JingJin Yoga Fascial Stretches Combining Yoga and Acupressure Muscle Meridians

The role of the fascia in the human body has been getting a lot of attention. Its effects are far-reaching because it surrounds and holds every organ, blood vessel, bone, and fiber in place! In short, it is everywhere and affects everything! The trick is to keep the fascia "unstuck" so that it is supple and hydrated and can glide, slide, twist, and bend with movement. Bodyworkers know about it because it is everywhere we touch. Yoga practitioners know about it because their asanas are designed to stretch it. JingJin Yoga is about combining those two Eastern wisdoms: Yoga and Chinese Medicine. Unlike other bodywork methods that use the principal energy pathways of acupressure and acupuncture, it focuses on the pathways that are dedicated specifically to the muscles and fascia - the JingJin.
The authors have used the trajectories of the JingJin to fine-tune the asanas of Yoga and added the mind-body connection with the energy pathways through guided meditation. These deceptively simple stretches profoundly benefit the whole body in many surprising ways. When done regularly the effects are cumulative and endless!

Deborah Valentine Smith, B.A., Dipl. ABT (NCCAOM® ), has been a Registered Jin Shin Do® Bodymind Acupressure® practitioner since 1979 and a senior Authorized JSD Teacher since 1983. She is a licensed massage therapist in New York, both board certified and an approved provider with the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB), and a Certified Instructor with the American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA® ). She has taught worldwide in massage and bodywork schools, learning centers, and formal training programs. She contributed 3 chapters to "A Complete Guide to Acupressure" by Iona Marsaa Teeguarden, served as the Editor-in-Chief of the AOBTA® Newsletter "Pulse" for 16 years, and has written numerous articles for Massage and Chinese Medicine publications. She is a past president of the AOBTA® board of directors and has been a board member for over 20 years. Deborah is especially interested in teaching self-care methods like JingJin Yoga to the public.

Barbara "Teddy" Piotrowski, RN, HNB-BC, BA, Dipl. ABT (NCCAOM® ), C-IAYT is a Board-Certified Holistic Nurse with more than 40 years of medical experience. She is a Certified Yoga Therapist, a Diplomate of Asian Bodywork Therapy, with an expertise in Shiatsu and Acupressure, and a Reiki Master, for over 20 years. As a Registered Nurse, Teddy saw the benefits of Eastern healing arts and believed it to be crucial to integrate them into everyday living. The self-care they provide is a piece that was missing in her Western based medical training.
Through the years Teddy has assisted individuals in all stages of life; from children and teens, couples working through fertility concerns, to older adults. Along with her own growth and acceptance of Eastern therapeutic ideals, she nourished the growth of her company, Greater Harmony, a business totally dedicated to promoting the benefits of a healthier and a more energetic way of life.
Working to champion yoga and meditation as healing arts and sciences, Teddy's focus led her to working with the senior population. She empowers individuals to progress toward improved health and well- being through the application of the teachings and practices of yoga. The yoga tradition views each human being as a multidimensional system that encompasses numerous aspects including: body, breath, and mind (intellect and emotions) and their interaction. In 2005, she began working in a Continuing Care Retirement Community, developing a program with the medical director and other health care professionals that provided a safe and effective program for the residents. By understanding the various health problems that older students face, she was able to adapt the postures and movements that are essential to making the practice both safe and effective. Teddy is currently teaching classes privately and for the local county senior health departments.