Elisabeth Waddington writes about: “A Self-Help EXPERIENCE in the Arabian desert” in The Main Central Jin Shin Jyutsu Newsletter, issue Number 75, Winter 2012:

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“The Earth today is wounded and sore… The reason we exploit, damage and savage the earth is because we are out of balance…and we cannot be proportionate unless we honor the wilderness and the natural person within ourselves.”   –  Sir Laurens Van Der Post

Margareth Umeoka Serra’s unique and simply beautiful presentation of the  “Living the Art” class here in Dubai last autumn inspired and touched me deeply and opened my eyes to treasures in Mary Burmeister’s Self-Help books I had not seen or appreciated before!

From this awareness grew my desire and idea to offer an opportunity to EXPERIENCE the uniqueness of Jin Shin Jyutsu Self-Help Physio-Philosophy – to get away from it all by retreating into nature – to help us reconnect and rejuvenate.

There is a force that becomes animated and activated when we retreat from the busyness of our life, strip all the extras and surrender to nature with just our necessities.

We asked a local tour operator to provide us with a private Bedouin tent set-up in an isolated, unspoiled part of the desert – just over an hour’s drive away from the city of Dubai. What a contrast in scenery!

A retreat into nature with just “the basics” for the weekend was the theme. All participants were asked to take responsibility for their own food, drink, sleeping  bags, etc. To see our individual interpretation of “the basics” was an interesting observation in itself.

Probably just as well. None of  us understood a word our drivers muttered in their native language, as they loaded everything but the kitchen sink onto the truck – their rolling eyes and shaking heads spoke volumes!

On arrival, our group of twelve quickly settled – surrounded by the beauty of dunes and barren land – eager to get started.

No books, no papers, no rooms – our intention was not to teach a structured Self-Help class as such; the emphasis was on EXPERIENCING  Jin Shin Jyutsu as being the hands for ourselves and opening up to the Main central Source of Life, to Simply BE.

Mary says: “IT IS in the quiet moments we get a chance to remember who we really are.”

We can listen to our body more clearly, feel our harmony more acutely and embrace the song of our breath simply because we are in closer contact with it.

Master Jiro Murai says: “First the Breath, the fingers and then all the rest.”

We started with giving ourselves a HUG, emphasizing the essence of the letting go/giving and he receiving in harmony. Reshma Mudirakkal and I took turns to guide the group through meditations, finger postures, mudras, sequences, the Safety Energy Locks and the finger-toe flow during the two days…twelve women connecting, exploring our own landscapes – a little community out in the middle of nowhere forming an ocean of unspoken strength, compassion and a willingness to surrender whilst being present and listening to harmony.

Mary says: “BE the smile – BE the exhale – BE the fun.” We shared stories, life experiences, lots of laughter and fun.”

There were many, many amazing moments…opening our eyes after finishing the Main Central meditation to realize some wild camels had silently strolled close up to our tent and the almost eerie silence of the moon and starlit night are just two of these magical treasures…

As facilitators and participants, Reshma and I are humbled and deeply honored by the unconditional love, trust, support, joy and laughter everybody brought to the group and fully embraced the weekend as IT IS. Both of us are in awe of the stillness and peace that encompassed the whole experience. We remembered Master Jiro Murai’s amazing recovery, as he retreated to the mountains. These two days granted us a glimpse of the potential and what it means to our body, mind and spirit to retreat from everyday living to EXPERIENCE “how I can get to know and help myself”.

Poignantly over the weekend of March 11-12, 2011, unbeknown to us at the time, Japan was shaken by devastating earthquakes and a tsunami, whilst photos of Mary Burmeister and Master Jiro Murai, along with candle and roses were anchored into mother earth in the turbulent sands of Arabia, reminding each of us that balance and harmony are in our own awakening to what IS. With love and deep gratitude to Mary Burmeister, Master Jiro Murai and the whole global Jin Shin Jyutsu family, always.

Thank you, Elisabeth.

Thank you, Mary.

Thank you, David.

Gassho, Namaste, Blessings

All issues of The Main Central Jin Shin Jyutsu Newsletter are available at http://www.jsjinc.net.