Introduction to Chinese Medicine, Six

Introduction to Chinese Medicine, Six

Meridians

Qi flows through the body within meridians. These meridians cannot be seen, just as Qi itself cannot be seen. However, the meridians are located in anatomically precise lines throughout the body. Qi is stored, transformed, and released by Organs. Every meridian is rooted to an organ…

Along the meridians are specific points. These points are located in reference to precise anatomical landmarks. The points are places along a meridian where the Qi is more readily accessed, where it can be “treated” or contacted in order to support its return to balanced flow. Just as we access a river at certain places along its path, we contact Qi at certain places along a meridian. These specific places where Qi can be accessed on a meridian are called “points” or “acupoints.”

Originally the points were named. There are hundreds of regular points and many more “extra” points. Extra points are not located exactly on a meridian – many were identified after the original meridian map and points were settled on. In the West, points are referred to by numbers rather than names…

As long as Qi is plentiful and flowing through all of the meridians, life is also balanced, harmonious, and joyous. Practitioners can utilize the flow of Qi in the meridians and at the points to directly support the rebalancing of Qi to resolve the root of physical ailments.

Qi flows both superficially, along the skin, and deep within every cell of the body. Meridians have internal pathways and external pathways…

Internal pathways connect to the Organ associated with the meridian. For example, the internal pathway of the Lung meridian connects with the physical lung organ. It also connects with the large intestine organ, which is the Yang pair of the Lung meridian.

The internal pathways often solve the riddle of many effects that do not necessarily make sense if we base our thinking on only the external pathways of the meridians those effects are attributed to. Qi is delivered to every cell of the body along a web of meridian pathways…

Each meridian, or channel, is part of a web that includes all other meridians, and all their internal pathways. Meridians are “roads” of connection between organs, tissues, and other meridians, as well as pathways for the movement of Qi and blood throughout the entire system.

Meridian Massage,

Cindy Black