​How My Emotions Led Me to the Healing Art of Jin Shin Jyutsu

Life has a way of guiding us when we finally stop to listen. My path to Jin Shin Jyutsu—an ancient art of harmonizing the body’s energy—began during a season where I was drowning in emotion. Anger, fear, worry, sadness, and grief were taking over. Though I tried to stay strong for my family, I was struggling to find my footing, feeling lost in the overwhelming currents of life.

​The Pull of the Ocean and a Chance Encounter

​I have always found a sense of peace near the water. There is something deeply soothing about the mountains and the ocean along the Cabot Trail; it is one of my favorite places to drive. On a particular trip to Cheticamp, I felt a strong pull to visit the Stupa at Gampo Abbey in Pleasant Bay. I listened to that inner knowing and drove up.

​After making an offering and sitting in quiet meditation, I walked back to my car, only to find a woman standing there. As I approached, she looked at me and said, "I have been waiting for you; I feel your sadness."

​Hearing those words broke me open. I cried because I knew exactly what she meant—I, too, feel the energy of others. We stood there for hours. I opened my heart, sharing my deepest feelings, and she, in turn, shared her own journey as a child actor, a massage therapist, and a Qigong instructor.

​But it was when she mentioned she was a Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioner that a light bulb went off in my mind. She explained how our emotions create disharmony within us, which can eventually lead to physical illness and disease. In that moment, I knew I was destined to meet her. I left that day hopeful, holding my fingers to balance my worry and sadness, breathing and ready to learn everything I could.

​Dreams and Synchronicity: The Universe’s Gentle Nudges

​A few months later, the universe offered another profound nudge. I woke up from a dream vividly remembering a woman with blonde curly hair and the name "Alex." Weeks later, I found the Jin Shin Institute on YouTube. There, on the screen, was the exact woman from my dream: Alexis Brink. It felt like pure magic.

​As I practiced self-healing, the shifts in my body and mind were undeniable. The exhaustion and pain began to disappear, and the weight of those overwhelming emotions started to lift, replaced by a sense of peace and clarity. I realized then that my path wasn't just to heal myself, but to become a practitioner and teacher.

​The universe gave me one final confirmation through a dream of the numbers 333 x3 = 999. In numerology, 9 represents the completion of a cycle. Shortly after, the Jin Shin Institute offered an online practitioner program. The timing was perfect; my dream was becoming my reality.

​Meeting Alexis: A Dream Come True

​Meeting Alexis was a dream come true, literally. From the first dream seeing her in my sleep to meeting her for the first time in person in Santa Rosa, California, the journey has been extraordinary. Receiving my own treatment from her and learning more about my body and my energy pathways was a transformative experience.

​I am now on a journey of self-healing with awareness, dedicated to my own self-healing practice and working with my own practitioner in the Art of Jin Shin to jumpstart my energy centers. Many synchronicities have been unfolding; the "déjà vu" moments that were destined are coming full circle.

​My Journey Forward: Soul Sanctuary

​I have now officially completed my Practitioner Program. This milestone is the foundation for a dream that has been growing in my heart: to create Soul Sanctuary, a Japanese-inspired Wellness Sanctuary. I envision a space that offers Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), holistic treatment rooms, and guest accommodations so that those seeking healing can fully immerse themselves in the experience.

​Soul Sanctuary will be a hub for wellness, offering Art of Jin Shin workshops alongside specialized support for addictions, mental health, children, seniors, veterans, corporate and wellness retreats. It will be a place where the wisdom of this ancient art meets the tranquility of nature, offering others a sanctuary to find their own balance and healing.

I am forever grateful for my universal connection and for the messages in my dreams that guide me to my healing and journey. This path has taught me that we are never truly alone and that every "nudge" is a gift. I move forward with an open heart, grateful for the whispers that guided me to seek healing and excited to see where the next path leads. ✨