Channels or Meridians in Acupuncture - The invisible Pathways of Qi
Chinese use the term "jing luo" which means, channels, conduit,
meridian etc. According to acupuncture, these are the invisible channels
through which qi circulates throughout the body. The acupuncture points
(or holes as the Chinese term xue is more aptly translated means) are the
locations where the qi of the channels rises close to the surface of the body.
There are 12 main meridians, six of which are yin and six are yang and numerous
minor ones, which form a network of energy channels throughout the body.
In acupuncture, each meridian is related to, and named after, an organ or
function, the main ones are: the lung, kidney, gallbladder, stomach, spleen,
heart, small intestine, large intestine, gall bladder, urinary bladder, san
jiao (three heater) and pericardium (heart protector/ or circulation sex
meridian).
There are also 8 extraordinary channels in acupuncture that are considered to
be reservoirs supplying qi and blood to the twelve regular channels. These are
believed to have a strong connection to the kidney. The meridians are shown in
the figures.
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Location of the meridians and acupoints (acupuncture points) in the body.
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Dotted along these meridians are more than 400 acupuncture points, classified
by WHO. (There may be as many as 2000 points in use for different treatments.)
These are listed by name, number and the meridian to which they belong.
When Chi flows freely through the meridians, the body is balanced and healthy,
but if the energy becomes blocked, stagnated or weakened, it can result in
physical, mental or emotional ill health. An imbalance in a person's body can
result from inappropriate emotional responses such as: excess anger,
over-excitement, self-pity, deep grief and fear. Environmental factors such as
cold, damp/humidity, wind, dryness, and heat can also cause imbalance so as
factors such as wrong diet, too much sex, overwork and too much exercise.
To restore the balance, the acupuncturist stimulates the acupuncture points
that will counteract that imbalance. So, if you have stagnant Chi, he will
choose specific points to stimulate it. If the Chi is too cold, he will choose
points to warm it. If it is too weak, he will strengthen it. If it is blocked,
he will unblock it, and so on. In this way, acupuncture can effectively
rebalance the energy system and restore health or prevent the development of
disease. The points that the practitioner chooses to stimulate may not
necessarily be at the site of the symptoms.
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