What are Meridians and How are they Relevant to Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is an ancient healing art that has been around for thousands of years, offering relief from a variety of ailments. Unlike what most people believe, acupuncture doesn’t just involve sticking a needle into random points on the body. The healing technique is far more effective than that.
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It has been studied and perfected over the course of a few thousand years. We feel that people should try out acupuncture at least once in their lives. With that aim, we want to introduce you to a sophisticated aspect of acupuncture – the Meridian.
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What is the Meridian?
Almost all of the ancient cultures in the world believe that the human body possesses some sort of energy. They believe that this energy flows through your body and can either cause or help heal diseases. Whether we call it chi, ki, prana, spiritual energy, or anything else, for thousands of years humans have believed that this energy exists.
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Ancient scholars also believed that it flows through a channel that transports it to different spots in the body. In Chinese medicine, these are called meridians. The Meridians need to be clear and unblocked for a person to remain healthy. If these points are blocked, the life energy wouldn’t reach the part of the body it was supposed to. That would cause different kinds of illnesses, depending on the Meridian that’s blocked.
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An expert in acupuncture would first study the symptoms and determine which parts of the Meridian system could be blocked. They would then insert needles into the Meridians to release the blockages and repair the damage. This would ensure that the energy starts flowing through the system. Once the energy starts circulating again, the symptoms of the imbalance would disappear and you’ll start feeling healthy again.
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How Many Meridians are there?
Experts seem to have slightly differing opinions on this one. Some claim that there are 12 while others say there are 14. Each Meridian has a corresponding partner. One is Yin and the other is Yang. The Yin Meridian would direct the energy in an upward direction while the Yang Meridian would direct the energy in a downward direction. This ensures the energy keeps circulating in a systematic manner. Here’s a list of the Meridians:
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- Arm Tai Yin channel or Lung Meridian
- Arm Yang Ming channel or Large Intestine Meridian
- Leg Tai Yin channel or Spleen Meridian
- Leg Yang Ming channel or Stomach Meridian
- Arm Shao Yin channel or Heart Meridian
- Arm Tai Yang channel or Small Intestine Meridian
- Leg Tai Yang channel or Bladder Meridian
- Leg Shao Yin channel or Kidney Meridian
- Arm Jue Yin channel or Pericardium Meridian
- Arm Shao Yang channel or the Triple Heater Meridian
- Leg Shao Yang channel or Gall Bladder Meridian
- Leg Jue Yin channel or Liver Meridian
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These are the primary Meridians, and there are two more. The Governing Vessel, or the Sea of Yang moves from the uterus to the kidneys, heart, and the brain. The other is the Conception Vessel is known as the Sea of Yin and moves from the frontal pubic region to the mouth. Every acupuncture professional needs thorough understanding of the meridians in order to perform successful treatments.
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If you want to know more about acupuncture and its benefits, you can get in touch with us at New Body Physiotherapy and Postural Management. Just fill in this contact us form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. You can also give us a call at 02 9958 2277.
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Best Regards,
Corey Iskenderian