the elbow, which helps to align us with our own authority and power. We also intuitively place our hands on painful areas, on ourselves or on an animal, as a means of reassurance. Everyone knows Jin Shin Jyutsu—we just need to remember it again.

Jin Shin Jyutsu is a gentle healing art to harmonize life energy, which can be applied to humans as well as animals. By placing our hands on certain points on the body, life energy is brought back into flow, self-healing potentials are stimulated, and complaints and symptoms are alleviated or completely eliminated. Holding Jin Shin points is a wonderful and easy way to regain mental and physical balance.

You can use Jin Shin Jyutsu to help your cat or dog, if they are undergoing veterinary treatment or are about to have an operation. Jin Shin Jyutsu has a strengthening effect after surgical interventions, supports the healing process, and makes it easier to tolerate anesthetics.

By holding certain points on the body, you help to jumpstart life energy so that it can flow harmoniously, evenly, and powerfully again. Health and wellbeing rely on this harmonious flow of life energy.

Even if your cat or dog has no symptoms or other issues, you can use the flows as a preventative measure. You can strengthen the health and resilience of your pet with just a few minutes of treatment.

Here are some tips, followed by key holds:

Make sure that the atmosphere is as calm and undisturbed as possible.
Feed your cat or dog beforehand so that they are not hungry, and their physical needs do not disturb the peace.
Decide which points or flows to use.
Then place your hands or fingers on the chosen energy points.
Hold the points until you feel a calm, even flow or pulsation (two to three minutes per hold).
Depending on the issue at hand, you can give two to three treatments—or more—per day. Your pets will show you what is best for them.
There are different safety energy locks or flows for most issues. Try them out, see what feels good. If your pet does not like a certain hold, try another.

General Harmonizer

The hold shown below is very suitable for starting a treatment. Place one hand on the point marked 13, the other hand on 10. This is a good hold to say hello, to attune, and to help your cat or dog begin to relax. It brings the exhale and inhale into balance, facilitates a state of rest and fosters engagement with the treatment.

This is an important hold for:

All breathing issues
Allergies
Coughs
Chest colds (bronchitis)
Pregnancy
Neglected and abused pets
Very shy animals

Getting the Energy Flowing

This simple hold is also good for initiating a treatment. It gets energy flowing and at the same time has a deeply calming effect. It is also a helpful hold for very restless cats or dogs that generally do not like to be touched. Likewise, it is a good first aid hold for all injuries, accidents, shock, and overheating.

For the left side of the body:

Place the left hand on the left 4 (directly under the base of the skull).
Place the right hand on the left 13 (on the left side of the chest, approximately at the height of the third rib).

And reverse this for the right side of the body:

Right hand on the right 4
Left hand on the right 13

This hold:

Harmonizes emotions
Dispels general fatigue
Helps with everything related to the head
Strengthens the eyes
Supports the legs on the corresponding side of the body
Helps the hips and is very helpful for end-of-life support

The Paw Flow

The paw flow corresponds to the finger-toe flow for humans. For this flow, always hold a finger with the opposite toe on the other side of the body. In other words, the thumb of the right hand and the left small toe, the right index finger and the second smallest left toe, etc.

For cats and dogs, hold the entire paw: one front paw and the rear paw on the other side of the body, i.e., the right front paw with the left rear paw and the left front paw with the right rear paw. This is a very simple yet extremely effective flow that can be used anywhere and anytime.

The paw flow regenerates and renews the entire body, helps with broken bones and sprains, strengthens the spine and helps with all back issues. It is an important flow in the event of a stroke and serves as a first aid hold for injuries.

Pets Massage

About the Author

Tina Stümpfig is a psychologist and experienced Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioner, working with people and animals. She is the author of Jin Shin Healing Touch: Quick Help for Common Ailments, and her latest, Jin Shin for Cats and Dogs. Tina lives in Wangen, Germany.

Click for more from this author.