Leslie Demich Practices a Gentle Art

body in balance
Leslie Demich practices Jin Shin Jyuststu in her Lacey studio.
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By Giovanna Marcus

salish cliffsLeslie Demich is not only a Jin Shin Jyuststu (JSJ) practitioner, she is an awareness-raiser.

In her practice, Body in Balance, Demich helps people become more in tune with their body’s subtle but powerful energy system.

So what is this Jin Shin Jyustsu anyway (besides a whole lot of vowels that are fun to say)?

body in balance
Leslie Demich practices Jin Shin Jyuststu in her Lacey studio.

JSJ is an ancient Japanese art form that moves stuck energy in a person’s body. Similar to the principles of Acupressure and Acupuncture, but without the invasiveness of deep pressure or needles, JSJ practitioners work with patients’ energy, using gentle touch to unblock what some call ‘chi.’ This concentrated focus facilitates healing, releases stress, and promotes general wellbeing. During visits, patients lie on a massage table fully clothed, while Demich uses her extensive training and intuitive gifts to seek out areas in the body that are “stuck.”

Patients have likened her gentle technique as similar to the mysterious but effective healing power of a “laying of hands.” Without any tissue manipulation whatsoever (no massage, no skeletal adjustment), most patients have reported benefits such as faster healing times from injuries, emotional shifts, relief from chronic illnesses, and debilitating stress relief, as well as disease prevention. Does all of this sound more than a touch hokey? Don’t worry. Demich herself was once the most cynical critic of them all.

Demich once ran a highly successful public relations firm for thirty years before trading it all in for a life where she could use a more hands on approach to help people. Her journey as a JSJ practitioner began when she met a woman who was versed in the art form that originated in Japan thousands of years ago. In private, she scoffed at this person’s profession and held little respect for her—that is, until Demich’s husband’s medical condition became so extreme that they were left with no room for skepticism.

“I thought it was just some froo-froo new-agey thing that required a healthy dose of gullibility to make it work.  IF it worked.  Which I doubted.  But by then we were desperate for relief,” says Demich.

Photo credit: Dinnea Photo
Photo credit: Dinnea Photo

After five session, her husband, who previously hadn’t been able to sleep, sit, walk, or stand for any real length of time, was suddenly doing each of these things with renewed ability.  Demich was convinced. She began her training immediately.

I saw Demich for a treatment, and besides being wonderfully soothing; I left with glow and a buzz that lasted for days. Due to the nature of the subtle healing power of JSJ, Demich recommends anywhere from three to six visits to work on a condition. The testimonials are outstanding.

One of the best parts of Jin Shin Jyustsu is the self-help aspect. Demich and others JSJ practitioners are encouraged to share their knowledge with patients, so each visit includes a lesson in order to continue to facilitate the body’s positive progress. Patients who dutifully do their “homework” are the ones who really thrive with this kind of framework.  “Jin Shin Jyustsu is best recommended for individuals who are committed to participating fully in the healing process,” says Demich. So if you are the kind of person who expects someone else to just fix you, Body in Balance probably isn’t your place.

Photo credit: Dinnea Photo
Photo credit: Dinnea Photo

Instead, Demich uses her wisdom and expertise to help those who are seeking some guidance. During my initial visit with Demich, she taught me that humans are practicing Jin Shin Jyustsu all the time, whether we know it or not. Have you heard the expression that if your ears are ringing, someone is talking about you? It may be little more than superstition, but even a quasi-skeptic has to seriously question why old-time sayings like that stick around in popular use for so many generations.

For example, have a tickle on your ear? It could be your small intestine crying for help. One of the self-help power moves Demich recommended to me was to hold my thumb, touting that simple gesture’s ability to improve my night’s sleep among a host of other benefits. If someone keeps doing something, like touch their nose, JSJ teaches people to think about how an action like that is viewed as a message from the body to pay attention to something.

“[Jin Shin Jyustsu] isn’t a problem fixer; it’s an awareness raiser,” says Demich, who further distinguishes what she does as a “harmonizing art,” rather than a healing art. JSJ works with what are called “energy locks.” These are 26 points that a JSJ practitioner works with on each side of the body. “When stimulated in a certain order, these points (we call them Safety Energy Locks) work together to open any of the thousands of highly defined energy pathways in the body,” writes Demich.

body in balanceSound complicated? Well, a visit to Demich’s Lacey office is anything but. Demich has a confident, friendly air about her and immediately puts new clients at ease during initial visits. She is booked out weeks in advance and comes highly recommended.

Body in Balance Jin Shin Jyustsu

677 Woodland Square Loop SE, Room A18

Lacey, WA 98503

360-349-2451

www.bodyinbalancejsj.com

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